Take a look at Daniel One from a 10,000-foot perspective.
From 10,000 feet, we can see things more clearly. Daniel One begins the journey through the incredible prophecies of Daniel. So, that is where I’ll start these 10,000-foot overviews of the book. Over the last several years, I’ve come to believe that the book of Daniel is far more important than many biblical scholars have realized. But this shouldn’t have been a surprise. Not to you or me. And not for most Christians who study the Word of God. The angels who spoke to Daniel made one thing clear. The visions were difficult to understand. But understanding will increase in the last days.
And here we are.
As I like to point out, the Bible is God’s story. It’s His Story. History if you will. God’s story is like any good book. It has a beginning, and a middle filled with intrigue, mystery, heroes, and villains. And there is the finale. The end. And oh what an ending it has.
Daniel One, the focus of this post, begins the part of the story in which the famous prophet was directly involved.
But you’re involved as well.
You, me, and every person living and breathing on the planet today. In Daniel One, the prophet began his part of the story, telling his own unfortunate introduction to God’s bigger story.
But, as I just mentioned, everyone alive today is just as much involved in it as Daniel was approximately 2500 years ago. Daniel’s story started in his day and ends in ours. It is my firm and growing conviction that the climactic ending that Daniel wrote about is perhaps a small number of years or just decades away. Many of us who are alive right now, will see the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies.
Daniel One: The big picture and the big test.
In these 10,000-foot views of the Book of Daniel, I will try to keep my words to a minimum. (I’ve already failed.) And hopefully, let the words of God increase your understanding of what Daniel wrote. And what the Spirit was saying to the church.
The prophet’s words were written for the last day Church. Not exclusively. But nonetheless, the church is intended to live as Daniel lived in the final days. The way Daniel and his friends responded to trials, is exactly how the church should respond. In every chapter of Daniel’s book, we see at least one, and often many examples of how we should live.
So, what do we see in Daniel One?
We see the city of Jerusalem ransacked and destroyed by an invading army. The same thing will happen in the near future.
Daniel and his friends were captured, taken to Babylon, and forced to train, eat, and live like their captors. Christians and Jews will suffer similar fates in the final days.
It was demanded of them that they live, learn, and eat as the Babylonians did. The Jews and Christians, in the future, will be forced to give up their faith. Many will do so. Are you strong enough for that test?
Under intense pressure, Daniel and his friends expressed great faith. Their faith resulted in miracles and made a huge impression on unbelievers.
In the final days, Christians must ready themselves to stand strong in their faith. They must model the faith of the great heroes of the past. Daniel is just one of many.
Most of us today have faith that is lacking. We have not been tested. Or when we have, we’ve failed. And too often, we grow weary of following God. We wonder why we should have to endure trials. Thinking God is required to keep us from trials.
Stand strong Christian. Let the Lord prepare your faith. Embrace the next test. It will come. Learn from the trials. Rejoice in them.
https://thewritelife.tech/2019/09/25/habakkuks-strong-faith-is-a-model-for-christians-in-these-final-days/
Job 23:10
Yet He knows the way I have taken. When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
Psalm 17:3
You have tried my heart, You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil. I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.
Psalm 66:10
For You, O God, have tested us, You have refined us like silver.
Below you’ll find the whole text of Daniel One.
Daniel One. Taken to Babylon
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,
4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate. And of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years. And at the end of that time, they were to stand before the king.
6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names. Daniel, he called Belteshazzar. Hananiah he called Shadrach. Mishael he called Meshach. And Azariah he called Abednego.
Daniel’s Faithfulness
8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food. Or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.
10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink. For why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”
11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
12 “Test your servants for ten days. let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you. And deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.
The test results
15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food.
16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.
17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king spoke with them. And among all of them, none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.
20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
White Stone Watcher
Hello readers,
I have served as a children and youth pastor for over three decades. It was a great honor and pleasure to serve the Lord in that way. It has been my prayer, that many of them will learn of Jesus’ love and decide to commit their lives to follow Him.
I wrote the fiction story, ‘White Stone Watcher’ for them and their parents. In the story, we see a young man, and his best friend, Amanda. They face the normal challenges that today’s kids face at school. But with one huge difference.
Their challenge is twelve feet tall to be exact with an enormous set of six wings. Just like the prophet Isaiah saw in the throne room of God. He is a Watcher, an angelic being who is still invisible to Amanda. The messenger from God is about to lead both on a spiritual journey. They find they cannot escape the unseen war that rages all around them. They will become key players that God will use in the battle between the Sons of Darkness and the Children of Light.
I invite you to pray about a youth who might enjoy and benefit from this story. As the world grows darker, our youth must become aware that the Lord is calling them to join the Children of Light in the fight for what is righteous. We are all involved, whether we realize it or not. If they do not go to church, maybe they will read a book about someone just like them facing challenges at school.
God is calling them.
Praying for the youth, and a great awakening.
Let me know what you think.