Daniel 1
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Daniel 1
Stedman explains... The book of Revelation explains the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel lays the basis for the book of Revelation. If you would like to know God's program for the future, it is essential that you understand this book of Daniel. (Daniel - On the Way to the Future) As Pastor Ray Pritchard says... Daniel is one of the most popular Old Testament books. Since I was a child it has been one of my favorites. This book has it all: history … prophecy … politics … prayer … lions … statues … wild animals … a fiery furnace … dreams and visions … a king who thought he was a cow … incredible adventure … amazing escapes … angels … demons … detailed information about ancient history … and amazing prophesies about the end times. I heartily recommend Daniel as one of the best Old Testament books for young people to read. Here we discover the difference godly teenagers can make in the world (The Four Freshmen How the World Tries to Seduce the Church) Related Resources: Excellent Bible studies on Daniel [6 weeks] geared to children ages 8-12 - Daniel 1-6 - You're A Brave Man, Daniel! (children's study)! Daniel 7-12 - Fast Forward to the Future Discovering What the Future Holds - 40 Minute Bible Study DANIEL IN THE "CRITIC'S DEN" Daniel has "suffered" more from the "Critic's Den" then he ever suffered in the Lion's Den! Liberal theologians largely discount Daniel as a "fake" or a "forgery" written by someone hundreds of years after Daniel lived (e.g., one popular date of its writing is around 166BC). Why is Daniel so attacked? Simply stated, Daniel speaks of and substantiates the truth of the supernatural, specifically pointing to the Most High God Who is over heaven and earth. Rational man (sinful man) does not want to be held accountable to such a great God, for he knows that such a God is also a Judge of right and wrong. If he can "manufacture" a God of his own vain imagination (aka an "idol", [read this sad "devolution" in Ro 1:18-25-notes] often appropriately referred to as a "vain" or "empty" thing in the Hebrew OT, eg, 2Ki 17:15 "followed vanity" = Hebrew word hebel = vapor, emptiness, first use in Dt 32:21 = "idols"), such a "god" will not put constrains on his behavior and he can do whatever is right in his own eyes (cp Jdg 21:25-note). In other words, he does what he desires and it is "right" because he has no absolute standard of what is right (righteous) or wrong (unrighteous, sin, transgression, evil). Daniel abolishes this specious, selfish thinking when interpreted literally! How does a believer counter erudite, intricate arguments against the authenticity of Daniel? My simplistic answer is to listen to our Lord Jesus Christ's affirmation of the veracity of Daniel in His famous "Olivet Discourse", in which He warns the disciples... Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand [verb anaginosko = to know well, exactly or accurately, to distinguish between, to recognize, most often used of public reading of something as in Lk 4:16])... (Mt 24:15) Matthew
Daniel 1
Stedman comments on the phrase "let the reader understand": That is, don't read through Daniel superficially. Think it through. Give yourself to thought on this. You have to understand what he is talking about before you will be able to recognize the desolating sacrilege, or abomination of desolation, when it comes. This is why the Lord went on to say that the world in its superficial approach to truth will not understand when it cries, "Peace, peace, peace," for there will be no peace; sudden destruction will come upon them and they will be swept away just as the people of Noah's day were swept away when the flood came. (Overview of Daniel- On the Way to the Future) If Jesus believed Daniel was a true prophet (fulfilling Moses' prophecy in Dt 18:15), all of men's "rational" arguments against Daniel, regardless of their degree of erudition, are in effect obliterated by the testimony of our Lord! Period! No room for arguments! That is unless one does not accept Jesus' Words as Truth (cp Jn 1:14, Jn 14:6)! Another Scriptural support for the authenticity of the book of Daniel is the testimony of Ezekiel (taken to Babylon in 597BC about 8 years after Daniel which would have been time for Daniel's "reputation" to filter down to the Jewish exiles, among whom Ezekiel lived) to the godly character of the prophet Daniel (Eze 14:14, 16) As an aside, this simplistic "apologetic" ("defense" of the faith, cp 1Pe 3:15-note), is not given to disparage other legitimate evangelical arguments in support of Daniel, but is emphasized because it is one defense that is easy to recall and is "watertight"! (For more on the authorship and authenticity of Daniel see Tony Garland's works - Daniel - Introduction Part 2 and Daniel - Introduction Part 3) Read the story recorded by Josephus in which Alexander the Great was shown Daniel's prophecy describing himself and he drew back from destroying Jerusalem. (Alexander Reads About Himself in the Book of Daniel) AUTHORSHIP OF DANIEL According to the book of Daniel, who wrote Daniel? "I, Daniel" (Da 8:15) is one of the most direct ascriptions by Daniel that he was the author of this book. VERSE BY VERSE EXPOSITION Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2Ki 24:1,2,13; 2Chr 36:5, 6, 7 In the third year (605BC) - Critics attack this as "inaccurate" because Jer 25:1 says "the fourth year of Jehoiakim" (see also Jer 45:1; 36:1; 46:2). The critics are correct about one thing -- God is not a God of confusion but of order and thus He never contradicts Himself! So how can one give a defense for this apparent "contradiction"? In Daniel 1:1 the author uses the Babylonian system for dating the reign of a king and not the Jewish system utilized by Jeremiah. In the Babylonian system of dating the reign of a king, the first year of ascendancy was not counted, whereas it was counted in the Jewish system. There is no contradiction. Recommendation: Print Out the Timeline on page 43 - use it to take notes as you study Daniel. Gleason Archer after giving a detailed explanation of the "discrepancy" (between Da 1:1 and Je 25:1, 46:2) concludes... Hence there is no discrepancy whatever between the two reckonings and the often-repeated argument (based on these reckonings) against the historical trustworthiness of Daniel is worthless. (Expositor's Bible Commentary) THREE INVASIONS OF JUDAH BY BABYLON Babylon attacked Judah and Jerusalem in 3 waves over a period 19 years. Keep this in mind as you read Daniel for he ascends to power in the first two years ... 1) 605BC - (Daniel 1:1) Daniel and the 3 friends taken captive 605 BC May-June (from D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of the Chaldean Kings 626-556 B.C., page 25) – General Nebuchadnezzar (sent by his father Nabopolassar, who was king of Babylon at this time) completed his conquest of the Assyrian empire at the famous Battle of Carchemish (located in modern day Syria). The rule of the known world literally changed hands at this great battle, because not only did Nebuchadnezzar defeat the once invincible Assyrian army but he also defeated their Egyptian allies and pursued them southward through Palestine. 605 BC June-August - Wiseman writes that at this time "The effect (of Nebuchadnezzar's victory over Assyria and Egypt) on Judah was that King Jehoiakim, a vassal of Necho (Egyptian King), submitted voluntarily to Nebuchadnezzar, and some Jews, including the prophet Daniel, were taken as captives for hostages to Babylon" Around this time General Nebuchadnezzar learned of his father Nabopolassar's death, which prompted his return to Babylon to be crowned king. 605 BC September 7 - Nebuchadnezzar was crowned King of Babylon For context note that Jeremiah began his 53 year prophetic ministry to Judah and Jerusalem in about 627BC. 2) 597BC - (2Ki 24:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) Ezekiel and 10, 000 taken captive. Regarding Ezekiel's deportation in 597BC here is an explanation Silva and Tenney "The problem concerning the age of Ezekiel when he was taken into exile has been a matter of discussion, but it is most probable that he was twenty-five years old at the time. The opening statement of his prophecy, “In the thirtieth year … as I was among the exiles,” appears to be a reference to his age at the time of his call into the prophetic ministry, which in the following verse is dated in “the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin,” who was also among the captives of the 597 B.C. deportation (Ezek. 1:1–2)." (Silva, M., & Tenney, M. C. The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 2, D-G)
Daniel 1
Stedman - If you are working in a company surrounded by a godless crowd who are taking the name of God in vain every moment, who agree with the ideas and attitudes of the world and its ways, and who make fun of the things of God, showing little interest in what God says to mankind, then I suggest that you read carefully the book of Daniel. ( Daniel - On the Way to the Future) Daniel 1:6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Tony