Download Daniel Bible Study Session 6 - The Congregational Church of Easton

Daniel chapters 6 and 7
Chapter 6: A New Empire: Medo-Persians; Daniel in the Lion’s Den
Background
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Daniel has spent his entire life as a high ranking official in a pagan kingdom working for the
wellbeing of pagans
Daniel was faithful, humble, and prayerful and remained so with temptations constantly being
thrown at him, sometimes with threat of death.
Served as God’s spokesman for world leaders some believe from 605BC to 530BC, approx. 75
years
His loyalty to the pagan kings and their people continued under Darius in the Medo-Persian
Empire
Daniel’s Career and Gifts
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Reputation was exemplary: experience, wisdom, a sense of history, leadership ability,
remarkable people skills, a positive attitude, and revelations from God
Career: worked for Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar with some power
Brought wrath of people from jealousy which was dangerous to not only him but other Jews
living in exile
How does reputation affect how we view people and interact with them?
His reputation brought the anger and wrath of others leading to his experience in the lion’s den.
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This will give God the chance to yet again display his sovereignty and control over life and nation
Themes of Chapter 6
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Evangelical potential of a godly, uncompromising life
God receives glory from the life and work of the quiet servant
How might God receive glory from the way that we live our lives? Have you ever met someone who truly
lived for God’s work?
Text: Chapter 6
Characters:
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Governors and Satraps – These individuals ruled over the regions of an empire reporting back to
the Emperor in Persia and ensuring the interests of the Empire
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Daniel – is now only Daniel
Darius the Mede – actually Cyrus the Great; Darius was used for at least 5 other Persian Kings
Begins with the setting up of the newly conquered regions of the Babylonian Empire
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Daniel now becomes a governor; it was his job to assist the king as his vicegerent. He exercised
power on behalf of the King
Daniel distinguishes himself by his spirit – over 80 and enjoy God’s blessings his whole life
Daniel was given power over the whole realm – God setting him in a position of great influence
with the king
In the first year of Cyrus the Jews were allowed to return to Judah – just before the lion’s den
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Why did Daniel not return home?
Jealous Plot underway – notice similarities with 3:8
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What was the plot against Daniel?
Why were they jealous?
Tried to find something wrong but couldn’t so they manufactured one based on their
understanding of the faith
Notice vs 6 – praises Darius as a god which sets the scene for the charges they are about to bring against
Daniel
Read verse 7 – established a law that said that Darius was the ultimate god and to worship differently
was blasphemy
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punishment – cast into the lion’s den
Signing of the decree (similar to the signing of the decree in Esther)
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Once signed it was final and couldn’t be changed even by the king
Without thought the king signed the decree
What does this tell us about the king and absolute power?
Daniel’s Response – uncompromising in his commitment to God
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Went home knelt in front of the window and prayed 3 times a day
What must have been going through his head?
What fears would we feel?
Despite Daniel’s over 60 years of service in Babylon and now to Persia his faith is now seen as a threat
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Why would this be seen as a threat
Notice how they crafted wrong doing just to be able to get rid of Daniel
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Notice how Darius goes from a god to a fool in seconds
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Tries to fix his wrong doing
Can’t because of laws in Persia
Prays that Daniel’s God will deliver him but then seals him in the den with the lions abandoned
to die – or did the king really believe and know that Daniel would be delivered
The lion’s den – Aramaic suggests an underground pit that probably had a hole at the top to drop food
and a ramp or hillside with a door
King appears to be feeling guilty
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Grieves by denying himself food, music and sleep
Gets up early and runs to see what happened to Daniel and to see just how powerful the
Hebrew God was
Daniel’s responses from the den – vs 21-22
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What do you notice?
Piety for God yet respect and dedication to the worldly king
See how he balances the two
Angel – was this the fourth person from the furnace?
God openly honored Daniel’s faith to show his glory to the Persian – sometimes God chooses
martyrdom instead
Punishment for the perpetrators – they and their families were cast into the den where they were killed
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Some see this as the cost of sin
What else does this scene teach us about our faith?
New law – everyone must not only acknowledge the Hebrew God but must fear him
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What does this say about Cyrus (Darius)?
How does Darius and Nebuchadnezzar differ at this point?
Preparation for Chapter 7:
What strange ideas, beliefs and practices have you observed as people discussion the future? Think to
the Y2K movement and the coming of the rapture.
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Chapter 7: More prophecy
Background
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Continuation of God’s revelation about Gentile dominion on earth
God makes revelations directly to Daniel
Why the change?
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Daniel sees a collection of beasts and creatures
About the distant future coming of a Messiah/King who would end Gentile rule and establish his
kingdom forever
Notice – seem to back to Belshazzar (like a flashback)
Significance of chapter
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Demonstrates God’s sovereignty over earthly affairs and human history
Clear glimpse at prophetic future – events leading up to the second coming
The prevalence of the word of God – God keeps his word
Role model in Daniel – lived faithfulness and devotion
Text: Chapter 7
Characters:
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Daniel
Begins with the vision/dream Daniel had while still serving Belshazzar
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Chapter 7 and 8 happen before chapter 4
14 years before the party
The dream: read vs 2 the winds stir the great sea
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In reference to the mediteranean sea and all the peoples who lived there
(look at map of mediteranean)
Vs. 3 – represents the 4 kingdoms from chapter 2
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Flip to chapter 2 to discover the 4 kingdoms
Vs. 4 – lion with wings
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Represents Babylon – swift, powerful, vicious
Lions guard the gates of Babylon
What does this say about Babylon? What is God going to do to Babylon?
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Vs. 5 – a Bear
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Medo-Persia: Greater side being Persia
Ribs are the nations they vanquished
Vs. 6 – a leopard with four wings like a bird
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Also had 4 heads and it was given dominion
Greece with it’s powerful and quick conquest under Alexander the Great
4 heads = the 4 generals under Alexander who would divided his kingdom upon his death
Vs. 7 – the fourth beast with iron teeth
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Had 10 horns
10 horns = 10 kings
Roman Empire: Devastated in conquest and ruthless in dealing with other peoples
Would lose dominion in 476 AD but would continue as a divided kingdom longer
Rome is predicted to be revived at the second coming
Vs. 8 – Another horn
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Rise of anti-christ; a real human filled with pride
Anti-Christ is to become like another king or conqueror and will defeat three of the other kings
Will declare war on believers; especially those in Israel
Vs. 9-10 – Daniel patiently watched in the dream to see history skip forward to the divine throne where
judgment came to the fourth kingdom
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Continued to watch as Christ destroyed the fourth kingdom lead by the anti-Christ
Christ will prolong the lives of the 3 earlier beasts (kingdoms) that lost dominance when they were
conquered
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Survived only in the descendence
Incorporated in the new victorious Kingdom of God
Vs. 13 – the Son of Man provides confusion for Christians because we believe that he is the one to
establish the kingdom of God but Hebrew culture there is a distinct difference between the son of man
and the Father
Daniel grieved this dream – grieved the coming judgment
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Daniel asked the angels for guidance in understanding these dreams/visions
Receives interpretation which we see
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Scary but at the end we see hope
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Understanding
1. Tell me about the 4 beasts? And how was the fourth beast different?
2. What do you think of these visions? Do they bring comfort or trouble and why?
Support Scriptures Revelation 13
1. What does John’s vision add to Daniel’s?
2. Why do you think there are so many similarities between Daniel chapter 7 and Revelations 13?
Reflecting on the Text
Reread Daniel 2: 20-22. What truths does this prayer of praise contain for those who might be tempted
to worry about the future?
Why is it dangerous to speak of what God looks like? How might we describe God to someone else?
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Daniel and the Lion’s Den
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