Latest / Dwelling Place: The Bible for Moms / 180. Raising Kids Who Stand Firm: Lessons From Daniel in the Lions’ Den | Daniel 4–6

Transcript

180. Raising Kids Who Stand Firm: Lessons From Daniel in the Lions’ Den | Daniel 4–6 · Dwelling Place: The Bible for Moms

• 0:00
  This is A Dwelling Place from Entrusted Ministries.
• 0:02
  I'm Stephanie Hickox.
• 0:04
  As we study the familiar passages of Daniel four through six, God's pursuit of every tribe, nation, and people comes through their rulers.
• 0:11
  He will use Daniel's unwavering, steadfast faith to be an effective witness over entire empires.
• 0:17
  I'm tweaking our plan just a little bit because I want to cover Daniel in four days instead of three, but we'll still be completely on track by the end of the week In chapter four, Daniel hands over his
• 0:27
  pen figuratively to Nebuchadnezzar.
• 0:29
  King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied to you.
• 0:36
  It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
• 0:42
  How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders.
• 0:44
  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion endures from generation to generation.
• 0:50
  Let's meditate for just a moment upon what Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges about God.
• 0:55
  First, how mighty his acts are, and secondly, his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
• 1:01
  Most kings, especially in ancient times, lived with constant paranoia that their thrones and empires would be taken from them at a moment's notice.
• 1:09
  That's why you'll notice all over the Bible the phrase, "Long live the king," or, "May the king live forever."
• 1:15
  They desperately wanted to maintain their reign.
• 1:18
  But Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges that God reigns over all, and His kingdom is forever.
• 1:22
  He's seated on the throne now, and He always will be.
• 1:25
  But if we rewind, he didn't always realize this He thought he was a pretty big deal, and you know what?
• 1:31
  Historically, he really was.
• 1:33
  He was one of the most astounding architects in the ancient world.
• 1:36
  Sir Henry Rawlinson excavated over 100 different towns in this region, and every town in which he went to, the bricks had the seal that they were built by Nebuchadnezzar.
• 1:45
  He never found a trace of another builder There is a little bit of debate, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon could actually have been in Nineveh, but there was certainly something like it that Nebuchadnezzar built for his wife,
• 1:55
  who was missing the flora and fauna of her homeland.
• 1:58
  He empathetically built her an architectural marvel that's layers were irrigated Babylon itself was started by Nimrod Remember the Tower of Babel?
• 2:06
  But it didn't thrive until Nebuchadnezzar came along Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian, says that Babylon covered 196 square miles.
• 2:14
  He describes an outer wall that was, get this, 311 feet high and 87 feet thick.
• 2:22
  Chariot races would even occur at the top there were 100 bronze gateways that protected them from outside influences And the Euphrates River flowed through the city and was lined on either side with bricks.
• 2:32
  It included an impressive bridge over three thousand feet long that led to the royal palace.
• 2:37
  And Nebuchadnezzar built the famous Ishtar Gate, which was covered in blue and had lions engraved in it.
• 2:42
  I've gotten to see a couple of these very lions in Chicago, and I was amazed to realize that Daniel and the exiles may have walked past those very carnivores as they entered the city of Babylon.
• 2:53
  So while Nebuchadnezzar was prospering and at ease, God sent him another dream that robbed him of his peace.
• 2:59
  It's of a tree that gets chopped down, daniel's truly troubled.
• 3:02
  He wishes this foreboding dream wasn't for Nebuchadnezzar.
• 3:05
  This reveals Daniel wasn't really rooting for his demise.
• 3:08
  Daniel explains, "You are the tree that's going to be cut down.
• 3:11
  Seven periods of time will pass, and you'll dwell with the beasts of the field, eating grass like an ox until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will."
• 3:22
  Daniel's still hopeful that Nebuchadnezzar can repent O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you.
• 3:27
  Break off your sins by practicing righteousness and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity."
• 3:35
  Unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar doesn't heed Daniel's humbling advice.
• 3:39
  A year later, he's walking on the roof of his royal palace.
• 3:42
  He looks at his 300-foot walls, his marvelous Ishtar Gate And says, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?
• 3:54
  While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken, the kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling
• 4:06
  shall be with the beasts of the field, And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men
• 4:16
  and gives it to whom He will Immediately, this prophecy is fulfilled.
• 4:20
  For seven years, Nebuchadnezzar is given over to a form of mental illness known as boanthropy, He believes he's a cow, his hair becomes as matted as an eagle's feathers, and his nails as thick as talons.
• 4:31
  We have modern-day examples of this same occurrence.
• 4:34
  Historians argue that there wouldn't have been enough time in Nebuchadnezzar's reign to have seven years of insanity.
• 4:40
  But the Armstrong Institute for Biblical Archaeology notes there is a gap between 582 BC, There's another gap between 572 and 562 that is conspicuously silent It also notes the Bible is unique for describing the faults of its heroes.
• 4:56
  But Hebrew Bible scholar and archeologist Siegfried Horn wrote, "It should not surprise us then if we find no corroboration of Nebuchadnezzar's mental illness in Babylonian records.
• 5:05
  When we consider the humbling nature of the affliction, the likelihood of the royal archives preserving documentation of the event seems most unlikely."
• 5:14
  however, there are a few artifacts that point to this very possibility one is a Babylonian tablet discovered in Iraq in the 1880s, and it certainly seems to point to Nebuchadnezzar's mental illness We also have a tablet of a
• 5:28
  Babylonian king giving praise to the Most High God acknowledging a seven-year period of insanity But what I love about the Lord is even though He humbled Nebuchadnezzar, He still gave him enough reason to be able to repent.
• 5:41
  The climax of the story comes in 4:34.
• 5:44
  At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me.
• 5:50
  And I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored Him who lives forever."
• 5:54
  He again acknowledges God's dominion is everlasting and His kingdom enduring, at that same moment, his reason returns The God of the Bible is ever available to grant forgiveness to those who humble themselves.
• 6:05
  He was ready and waiting.
• 6:07
  And Nebuchadnezzar's biography concludes Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are right and all His ways are just, and those who walk in pride, He is able to humble nebuchadnezzar
• 6:20
  lived for a couple more years after this, but it seems he acknowledged Yahweh as his Lord, unfortunately, after him, there wasn't a worthy successor.
• 6:28
  Several rose up and were killed off by those around them.
• 6:31
  then a man named Nabonidus comes.
• 6:34
  He's not of the royal line, and he's much more peaceful than rulers of that day.
• 6:38
  He'd rather read and study architecture than lead the kingdom.
• 6:40
  And he actually leaves for 10 years going to the region of Arabia.
• 6:44
  Some believe this was a religious retreat of sorts And others claim his enemies had driven him out.
• 6:48
  But during these ten years, the people were not happy.
• 6:51
  His absence affected the feasts they were allowed to have to worship their gods.
• 6:54
  It impacted their trading and their morale was poor.
• 6:57
  Nabonidus had placed his son Belshazzar to rule Babylon while he was away.
• 7:01
  He is every bit the rebellious fool that Proverbs describes.
• 7:05
  One night he holds a feast with about one thousand people, and in his drunken stupor, decides to bring out the gold and silver vessels from Judah's temple, from the desecrated temple in Jerusalem that Nebuchadnezzar had taken.
• 7:17
  The people begin drinking out of these goblets as they praise their pagan gods.
• 7:22
  Yahweh immediately interrupts their blasphemous arrogance.
• 7:26
  In verse five, immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace opposite the lampstand.
• 7:33
  And the king saw the hand as it wrote.
• 7:35
  Then the king's color changed and his thoughts alarmed him.
• 7:38
  His limbs gave way and his knees knocked together.
• 7:41
  The king cried out to bring his wise men to provide an interpretation he promises the correct interpreter will be made third in the kingdom But of course, no one can interpret it.
• 7:49
  He's there literally shaking in his boots, and a queen comes forward.
• 7:53
  She's probably the queen mother that remembers the days of Nebuchadnezzar when Daniel was able to interpret dreams She relays, There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.
• 8:03
  In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him.
• 8:08
  Because an excellent spirit, knowledge and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in him.
• 8:15
  Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."
• 8:18
  She classifies Nebuchadnezzar as his father, but that term can also mean ancestors or those who went before you.
• 8:24
  Daniel comes in, and I can't help but giggle because if he was 15 at the exile when he was brought to Babylon, he'd be about 81 years old at this time.
• 8:33
  I am picturing an older man being woken up, coming into this banquet of a thousand drunken people.
• 8:39
  I'm sure they gave him time to change out of his pajamas, but I still think it's a funny picture because most times when we study the Book of Daniel, we picture a much younger version Daniel says, I don't
• 8:50
  need your gold chain or your purple robe."
• 8:51
  He probably realizes that whoever gets them is not going to keep them for very long.
• 8:56
  He doesn't say, "O king, live forever," when he provides the interpretation, and this shows us Daniel probably doesn't have a lot of respect for Belshazzar He rebukes him.
• 9:04
  You were able to watch the Most High God humble Nebuchadnezzar, but you have not humbled your heart, though you knew all of this.
• 9:10
  You have lifted up yourself against the Lord of Heaven."
• 9:13
  And praised the gods of silver Next, he reads the inscription, "Mene, mene, tekel, parsin.
• 9:19
  Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end.
• 9:23
  Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.
• 9:26
  Parson, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
• 9:30
  Belshazzar still gives Daniel the purple robe and the gold chain, but that very night Belshazzar is killed.
• 9:35
  It's fascinating how the downfall of this great city Babylon occurred.
• 9:40
  As Nabonidus was neglecting the kingdom, there was a nearby ruler that was paying attention to everything that was going on.
• 9:46
  His name was Cyrus the Great.
• 9:47
  Isaiah wrote prophecies of astounding detail 150 years before he lived Cyrus was radically set apart from the ruthless kings of his day.
• 9:56
  and it's this very night that God ordained the Persian army would come and defeat Babylon.
• 10:01
  Their military strategy is brilliant.
• 10:03
  Because the Euphrates River flowed through Babylon, they diverted part of the water until the river was low enough that it only reached the warriors' knees.
• 10:12
  They marched into the city and were able to go under the walls where the river formerly was.
• 10:16
  However, if they would have stopped there, they would have been incredibly vulnerable.
• 10:20
  to the Babylonians' defenses.
• 10:22
  But when they reached the inner gates, they found that all of the guards were missing and at Belshazzar's party, and the inner gates themselves were open.
• 10:30
  This is astounding, miraculous, and inexplicable apart from the sovereignty of God some believe Belshazzar's own people betrayed him But whatever the reason, the prophecies Isaiah said were precisely fulfilled.
• 10:43
  Listen to some of these writings from Isaiah 45: Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him, and to loose the loins of kings, to open the doors before
• 10:54
  him, and that the gates may not be shut.
• 10:56
  I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight.
• 10:59
  I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron.
• 11:03
  Babylon's gates were made of brass and iron, and Cyrus was able to walk through because of the Lord In chapter four, we looked at a prideful king willing to humble himself and recognize the God of heaven.
• 11:14
  In chapter five, a foolish ruler perishing in his pride.
• 11:17
  And in chapter six, we're introduced to a new ruler, Darius the Mede.
• 11:21
  There is definitely some controversy over him because we don't have a clear record of who Darius the Mede is.
• 11:27
  There are two options.
• 11:28
  Darius the Mede could be another name for Cyrus the Great.
• 11:32
  Cyrus was actually half Mede, half Persian, And it's quite possible Darius was actually a title rather than a name, we see that in other historical records.
• 11:40
  The other option is that Cyrus's kingdom was so great that he set Darius the Mede over this area to rule for a couple years while he continued his military exploits elsewhere.
• 11:49
  In any case, this was the most peaceful takeover of a city.
• 11:53
  Unlike the Assyrians who tortured all their captives or the Babylonians who brought them into captivity, the city of Babylon did not skip a beat when it switched over to Persian rule.
• 12:02
  No temple services were missed because Cyrus had incredible respect for other religions and cultures.
• 12:08
  In fact, he's known as the first great humanitarian.
• 12:11
  We have the Cyrus Cylinder today that describes his peaceful entrance into the city.
• 12:16
  A short time after the night Belshazzar was killed, Cyrus entered and communicated to the people that he was not just coming as king, he was coming to free them and provide a better life.
• 12:25
  We'll study him more in the next portion because he does something else incredible that God foretold continuing in chapter six with Darius the Mede.
• 12:33
  In classic Cyrus style, he takes some of the current leaders and allows them to rule.
• 12:38
  He selects Daniel to be one of his three highest rulers because an excellent spirit was found in him.
• 12:43
  Darius was strategizing to set him over the whole kingdom, but Daniel's enemies became jealous.
• 12:48
  They sought a way to bring him down, But his reputation and his tracks were spotless.
• 12:53
  They finally realized the only accusation we can bring against him is if we attack his loyalty to his God.
• 12:58
  they conspire and say to King Darius, "Let's make a decree that if anyone worships someone other than you, they'll be cast into the den of lions."
• 13:07
  Darius signs this, not realizing their trickery.
• 13:09
  Unfortunately, when a Median or a Persian king signed an edict, it was irrevocable So I am thrilled with Daniel's response.
• 13:17
  In verse 10, when Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem.
• 13:26
  He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he had done previously.
• 13:32
  He's probably about 82 years old at this point, and I can picture him thinking, Oh brother, you guys.
• 13:38
  I've seen God do so many things at this point.
• 13:40
  There's nothing you can do to stop me from worshiping Him the evil conspirators report back to King Darius, Remember that law you just signed?
• 13:47
  Unfortunately, guess who broke it?
• 13:49
  Daniel."
• 13:50
  Darius is distraught, he determines to find a way to deliver Daniel.
• 13:54
  Scripture says he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.
• 13:58
  It's amazing to me that a king is working all night to rescue an 82-year-old man.
• 14:04
  How incredible must Daniel have been that Darius was so determined to protect him?
• 14:08
  Sadly, Darius is held to his edict.
• 14:10
  as Daniel is lowered into the pit housing these ravenous lions, he cries out to him, May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you."
• 14:18
  The stone closes the pit, and the king spends the night fasting.
• 14:22
  He doesn't sleep, and no one's allowed to interrupt.
• 14:24
  But when sun breaks, he sprints to the den and cries out in anguish, Oh, Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"
• 14:34
  Daniel responds, O king, live forever.
• 14:37
  My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me because I was found blameless before Him and also before you, O king.
• 14:45
  I have done no harm."
• 14:46
  Do you recall that Daniel's name means God is my judge?
• 14:50
  The Lord recognized Daniel's righteousness and spared him.
• 14:53
  and this might be a radical take on this, but I don't know that God spared Daniel for Daniel's sake.
• 14:58
  He's eighty-two years at this point And of course, a death by lions would be painful.
• 15:02
  But I think God spared Daniel most so he could be a pivotal witness to yet another empire revealing the power of the one true God.
• 15:11
  rejoices and lifts Daniel out of the den, and it's confirmed, he doesn't have a scratch on him Those who set up the conspiracy have proven they aren't trustworthy, and they're thrown into the pit, being devoured before they even
• 15:23
  reach the ground.
• 15:24
  Proving the lions both had teeth and were hungry.
• 15:27
  Darius isn't just personally impacted by this miraculous testimony He writes to all peoples, nations, and languages, Peace be multiplied to you.
• 15:35
  I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.
• 15:41
  For He is the living God, enduring forever.
• 15:44
  His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and His dominion shall be to the end.
• 15:48
  He delivers and rescues.
• 15:50
  He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."
• 15:56
  There are many other believers throughout history that were not spared from the jaws of lions, but rather saved to eternity.
• 16:02
  God could have also done that for Daniel, but instead He ordained for him to be a powerful evangelist to an entire empire and to another reigning king There were many blessings Daniel didn't experience in his life.
• 16:14
  He was never married, never had children, and never got to return to his homeland.
• 16:18
  But God gave him incredible influence and long life, and he used every moment of it for God's glory as I think about the world you and I are raising our children in, I am incredibly encouraged by Daniel's resilient
• 16:30
  and faithful example.
• 16:31
  It didn't matter what was going on around him He did not compromise his integrity.
• 16:35
  And through it all, he remained winsome in his witness.
• 16:38
  So wherever your children are battling worldly influences, we can point them, to the servant of the King of Kings who came thousands of years before us Heavenly Father, we thank you that your kingdom is eternal and you reign
• 16:51
  from generation to generation.
• 16:53
  Regardless of what the circumstances on earth look like, we know you are on your throne and you have a plan to work all of this for your glory.
• 17:01
  Help us to be steadfast, faithful servants just like Daniel was.
• 17:04
  may our families also be found blameless, and may others recognize that a different spirit is present in us.
• 17:11
  when we or our children face persecution, help us to be salt and light to a world that is so far from understanding the goodness of your rules and your ways.
• 17:20
  Jesus, we thank you that you yourself pray that we would hold fast to you even in our times of persecution.
• 17:26
  we thank you that we can trust you to strengthen us through your Spirit.
• 17:29
  It's in your name we pray.
• 17:31
  Steph: amen