1. Introduction to Daniel.
    A. Daniel (like Ezekiel) was taken captive during one of the earlier incursions of the Babylonians into Judah. He was taken captive
         in 606 B.C., the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (609-598) (Dan. 1:1)
    B. There are a couple of key themes which relate directly
         to the prospects for the Jews living in captivity. 
         1. Sovereignty of God. Though the Jews are living in exile in a hostile world, God's sovereignty is shown in his ability to
             prosper and deliver those who are true to their faith and convictions.
         2. Establishment of the Kingdom.
             a. Based upon what the pre-exilic prophets had said, the Jews were looking forward to the establishment of God's kingdom on
                 earth as soon as the Seventy Year Captivity was over.  Daniel shows that the kingdom would come later.
             b. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied of the Restoration to take place after the Exile and that God would then set up his kingdom.
                   He spoke of the restoration of the Jews to their homeland after the 70 Year Captivity (Jer. 31:7-25). Then, in the same literary
                   context, he spoke of the "new covenant" the Lord would establish with Israel (31:31-34). In Jer. 33:14-18 he went on to
                   prophesy that after the Exile the Lord would raise up a king to sit on the throne of David! It is not hard to see how the Jews
                   would conclude that the new covenant and kingly ruler would come immediately after the end of the Exile! But, they were
                   wrong. The prophet Daniel was sent, in part, to say, "after the Exile" does not mean "immediately after the Exile." God would set
                   up his kingdom, but the Jews should not expect it immediately after their return from captivity. It would not be until hundreds
                   of years later, after four successive empires (Daniel 2:1-45).
2. The Sovereignty of God. There are several stories in Daniel demonstrating the sovereignty of God as he prospers and delivers those
    who are faithful to him.
   A. (Dan. 1:1-2)  Daniel is taken into the service of the king.
        1. After Daniel is taken into captivity with thousands of other Jews, the Babylonians separate the more promising to be trained
            for service in the king's court.
           a. With Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, and others, Daniel enters three years of training (1:5, 7).
               1. they are men of nobility (1:3).
                2. taught language and literature (1:4).
                3. allotted food and wine from the king's table (1:5).
                    b. One thing this shows us is that the captivity was a judgment uponthe nation, not so much a judgment upon individuals.
                        Even the righteous, like Daniel, are carried into captivity.
        2. Daniel and his three comrades outshine the others.
             a. They did not want to defile themselves with the king's food (1:8).
                  1. Request a special diet of vegetables and water for ten days.
                  2. After ten days their appearance will be compared to the others in training (1:13).
                  3. After ten days the appearance of Daniel and the others is much better than those who received the king's diet.
             b. At the set time they appear before Nebuchadnezzar, who finds the four superior to all the othrs in knowledge and wisdom
                  (1:18-20) and therefore they enter into the king's service.
             c. Even in captivity, while God is punishing the nation, is able to bless those who trust in him.
    B. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3).
         1. Nebuchadnezzar set up a statue ninety feet tall made of gold (3:1).
             a. He commanded all men to bow down and worship it at the sound of music (3:4, 5).
             b. Those who refused were to be thrown into a blazing furnace (3:6). Excavators of Babylon found a record with these
                  regulations:
                1. Impiety to any gods - cast alive into a fiery furnace.
                2. Untoward act relative to a king - cast alive into the den of lions (Boyd, Pictorial Guide to Biblical Archaeology, 158).
        2. Astrologers come to Nebuchadnezzar, remind him of his irrevocalbe decree and point out that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
            do not bow down before the image (3:12-14).
            a. The king is furious (3:13) and summons the three.
            b. They reply that the God they serve is able to deliver them from the fiery furnace, but even if he does not, they will not
                worship the statue (3:17, 18).
            c. This is a lot of faith on the part of three men who have watched the Babylonians conquer Judah and carry it into captivity.
        3. The three are thrown into the furnace.
            a. The king has it heated seven times hotter than usual (3:19).
            b. He has his strongest soldiers bind the three men and cast them into the furnace (3:20-22).
                1. It is so hot that the soldiers die from the heat (3:20-22).
                2. Archaeologists uncovered huge kilns in ancient Babylon used to make bricks.
                     a. The furnace that the three were thrown into may have been just such a furnace (Thompson, Bible and Archaeology,
                         200f.).
                     b. One furnace has this inscription: This is the place of burning where men who blasphemed the gods of Chaldea
                         die by fire (Boyd, Pictorial Guide to Biblical Archaeology, 158).
                3. A parallel event took place in the reign of Rim Sin, a former king of these lands in 1750 B.C. He had a slave thrown into
                    thefurnace for some reason which is not exactly clear (Thompson, Bible and Archaeology, 200f.).
            c. The king jumps up when he sees that there are four men in the fire, walking around unharmed and the fourth looks like
                "the son of the gods" (3:25).
                1. The king approaches the fire and shouts, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the most high God,
                    come out."
                2. The fire had not harmed them, their hair was not singed, their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire
                    on them (3:27).
        4. King decrees that anyone who speaks against the God of the Hebrews shall be cut into pieces and his house pulled
           down (3:29).  The three are given promotions. (3:30).
   C. Daniel is Thrown into he Lion's Den (Daniel 6).
       1. Similiar type of story to the fiery furnace which once again shows the sovereignty of God. It is not the Babylonians who
           have conquered the Jews and hold them in captivity. It is always God who is in control.
       2. Daniel is so distinguished in service that the king is going to set him over his entire kingdom (6:3).
           a. Arouses the jealousy of the other officials who plot against Daniel.
           b. Urge the king to make a decree that for thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man other than Darius would be
               thrown into theLion's den (6:1).
               1. They know that Daniel will not observe this law.
               2. The decree by the king was to be irrevocable, as was the custom of the Medes and Persians (6:8).
               3. Notice that Daniel was in charge of all these men (6:3) an they say to the king that all have agreed to this decree,
                   which is untrue.
       3. Daniel is thrown into the lion's den.
           a. Daniel continued to pray three times a day in his room, facing Jerusalem (6:10).
           b. Accused by the Administrators and Satraps of Breaking the Decree(6:12).
               1. King was very concerned and tried everyway to avoid passing sentence on Daniel, but had to because the decree could
                   not bechanged (6:14, 15).
               2. As Daniel is thrown into the lion's den, the king says, "May your God, whom you serve continually, resuce you" (6:16).
                   a. The den was sealed with the king's signet ring (6:17).
                   b. Excavators found a site in Babylon with the inscription: The place of execution where men who angered the kind die,
                       torn by wild beasts Boyd, Pictorial Guide to Biblical Archaeology, 159).
                   c. All night the king could not sleep (6:18).
           c. The next morning the king goes at first light and says, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you
            serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions" (6:20).
            1. Daniel replies that he has been delivered and is let out of the den.
            2. The king has those who brought charges against Daniel thrown into the lion's den along with their wives and children
                (6:24).
        d. Darius issues a decree declaring that all people of the kingdom must fear and reverence the God of Daniel (6:25-27). He is the
             God who "rescues and saves; performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, and rescued Daniel from the power
             of the lions."
   D. All these stories teach that God is sovereign.
3. Establishment of the Kingdom. Others stories emphasize the second theme, that though the prophets said God would establish
    the kingdom after the return from exile, this does not mean that it will happen immediately.
    A. Based upon what the pre-exilic prophets had said, the Jews were looking forward to the establishment of God's kingdom on earth
         as soon as the seventy year captivity was over.
         1. Ezekiel had the vision of the valley of dry bones coming to life (Ezekiel 37).
         2. Jeremiah had spoken of restoration after captivity (Jer. 25:12).
             a. (31:31-34) God will make a new covenant
             b. (33:15-26) a new Davidic king will sit on the throne.
         B. Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2).
              1. One of the ways Daniel was able to distinguish himself early on was as an interpreter of dreams (1:17).
              2. In the interpretation we see that the kingdom will come, but not immediately after the exile, as many Jews
                  thought.
              3. The king has a dream (2:1-13).
                  a. Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream and was not able to sleep (2:1).
                      1. Summoned his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers and and commands them to interpret the dream
                           (2:1-3).
                      2. Excavators of Babylon found the ruins of a college and curricula for the training of interpreters of dreams
                          and visions (Boyd, Pictorial Guide to Biblical Archaeology, 158).
                      3. Commands them to not only interpret the dream, but to tell what the dream was on penalty of death (2:5).
                          a. If they are unable, he will have them cut into pieces and their houses will be torn down (2:5).
                          b. If they are able, they will receive gifts, rewards and honor (2:6).
                  b. They tell him that no man can do what he asks.
                      1. the king has all the wise men put to death (2:10-12).
                      2. a search is made for Daniel and his friends to put them to death as well (2:13).
             4. David tells Arioch, commander of the guard, that he can interpret the king's dream (2:14).
                 a. That night Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah pray to God for mercy so they will not be executed (2:18).
                 b. God reveals the dream and the interpretation to Daniel (2:19ff.).
             5. Daniel gives the king the dream (2:31-35) and interpretation (2:36-45).

Head of gold Babylonians (36-38) 626-528 B.C.

Chest of silver Persians (39) 538-333 B.C.

Belly and thighs of bronze Greeks (39) 333-63 B.C.

Feet of iron and clay Romans (40) 63-476 B.C.

Rock smashes the statue and God will set up a kingdom that will then becomes a great mountain never be destroyed (vv. 44, 45)._