God’s Comfort In Captivity Series

God never forsakes his own. Today we will begin to see comfort given to His righteous captives by some prophecies foretold of a physical literal nature of their future; perhaps way into the future until the dispersing of Christians in AD 70, or beyond.

Daniel’s comfort lieth in understanding God’s protection and the knowledge of the things of the future for his beloved nation. Daniel desired to know what would become of Judah. God, loving Daniel so much, tells him things of the future to comfort his mind. God told him following the Babylonian dynasty, other dynasties would rule; even over Babylon. We learn the Persians ruled with Cyrus their king. The Meads followed until Babylonia ceased with the rule by Alexander the Great of Rome. (331 BC) These are the empires mentioned to Daniel by God to rule until the Messiah.

Daniel chapter 2 beginning in verse 28 tells of Daniel’s conversation with Nebuchadnezzar concerning a dream and the interpretation thereof. This dream told both Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel of things of the future. A great image was seen; the head of gold, breasts and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay mix. (vss. 32-33)

These emblems in parts of the statue represented empires both present and future until a kingdom would come that was everlasting and most powerful. In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, a large stone crushed the statue and ground it to pieces. (vs. 44) This stone was the everlasting kingdom to come.

With this message, Daniel could find comfort in that Nebuchadnezzar would not rule over Judah forever. The stone carved out not by human hands represented unto Daniel the Lord, the Promise unto Abraham. God would have a kingdom which no man could overpower. Daniel 2:44. 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. This is a prophecy of ‘The Church’ of our Lord.

How did Daniel become privy to this knowledge? Daniel was faithful to God in captivity. Daniel prayed three times daily to God. Daniel 6:10. 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Here we see the times Daniel prayed. This was a standard routine, three times daily. (as he did aforetime. Vs. 10) In this instance it is recorded when Darius the Median King decreed no man was to pray to any other god than his. Darius became king following Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, upon his death. He was 62 years old. Estimated dates around 552 BC.

With Daniel’s continuous contact with God in prayer daily, God would let him find comfort in his understanding of earthly physical matters to come.

Does God do the same today for his righteous? Who can say? We know whatever we ask in faith, God will answer. How does he answer? No man can identify, but, if one watches earthly events, prays for understanding, seeks God’s scriptures for greater understanding, God will in his own way offer comfort for the righteous even today.

Daniel was protected by God in not having the lions, in which Daniel was cast before, to kill him. Daniel, again, prospered and was lifted to a greater position under Darius. It lasted into Cyrus’ reign. Daniel 6:28. 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Let us look at additional prophecies told Daniel to comfort him of Judah’s place in history.

We will begin with the current time as Daniel and friends are in captivity by Babylon under Belshazzar’s reign. Belshazzar is the son of Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 5:2) However, secular history says he is most likely a grandson through his mother’s side to Nebuchadnezzar II. belshazzar was the last king of Babylon. (We have seen this ‘son’ interpretation before which did not mean a first generation son but a son within a family genealogy)

Let us see a vision God gave Daniel for his information. To get the full message, let us read Daniel 7. This vision is very much like the vision Apostle John saw and recorded in Revelations as well as one recorded shown unto Ezekiel. Let us read.

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. 2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. 5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. 6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.