Title: “Dare to Be A Daniel” Scripture: Daniel 1:1-2
Type: Expository Series Where: GNBC 9-21-25
Intro: The times in which we are living require Christians to be heroic if they are going to make a difference in our culture as well as our world. As we have recently witnessed with appalling clarity, those opposed to the Gospel will literally stop at nothing in an attempt to silence individuals who dare challenge the “gods” of anti-Christ teaching. II Tim. 3:12 reminds us that this should not be a shocking reality for the believer. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution…” Even before the ruthless assassination of Charlie Kirk last week, I had been prayerfully considering beginning a series in the book of Daniel. My earliest memory of a sermon came out of the book of Daniel while sitting in a small Methodist Church in Reading, MI, in about 1971. I’ve always been fascinated with the story of Daniel’s life. Although I did not grow up going to Sunday School a song that used to be sung in Sunday Schools highlighted Daniel’s faith commitment and accompanying courage: “Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to Stand Alone, Dare to have a purpose firm, Dare to make it known.” The book of Daniel begins with a young boy and his friends in traumatic times and ends with a very old man, still walking with his Lord being given a vision for the end of all time by the archangel Michael. The heroism we see in the life of Daniel and the heroism we need to see in believers today does not take place in a vacuum, neither does it take place overnight. Rather, this type of courage is the mature fruit of lives and character that have been forged in the fiery furnace of tests and trials and found faithful. The providence of God as well as the faithfulness and obedience of Daniel combined together to give us one of the most inspiring figures of the Bible.
Prop: In Daniel 1:1-2 notice three important items this book will demonstrate to the Christian.
BG: 1. The book of Daniel begins in Babylon in 6th century BC with siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Ends 3rd year of Cyrus, 536 BC. Lifetime of a civil servant.
2. In our English Bible the book of Daniel follows Ezekiel. Not so in the Hebrew Bible, where it stands not among the prophets but among “the Writings.”
3. Daniel’s prophecies describe events which took place during the 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments, thus serving as a bridge between the two testaments.
Prop: In Daniel 1:1-2 notice three important items this book will demonstrate to the Christian.
I. The Book of Daniel Demonstrates that Although Man Proposes, God Disposes.
A. Daniel Begins with Two Succinct Statements About Nebuchadnezzar’s Siege of Jerusalem.
1. The First Statement Describes the events in terms of Secular History.
a. The story of Daniel begins with exact historical documentation. Nebuchadnezzar was king of the superpower Babylonian Empire. Jehoiakim was king of the tiny nation of Judah. II Ki.24 tells us of Jehoiakim’s foolish bravado in refusing to pay tribute to Babylon after 3 yrs of being its vassal state. The angry emperor began to send raiding parties that resulted in the deportation of many of the royal and noble families, of which Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were children of. We know this was 606/605 BC, roughly 20 years before the horrific destruction of the Southern Kingdom in 586 BC.
b. Notice how the viewpoint of secular history is stated in this the 1st verse of Daniel: “Nebuchadnezzar …came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” The secular mind writes history in light of great men and women of the times, thinking that they are “end all” of the era. Illust: Nebuchadnezzar certainly thought this of himself, Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, Genghis Khan, Mao, Washington, Lincoln, Churchill, Martin Luther, Hitler, Victoria, Elizabeth I, Einstein, Columbus, Newton, Marx or Lenin, Shakespeare, or Elvis for crying out loud! Man thinks history is about himself.
2. The Second Statement Describes the events in terms of Biblical Theology.
a. Yes, it is true that there are great men and women of history, there are great movements and ideologies and tragedies, but these are not the “end all” of history. For what we read in verse two shows us that God is also active in those very same events of history… “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim … into his hand.” (v.2)
b. Here we see a principle that runs through the entirety of both history and Scripture, even when it is not overtly stated by either.. God is active in the events of history to fulfill His purposes. Illust: Does not Rom. 8:28 state: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” And did not Joseph reiterate this principle in Gen. 50:20 when facing his brothers, fearful of his potential revenge? ““And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” And did it not reach it’s ultimate insight in the statement of Jesus Christ, in Jn. 19:10-11, when a perplexed Roman Governor says to our silent Savior: “You do not speak to me. Do you not know that I have authority to release you or I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus replies: “You have no authority over Me, unless it was given you from above.” Very few of the “great” men and women of history recognize this truth because it would require a humble re-evaluation of one’s importance and accompanying repentance.
B. The Book of Daniel Underscores a Principle that Runs Unapologetically thru the Bible.
1. There are ultimately two ways of looking at life.
a. One can look at life as simply secular, a byproduct of a completely random relationship between time and chance, offering absolutely no explanation of purpose, nor care or concern for the individual. Or, one can realize there is an involved, loving, personal God Who is concerned with every detail in your existence.
b. Illust: I’ve recently stumbled upon award winning journalist Jim Heath’s YouTube channel called “HeathStory” which offers roughly 10 minute compelling “behind the scenes stories” from notable individuals and events of history. Kind of a modern day Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story”. Although I enjoy secular history, the Christian can never be satisfied with merely the discovery of the “who”, “when” or “what”. We must always be concerned to know the answer to the “why”, in order to relate their answer to the Biblical purposes of God.
2. The Siege Daniel records Can Also Be Seen as Symbolic of the age-old conflict that guides all history.
a. Yes, what we read here in these initial verses was the direct result of the expansionist policies of a wicked, secular, empire. Jerusalem’s fall would take place in 3 stages of successive Babylonian victories, 605, 597, and 586 BC. In all appearances it would have looked as thought he pagan gods of Babylon had defeated the God of the people of Judah. Yet no event of history is completely isolated. IN Gen. 11 we see the prototype of totalitarianism and human arrogance as opposed to God. Augustine outlined the conflict between the world an the “City of God”. Bunyan illustrated the conflict between “Vanity Fair” and the “City of Destruction” and “the heavenly city”.
b. The opening verse here in Daniel’s text can be traced back to the Garden of Eden and the greatest conflict of all: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” (Gen. 3:15). John’s Revelation illuminates us with the crisis point of all history when the dragon standing before the woman in labor attempts to devour her Child as soon as He is born, a child, Who was prophesied to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” (Rev. 12:4-5)
C. Applic: Man proposes his plans and purposes that he conceives and carries out in his pride. God, however, disposes. Psalm 75:7 declares: It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” Have you lived life in vanity and pride, caring not Jesus Christ was crucified for you? You are not here by chance. Do you know your purpose?
II. The Book of Daniel Demonstrates Two Kingdoms to Which Individuals Will Swear Ultimate Loyalty.
A. In Some Ways Babylon and Jerusalem Represent the two Cities to Which Men and Women Belong.
1. The Bible Speaks Clearly to the Two Competing Loyalties that Call the individual.
a. Illust: The Bible gives us symbolic pictures of these competing loyalties, methodologies, or ideologies… two gates, two ways, two masters. As such Babylon and Jerusalem are permanently opposed to one another. Jesus taught this as one of the most fundamental lessons of our faith: “You cannot serve God and mammon; you will hate the one and love the other, or love the one and hate the other.” (Mt. 6:24)
b. Jesus told us in Mt. 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The system of Babylon tells you to skip God and “seek these things first”.. seek pride, seek power, seek the perversion of pleasures outside the protection of God’s prescription. It says that following Christ will only “limit your expression, your freedom, your true inner self.”. Yet friend, the Bible tells us that “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I have come to give you life more abundantly.” (Jn. 10:10) As we will see over the next couple of months Daniel & friends had to choose on several occasions to whom they would be loyal. (Many of you are in college…many diversions call your name. Choose now who and what willing to not only die for but live for! Babylon or Jerusalem?)
2. What were the consequences of Jerusalem’s siege that carried Daniel into captivity?
a. Were there far-reaching consequences of Babylon’s invasion of Judah? YES! God was robbed of His glory. The temple was robbed of possessions. The nation was robbed of its people. Blasphemies were committed against the Holy Name of God. The temple objects were placed in the shrine of pagan deities (v.3)
b. The city of this world always has theft and destruction in mind when it attempts to strike at and attack Christ’s Kingdom on earth. Illust: Islamic State attacked church in Congo, killing 40 people, 7-28-25. It is no different than back in the Garden of Eden when Satan deceived Eve and led Adam in an attempt to make himself the center of the Universe. Illust: As Christians we need to beware of not becoming unwittingly complicit with the Prince of Babylon and rob God of His glory. How? Taking credit for Divine Results (Dt. 8:17-18), Glorifying Men Instead of God (Jer. 17:5); Pride and Self Exaltation (Prov. 16:18); Ungratefulness (Lk. 17:17-18); Immoral living.
B. The Book of Daniel Reminds us that History Takes Place at Both Cosmic and Personal Levels.
1. Spiritual Conflict Takes Place in every event no matter how great or how small.
a. Illust: Certainly. Daniel demonstrates many traumatic events to which the Hebrew children were exposed. Each needed to respond with God’s grace. The deportation, the challenge of education and diet, the king’s dream, the Golden Image, the fiery furnace, the jealousy and conspiracy of political intrigue with its accompanying punishment of the lions’ den. However, one of the greatest challenges to Daniel’s life would be over a daily discipline he privately practiced for decades. When evil court officials attempted to eliminate Daniel, they chose to expose him as a man of personal and private religious devotion (Dan. 6:4-8). Daniel’s conduct stellar. Free of corruption. Faithful in service. No negligence. Conspirators had to attack his faith. King Darius unwittingly signs a decree forbidding prayer to anyone except himself for an entire month. Daniel’s response? Allow things to cool off? Nope! Next morning, as was his custom, opened the upper chamber’s windows towards Jerusalem and continued to pray 3x a day, giving thanks before God, as he had been doing previously.” (6:10)
b. Illust: Christian, how lightly do you hold precious your time with the Lord? Is it worth your life? (Paper Bibles) It was to Daniel. Have you developed a discipline Christian of reading God’s Word? To you prioritize the worship of God at church or do you allow other things to crowd out that commitment? Don’t want to be too fanatical after all!
2. What was the Perceived Consequence of Nebuchadnezzar’s siege?
a. Again, the appearance is that Nebuchadnezzar’s siege signaled defeat of the City of God. He brought the possessions of God’s Temple and many of God’s people back to his own city. From all outward appearances the forces of hell had prevailed. But as even Nebuchadnezzar will learn in a few chapters, history can be read from two perspectives: man’s fallen point of view or God’s perfect point of view. As Neb would learn, God’s perspective is perfect and transcendent.
b. Illust: On Good Friday the perspective of mankind was Christ had lost, He was defeated, Satan was the victor. The disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd - Mary’s crying - Peter is denying. The Romans beat Him - They robe Him in scarlet - They crown Him with thorns. The world’s winning - People are sinning - And evil’s grinning. The soldiers nail His hands to the cross -- And then they raise him up- Next to criminals. The Pharisees are celebrating. He hangs on a cross, feeling forsaken, and left to die alone. The perspective of Friday is Babylon, the world, Satan. But friend, SUNDAY’s COMING, and God’s Perspective and Purpose is seen in Sunday! And God writes His Story on Sunday!
C. Applic: There are two kingdoms. You can only swear loyalty to one! Have you? Will you?
III. The Book of Daniel Demonstrates History Through the Lens of Theology
A. The Believer Appreciates Daniel’s Interpretation of History through Theology
1. A Sad Statement is Made Regarding the Exiles in v. 2
a. Look back at Daniel’s writing here in v. 2 “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah, into his (Neb’s) hand.” Think about that truth. The Lord Himself was involved in the defeat of His own people and the overthrow of His own city. The average person wouldn’t have discerned this at the time of Judah’s defeat. In fact, many people were probably crying out: “Where is God in this catastrophe?” “Why has God forgotten His people?” “Why doesn’t God do something?” Friend, God has a Kingdom and a plan and His Kingdom will not be thwarted. His plan will not perish. His purposes will not fail, because He will build His Kingdom and the gates of Hell will NOT prevail against it.” (Mt. 16:18)
b. Illust: As many of you know, back in undergraduate I was a history major. One of my favorite professors was Dr. Richard V. Pierard. Renowned historian. Had for several classes. Pierard taught nearly every class examining the eras and events of history through the lens of sociological, political, and military ramifications of history. Pierard was a deeply religious man. Privately, if you would discuss with him, he would tell you that “History is ultimately “His Story”. History is ultimately God’s Story and His Story begins an eternity before the creation of the Garden of Eden and it will last an eternity after the “garden” of the Tree of Life in Rev. 22. You and I will never ultimately understand the events of History unless we know Christ.
2. Daniel’s prophecies depict future events from his time to the establishment of God’s kingdom in the future. Daniel’s prophecies describe events which took place during the 400 silent years between the OT & NT, thus serving as a bridge between the two testaments. Daniel is not only a book of future prophecy, it is a book which demonstrates the fulfillment of prophecy. The captivity of the Jews and of Daniel, as well as his ministry to Babylonian kings, is the precise fulfillment of OT prophecies, from the time of Moses onward.
B. The Book of Daniel Contains Not Only Predictive Prophesy, but also Prophetic Principles by Which God Governs His People.
1. What is a working definition of prophesy?
a. I love this definition of prophecy by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson: “Prophecy is the interpretation of history from the standpoint of God’s covenant word and promise.” That’s what the prophets did. That’s what we will see Daniel do: they/he interpreted history on the basis of what God had said in His covenant. As God assessed Jehoaikim’s reign he was assessed from the prophetic standpoint and we are told that “he did evil in the sight of the Lord his God.” (II Chron 36:5)
b. Godly principles are essential to follow. There are consequences to evil behavior. II Ki. 24:3-4 states that this came upon Judah, and they were removed from God’s sight because of not only this king’s sins but because of the blood guilt of (previous) King Manasseh. You see, the downfall of Jerusalem was actually the fulfillment of the promise God had made 1.5 millennia before to Moses (Dt. 28:47,49,52,58). Which predicted with complete clarity what would happen if the nation rejected God and followed after false gods. God is faithful to His Word, ALWAYS, and without regard for the consequences for either Himself or His people. He’s not going to bend His Word for your or my convenience.
2. The Book of Daniel is Purposeful for Today’s Christian.
a. Illust: The person of Daniel provides the Christian with a model of a godly man, from his youth to the end of his life. He demonstrates how a Christian can live a godly life in an ungodly world and have an impact upon the society in which he lives, even when in a minority. He is an example of a man who learned to stand alone for God when it was dangerous to do so. He has much to teach us about faithfulness in times of suffering and adversity, about leadership, and about the sovereignty of God. Daniel is a reminder of God’s faithfulness, even when men are unfaithful. Daniel shows how God can work in our lives, even through those who are unbelievers and who are opposed to God’s people.
b. Closing: Friend, Daniel was a man who had fully committed his life to God at a very early age and God faithfully saw him through a long and eventful life. As we begin this series can I invite you to place your faith and put your trust in the God of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ? You may object, claiming you don’t have enough information to make such a leap of faith, yet you do it every day in areas carrying less consequence. You say, “How, Pastor?” Illust: Let me give you a human example of faith. You have an ailment. You go to a doctor who you do not know. This doctor gives you a prescription you cannot read. You take that prescription to a pharmacist you have never met. The pharmacist gives you a chemical compound you do not understand. You go home and take the pill according to the instructions without ever testing it’s chemical makeup. Your issue with Christ is not a matter of “enough faith”. Rather’s it’s a matter of your fallen will. God is extending grace to you right now through His Word. Turn to Christ.
