I. The Plight of Israel’s Captivity
A. Prophecy
1. Isaiah 39:1-7
2. Jeremiah 25:9-12
3. Habakkuk 1:5-11
B. Purpose
1. Israel had become idolatrous
2. Israel had neglected to keep the Sabbath years
a. Lev. 25,26
b. 2 Chronicles 36:21, “to fulfill the word of
the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until
the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As
long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath,
to fulfill seventy years”
3. This resulted in the failure of their mission as the
people of God: to be His witnesses to the nations
4. This ushers in the ‘Times of the Gentiles’ spoken
of by Jesus in Luke 21:24
In the plight of Israel’s captivity we see:
II. The Performance of Daniel & his Companions
A. Surrender
1. To sovereignty of God
a. Israel’s captivity (prayer in ch. 9)
b. Gentile dominance
2. Themselves to God
B. Service
1. They obeyed God
2. They were used of God as a witness to the Gentiles
Through the performance of Daniel & his companions we see:
III. The Permanence of God’s Compassion
A. Exaltation
1. God gave them favor with their captors
2. God gave then favor with Himself
B. Escape
1. From their enemies
2. From captivity
