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DANIEL 4
LESSON #06
COURAGE ON THE LINE
- NEBUCHADNEZZARS FAITH HAS BEEN GROWING BECAUSE OF HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE PROPHET DANIEL, WHO WAS HIS PRIME MINISTER.
- NEBUCHADNEZZARS DEVELOPMENT OF FAITH:
- IN DAN 3:28-29, THE KING ISSUED A DECREE TO EXPRESS HIS CONVICTION.
- HIS CONVICTION TURNS TO CONVERSION AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER.
- READ DANIEL 4:1-18 THE KING’S VISION: A GREAT TREE
- ABOUT 20 MORE YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE CHAPTER 3.
- WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT GOD FROM NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PROCLAMATION IN VERSES 1-3?
- PEACE COMES FROM GOD
- GOD GIVES SIGNS AND WONDERS
- HE’S A GOD OF POWER
- HIS KINGDOM IS ETERNAL
- HIS KINGDOM IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
- NOTICE THE NAME HE USES IN VERSE 2.
- THE MOST HIGH GOD.
- THERE ARE MANY NAMES FOR GOD IN THE BIBLE. A STUDY OF THESE NAMES HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE DOES. FOR EXAMPLE:
THE REVELATION OF GOD BY HIS NAME
| OLD TESTAMENT NAME AND MEANING |
SCRIPTURE |
SIGNIFICANCE |
NEW TESTAMENT |
| (EL) ELYON MOST HIGH GOD |
GEN 14:18 | GOD, THE HIGHEST, POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH; SOVEREIGN |
HEB 7:1,14-16 |
| (EL) ROI GOD WHO SEES |
GEN 16:12-13 | OMNIPRESENCE OMNISCIENCE |
EPH 1:3 |
| (EL) SHADDAI ALMIGHTY GOD, ALL-SUFFICIENT ONE |
GEN 17:1 | ALL-SUFFICIENT COVENANT MAKER; STRENGTHENER, SATISFIER, ALL-KNOWING; GREAT PROVIDER; BRINGER OF JUDGMENT |
MAR 6:32-44 JOH 15:2,5,16 |
| (EL) OLAM EVERLASTING GOD |
GEN 21:33 | ETERNAL GOD OVER ETERNAL MYSTERIES AND WISDOM |
JOH 6:47 EPH 3:4 |
| (EL) GIBBOR MIGHTY GOD |
ISA 9:6-7 | POWERFUL | MAR 6:2 EPH 1:19 |
| JEHOVAH-SABAOTH LORD OF HOSTS |
1SAM 1:3 | LEADER OF ALL HEAVENLY BEINGS IN SERVICE AND WARFARE | REV 19:14 |
| JEHOVAH-ROHI (RA-AH) LORD OUR SHEPHERD |
PSA 23:1 | SHEPHERD, TO LEAD, TO FEED; COMPANION, FRIEND |
JOH 10:11 |
| EL, ELAH GOD |
NUM 23:22 | MIGHTY GOD | ISA 9:6-7 |
| ELOHIM GOD CREATOR |
GEN 17:7 | 3 IN 1 OMNIPOTENT SOVEREIGN; CREATOR; COVENANT MAKER |
GEN 1:1 JER 31:33 JER 32:40 |
| JEHOVAH (YHWH) LORD; SELF-EXISTENT |
GEN 2:4 | SELF-EXISTENT ONE WHO REVEALS HIMSELF AS ALIVE; COVENANT MAKER |
JOH 8:24 ISA 43:11 |
| ADON, ADONI, ADONAI LORD |
GEN 15:1-2 PSA 62:12 |
MASTER, IMPLIES SERVANT RELATIONSHIP, CONTROLLER, OWNER; 3 IN 1; BESTOWER OF GIFTS; JUDGE OF STEWARDSHIP |
PSA 110:1 MAT 22:41-45 |
THE SEVEN REDEMPTIVE NAMES OF GOD
| OLD TESTAMENT NAME AND MEANING | SCRIPTURE AND CONTEXT | SIGNIFICANCE | NEW TESTAMENT ASPECTS |
| JEHOVAH-JIREH THE LORD WILL PROVIDE |
GEN 22:14 OFFERING OF ISAAC |
TO SEE AND TO PROVIDE |
PHI 2:5-8 ROM 8:32 JOH 3:16 HEB 11:19 |
| JEHOVAH-RAPHA THE LORD THAT HEALETH |
EXO 15:22-26 HEALING OF BITTER WATERS |
HEALING OF BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT | 1PET 2:24 |
| JEHOVAH-NISSI THE LORD OUR BANNER |
EXO 17:8-16 WAR WITH AMALEK |
BANNER IN WARFARE; ROD, POLE | ISA 11:1-5 NUM 21:8 JOH 3:14 |
| JEHOVAH-M’KADDESH THE LORD THAT SANCTIFIES |
LEV 20:7-8 MOSAIC LAW IN BOOK OF WORSHIP |
SET APART, DEDICATE, CONSECRATE, HOLY |
HEB 10:10-14 1PE 1:15-16 |
| JEHOVAH-SHALOM THE LORD OUR PEACE |
JDG 6:11-24 CALL OF GIDEON AGAINST MIDIANITES |
RESTITUTION, RECOMPENSE, PERFECT, WHOLE, FINISHED, WELFARE, PEACE | ISA 9:6 JOH 14:27 MAT 11:28-29 PHI 4:7
|
| JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS |
JER 23:1-6 PROPHECY DURING BACKSLIDING |
RIGHTEOUSNESS. JUSTIFICATION, ACQUITTAL |
1COR 1:30
|
| JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH THE LORD IS PRESENT |
EZE 48:35 PROPHECY FOR AGE OF MESSIAH |
PRESENCE, DWELLING, TABERNACLE | JOH 1:14 2COR 6:16 REV 21:1-3,22 |
- THE FEAR OF DEATH KEPT THEM FROM GIVING A NEGATIVE REPORT. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE COURAGE DANIEL HAD.
- READ DANIEL 4:19-27 THE INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION
- NOTICE THAT IN VERSES 4-10, THE WORDS “I, ME, OR MINE” APPEAR FREQUENTLY IN EACH VERSE. THIS IS AN INDICATION OF SELF-PREOCCUPATION, OR PRIDE.
- NOTICE THAT DANIEL, TOO, WAS AFRAID TO GIVE THE KING THE INTERPRETATION IN VERSE 19. THEREFORE, TO HAVE COURAGE DOES NOT MEAN THE ABSENCE OF FEAR. THE DIFFERENCE COMES DOWN TO WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR FEAR.
- WHAT DID DANIEL DO WITH HIS FEAR? (19)
- HE WENT AHEAD AND WITH COURAGE SPOKE THE TRUTH BECAUSE HE LOVED THE KING AND WANTED HIM TO COME TO THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
- MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE GIVEN A FALSE INTERPRETATION TO PLAY IT SAFE. MANY WOULD HAVE SUGARCOATED THE REPORT. WHY DID DANIEL STAY WITH THE TRUTH? HE LOVED GOD.
- DISCUSSION
: HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE DANIEL’S WHERE YOU SPOKE OUT WHEN IT WAS NOT THE POPULAR THING TO DO?
- WHAT WAS WRONG WITH NEBUCHADNEZZAR?
- THIS KING HAD A HEREDITARY MENTAL DISEASE THAT IS A PSYCHOTIC HYSTERIA. WITH PERIODS OF EXTREME EGOTISM, EXTREME EMOTIONALISM OR MANIC-DEPRESSIVE TENDENCIES, AND AMNESIA, THIS DISEASE CONTROLLED HIM.
- NOTICE VERSE 17 WHERE IT TELLS US THAT GOD FREQUENTLY ELEVATES TO LEADERSHIP “THE BASEST OF MEN”.
- IN OTHER WORDS, GOD GIVES MEN THE LEADERS THEY DESIRE, AND / OR THOSE THAT THEY DESERVE. BECAUSE MANS HEART IS NOT HIGH AND LOFTY, BUT BASE AND IMMORAL, HE OFTEN GETS LEADERS WITH SEVERE MENTAL PROBLEMS. HERE ARE A FEW IN HISTORY WHO HAVE HAD SEVERE MENTAL PROBLEMS:
- ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES IV, HENRY VI OF ENGLAND, GEORGE III OF ENGLAND, CHARLES VI OF FRANCE, ALEXANDER THE GREAT, JULIUS CAESAR, NAPOLEON, AND HITLER.
- THE INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION:
- THE TALL TREE WITH FAIR LEAVES AND MUCH FRUIT = NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND HIS KINGDOM.
- THE MESSENGER = ANGEL.
- THE STUMP = THE PRESERVED KINGDOM WITHOUT NEBUCHADNEZZAR AS THE LEADER.
- THE BAND OF IRON AND BRONZE = A FENCE OF PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION AROUND THE KINGDOM.
- THE DEW FROM HEAVEN = THE HOLY SPIRIT SHALL NOURISH THE KINGDOM IN THE KING’S ABSENCE.
- A BEASTS HEART = MENTAL ILLNESS CALLED BO-ANTHROPY IN WHICH THE PERSON IS INWARDLY NORMAL IN CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT BEHAVES LIKE AN OX, EATING GRASS AS HIS EXCLUSIVE DIET.
- SEVEN TIMES = 7 YEARS (GODS SYMBOLIC NUMBER OF COMPLETENESS)
- WHAT WAS THE KING SUPPOSED TO LEARN THROUGH ALL THIS?
- THE EXPERIENCES OF LIFE ARE TO TEACH MAN CERTAIN LESSONS. THIS EXPERIENCE IN NEBUCHADNEZZARS LIFE WAS TO TEACH HIM THAT THE MOST HIGH GOD RULES IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN.
- THIS IS REPEATED FOUR TIMES IN THIS CHAPTER: VS 17, 25, 32, 34
- WHAT A LESSON TO COMBAT A POWERFUL LEADERS PRIDE!
- WHAT ADVICE DOES DANIEL GIVE THE KING TO EASE THIS DISCIPLINE? (27)
- REPENT AND CHANGE YOUR WAYS — 2PET 3:9
- IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS EASIER TO COOPERATE WITH GOD AND LEARN THE LESSON THAN TO FIGHT AGAINST HIM.
- READ DANIEL 4:28-37 THE VISION FULFILLED
- NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS GIVEN 12 MONTHS TO REPENT BEFORE THIS WOULD COME UPON HIM.
- ABOUT THIS TIME NEBUCHADNEZZAR ATTACKED TYRE. AFTER A LONG SIEGE OF 13 YEARS HE FINALLY OVERCAME IT, BUT TOOK NO SPOIL. TYRE HAD SUCCEEDED IN RELOCATING THEIR VAST WEALTH TO OTHER CITIES. HOWEVER, NEBUCHADNEZZARS ARMY THEN SUBDUED EGYPT AND TOOK GREAT SPOIL (EZE 29:17-20).
- HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER NEBUCHADNEZZAR REPENTED OR NOT?
- SEE VERSE 30 WHERE PRIDE SEEKS THE GLORY.
- AT THIS TIME, BABYLON WAS A CITY OF GREAT SPLENDOR, HAVING FABULOUS TEMPLES AND MAGNIFICENT HANGING GARDENS. THE CITY HAD A PERIMETER OF 56 MILES, AND DOUBLE WALLS. THESE WERE THE LARGEST WALLS BUILT. THEY WERE 350 FEET HIGH AND 87 FEET THICK AT THE TOP. THIS DIMENSION WAS WIDE ENOUGH FOR 6 CHARIOTS TO RACE SIDE BY SIDE. THERE WERE 260 TOWERS 160 FEET APART. THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE CITY, FOR TWO THIRDS OF A MILE, EXTENDED THE GREAT 70 FEET WIDE STONE PAVED PROCESSIONAL STREET, HAVING WALLS DECORATED WITH ENAMELED BRICKS SHOWING 120 LIONS AND 575 DRAGONS AND BULLS ARRANGED IN ALTERNATE ROWS. THE FIGURE OF EACH ANIMAL STOOD OUT AGAINST A UNIFORM BACKGROUND TINTED BLUE WITH POWDERED LAPIS LAZULI. AT THE NORTH END OF THE STREET STOOD THE FAMOUS ISHTAR GATE, 35 FEET HIGH AND DECORATED WITH 557 ANIMALS IN BRIGHT COLORS AGAINST A GLAZED BLUE BACKGROUND. THE CITY WAS DOMINATED BY A 7 STORY ZIGGURAT (STONE STEPPED PYRAMID) 288 FEET HIGH KNOWN AS THE TOWER OF BABYLON. NEARLY 60 MILLION FIRED BRICKS WERE USED IN IT. ON THE TOP STOOD THE TEMPLE OF MARDUK CONTAINING A SOLID GOLD STATUE OF MARDUK, WHICH WEIGHED 52,000 POUNDS (HERODOTUS). NO WONDER NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS PROUD!
- GOD MIRACULOUSLY PRESERVED THE KINGDOM FOR THE SEVEN YEARS FROM USURPERS TAKING OVER THE THRONE.
- THIS NOT ONLY TESTIFIES OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER BUT ALSO THE REMARKABLE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S KINGDOM OF WHICH DANIEL AND HIS 3 FRIENDS WERE A PART.
- IN FACT, DANIEL, THE NEXT IN AUTHORITY TO THE KING, ACTUALLY RAN THE KINGDOM.
- DISCUSSION:
- SOME THINK THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE CONVERSION, OTHERS SAY, NO. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
NOTICE NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S CONVERSION IN VERSE 37
- APPLICATION AND DISCUSSION:
- HOW DO WE RELATE THIS CHAPTER TO OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES?
- HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN HAVE THE KIND OF COURAGE DANIEL DISPLAYED?
- WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNOWING WHO GOD IS AND POSSESSING CHRISTIAN COURAGE?
HOMEWORK
DANIEL 5
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
- APPLICATION OF DANIEL 4
- THINK ABOUT A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN OUT THE TRUTH IN LOVE BUT DID NOT. IF GOD PRESENTED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY?
- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY DIFFERENTLY?
- IF YOU DARE TO BE A DANIEL, ASK GOD IN PRAYER TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
- PREPARATION FOR DANIEL 5
- READ DANIEL 5:1-31
- READ EXO 25:31-40
- WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE CANDLESTICK (LAMPSTAND)?
- (ADVANCED QUESTION) IF YOU HAVE STUDIED THE BOOK OF JOHN, RELATE DANIEL 5:5 TO JOHN 8:1-12. WHAT ARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS?
- MEMORY VERSE: COL 2:14
