“The most High is ruler over the realm of mankind”
I. Personal history of Daniel – Chapter 1
II. Prophetic history of the Gentiles during the times
of the Gentiles – Chapters 2-7
III. The prophetic history of Israel during the times of
the Gentiles – Chapters 8-12
Who’s the Boss? Six Stories with great endings
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Eat your vegetables – Ch. 1
You rule them, I rule you – Ch. 2
Fire? What fire? – Ch. 3
Keep off the grass – Ch. 4
Give him a hand – Ch. 5
God is King and I ain’t lion – Ch. 6
Chapter 1 - Eat your vegetables
17 As
for these four young men, God gave them
knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said
that they should be brought in, the chief of the
eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Chapter 1 - Eat your vegetables
19 Then
the king interviewed them, and among them all
none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 And
in all matters of wisdom and understanding about
which the king examined them, he found them ten
times better than all the magicians and astrologers
who were in all his realm.
Chapter 2 - You rule them, but I rule you
46 Then
King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate
before Daniel, and commanded that they should
present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king
answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God
of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets,
since you could reveal this secret.”
Chapter 2 - You rule them, but I rule you
48 Then
the king promoted Daniel and gave him many
great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole
province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all
the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the
king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego
over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel
sat in the gate of the king.
Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire?
26 Then
Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the
burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High
God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the
fire.
Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire?
27 And
the satraps, administrators, governors, and the
king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw
these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the
hair of their head was not singed nor were their
garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on
them.
Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire?
28 Nebuchadnezzar
spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God
of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His
Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him,
and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded
their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship
any god except their own God!
Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire?
29 Therefore
I make a decree that any people, nation, or
language which speaks anything amiss against the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in
pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap;
because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.
Chapter 4 – Keep off the grass
34 And
at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted
my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to
me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and
honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
Chapter 4 - Keep off the grass
35 All
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as
nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
Chapter 4 - Keep off the grass
36 At
the same time my reason returned to me, and for
the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor
returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to
me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent
majesty was added to me.
Chapter 4 - Keep off the grass
37 Now
I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor
the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and
His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is
able to put down.
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
21 Then
he was driven from the sons of men, his heart
was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with
the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen,
and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he
knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of
men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
22 “But
you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your
heart, although you knew all this.
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of
heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house
before you, and you and your lords, your wives and
your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you
have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and
iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or
know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand
and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
24 Then
the fingers of the hand were sent from Him,
and this writing was written.
25 “And this is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
26 This
is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God
has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL:
You have been weighed in the balances, and found
wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and
given to the Medes and Persians.”
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
25 “And
this is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.
26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God
has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL:
You have been weighed in the balances, and found
wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and
given to the Medes and Persians.”
Chapter 5 - Give him a hand
30 That
very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans,
was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received the
kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Chapter 6 - God is King and I ain’t lion
25 Then
King Darius wrote:
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all
the earth:
Chapter 6 - God is King and I ain’t lion
26 I
make a decree that in every dominion of my
kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of
Daniel.
For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
Chapter 6 - God is King and I ain’t lion
28 So
this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in
the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
“The most High is ruler over the realm of mankind”
Six stories.
Each has a happy ending.
Each has unique points.
Each has a common point.
Story #1
God is faithful to the faithful.
Daniel and his friends were hundreds of miles from home.
They were the enemy.
They kept the Covenant with God.
Story #1 = Eat your vegetables
God is faithful to the faithful!
Daniel and his friends were hundreds of miles from home.
They were the enemy.
They honored God by keeping the Covenant with God and
He exalted them in captivity.
Key verse = 8
Story #2- You rule them, I rule you
God is faithful to the faithful!
Daniel looks to the Lord and His faithfulness privately and
publicly to give him insight so that their lives and those of
others would be spared.
Key verses = 17-23, 28
Story #3 - Fire? What fire?
God is faithful to the faithful!
These are men who faithfully served the King.
However, now his command cuts to the heart of who they
are.
Key verses = 17-18
Story #4 - Keep off the grass
God is faithful to the faithful!
Daniel is again given insight into the King’s life.
But this time the focal point is the humbling of one of the
great rulers in world history.
Key verse = 25
Story #5 - Give him a hand
God is faithful to the faithful!
Daniel, a captive, bravely rebukes a key ruler just prior to
his defeat.
Once again, a proud ruler is unseated by God.
Key verses = 22-23
Story #6 - God is King and I ain’t lion
God is faithful to the faithful!
Though his life is on the line, Daniel refuses to
compromise his worship of the real King.
Key verses = 21-22
God is faithful to the faithful!
The opening chapters of Daniel teach us that:
1. God will is still on the throne no matter what situation
we might face.
2. Honoring whoever our rulers are is important.
3. No matter who governs us, some principles can never
be compromised
God is faithful to the faithful!
The opening chapters of Daniel teach us that:
4. No matter who things may look, it is God who controls
nations and who governs them.
5. God is able to humble and change leaders.
6. Daniel honored the Lord first, was courageous, and was
a man of prayer. He was loved for it! So will we be.
7. God is faithful to the faithful.