Daniel 9 – A Look Into the Future
From being a genuine role model for us in these trying times that we live in to the amazingly accurate prophecies in the latter part of the book, the ancient book of Daniel lives on today.
This past Sunday, our final week in our Daniel series centered around the incredible, detailed prediction of the Messiah dying hundreds of years before it happened. The fulfillment is unveiled for us in Luke 19:28 – ff (Palm Sunday through the entire Passion Week). In Luke 19, as people rejoiced and praised Jesus as the Messiah, the King, others tried to stop them. Then in Luke 19:40, Jesus told the ones who wanted to stop the people from praising him as Messiah that if these people didn’t do this – then the stones around them will cry out. Why did Jesus say that? It all has to do with the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy about the Messiah, the Anointed One and King, being recognized as such as he entered Jerusalem. The prophecy had to be fulfilled. So, if the people didn’t recognize him as the Anointed One, the stones would – since the prophecy had to some true.
Then, in v.42, Jesus passionately says to the unbelievers – “… Would you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!” Then in v.44, Jesus makes a reference to the unbelievers not knowing “the time of your visitation.” This is another reference to the Daniel 9 prophecy. If they would have known this prophecy, they would have been expecting the Messiah to come at this time. As we discussed this past Sunday, you can actually take the wording of the prophecy and calculate to almost the very day when the Messiah would come into Jerusalem and die as a sacrifice for us. God lays it out clearly for a anyone who read the Daniel 9 prophecy to know “the time of [His] visitation.”
In summary, the time of the rebuilding of Jerusalem that’s mentioned in the prophecy began in the month of April, 444 BC (Nehemiah 2) plus 483 Jewish calendar years (or 173,880 days) equals the time when the Messiah would die or be “cut off.” When you adjust for some calendar things (e.g., Christ was born in 4 BC), you actually arrive at 33 AD. In Luke 19, Jesus was trying to remind them of the Daniel prophecy, but many of the people didn’t get it. He actually wept over the city because they wouldn’t believe in Him (Luke 19:41).
If you want a more complete discussion on the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy, I recommend the book – Daniel’s 70 Weeks by Alva McClain. It’s a great, short book on the topic.
Why does God gives us prophecy in the Bible?
Why does God put prophecy in the Bible?
1. Be confident that the Bible is trustworthy and reliable.
God put some prophecies in the Bible to prove that it’s a supernatural book from Him to all of humankind. Many religious books claim to be divinely inspired, but only the Bible has evidence of supernatural confirmation. Fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest proofs of the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible. There are over 2,000 or so prophecies that have already been fulfilled. The biblical prophets gave us specific prophecies of future events – some have happened and some are still in the future. No book in history can compare to the Bible when it comes to the fulfillment of prophecy. ONE SIDEBAR: Once the Bible was completed, you don’t have these kinds of biblical prophecies happening anymore.
God has used various means to communicate what the future holds to the prophets of the Old Testament. Here in Daniel, God revealed the future to Daniel in pretty wild fashion with dreams and visions. The prophecies in Daniel cover a huge chuck on time – from only a few years in the future to thousands of years in the future.
2. Be 100% certain that God has everything under control. Prophecy from the Bible shows us that God is constantly at work in this world — directly and intimately. He is constantly working out His purposes and what He says will come to pass. Understanding this should help us replace fear and anxiety with a sense of peace, hope and even confidence as we face the future.
3. Be comforted since you can know for sure what’s coming in the future and that Jesus is coming back for you.
The idea that God is in control of things – including the future actually replaces fear with hope and comfort. There are people who live all over this planet in fear and superstition. They fear the unknown, are apprehensive and unsure about the future, and many have an overwhelming feeling that the world is out of control.
1 Thessalonians 4 [18] Therefore encourage each other with these words.You’re safe and secure because of Jesus and his incredible, amazing love for you. What will you do with Jesus? Is he the Leader and Savior of your life today?
John 3 [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Where are you in the grand story of God? Have you embraced Christ? The only hope for the present as well as the future is Christ.
Maybe you’ve been a Christian for years — I hope that your faith has been encouraged this morning and even strengthened. Here are some amazing prophecies written hundreds of years before they happened — that gives us confidence.
As we reflect on over the hundreds of prophecies in the Bible – many of which have already been fulfilled – I think our one main response is summed up here in these two verses from the Psalms.
Ps 93 [1] The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Ps 97 [1] The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
Daniel ch.6 – Becoming a Person of Honor
Daniel ch. 6 is one of the most famous stories in the Bible: Daniel and the Lion’s Den. The story begins with the governors of the new Persian kingdom trying to find fault with Daniel so they could get rid of him. When they couldn’t find anything wrong that Daniel did since he was a man of honor and integrity, they went after his spiritual devotion to his God. They asked King Darius to issue a decree calling on everyone to bow to him in worship and adoration.
When Daniel heard about the decree, his reponse (Dan 6:10) was to pray and worship God – three times a day – as he had always done. He was a man of honor in all things – including his spiritual life.
What is honor? What does it mean when you refer to someone as an honorable person? One definition of honor is demonstrating integrity in one’s beliefs and actions.
Don’t we need more people seeking to demonstrate honor today? What if the business world would have been just a little more honorable – do you think we’d be in the economic mess that we’re in today? Greatness is not measured by what we achieve professionally … greatness is not striving for whatever I can get out of life … greatness is measured by our character – and there’s no higher character trait than honor.
Daniel’s life is a story of honor. He was exactly who appeared to be – transparent, honest, dedicated to God and loyal. He’s a role model of honor – even today.
Becoming a Person of Honor
1. PRELIMINARY: Start by understanding your identity as a follower of Christ: you’re righteous, holy and a child of God because of Christ in your life. 2 Cor 5:17
v.1 — king set people to rule over the land …
2. Cultivate a positive attitude (Daniel 6:3)
3. Be faithful in all you do – especially in your daily life (Daniel 6:4)
4. Seek personal purity (Daniel 6:4)
“ … no fault was found in him …”
5. Walk consistently with God (Daniel 6:10-16)
Walk – Gal 5:16 – walk in the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. “Walk” means to be continually occupied with the things of God … and automatically — you will live out a more pure life.
God closed the mouths of the lions all night long. God spared Daniel’s life. No matter what, Daniel was a man of honor so he couldn’t go against the God he loved and worshipped.
Daniel ch.3 – Courage Under Fire
In Daniel ch.3, three of Daniel’s friends enter the scene: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Like Daniel, these three young teenagers were committed to God. They had experienced life with God that gave them inner peace and joy that only comes from practicing spiritual things like prayer, reflecting on Scripture, and silence and solitude before God.
So when the Babylonian king commanded them to bow to the golden statue of him – or else – they didn’t do it.
Instead, they faced the death penalty of being burned alive.
Here’s what they said to the king:
Daniel 3:17-18 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Because they had lived life with God – closely, intimately with him – they knew that he could deliver them. But, even if he chose not to deliver them from the fiery furnace of punishment, they still wouldn’t bow down to the king.
They trusted God no matter what his answer would be. How could they do that? How could that have that kind of faith – no matter what? It all comes back to living a life with God every day – using every moment that we can to draw close to him.
Daniel ch.1 – The Discipline to Just Do It
Some background of the story of Daniel:
It’s around 605 BC. Daniel is just a middle-aged teenager – probably between 14 and 16 yrs old – just a boy. The unimaginable had happened. Daniel and his family – and the Israelites, are overthrown and carried off into captivity by the Babylonians. It was probably the last time he ever saw his family. Jerusalem is destroyed. Its holy temple defiled. Evil had triumphed – at least for a season. But even as young teenagers, Daniel and his three friends that he wrote about in his diary knew that reality wasn’t always as it seemed. God was completely in control over what was happening to the Israelites, and He would eventually intervene and reveal himself to Babylon’s pagan kings as the ultimate ruler of the universe.
In Daniel ch. 1, we get a picture of a young teen taken captive – who refused to give into things that went against his personal spiritual convictions. The reason that he could stay true to his convictions is because he had developed spiritual disciplines as a young boy – for years – before he was taken captive. Life with God for Daniel meant more than anything else. So, when he was asked to eat food offered to idols (Dan. 1), he refused because it compromised his faith.
To Daniel, being spiritually disciplined meant that he did what he thought God wanted him to do so he could live life and do what he really wanted to do. What he wanted was a life of inner joy, peace and contentment- regardless of what life brought his way. That kind of life was his in abundance – because he practiced spiritual disciplines of prayer and meditating on Scripture.
What kind of spiritual life do you really want? To get there, it takes some spiritual discipline.
Jesus also gave us a promise as followers of Christ. If we practice some of the basic spiritual disciplines such as prayer, meditating on Scripture and alone time with God, we can live out the kind of spiritual life that God wants for us.
John 10 [10] I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.
Luke 6 [47] {Jesus} I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. [48] He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. [49] But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.
Discipline mean practicing the spiritual truths of Scripture.
Philippians 4 [9] Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
But, do it in small, bite-sized chunks — a little at a time. Take life one day at a time – with God.
Matthew 6 [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Even Jesus knew that time alone in silence, solitude and prayer was key. In the midst of the busyness of his ministry, he took time for reflection and prayer – he practiced spiritual disciplines.
Mark 1 [32] That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. [33] The whole town gathered at the door, [34] and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. [35] Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. [36] Simon and his companions went to look for him, [37] and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
Luke 5 [15] Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. [16] But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
