43. The Great Image & Its Interpretation

Date:  604 BC
Place: King's Palace
Scripture: Daniel 2:36-45


Read Daniel 2:36-45

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation.

37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory,

38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.

39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.

41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.

43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.

44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

You can watch the video here:

:)

41. Daniels' utter humility - Not Because...But In Order

Time:  604 BC
Place: King Nebuchadnezzar Palace
Scripture:  Daniel 2:24-30


Read Daniel 2:24-30

24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”

25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.”

26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 

27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 

28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 

29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 

30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

Let's learn from Daniel's humility:

• Remember Daniel stood out from the crowd and in Daniel 1:19-20, there were none equal to him and his friends and that they were 10 times better than all the others.

• Daniel had every reason to be proud of the great gifts God had given him.

• I see how men of God are put on human pedestal because of their brilliance, gifts and charisma.  With all the human praise and appreciation lavishing on them, many men of God fell.  Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

• Daniel was tempted in all fronts along this line. You can see throughout the book of Daniel how Daniel faces each crisis of temptation with utter humility.

What is the key to humility?  3 Points:

1.  Always acknowledge God - There is a God who reveals knowledge and mystery. Turn people's attention to this one God who acts. This is how we give glory to God.

2.  "Not because" of any wisdom we have more than others.... how many can truly say these words.  "I am not better than anyone else."  "I can't take any credit."  "I am not anyone special."  But today, I hear men of God always raving at 'look at how much wisdom and gifts God have given me .... more than others... I get to be in the elite class"  Do you feel this way as you compare yourself to others?  You have fallen into Satan's trap. This is why God cannot use you anymore.  You carry a name of being God's servant but a pitiful servant without inner power.

3. "But in order" - all that we do and say are to fulfill God's purpose.  God wants the king to know the dream and its interpretation.  So when we do God's will, we have nothing to brag about. We are just executing God's order for us and we must humbly do our task, not because of what we have but of 'in order' for God's will to be fulfilled.

Daniel would not take any credit for knowing Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation.  God is the revealer of mystery. Daniel is the instrument God uses to make the mystery known to the king.


Let us also: "Not Because" .... "But in order"!

:)

40. Daniel Blessed the Name of God

Time:  604 BC
Place: King Nebuchadnezzar Palace
Scripture: Daniel 2:20-23

Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the Name of God forever and ever,
    to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers,
    I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
    and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
    for you have made known to us the king's matter.”

Obviously Daniel knows God's Name and he never forgot God's Name, Yahweh.  

And when God answers our prayers, we must bless the Name of God just like what Daniel has done.  Blessing the Name of God is a theme that runs throughout the Bible.  

David blesses the Name of God.  

Job blesses the Name of God.  

Paul blesses the Name of God.  

Zechariah blesses the Name of God.

Ethan blesses the Name of God.

The Levites bless the Name of God.

Ezra blesses the Name of God.

The Name of God is so important.
Does the Name of God matter to you at all?

It is God's Name that is going to be glorified and magnified in this answered prayer.


God's Name, Yahweh, appears in Daniel 6X, all appearing in Daniel 9.  

Daniel 9 is Daniel's earnest prayer interceding for Israel - Daniel knows Yahweh itimately.

• Daniel 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

• Daniel 9:4 And I prayed unto Yahweh my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.

• Daniel 9:10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of Yahweh our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

• Daniel 9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before Yahweh our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

• Daniel 9:14 Therefore hath Yahweh watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he does: for we obeyed not his voice.

• Daniel 9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before Yahweh my God for the holy mountain of my God.

When Daniel prayed this prayer in Chapter 9, he was already an old man, around 80 years old.

We can see that Daniel in all these years of Babylonian captivity, he called on God's Name Yahweh and prayed to Yahweh God.  The Name of God was very dear to Daniel's heart.

In all that we do and pray, let our concern be that God's precious Name be blessed forever and ever.  You can visit this website on The Name of God - Yahweh.



:)

39. Daniel & his 3 friends seek mercy from God

Time:  604 BC
Place: King Nebuchadnezzar Palace
Scripture: Daniel 2:15-23

Read Daniel 2:17-23.  I highlighted in RED the important words:

15 He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.

16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 

18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 

19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 

20 Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the Name of God forever and ever,
    to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers,
    I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
    and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
    for you have made known to us the king's matter.”

This was a time of crisis for the King.

Look at how Daniel handled one crisis to another.
He did not hide with fear and ran away.
Daniel dared to speak up in faith.

Often our ministry is also met with one crisis after another.
We must have the boldness from above to solve one crisis to another.

Daniel was fearless and suggested to the raging king to give him time so that he could show the king the dream.  Why did Daniel make that request?  Obviously Daniel needed to join in prayer with his 3 friends to pray together to seek God's mercy to answer this request.

Daniel knew God could reveal the mystery to them if they waited on God.

Back in Daniel 1:17, "As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Daniel knew the spiritual power of oneness to get through to God so he went back to pray with his 3 companions.  Here is the precious lesson we can learn together. Though God had given Daniel this gift, but he knew the first priority was to commune with God, not alone, but together in one heart with his 3 friends.  They got on their knees to plead for God's mercy.

When we are in a situation of crisis, let us remember to go on our knees to get God's help and not to  human aid.  Let us remember not to take our troubles and dump them onto people, but together to pray for God to solve the crisis at hand.  Let us learn to go to God always in prayer.

Are you facing a crisis on hand?

Pray to God and plead His mercy.
Find his servants to pray together in one heart to seek mercy from God.

God will surely answer as He had answered Daniel's and their friends' prayers.



:)

37. 604 BC - Daniel 2 Times of the Gentiles

Time:  604 BC
Place:  Nebuchadnezzar's palace
Event:  Nebuchadnezzar's First Dream

The Book of Daniel records Nebuchadnezzar's two big dreams.

Daniel Chapter 2 talks about his first dream.

Daniel 2:1 "In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams.  His spirit was troubled and his sleep left him."

Homework:

Take out your Timeline Graph and let's fill in Chapter 2.

Let's note down a few insights here:

• This event happened while Daniel was still in his 3 years of training program

• As you can see God's judgement came upon the Israelites because they had spiritually degenerated into gross idolatry.   The Israelites had already begun in captivity in Babylon (605 BC)  with the second group coming in 7 years time (597 BC)  and then the impending destruction of Jerusalem only 18 years away (586 BC).

• Now God chooses a new path to reveal his revelation. This is the beginning of the "Times of Gentiles", a term that our Lord Jesus uses in the Gospel.

• This prophetic revelation is given through this Gentile king, Nebuchadnezzar.

• The prophecy is not just for the Gentiles but for everyone including the Israelites, and God chooses Daniel to be the instrument to interpret these dreams.

Tomorrow we will talk about his first dream.

:)

35. Daniel living in 'extraordinary times'

Daniel's days were marked with 'extraordinary' times witnessing many 'great historical events'.  

• He experienced the great spiritual revival years when the Book of the Law was discovered in the Temple in Josiah's reign in 622 BC.

• He was nurtured under the preaching of Jeremiah.

• As a lad, he saw the collapse of Nineveh, the mighty and capital city of the Assyrian Empire in 612 BC.  

• Daniel's life encompassed the entire era of the Babylonian kingdom.  He was born possibly around 620 BC - 625 BC, the time when the Babylonian nation was born.  He lived all the way to the reign of Cyrus, who destroyed the  Babylonian kingdom forever and brought in the Kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. 

• Daniel served Nebuchadnezzar during the golden kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar that lasted for 43 years.

• Daniel being a foreigner served in the highest official capacity in the governments of two successive world empires - from Babylon to Media-Persia.

God raises up his man in times of crisis.

Today we are also living in a time of crisis.  Sometimes we give excuse to ourselves that we live in difficult turbulent times, therefore it is difficult for us to stand up and live out our faith.  Look at Daniel.  He was a man of tremendous courage.  He was a man with fearless spiritual commitment to Yahweh God.  He could never be bought with money and power as Belshazzar attempted on him.  He was a man that was not corrupted by power and authority.  He was a man of prayer who knew how to pray and get through to God. He was a man who loved God and beloved by God.  He was a man of crisis and lived through the difficult times in history, and his life 'shone forth' like the stars in the sky.

Daniel 12:3 "But those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above."

Let us not make excuses for ourselves anymore.

Will you also become wise in this generation?
Will you make that choice for God today?

God help us to have many Daniels in these last days.

:)

34. Dan 1:21 Daniel remained until 1st year of King Cyrus

Daniel Chapter 1 ends with these words:  And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

2 Chronicle 36:22-23 ends the book of history with these words:  In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, Yahweh moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may Yahweh their God be with them.’”

Daniel was there throughout the 70 years of captivity and was present even in the court of Cyrus when Cyrus liberated the people to return home to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. What a glorious moment that is!


It is obvious that Daniel plays a vital role during Cyrus' reign. 

• Daniel had read what Jeremiah had prophesied about the "70 years of captivity". 

• Daniel Chapter 1 begins with 605 BC when Daniel  was carried off as a slave by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.

• By the time of Cyrus reign, Daniel realized that the 70 years of captivity was coming to an end.

• Daniel would have laid before Cyrus about the prophecy of Jeremiah that at the end of 70 years, the people would return to Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 29:10, "For thus says Yahweh: When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

• Daniel would have laid before Cyrus about the prophecies spoken through Isaiah that the people would return to Jerusalem.  

Isaiah 44:28, "who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,”  and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid.”’

Can you  picture Daniel at an old age in his late 80's talking to Cyrus about these prophecies?

• Imagine - Isaiah was ministering in the 8th Century BC (740 BC - 701 BC).  157 years before Cyrus was born, Isaiah had  a prophecy containing this monarch's name.

• Surely, 157 years later, this heather ruler named Cyrus  came on the throne.

• Cyrus decree was issued in 536 BC to let the exiles return to Jerusalem.

Cyrus is mentioned 23X in the Old Testament.

Isaiah refers to Cyrus as Yahweh's “shepherd” (Isa 44:28) and Yahweh's “anointed,” (Isa 45:1) who was providentially appointed to facilitate the divine plan.

Read Isaiah 45.  God would lead this monarch to “subdue nations” and “open doors”.  He would make “rough places smooth" to help the Hebrews to return to their homeland.  

The fulfillment of these plain and specific predictions is set forth in 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23 and Ezra 1:1-4, 7, 8; 3:7; 4:3.

:)

32. Dan 1:18-20 "None were equal" & "10 Times Better" Part 2

Time:  605 BC
Place:  King's Court
Scripture:  Daniel 1:18-20

Daniel 1:18-20

At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.  The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.  In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

Daniel and his 4 friends - none were equal to them & they were 10X Better


We must remember that Daniel and his 4 friends were outstanding  because God acted for them on their behalf.  

• Dan 1:9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the steward.
• Dan 1:17 God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom.  

They were 'found worthy' in the sight of God, so God acted for them.


God acted on their behalf so that the steward and even the King were  kind and gracious to Daniel.  

When we stand up uncompromisingly for the truth, God always takes up our defense and works out His purpose.  

Proverbs 16:7 says that "when a man's way please Yahweh,  he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."


From the life of Daniel and his 3 friends, they portray to us what God can do to people who are faithful to God. 

• They never make themselves to be the victims of unfavorable circumstances.  
• After all, Nebuchadnezzar was a fierce and angry king.  
• God performs miraculous work in their lives that even the heathen king is highly impressed with their quality of life.  

Yahweh God blesses people who are totally committed to Him. How precious this is indeed!

Where are these faithful people today?

:)

31. Dan 1:18-20 "None were equal" & "10 Times Better" Part 1

Time:  605 BC
Place:  King's Court
Scripture:  Daniel 1:18-20


Daniel 1:18-20

At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.  The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.  In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

 
The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah;


Chapter 1  tells us that Daniel and his friends are on a different level from the others.  

• These 4 people go past the minimum and they reach standards for themselves that exceed the norm.  
• These 4 people stand above the crowd.  
• These 4 people don't choose the good.  They choose the best.  
• These 4 people  stand firm in their convictions and beliefs to please God above all else.  
• They are uncompromising people that go past the crowd.  
• Their performance and wisdom are a cut above the rest because they choose to live at a level of total commitment to God that is beyond the rest of the other Israelites who were also there for the 3 years of training.  
• Even the older magicians and enchanters with all their experiences in the whole kingdom do not match up to them.

What a testimony!  

They just shine out like the stars forever.

• The king only needed to talk to these young men to recognize their great character and quality of life.  From his conversation with them, he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

• The king questioned them in every matter of wisdom and understanding and discovered they were 10 times better than the others.

Tomorrow, we will look at Part 2 :)

30. Daniel 1:10-26 TEST your servants for 10 Days Part 2

Time:  605 BC

Place:  King's court

Scripture:  Daniel 1:12

“Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 

Give us Vegetables and water!

This is a test of "Self Denial"!

While there is nothing wrong eating lavishly in the king's court, a spiritual man must learn 'self discipline' in 'self denial' when dealing with the world.  

When facing worldly offers, it is always good to take the route of 'self denial' and let go of legitimate self pleasures.  

Learn to refrain yourself from the legitimate things of the world and choose a 'simple' way of life.  Today we live in a world of self indulgence.  We are not rich but we are not poor at all.  You have enough money to buy the things you  want from the world.  The question is:  can you 'deny' yourself from such desires?

No wine but water.  Can you?  Just water.

We love indulging ourselves to all kinds of 'special gourmet' around us, especially in Hong Kong. We have the money to upgrade our eating standard, so we say, 'why not?' 

Learn to forget about all the exotic tea and coffee that you can buy readily.  Just water. Deny yourself.  Can you?  

It is good to say 'no' to the world.  There is a price to pay.  We are called to take up our cross and deny the 'self' to follow the path of the cross of Jesus.

Do you have the conquering faith to say 'no' to what the world readily offers on a platter pushed right in front of you?

Will you say 'no' to the world?

Will you be willing to take only vegetables and water?   

Just live a simple life? 

:)

19. The Twelve Chapters of Daniel

Time:  605 BC - 536 BC
Place:  Babylon
Scripture: Daniel - 12 Chapters


As we study the book of Daniel, you will discover that the Book of Daniel is not written in chronological order.  The structure of the book is not designed to read from the chronological order of events taking place.

Daniel was writing to the people in his time so the people knew the times of events taking place so it is easy for them to absorb the content in the book of Daniel by jumping back and forth as Daniel related different events to them.

Daniel's book also has a prophetic element to our times.  So, for us later people who desire to understand the spiritual significance of the historical events taking place "in context", we need to work out the 'chronological order' of the Book of Daniel.   Only in this way will we be able to draw out spiritual principles taking place in their times so as to apply to our times.

The chronological order  in the Book of Daniel:

605 BC - Chapter 1
603 BC - Chapter 2
580 BC - Chapter 3
570 BC - Chapter 4
553 BC - Chapter 7
551 BC - Chapter 8
539 BC - Chapter 5
539 BC - Chapter 9
538 BC - Chapter 6
536 BC - Chapter 10, 11, 12


We will proceed our study in the above chronological order.
Today, we will begin with Daniel Chapter 1. :)


Take out your Timeline Graph and put in "1" for Daniel Chapter 1.

Read Daniel Chapter 1 in your devotion today! :)


:)

18. The 70 Years

Let's continue with our panoramic view of how God acts out His salvation plan in His time.

Daniel 9:2 "I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, 70 years.

Jeremiah prophesied that Judah's captivity in Babylon would last 70 years.

Jeremiah 29 contains the transcript of a letter which Jeremiah wrote to the captives in Babylon.  This letter was written possibly after the second captivity in 597 BC . It is probably from this letter that Daniel learned of the 70 year prophecy.

Jeremiah 29:10 

This is what Yahweh says: "When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place."

Many people have wondered just exactly how those 70 years were to be counted.

There are many ways to count that "70 years".  For our present study, one of the "70 years" is to count from the time of the 1st Babylonian Exile 605 BC to 536 BC, Cyrus decree to return to Jerusalem. God worked in Cyrus' heart to fulfill His covenant promise to His people.  God is faithful to His covenant.  The question is whether God's people are faithful?  Will God's people respond to Yahweh God?  Will Yahweh's people respond faithfully to God?  Will they obey & return to Jerusalem?

Homework:

Take out your Timeline Graph and put in "70 years".

16. The Three Prophets - Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

When we study Daniel, bear in mind the other 2 prophets: Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

Take a look at the following "Highlighted Pink Box" below so that you can look at the significance of these 3 dates in the lives of the 3 prophets:

These 3 prophets lived in the same time period and they all experienced God's final judgment on Judah with the destruction of Jerusalem.

605 BC 1st Exile - Daniel 1:1-7
597 BC 2nd Exile - 2 Kings 24:10-11, 13; 2 Kings 24:14,16
586 BC 3rd Exile - 2 Chronicles 36:17-21

As you can see from the above graph:

• Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel were prophets living in 'extraordinary times'.
• Ezekiel (25 years ) and Daniel (15 years ) had the privilege of sitting under Jeremiah's prophetic ministry in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah:

• Jeremiah started his ministry quite young and prophesied for 40+ years.

• For 40+ years, he continuously warned the Israelites to repent and not to trust in deceptive words saying "this is the Temple of Yahweh, this is the Temple of Yahweh, this is the Temple of Yahweh." (Jeremiah 7:4)

• He pleaded the Israelites to repent from their rampant idolatry for God's judgment is at hand.

• Jeremiah kept close in touch with the far away exiles in Babylon.  He wrote a letter to the exiles in Jeremiah 29.

•  The Israelites did not heed the warning.  Finally at the end of Jeremiah's ministry when he was about 60,  the words of  Yahweh came true as Jeremiah prophesied:  the temple of Yahweh was finally destroyed in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel:

• Ezekiel was 25 when he arrived Babylon.  11 years later, Jerusalem was finally destroyed.

• When Ezekiel began his ministry in Babylon, he was 30 (Ezekiel 1:1) at 593 BC.  He was a priest (Ezekiel 1:3) and  would be very familiar with the temple layout as priests would normally begin to minister in the Temple at 30.  

• Ezekiel knew about the warning of the destruction of the Temple from Jeremiah's preaching.

• You need to be aware that much of Ezekiel's prophecy is related to the leading up to the Temple destruction.

• The false prophets in Jerusalem gave false hopes to the Israelites, so much so that the exiles believed the "false hope" that everything would be fine and that their exile would be short and soon to return back to Jerusalem.  But that was not so.

• Ezekiel spent a great time of his ministry correcting "false hope" warning the Israelites that the temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed.  

• With this knowledge, this will help you to understand the Book of Ezekiel better.

• Ezekiel was dealing with a hardened and rebellious people who were disillusioned, cynical, bitter and angry at Yahweh God.

• Therefore, Ezekiel used prophetic oracles, symbolic actions, allegories, visions and historical accounts to proclaim Yahweh's message to the Israelites to shock and awaken them of their false hopes and spiritual numbness. Isn't this so true of today's spiritual climate we are in?

• After the destruction of the Temple, Ezekiel continued to prophesy in Babylon to give hope that the temple will be rebuilt and a remnant of God's people would return to Jerusalem.  We see this promise coming true at the end of the Book of Daniel.

Daniel:

• Daniel was the first group exiled to Babylon.  He lived through all 3 groups of exiles arriving Babylon.  This is the first time the Israelites lived in a Gentile pagan world.

• There was a span of 19 years from the 1st exile to the 3rd exile.

• Daniel was already in his mid 30 when Jerusalem was destroyed.

• Look at how his peer, Ezekiel, describe Daniel in Ezekiel 14:14, 20.  Daniel is put in the same class with  Noah and Job for their "righteousness".  In the eyes of Ezekiel, Daniel was a man of holiness, purity and righteousness.

• Though Daniel was exiled to Babylon in his teens and had not seen Jeremiah for years, he held very close to his heart Jeremiah's words.  Daniel 9:22, "I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet..."  Daniel often read the writings of Jeremiah and recognized Jeremiah's words are inspired by God, long before the book of  Jeremiah would become part of the Hebrew canon.

• Daniel lived in a turbulent world politically with the transition to the dominant Babylonian Empire and the Persian Empire.  Daniel directed the heathen kings to recognize the one God of heaven who reigns above all. What a testimony!  The kings listened to Daniel.

:)

15. The Three Dates of the Exiles

Time:  622 - 586 BC
Place: Jerusalem & Babylon
People:  Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

When we study Daniel, we need to be aware of the 3 prophets that Yahweh God raised up to shepherd His people during this tumultuous time.

They all experienced the three dates of the Babylonian captivity when Israelites were driven out of their land to Babylon:

605 BC 1st Exile - Daniel 1:1-7

Daniel and other members of Judah's elite were taken into captivity.

597 BC 2nd Exile - 2 Kings 24:10-11, 13; 2 Kings 24:14,16; 2 Chron 36:9,10

Ezekiel along with 10,000 men of valor were taken into captivity.  King Jehoiachin along with other members of the royal family were taken to Babylon.

586 BC 3rd Exile - 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36:17-21

After a siege of lasting approximately one and a half years, Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed. Most of the people were taken into captivity along with articles from the temple. Jeremiah and  the poorest people remained.

Take out your Timeline Graph and fill in Ezekiel and Daniel's age when Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC.  While we know Ezekiel's age, Daniel's age is an approximate estimation.

Ezekiel's age: 36
Daniel's age:  34

Please Take Note:  This is the first time in history when Israel as a nation was driven to a Gentile world.


:)

14. Jeremiah weeping for Jerusalem - 586 BC

Date:  586 BC
Place:  Jerusalem
People:  Jeremiah


It was a sad day when the Temple of Yahweh was burned.  The Israelites did not heed Jeremiah's warning.

Jeremiah 52:12-14

In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem.  And he burned the house of Yahweh, and the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.  And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. 

Jeremiah 52:17-14

And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of Yahweh, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of Yahweh, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon.  And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the basins and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service;  also the small bowls and the fire pans and the basins and the pots and the lampstands and the dishes for incense and the bowls for drink offerings. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver.  As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea,  and the stands, which Solomon the king had made for the house of Yahweh, the bronze of all these things was beyond weight. As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, its circumference was twelve cubits, and its thickness was four fingers, and it was hollow.  On it was a capital of bronze. The height of the one capital was five cubits. A network and pomegranates, all of bronze, were around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates.  There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network all around.

Jeremiah looked at the ruins ... cried and lamented for the desolation of Jerusalem.

It was just as Jeremiah had prophesied "Thus says Yahweh.....I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,    a lair of jackals, and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation,     without inhabitant."  (Jeremiah 9:11)

• Jerusalem finally fell!  
• David's house was cut off.  
• The temple was razed to the ground
• The nation of Israel was exiled from the Promised Land.
• There was no one to rescue them.

"Yahweh gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations.  The kings of the earth did not believe,  nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem."  (Lamentations 4:11-12)

This also raised a lot of questions in the minds of the Israelites about Yahweh God (Jeremiah 7:1-15), thus Ezekiel's prophetic messages.  

• Had Yahweh God finally been conquered by a pagan nation more powerful?  
• Could it be that Marduk, the god of the Babylonians had prevailed?  
• In the puny mind of many, "what use is a God who cannot even protect His own land or keep His own Temple from falling?"  
• So therefore the struggling question: "Could it be that God was unfaithful to His promises and abandoned or betrayed His people?"  

This will whet your appetite to dig into the Book of Ezekiel.

 

Jeremiah was already an old man by this time at the destruction of Jerusalem - around 60 years old.  His ministry was coming to an end while Ezekiel takes over to proclaim Yahweh's words in Babylon, "Thus says Yahweh...."

Homework:

Take out your Timeline Graph and fill in the approximate age of Jeremiah at the time of Temple destruction: 

- Enter his age "60".

We must realize that Yahweh God is a cosmic sovereign God of all creation (Ezra 1).  Yahweh God was not Israel's puppet and no need to be held captive in Israel's box.  As we see in Daniel, Yahweh God is the King who is in control of all things including the judgment on Judah.  Our God is not limited to the land or to the 'Temple' made with hands, which the nation of Israel would never have learned without going into exile.  Yahweh God continued continued to be on His throne even in Babylon.

When His people disobey Him, even today in our churches, God's judgment will come upon His churches first.  Do not believe in deceptive words, "This is our church ... This is our church ... This is our church ..."  History warns the danger of apostasy.

:)