THE WISE SHALL THE STUDY OF DANIEL UNDERSTAND THE STUDY OF DANIEL ROBERT W. TOZIER

Transcription

1 THE WISE SHALL THE STUDY OF DANIEL UNDERSTAND THE STUDY OF DANIEL ROBERT W. TOZIER 1

2 Creation Revelation Robert & Mary Tozier At Sunrise Southern Baptist Church Las Vegas, NV 2

3 The Wise Shall Understand The Study of Daniel Lesson 14 3

4 Opening Prayer 4

5 The Wise Shall Understand The Study of Daniel Lesson 14 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE Part 1 of 2 5

6 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE Daniel 6:1-10 6

7 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE Cyrus II of Persia, who reigned from 559 to 530BC was the commander of the combined armies of the Medes and Persians. He was the son of King Cambyses I of Persia and Queen Mandan, daughter of King Astyages of the Medes. This marriage of King Cambyses I and Queen Mandan formed the alliance between the Medes and Persians. 7

8 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE Darius, assuming that he is Cyaxares II, Cyrus' uncle, was the King of the Medes at the time of the capture of Babylon by Cyrus in 539 BC. He assumed the throne of the Babylonian portion of the new Medo-Persian Empire. In fact, Cyrus divided this expanded kingdom into twenty provinces and appointed a governor over each. Darius was one such governor who ruled as if he was a sovereign king. 8

9 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE Upon Darius death two years later, Cyrus, known as Cyrus the Great and Cyrus II, assumed those duties in addition to his overall sovereignty over the Medo-Persian Empire. 9

10 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE 10

11 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE History has a difficult time reconciling this Darius and has assumed that he did not exist. It may be that the Biblical King Darius was actually Cyaxares II, and that Darius may be a, common reference to rulers such as Pharaoh or Caesar. In this connection, it's interesting to note, Dareush, found on inscriptions, means Lord-King. 11

12 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE However, his reign was short after the defeat of Babylon. He is not to be confused with Darius I (Darius the Great) who ruled Persia from 522 to 486 BC. 12

13 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE It was in the reign of Cyrus the Great that the proclamation to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple was carried out. EZRA 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (Continued) 13

14 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. 14

15 CYRUS II & DARIUS THE MEDE Cyrus succeeded Darius, probably about 537 BC, and was known for the proclamation for the return of the Jews to their land. Cyrus died in 529 or 530 BC, and was succeeded by his son Cambyses. 15

16 A JEALOUS PLOT 16

17 A JEALOUS PLOT DAN 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes [satraps], which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes [satraps] might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 17

18 A JEALOUS PLOT According to historian Charles Rollin, the Babylonian portion of the expanded Medo- Persian kingdom was divided into 127 parts or government divisions that were ruled by governors, or princes, called satraps. Daniel indicates the division was 120 parts. Under Darius, three principal ministers, or presidents, were set over the satraps. 18

19 A JEALOUS PLOT Daniel was set in a position above all the rest. Interestingly, in a previous lesson we learned that Darius was most likely Gubaru, who was King Cyaxares II of the Medes. In this regard, there is an ancient record, the Annalistic Tablet of Cyrus, that Gubaru appointed governors in Babylon. 19

20 A JEALOUS PLOT In Daniel chapter 2, the Medo-Persian kingdom was the silver kingdom, compared to the head of gold of the Babylonian kingdom. Babylonia was an absolute monarchy during the Babylonian Empire, while 120 governors administered the Babylonia of the Medo-Persian kingdom. 20

21 A JEALOUS PLOT DAN 6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. (Continued) 21

22 A JEALOUS PLOT 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Daniel by this time was at least in his eighties, and possibly in his nineties. "An excellent spirit" meant that Daniel had a good attitude. Darius was planning on making Daniel the chief ruler over all the other presidents and princes. This was intolerable to all the other leaders. 22

23 A JEALOUS PLOT The favor Darius showed Daniel was a barrier to the ambitions of the princes and presidents. The jealous leaders entered into a conspiracy to discredit and overthrow Daniel. Because of his God fearing character, Daniel could not be corrupted, so the only fault that they might use against him pertained to his obedience to God. 23

24 A JEALOUS PLOT DAN 6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 24

25 A JEALOUS PLOT Have you ever thought you would like to be a king for a day? The conspirators devised a plan in which no favors were to be asked or prayers offered to any God or man other then King Darius for a period of 30 days. Under this plan, King Darius would, in effect, be God for 30 days. For a modern day application notice what an Alabama Judge did in 1997: 25

26 A JEALOUS PLOT Alabama Judge Ira DeMent ordered paid anti-religious "monitors" to enter classrooms and assemblies in a rural school district. In a permanent injunction, this federal judge: ORDERED A CRACKDOWN on any student observed discussing their faith or praying out loud--even quiet, private, voluntary prayers! 26

27 A JEALOUS PLOT ORDERED A CRACKDOWN on prayers traditionally given at graduation assemblies, and by players and coaches before football games; ORDERED A CRACKDOWN on so-called "religious harassment." This mandate has been interpreted by some frightened school officials as a ban on Christian students witnessing to others, even at lunchtime--or Christian students wearing Jesus T-shirts and bracelets. Penalties will be severe. 27

28 DANIEL S CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE 28

29 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE DAN 6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 29

30 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE According to their laws, once signed by the King, the statute became mandatory and could not be changed. The book of Esther establishes that these decrees could not be altered. EST 1:19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not alterered. 30

31 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE EST 8:8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse. 31

32 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE It is probable that Darius was prideful by the idea of deification and influenced in the thought that the act was a pledge of loyalty and respect for his authority. In Saudi Arabia the practice of any religion besides Islam, in public or private, is punishable by imprisonment, torture, and sometimes death. For a Muslim to convert to another religion, the punishment is execution. 32

33 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE Even though Daniel knew the consequences, he openly acknowledged and worshipped God. He was not fearful what man could do to him. He was instead fearful and respectful of God. He simply could have ceased praying for thirty days, but he refused to compromise his integrity. 33

34 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE It was not that he prayed with windows open purposely in disobedience. Rather, he prayed as was his custom even though he knew the consequences. Daniel could have simply closed his windows before praying, but even this simple solution would be a compromise of his values. 34

35 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE Furthermore, it is seen that Daniel s custom of praying three times a day despite his busy schedule should be a lesson for all of us busy people. Daymond Duck says that Christians are commanded to obey their government, however, civil disobedience may be acceptable and necessary when it interferes with the commandments and worship of God. 35

36 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE The problem with our society is that we have compromised our values bit by bit. The small compromises have been so insignificant or cleverly disguised in many cases that most do not understand what is happening. The small twinge of conscience that we feel is overcome by the assurance that there is safety in numbers. 36

37 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE "Everyone is doing it" and "I don't want to be different, or left out" are among the many excuses that make it right in our own mind. With Daniel the difference was clear. There was no question that the attack was directed at his values and his God. Even his enemies were counting on his integrity to trip him up. 37

38 SALT AND LIGHT 38

39 SALT AND LIGHT MAT 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. REV 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 39

40 SALT AND LIGHT As we study this lesson of Daniel, something happened in our country The Supreme Court redefined marriage to include gay couples. In doing so, it created a issue between church and state for individual conscience to obey God s laws or mans laws. I believe that the Scriptures are clear that we are to obey the law of the land insofar that it is not contrary to the law of God one brave lady in Kentucky followed her conscience. 40

41 SALT AND LIGHT After the Supreme Court decision, Kim Davis began refusing to issue any licenses, either to same-sex or opposite-sex couples. She was jailed, then released, but continues to refuse to issue marriage licenses under her name. She has petitioned that the state of Kentucky take legal actions to make acceptations for Conscience in those cases She does not want her name on the licenses. 41

42 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS 42

43 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS The Abolition of Truth and Morality According to the late Christian philosopher Dr. Francis Schaeffer: The basic problem of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years or so, in regard to society and in regard to government, is that they have seen things in bits and pieces instead of totals. (Continued) 43

44 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS They have very gradually become disturbed over permissiveness, pornography, the public schools, the breakdown of the family, and finally abortion. But they have not seen this as a totality--each thing being a part, a symptom, of a much larger problem. They have failed to see that all of this has come about due to a shift in world view--that is, through a fundamental change in the overall way people think and view the world and life as a whole. 44 (Continued)

45 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS This shift has been away from a world view that was at least vaguely Christian in people's memory (even if they were not individually Christian) toward something completely different--toward a world view based upon the idea that the final reality is impersonal matter or energy shaped into its present form by impersonal chance. (Continued) 45

46 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS They have not seen that this world view has taken the place of the one that had previously dominated Northern European culture, including the United States, which was at least Christian in memory, even if the individuals were not individually Christian. 46

47 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS Dr. Schaeffer writes that the Secular and Christian world views are incompatible: These two world views stand as totals in complete antithesis to each other in content and also in their natural results--including sociological and governmental results, and specifically including law. It is not that these two world views are different only in how they understand the nature of reality and existence. They also inevitably produce totally different results. (Continued) 47

48 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS The operative word here is inevitably. It is not just that they happen to bring forth different results, but it is absolutely inevitable that they will bring forth different results. 48

49 INCOMPATIBLE WORLDVIEWS Change is brought about in the nation by those in charge in accordance with the creation and promotion of the desired worldview. Once that worldview becomes dominant then the change is complete. Obama s change was a worldview change. Change is accomplished in the school system and the controlled media (newspapers, television, etc.). 49

50 CHRISTIANS SLOW TO UNDERSTAND 50

51 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND Dr. Schaeffer believes that Christians generally do not comprehend the incompatibility of these world views: Why have the Christians been so slow to understand this? There are various reasons but the central one is a defective view of Christianity [Christianity (Pietism)] made a sharp division between the spiritual and the material world--giving little, or no, importance to the material world. 51 (Continued)

52 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND The totality of human existence was not afforded a proper place. In particular it neglected the intellectual dimension of Christianity. Christianity and spirituality were shut up to a small, isolated part of life. The totality of reality was ignored by the pietistic thinking True spirituality covers all of reality (Continued) 52

53 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND [M]any Christians do not mean what I mean when I say Christianity is true, or Truth. They are Christians and they believe in, let us say, the truth of creation, the truth of the virgin birth, the truth of Christ's miracles, Christ's substitutionary death, and His coming again. But they stop there with these and other individual truths. (Continued) 53

54 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND When I say Christianity is true I mean it is true to total reality--the total of what is, beginning with the central reality, the objective existence of the personal infinite God. Christianity is not just a series of truths but Truth--Truth about all of reality. And the holding to that Truth intellectually-- and then in some poor way living upon that Truth, the Truth of what is--brings forth not only certain personal results, but also governmental and legal results. 54

55 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND These pious Christians spiritualize their lives and allow the world and America to be taken over and controlled by humanistic unbelievers. Somehow they believe it is okay to ignore the secular elements of the world around them as long as they are spiritual in their own lives. 55

56 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND Christians by the millions are uninformed as to the change in worldviews of their children through the arena of public education, the media, movies, music, and the use of symbols. Christians in particular should, in fact, be the most informed of all people. Generally though, the Christians do not understand the nature and the motives of the forces arrayed against them. 56

57 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND The main response of the uninformed Christian when exposed to the reality of the secular message is a universal rhetorical question, Why is this important to me?, or Why do I need to know this? The implication in these questions is I m following Christ; I don t want to hear this, and It doesn t affect me or my family. The study of prophecy is treated the same. 57

58 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND Opposed to the Christian point of view of reality, or truth, is the humanistic, or materialistic. The humanists clearly understand the difference. Many Christians do not, don't care, or are caught up in materialism and enticed to compromise their values. Those values are changed much the same way the frog stays in the pot of water while the heat is turned up. 58

59 SLOW TO UNDERSTAND Compromise and sin become a pattern in one's life. We Christians have bought the Madison Avenue sales job. Our court system understands that we live in a secularized society. 59

60 SOCIOLOGICAL LAW 60

61 SOCIOLOGICAL LAW According to Dr. Schaeffer, the Secular world view has crept into the law: We live in a secularized society and in secularized, sociological law. By sociological law we mean law that has no fixed base but law in which a group of people decides what is sociologically good for society at the given moment; and what they arbitrarily decide becomes law. (Continued) 61

62 SOCIOLOGICAL LAW Oliver Wendell Holmes ( ) made totally clear that this was his position. Frederick Moore Vinson ( ), former Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, said, Nothing is more certain in modern society than the principle that there are no absolutes. Those who hold this position themselves call it sociological law. 62

63 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY 63

64 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY Our basic systems have been perverted and compromised, and most of us don't understand that it is based on a different worldview. What should the Christian do in this secular society? At some point the Christian may be asked to choose between man's secular laws and the commandments of God. 64

65 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY At some point, the Bible says, mankind will have to choose between accepting a mark and worshipping Antichrist, or following God's laws. This final compromise will be the end result of submitting to smaller compromises along the way I m following Christ; I don t want to hear this, and It doesn t affect me or my family. 65

66 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY Daniel's act was an act of civil disobedience. He openly disobeyed the law of the legally constituted government in order to obey and to serve God. Francis Schaeffer believes that the time will come when Christians will be faced with the necessity of civil disobedience and the possibility of the use of force he says: 66

67 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY The thirteen colonies concluded that the time had come and they disobeyed. We must understand that for the Founding Fathers, the bottom line was not an abstract point of conversation over a tea table; at a certain point it had to be acted upon. The thirteen colonies reached the bottom line: they acted in civil disobedience. That civil disobedience led to open war in which men and women died. And that led to the founding of the United States of America. 67 (Continued)

68 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY There would have been no founding of the United States of America without the Founding Fathers' realization that there is a bottom line. And to them the basic bottom line was not pragmatic; it was one of principle. Please read most thoughtfully what I am going to say in the next sentence: (Continued) 68

69 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TODAY If there is no final place for civil disobedience, then the government has been made autonomous, and as such, it has been put in the place of the Living God. If there is no final place for civil disobedience, then the government has been put in the place of the Living God, because then you are to obey it even when it tells you in its own way at that time to worship Caesar. And that point is exactly where the early Christians performed their acts of civil disobedience even when it 69 cost them their lives.

70 End of The Study of Daniel Lesson 14 70

71 Closing Prayer 71

72 Creation Revelation Robert & Mary Tozier At Sunrise Southern Baptist Church Las Vegas, NV 72