Daniel: A Man Greatly Beloved By God Why was Daniel so greatly loved by God? Qualities of Daniel We want to spend some time looking at the life of Daniel and see if we can determine some of the qualities that made him so greatly loved by God. As we determine what some of the qualities are then maybe we can find ways to incorporate these same qualities into our own lives so that we also may be greatly loved by God. Before we begin in our study of Daniel s life we will look at the time frame in which Daniel lived. 1
From Creation to Today covers a time period of Approximately 6000 years. Creation took place app 4004 BC Flood app 2349 BC 2014 Judgment Today Crucifixion Law of Moses Abraham Flood Creation BC AD Giving of the Law 1491 BC Abraham Called 1921 BC Daniel lived during the time of the Babylonian Captivity He was among the 1 st captives taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC This captivity lasted for 70 years ending around 535 BC. Creation Flood Abraham Law of Moses Daniel Crucifixion 2014 Today Judgment BC AD Giving of the Law 1491 BC 2
Qualities of Daniel God had a special love for Daniel that is mentioned on at least 3 different occasions in the scriptures. Gabriel tells Daniel in Chapter 9 Da 9:23 "At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision: He is also call greatly loved by an angel in Dan 10 Da 10:11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Daniel, Beloved of God He is also called greatly beloved by the angel once more in Dan 10. Da 10:19 And he said, "O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!" So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me. What a wonderful description of this Godly man We have other Godly men who were described in very special ways. Abraham: Friend of God. David: man after God s own heart 3
Daniel, Beloved of God However, I can find only one other character in the Old Testament of whom it is mentioned he was beloved by God. That was Solomon. Ne 13:26 "Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. There is no doubt that God loved Solomon. That is evident by all that God did for him. Daniel, Beloved of God We have one other individual in the New Testament that was mentioned as being beloved by God. Jesus Mt 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him! We can understand why Jesus was beloved by God the Father. He was His son and He obeyed Him completely. 4
Daniel, Beloved of God We want to learn what qualities made Daniel beloved by God. The word beloved comes from the Hebrew word chemdah and it is translated several different ways in the Old Testament. Goodly Desire Precious Pleasant Beloved Daniel was willing to stand out! We see one of the qualities that made Daniel goodly, precious, pleasant, desirable and loved by God demonstrated by him while he was still a very young man. Daniel was willing to stand out from the crowd in order to obey God. Most of us know the story of Daniel 1. Daniel had been carried to Babylon as a captive along with many other Jews by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon 5
Daniel was willing to stand out! Da 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, Daniel was willing to stand out! Da 1:4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among this group. The King appointed a diet for them to eat that was contrary the Law of Moses. 6
Daniel was willing to stand out! Daniel and his three friends are hundreds of miles from home. Evidently all of the other Jewish young men were going ahead and eating this food appointed for them by the king. Daniel, however, was of a higher character. Da 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel was willing to stand out! It made no difference to Daniel what everyone else was doing. He was going to do what was right! Are we willing to stand out from the crowd when it comes to obeying God or are we not going to rock the boat? We cannot be like the rest of the world and be beloved of God. Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 7
Daniel relied on and confessed God Do we remember Nebuchadnezzar s dream in Daniel 2. He dreamed about an image with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to know what this dream meant so he called all the wise men to come and interpret it for him. Nebuchadnezzar had a catch for them before they could interpret it. Daniel relied on and confessed God Da 2:4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation." 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, "My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 "However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation." 8
Daniel relied on and confessed God These wise men recognized this was impossible for them to do. Because of their failure to reveal his dream and then interpret it Nebuchadnezzar began killing the wise men of Babylon. News of this came to Daniel and he went to the king. Da 2:16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. Daniel relied on and confessed God Da 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Daniel and his companions were under the same condemnation as the other wise men. They did not run and hide trying to save their own lives but rather they relied upon God for the answer! 9
Daniel relied on and confessed God Da 2:25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation." 26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?" 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. Daniel relied on and confessed God Da 2:28 "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: Daniel takes no praise or glory in this for himself but rather confesses to Nebuchadnezzar that there is a God in heaven who is able to interpret this dream. Daniel did not try to lean upon his own thoughts and feelings in this matter. He stuck strictly with what God had to say. 10
Daniel relied on and confessed God When it comes to matters of religion today are we willing to rely solely upon God s word for the answer or do we insert our own thoughts and ideas? Joh 8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Joh 17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. Once we know this Truth are willing to confess it before others? Mt 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. If we want to be beloved of God we must! Daniel did not withhold God s Truth In Daniel 4 Nebuchadnezzar has another dream. He once again seeks for this dream s interpretation. Again the wise men cannot interpret it but Daniel does. Da 4:18 "This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you." 11
Daniel did not withhold God s Truth Da 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you." Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies! The interpretation of the dream was not something that was pleasant for Daniel. Daniel did not withhold God s Truth Evidently Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar had a fairly close relationship. Daniel didn t really want to declare the bad news of this dream to Nebuchadnezzar but he went ahead and did so. Sometimes we may feel this same way. There is no joy in telling a loved one their true condition before God but it must be done. Da 4:24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 12
Daniel did not withhold God s Truth Da 4:25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. 26 And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. Daniel did not withhold God s Truth We must not shirk our responsibility to teach others the truth about the Word of God. We are to be like the watchman. Eze 3:18 "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. 13
Daniel did not withhold God s Truth We must let the light of the Gospel shine if we are going to be beloved of God. Mt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Daniel Chose God s Reward Over Man s In Daniel 5 we have the story of the handwriting on the wall During a party, Belshazzar the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar used some of the utensils taken from the temple as common drinking vessels while praising their idols. During this party a hand appeared and wrote 4 words on the wall Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin Once again the wise men of the land were unable to interpret what it meant. 14
Daniel Chose God s Reward Over Man s Da 5:5 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." Daniel Chose God s Reward Over Man s Da 5:8 Now all the king's wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. Once again Daniel is brought to interpret. Da 5:16 "And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." 17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 15
Daniel Chose God s Reward Over Man s Daniel had no interest in doing the work of God for physical reward. Instead he tells the king to give it to someone else. So many today teach what people want to hear for physical gain. They preach and teach things that are easy to accept in order to increase their numbers and their collections. Daniel Chose God s Reward Over Man s This is nothing new. 2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 16
Daniel Chose God s Reward Over Man s 2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. We simply cannot allow the way we live or the things we teach be affected by physical rewards or loss of them. If we are going to be beloved of God our reward will be in Heaven. Daniel, Beloved of God Mt 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. We have looked at just a few of the qualities of Daniel that made him a man that was beloved of God. If we have a desire to be loved by God we should try to instill these qualities in our own lives. 17