Episode Details

Last Week – Living in the tension
We do that by understanding the NATURE of politics in this world…

Politics are downstream of philosophy (how we think) and morality (what we do)

Sum up of Daniel’s story

Chapter 1: Captivity

• Introduced to Daniel and his friends
• Captives take from their home by invading Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar
• Given new identities – Names of new pagan Gods
• Educated in the ways of Babylon but remain faithful
• God rewards them…

Daniel 1

17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom.

Chapter 2: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

• Nebuchadnezzar has a disturbing dream
• He orders all his “wise men” to interpret, but they cannot
• Decrees…

Daniel 2

5 …“My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump.
Daniel gathers his friends to pray for God to give them wisdom and direction

• God answers by giving Daniel both the DETAILS of the dream and the INTERPRETATION
• Daniel Goes before Nebuchadnezzar…

Daniel 2

26 The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?”

27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.
Daniel give the correct interpretation

Daniel 2

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many generous gifts. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

Chapter 3: Fiery furnace

But How quickly kings forget…

Sometime in the future…

• Nebuchadnezzar builds a gold statue of himself for people to worship
• Makes a decree that all must worship it at a specific sound, and those who do not will be killed
• Some wise men plot against the Jews and tell the king of their rejection of worship
• Nebuchadnezzar confronts them…

Daniel 3

15 Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Chapters 4-5: King’s judgment