JOURNEY THROUGH DANIEL JOURNEY THROUGH DANIEL Journey Through Daniel

Willow Creek Community Church | North Shore 2200 Shermer Road Glenview, Illinois 60026

Written and designed by Willow Creek Community Church | North Shore Author, Brenden Lang Revision Author & Development Editor, Amy Mikal Revision Author & Project Manager, Kaleb Wilcox Copy Editor, Grace Zuercher Art Director, Kelly Kang Creative Director, Tyler Hoff Photographer, Emily Rowan Design & Production, Don Kye

Printed in the United States of America This book is dedicated to the Willow Creek North Shore staff and congregation.

Journey was your idea from the beginning. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and insistence that critical Bible engagement be at the center of the ministry of Willow Creek. We love you and are honored to have served you through these projects. May the pursuit of Jesus and a passion for His Word always mark your lives. ~ The Journey Team

Brenden Lang Amy Mikal Beth Heinemann Caleb Gregory Emily Rowan Grace Zuercher Kaleb Wilcox Kathryn Swanson Kelly Kang Tyler Hoff Contents

Introduction to Daniel 5

WEEK 1 Days 1–5 18

WEEK 2 Days 6–10 44

WEEK 3 Days 11–15 68

WEEK 4 Days 16–20 94

Small Group 120 Discussion Guide Introduction to Daniel

THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF DANIEL

The book of Daniel is set in the context of the Babylonian and Persian Empires where Daniel lived as an exile from the nation of Judah. He had been taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II in 605 BC and resided there until at least 537 BC, after the Persian Empire of Cyrus the Great overtook the Babylonians.

THE HISTORICAL SITUATION OF THE READERS OF DANIEL

While the setting described in Daniel is quite clear, the date of the composition of this book is hotly debated. There are two main perspectives concerning when Daniel was written. The first and traditional perspective understands the book to have been written in the 6th century BC by Daniel himself while he was living in exile. The second and more recent perspective understands the book to have been written (or at least finished) sometime around 164 BC while the people of Judea were living under the tyrannical rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

This debate is complex and considers all sorts of factors like language, vocabulary, literary style, and history. A good study Bible or commentary is a useful resource for those who want to learn more on how to navigate the contours of the arguments (see Selected Resources at the end of this introduction or the bibliography at the end of the book). What all sides agree on is that Daniel’s original readers were people who suffered under oppressive regimes, whether it was 6th century BC captives in Babylon or 2nd century BC Judeans who were persecuted by a foreign king. Appreciating this context of suffering is critical for recovering the relevance of Daniel today.

MODERN RELEVANCE OF DANIEL

It can be easy for us as Christians living in 21st century America to identify with Daniel. There are many ways in which we should aim to be like this inspiring person. His loyalty to God in all circumstances, his persistence in prayer, his integrity, and his wisdom are all virtues we would do well to emulate. But we must not fail to see that the socio-political situation many of us are in more closely parallels that of Nebuchadnezzar than that of Daniel and his friends. With all of our power, privileges, security, and abundance, we can

Introduction | 5 Locations in Daniel

BLACK SEA GREECE CASPIAN SEA

AEGEAN SEA

Antioch MEDIA

MEDITERRANEAN SEA AMMON Babylon ELAM Jerusalem Susa MOAB BABYLONIA JUDAH EDOM LIBYA PERSIA EGYPT

PERSIAN NILE RIVER GULF RED SEA

CUSH easily misappropriate the message of Daniel and make it into a promise for us, when it may in fact contain a prophetic critique. The message of Daniel is a promise of hope for those who are hurting at the hands of leaders who misuse their power; God sees their pain and will vindicate them in the end. But it’s also a challenge for those with influence over others – a challenge to look at the world through God’s eyes so that they can truly discern if they are leading like image-bearers or behaving like beasts.

GENRES

The book of Daniel contains two primary genres. The first six chapters of the book are written in the familiar narrative style. Chapters 1, 2, 4, and 5 are narratives of court contest. In these stories, Daniel and his friends find themselves competing with Babylonian scholars for positions of authority in the empire. The success of the Judahites through God’s favor demonstrates the supremacy of God over the deities of Babylon. Chapters 3 and 6, each following a pair of stories where Judahites have been promoted, contain what are called narratives of court conflict. In these stories, Daniel and his friends find themselves accused by their jealous Babylonian and Persian contemporaries. These stories also magnify God’s power through miraculous acts of rescue.

The final six chapters of the book are written in a more esoteric and cryptic genre called apocalypse. This type of literature can be very confusing, even for the most trained readers of Scripture. Many would prefer to skip this part of the book, but to ignore these chapters would be to ignore some of the most important passages in all of Scripture for understanding who Jesus is and what He did. There’s so much to be gained by entering into the apocalyptic world, and with an understanding of a few key ways of approaching these texts, they can become even more accessible.

First, the word “apocalypse” does not mean “the end of the world” despite what English dictionaries or Hollywood directors lead you to believe. It’s all too common for people to read this part of Daniel and assume that it contains predictions about what is unfolding in the geo-political world today. We should not make this assumption per se. It certainly challenges our geo-political world to get in line with the ways of God’s kingdom. But the word “apocalypse” simply means “to unveil.” An apocalypse is essentially an unveiling of an alternative perspective of reality so that we might come to see the world the way God sees it.

Second, apocalyptic literature uses a lot of images. We should not interpret these images too literalistically. We should think of them as symbols that conveyed something significant to the original readers of Daniel in the same way that a flag or mascot might convey something significant to us today. Again, this is why it’s important to enter into the world of the Bible and understand the Bible the way it was meant to be understood.

Introduction | 7 Finally, apocalyptic literature may seem especially violent and destructive to us, but we have to remember that apocalypses like what we read in Daniel were generally written for people experiencing oppression in the midst of militaristic empires. When there seems to be no end in sight to the pain that oppressive structures bring upon innocent people, visions about empires crashing give reason for hope. They are a reminder that God is in control, that He sees the pain of His people, and that justice will prevail in the end.

STRUCTURE

The book of Daniel has been organized through an interesting matrix of genres and languages and can be divided into two halves according to genre. Chapters 1-6 are written in narrative, and chapters 7-12 are written in apocalyptic. However, the book of Daniel can also be divided according to the language in which it was written. Chapters 1 and 8-12 are written in Hebrew, and chapters 2-7 are written in Aramaic. Curiously, these genre and language divisions do not match as one might expect.

Additionally, the Aramaic section of Daniel has its own special structure. It’s been written as a chiasm, where stories in the first half of the section mirror stories in the second half of the section as follows:

Daniel 2 – A dream about four kingdoms and the kingdom of God

Daniel 3 – A story about faithfulness in the face of a fiery furnace

Daniel 4 – A story about the humbling of a proud Babylonian king

Daniel 5 – A story about the humbling of a proud Babylonian king

Daniel 6 – A story about faithfulness in the face of a lion’s den

Daniel 7 – A vision about four kingdoms and the kingdom of God

This chiastic structure shows that the Aramaic section of the book is a well-contained unit and that the apocalyptic vision in chapter 7 cannot be easily separated from the mix. Chapter 7 may be related by genre to what follows it, but it is related by language and chiasm to what precedes it. The effect of this matrix structure then is to highlight the central significance of chapter 7 for the book and to bind the various parts of the book together. That is to say the book of Daniel is incomplete if any section, especially chapter 7, is ignored.

8 | Introduction THEMES IN DANIEL

Power of God From beginning to end, the book of Daniel emphasizes that when circumstances seem otherwise terrible – when emperors capture people, when conspirators scheme against people, when tyrants persecute people – even then, power belongs to God. He may share His power with others, but if they abuse it, He can also take it away.

Allegiance to God Empires and emperors may test their subjects to see where their people’s allegiance lies. And when they do, how will God’s people live? Will they remain loyal to God even if it means losing their lives? The stories, visions, and dreams of Daniel emphasize that God deserves our allegiance no matter the cost. After all, the kingdoms of this world are fragile and fleeting, but the kingdom of God remains forever.

Perspective from God Reality is multifaceted and prone to subjective interpretation, especially for those with calloused hearts. It’s clear that wisdom is needed to navigate the complexities of life, but the wisdom of man is not enough. The apocalyptic dreams and visions in Daniel reveal an alternative, God-inspired perspective on reality. God wants people to see that the empires we live in and work for may not be as just or indestructible as we think they are.

Hope because of God At its core, the book of Daniel is a message of hope. It’s a message of hope for change, hope for justice, and hope that the oppressive structures of man won’t always hold down those who are hurting. But this hope isn’t a vain wish or prayer. It’s a promise that is secured by the power of God. Because God is just and in control, we can have confidence that He will vindicate His suffering people in the end.

SELECTED RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY

• The Willow Journey Podcast – search for Willow Journey anywhere you get podcasts • Daniel and the Twelve Prophets for Everyone by John Goldingay • Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World by Christopher J. H. Wright • How to Read Daniel by Tremper Longman III • The Story of God Bible Commentary: Daniel by Wendy L. Widder • Volume 4 of the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, edited by John H. Walton

Introduction | 9 EYES TO SEE

EMBRACING THE APOCALYPSE UNVEILING THE TRUE NATURE OF THINGS

Are we in the apocalypse? Maybe that’s a question you’ve heard family members, coworkers, or friends ask from behind masked faces or video chat windows. As we face a global pandemic, racial tensions, and a fractured political climate, this feels like an apocalyptic time. These issues can divide us and put immense stress on our everyday lives. Whether its brutality towards people of color captured on cell phone videos, partisan corruption, or seemingly continuous news of natural disasters, we almost become desensitized to the tragedies that we witness.

The word “apocalypse” comes from a Greek word that means “an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling.” This word has been coopted to describe what some would call the “end times,” but the book of Daniel uses the apocalyptic style to catalog a time in biblical history when Daniel is used by God to allow an ancient people living in a powerful empire to see truth of the world as God sees it. Its purpose is to open the eyes of God’s people.

In a time when we’re all wearing masks, how many of us have eyes to see the world the way God does?

Our current reality, with all of its tensions, struggles, conflicts, and pain, can feel like a dream. And if it were a dream, it’s one that many of us would rather wake up from than dwell in. But as we will learn, God uses dreams to shape and mold entire nations. The church’s purpose is to point people to God’s love and live out a portrait of an alternative kingdom, God’s kingdom – a kingdom defined by justice, righteousness, and self-giving love. One of the ways we do that is by testifying to the work that God has done and the transformation that God has brought to individuals and to communities. SO ALWAYS KEEP THE FAITH AND FIND PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO SUPPORT YOU AND LOVE YOU AND WHO CAN BE THERE FOR YOU AND NEVER GIVE UP. Throughout Journey through Daniel, we will experience stories of people from our own church community, as they share their experiences of apocalypse – an awakening – and discover that even when all hope seems lost, God is at work creating something beautiful.

God’s vision for the church is for us to join that creating work by serving our communities, being a lifeline to those in our world who need it the most, and being a family that welcomes everyone. It can be easy to lose sight of that purpose while in pursuit of numerical success, exciting experiences, or comfortable stability. But if we truly want to embody God’s values, our greatest concern should be seeking justice for the marginalized, welcom- ing and caring for the immigrant, and accepting and loving the addict, even if they never conform to our agenda or offer us something in return.

As we engage the book of Daniel, we must ask ourselves if we have the eyes to see the beautiful work that God is doing. Do we see those around us through the eyes of God or through the eyes of man? Are we living in the way of Daniel or are we living in the way of the Nebuchadnezzars of our world? Do we use power to raise up the least of these or for our own personal gain or comfort? Do these questions make us uncomfortable? Like Nebuchadnezzar, one can acknowledge God’s greatness, but it’s our actions that show whether we truly understand what it means to live out God’s justice and righteousness.

This is an apocalypse. This is a reckoning with ourselves and the world around us. Together, let’s embrace the apocalypse as we begin seeing people how God sees them. JOURNEY THROUGH DANIEL

Week 1 | Days 1–5 Week 1 | Days 1–5 Day 1 Even Then, God is in Control

And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.

~ DANIEL 1:2

The book of Daniel begins with a tragic scene. Daniel 1:1-2 tells us that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem and carted off treasure from the Jerusalem Temple, placing it in the temple of his god in Babylon. The events described in these verses took place around 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar rose to the Babylonian throne and his kingdom became the most powerful empire in the world.

In that cultural context, it was common practice for kings to steal treasure from the temples of those they defeated and move it into their own temples as Nebuchadnezzar does here. This was a show of political and religious dominance, a way of saying that they and their gods were in control. For anyone watching what was happening, the capture of Jerusalem and the Temple treasure would have seemed like a crushing loss for Yahweh, the God of Israel. It would have appeared to most that Nebuchadnezzar and his god Marduk, the chief god of Babylon, were in control of the world’s events, not Yahweh.

However, a subtle clue in verse 2 tells us that things weren’t exactly as they seemed. Daniel 1:2 says that “the Lord delivered” the articles from the temple of God into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. In other words, these events came about by God’s choosing, not by the will of Nebuchadnezzar and his god.

This reality is consistent with a theme we will see in every story and every vision in the book of Daniel. When all hope seems lost and God seems absent, even then, God is in control. For corrupt leaders who misuse and abuse their authority, this theme should generate a sense of fear. Their power is limited and their time is short. But for the persecuted people of God, it means hope. God sits on the throne of the universe. He is at work, and in the end, He will have the final victory.

18 | Week 1 DANIEL 1:1–7

1 aptitude for every kind of learning, well DANIEL’S TRAINING IN BABYLON informed, quick to understand, and qualified 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim to serve in the king’s palace. He was to king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of teach them the language and literature of the Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of amount of food and wine from the king’s table. Judah into his hand, along with some of the They were to be trained for three years, and articles from the temple of God. These he after that they were to enter the king’s service. carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia 6 Among those who were chosen were some and put in the treasure house of his god. from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new of his court officials, to bring into the king’s names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to service some of the Israelites from the royal Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; family and the nobility—4 young men with- and to Azariah, Abednego. out any physical defect, handsome, showing

Week 1 | 19 Day 1 Questions

1. How do you suppose you would have felt if you were one of the exiles carried to Babylon? What effect do you think that experience would have had on your faith?

2. How do you hope to grow through your Journey Through Daniel experience? Share this with God and ask that He might use the book of Daniel to shape, challenge, and inspire you.

20 | Week 1 Day 2 A Different Road to Success

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.

~ DANIEL 1:18-19

In yesterday’s reading, we were introduced to Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These men were taken captive in Judah and brought to Babylon because of Nebuchadnezzar’s foreign policy, a policy which aimed to thwart future rebellions by capturing and indoctrinating the elite citizens of defeated nations. As we read in Daniel 1:3-7, these four men were placed into a program of forced cultural assimilation. They were given Babylonian names, a Babylonian education, and even a Babylonian diet. That is to say, they were being molded into good and loyal Babylonians.

In today’s reading, Daniel takes a stand against his new Babylonian diet, but it’s not entirely clear what problem he had with it. Some suggest the food and drink were not kosher. Others suggest it had been previously offered to idols. Still others think the food was given with an expectation of loyalty. Perhaps accepting and eating the food equaled giving allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. Whatever the case, Daniel understood that the diet would “defile” him (Daniel 1:8). Despite the dangerous penalties he could face, Daniel rejects his assigned diet out of faithfulness to God.

In the end, Daniel’s courageous faithfulness results in his success. In spite of his defiance of the Babylonian program, Daniel and his friends are granted positions of prominence in the Babylonian kingdom. Their example teaches us an important lesson. We tend to believe that getting ahead requires playing by the rules of this world, no matter what we have to do or whom we step on along the way. What we see here, and will continue to see throughout the book, is that success doesn’t require us to abandon our values. God honors faithfulness. Whether in the present or in the eternal future, God will elevate the humble who choose to be loyal to Him (cf. Daniel 2:48-49; 3:30; 5:29; 6:27-28; 7:13-14, 21-22, 27; 12:2-3, 13).

Week 1 | 21 DANIEL 1:8–21

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So with the royal food and wine, and he asked the guard took away their choice food and the chief official for permission not to defile the wine they were to drink and gave them himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the vegetables instead. official to show favor and compassion to 17 To these four young men God gave Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am knowledge and understanding of all kinds afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned of literature and learning. And Daniel could your food and drink. Why should he see you understand visions and dreams of all kinds. looking worse than the other young men your 18 At the end of the time set by the king to age? The king would then have my head bring them into his service, the chief official because of you.” presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom talked with them, and he found none equal to the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but wisdom and understanding about which the vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then king questioned them, he found them ten times compare our appearance with that of the better than all the magicians and enchanters in young men who eat the royal food, and treat his whole kingdom. your servants in accordance with what you 21 And Daniel remained there until the first see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them year of King Cyrus. for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of

22 | Week 1 Day 2 Questions

1. Daniel 1:9 says, “Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel.” The words translated here as “favor” and “compassion” are important. They are used together in many places in Scripture to describe how God characteristically acts toward His people (e.g., Exodus 34:6; Psalm 40:11; 69:16). In this situation, God reveals His favor and compassion through the actions of others. What might this verse teach us about God and how He operates?

2. When have you recently experienced pressure to compromise like Daniel when you knew a decision was wrong? How did you respond?

Week 1 | 23 Day 3 The Wisdom of Babylon Versus the Wisdom of God

During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.”

~ DANIEL 2:19-20

Toward the end of yesterday’s reading, we learned that God gave Daniel the ability to “understand visions and dreams of all kinds” (Daniel 1:17). Today, we see Daniel use these gifts for the first time. The story begins with Nebuchadnezzar having a troubling dream during the second year of his reign. Like much of the world at that time, ancient Babylonians found a great deal of significance in dreams. They understood dreams to be messages from the gods. Archaeologists have actually uncovered dream books that Babylonian scholars used to interpret dreams. These dream books identified the significance of various images in dreams and predicted what outcomes dreamers should expect. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, a year when Babylonian records show he was preparing for a major war, he certainly would have wanted to know the meaning of this strange dream.

Nebuchadnezzar asks his wise men to interpret the dream, but he surprises them by adding a strange request. In Daniel 2:6, he says: “Tell me the dream and interpret it for me.” In other words, Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to tell him not only an explanation of the dream but also the contents of the dream. This was an unprecedented request, as the wise men point out, “What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans” (Daniel 2:11). The local dream experts could pass along their interpretations, but there was no manual for revealing dreams!

Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar had been unimpressed with previous interpretations and wanted more proof that these wise men really had a connection to the gods. Whatever the reason, his request highlighted the inadequacy of Babylonian wisdom and provided a space for God’s wisdom to shine. No Babylonian experts, or their supposed gods, could reveal the dream. But God could and would.

24 | Week 1 This lesson is important for us in our increasingly over-informed world. We have more information than ever, but as the divisions in our society make abundantly clear, we don’t always know how to interpret the information available to us. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we need real wisdom to navigate our world, to know how to live in our complex society. We need wisdom that comes from outside ourselves. The message of Daniel is that this wisdom is available, and it comes from God.

DANIEL 2:1–30

2 8 Then the king answered, “I am certain NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM that you are trying to gain time, because you 1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchad- realize that this is what I have firmly decided: nezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned one penalty for you. You have conspired to the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. the situation will change. So then, tell me the When they came in and stood before the king, dream, and I will know that you can interpret 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that it for me.” troubles me and I want to know what it means.” 10 The astrologers answered the king, “There 4 Then the astrologers answered the king, is no one on earth who can do what the king “May the king live forever! Tell your servants asks! No king, however great and mighty, has the dream, and we will interpret it.” ever asked such a thing of any magician or 5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is what I have firmly decided: If you do not is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king tell me what my dream was and interpret it, except the gods, and they do not live among I will have you cut into pieces and your houses humans.” turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me 12 This made the king so angry and furious the dream and explain it, you will receive from that he ordered the execution of all the wise me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued me the dream and interpret it for me.” to put the wise men to death, and men were 7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put his servants the dream, and we will interpret them to death. it.”

Week 1 | 25 14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s DANIEL INTERPRETS THE DREAM guard, had gone out to put to death the wise 24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with had appointed to execute the wise men of wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. I will interpret his dream for him.” 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked 25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once for time, so that he might interpret the dream and said, “I have found a man among the for him. exiles from Judah who can tell the king what 17 Then Daniel returned to his house and his dream means.” explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, 26 The king asked Daniel (also called Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what for mercy from the God of heaven concerning I saw in my dream and interpret it?” this mystery, so that he and his friends might 27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, not be executed with the rest of the wise men magician or diviner can explain to the king the of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has praised the God of heaven 20 and said: shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions “Praise be to the name of God for ever that passed through your mind as you were and ever; lying in bed are these: wisdom and power are his. 29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your 21 He changes times and seasons; mind turned to things to come, and the he deposes kings and raises up others. revealer of mysteries showed you what is He gives wisdom to the wise going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has and knowledge to the discerning. been revealed to me, not because I have great- 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; er wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that he knows what lies in darkness, Your Majesty may know the interpretation and and light dwells with him. that you may understand what went through 23 I thank and praise you, God of my your mind. ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

26 | Week 1 Day 3 Questions

1. In our culture, we often think of heaven as some far off place. But as this chapter suggests, it’s actually not so distant. Unlike the gods of Babylon who “do not live among humans,” God’s residence is really very close (Daniel 2:11). This is one reason why He is repeatedly called the “God of heaven” in this chapter (Daniel 2:18, 19, 28, 37, 44). How does thinking of heaven as being close by shift your view of God and prayer?

2. Daniel’s prayer to know Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was courageous and probably terrifying. He had no guarantee that God would reveal the dream to him. And if God did reveal the dream, there was a chance its meaning would upset the volatile king. Like Daniel, what issues in the world or areas of your life could you use more wisdom to understand? Make the courageous and possibly terrifying request to see – really see – the world as God sees it.

Week 1 | 27 Day 4 The Kingdoms of This World Versus the Kingdom of God

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces . . . .”

~ DANIEL 2:44-45

Yesterday we read about Nebuchadnezzar’s search for someone who could tell him his dream and its meaning. Today, we finally learn about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its meaning. Daniel reveals that Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a colossal statue that was composed of four different metals: a head of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron. This sequence of metals, which declines in value from top to bottom, corresponds to an ancient way of organizing history. Some ancient historians, like the Greek poet Hesiod, thought of human history as devolving from an original golden race into generations of silver, bronze, and iron. The reasoning behind this sequence was that things became worse and worse over time.

Daniel reveals in his interpretation of the dream that the metals of this statue also relate to the progression of history. The four metals represent four successive kingdoms. We are told that the first metal, the head of gold, represents Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire. Unfortunately, we are not told what kingdoms the other metals represent. This omission has led to much debate. Some interpret the four kingdoms as a sequence that culminates with the Greek Empire. Others interpret it as a sequence that ends with the Roman Empire. Still others think that the entire sequence is symbolic. In Nebuchadnezzar’s culture, the number four symbolized the whole universe, so perhaps the four metals symbolized all the kings and kingdoms of this world.

Though this is an interesting debate, we shouldn’t get sidetracked by it because that would distract us from the most important part of the dream: one day a stone of divine

28 | Week 1 origins would crush this statue of empires built by human hands and grow into a kingdom unlike any the world has seen. For Nebuchadnezzar and merciless leaders like him, this dream served as a prophetic critique. It revealed that the empires of man inevitably fall. God will not allow them to last, so we should resist aligning ourselves too closely with them. However, for those who are oppressed, this dream carries a hope-filled promise. God has brought, and is still bringing, an unparalleled kingdom where justice is the rule and God reigns as King.

DANIEL 2:31–49

31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before 39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, you stood a large statue—an enormous, daz- inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of zling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, head of the statue was made of pure gold, its there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron— chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs for iron breaks and smashes everything—and of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and human hands. It struck the statue on its feet partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then yet it will have some of the strength of iron in the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As gold were all broken to pieces and became like the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The this kingdom will be partly strong and partly wind swept them away without leaving a trace. brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed But the rock that struck the statue became a with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture huge mountain and filled the whole earth. and will not remain united, any more than iron 36 “This was the dream, and now we will mixes with clay. interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are 44 “In the time of those kings, the God of the king of kings. The God of heaven has given heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be you dominion and power and might and glory; destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out them all. You are that head of gold. of a mountain, but not by human hands—a

Week 1 | 29 rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, 48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high the silver and the gold to pieces. position and lavished many gifts on him. “The great God has shown the king what will He made him ruler over the entire province take place in the future. The dream is true and of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its interpretation is trustworthy.” its wise men. 49 Moreover, at Daniel’s request 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered Abednego administrators over the province that an offering and incense be presented to of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your the royal court. God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

30 | Week 1 Day 4 Questions

1. Put yourself in the shoes of Jews like Daniel who lived under the oppressive authority of the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Why would the message of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream give you hope?

2. What man-made “empires” do you suppose God would confront in our world today? Why?

Week 1 | 31 Day 5 A Test of Allegiance

“Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

~DANIEL 3:15

Daniel 3 tells the story of another colossal statue. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a statue. Now, perhaps inspired by the dream, he builds one. (Evidently, he forgot that the statue in his dream came crashing down!)

It’s not clear who exactly this statue represented. Some suggest it was an image of a Babylonian god. Others suggest it was an image of Nebuchadnezzar himself. In any case, Nebuchadnezzar decreed that all nations and peoples were to worship the statue or be thrown into a blazing furnace. This command was a test of ultimate allegiance for the foreign captives he had taken, trained, and indoctrinated in Babylon. Would they submit to his regime, or would they suffer the consequences?

For the people of Judah who had been carried into exile by Nebuchadnezzar, this test was especially problematic. God had previously commanded His people not to bow down to any images like this one. In fact, in Deuteronomy 4, God said He would scatter His people into places like Babylon if they neglected His command. Sure enough, the people of Judah were in Babylon because they had betrayed God, and now they were being tempted to break faith again. However, it’s worth noting that in the same chapter, God reminded His people that He had saved them in the past from an “iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 4:20). If He had saved them from one “furnace” in the past, He could save them from this one. All God asked for was their loyalty.

God continues to ask that of us today. We may not face the same dilemma as the exiles in Babylon. We may not be tempted to bow down to statues. However, we do live in a society where idols like money, power, sex, and fame tempt us to submit to them daily. We live in a society where politicians and leaders demand our allegiance. In fact, you might be like Nebuchadnezzar. In your own sphere of influence, do you wield power over the people you claim to love and lead? The message of Daniel is that God is the true King, not us or the idols we are tempted to worship. God deserves our ultimate allegiance.

32 | Week 1 DANIEL 3:1–15

3 8 At this time some astrologers came forward THE IMAGE OF GOLD AND and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King THE BLAZING FURNACE Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of 10 Your Majesty has issued a decree that ev- gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, eryone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the must fall down and worship the image of gold, satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, trea- 11 and that whoever does not fall down and surers, judges, magistrates and all the other worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. provincial officials to come to the dedication 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, over the affairs of the province of Babylon— prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay judges, magistrates and all the other provin- no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither cial officials assembled for the dedication of serve your gods nor worship the image of gold the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set you have set up.” up, and they stood before it. 13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar sum- 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations moned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. and peoples of every language, this is what So these men were brought before the king, you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall do not serve my gods or worship the image down and worship the image of gold that King of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, not fall down and worship will immediately be pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready thrown into a blazing furnace.” to fall down and worship the image I made, 7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound very good. But if you do not worship it, you will of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. of music, all the nations and peoples of every Then what god will be able to rescue you from language fell down and worshiped the image my hand?” of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Week 1 | 33 Day 5 Questions

1. Daniel 3:1-15 includes a lot of long, repetitious lists. On four different occasions, it lists six types of instruments, and twice it lists seven types of officials (Daniel 3:2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15). One effect of the robotic repetition is that it highlights how people senselessly went along with Nebuchadnezzar’s commands. How do you see people senselessly go along with corrupt agendas in our society today?

2. What “statues” in your life challenge you to break faith with God?

34 | Week 1 KEVIN

FAITH THROUGH OPPRESSION I THINK I SAW MY FIRST MURDER AT 11.

I think I saw my first murder at 11. We were outside in front of the building just playing football, and guys came around both sides of our building from opposite gangs chasing this one guy, and they caught him in the middle of our football game. He was shot once to the body and once to the head. It was worse than a movie. This was a reality many times for us growing up as kids in this environment. We started having really deep questions at an early age. What is going on? What is life? What is this world? Am I safe? Who can protect me?

My name’s Kevin Taylor, and I was born here in Chicago. I was born in a small community, the housing projects of Cabrini-Green. The city kind of created this project where they could have poor folks live instead of spread out throughout the city. They just started learning to stack people on top of each other. Cabrini-Green was one of the most notorious housing projects.

When I was younger (and I’m a little older than most people would think), Cabrini was a great place to live. It had a small hometown feel, like if you were in the Bible Belt somewhere in the Midwest, Iowa, wherever. It was a small town where everyone knew your name, everyone knew your story, everyone knew your family. If you needed something, you could go to your next door neighbor and ask them for a cup of sugar. But in the early ‘80s, when drugs and all the negative things started to happen in Cabrini, it started to switch. Folks were selling marijuana but then that changed over to cocaine and heroin and all these other things that brought fast money in. Then folks started arguing and fighting over territory. So you have is this place that used to have a small town feel, but Growing up, my dad was somewhere in the community, but now you’ve got the neighborhood famous guys who’ve turned I didn’t know him. I met him maybe two or three times. Then into drug dealers and gang leaders. You have this relationship my dad was murdered when I was 13. He was tossed in the with folks, but now these guys are doing stuff to destroy the sewer, and his body was decomposed so badly that the only community. You have shootings, people addicted to heroin way they could recognize him was through dental records. I was and crack and all those things. The decline of the community left searching for purpose. I was searching for answers. And occurred almost instantaneously, so Cabrini had a horrible rep- that’s when I heard the gospel in a way that just hit me at my utation for murder and violence for a number of years. It makes deepest core. you feel so unsafe, so insecure – like anything is liable to happen to you, and you can’t trust anyone. That’s what I grew up in. That’s when I heard that God is your heavenly father. He won’t I grew up seeing the daily shootings, the murders, folks being leave you. I had experienced that early in my life. I was trauma- found dead in the elevator, the stairwells, and the hallways. tized. People were in my life and then they were gone. But God loves you; he’ll never leave or forsake you. Even when you don’t Originally my family came from the South. They fled from the hear His voice, even in quietness, God is there. terrorism, the KKK, and the racism of the South. Coming north wasn’t for the opportunities. They were fleeing from discrimina- I was part of an after-school program called Sunshine Gospel tion, from oppression, from slavery. My great-great-grandmother Ministries where we started getting into Scripture and I made a had been a slave, and she didn’t want that life for her family, so profession of faith. Then I got curious about this new life that I’m she sent my grandmother and the family up north. We came to promised in Christ. My youth pastor really supported me, prayed the north with nothing. We didn’t have anything. We didn’t have with me, and discipled me. He walked with me through losing my a family to fall back on. It was just flee the South, get to the dad and eventually both of my brothers. Seeing heartbreak after north, and ideally life would be better. My mom was a single mom heartbreak showed me these two opposing lifestyles and God trying to raise three boys in the Cabrini-Green housing projects. calling me towards the true way. It was like night and day, and We would be at the dinner table and she wouldn’t eat. We would when that light switched on, I knew that this was the truth. It’s always think, “Oh, Mom’s just not hungry.” But as we look back, the truth of who God is, and all the things He’s said about who I we realized she was sacrificing for her boys. am and my purpose.

In an environment like that, gangs give a sense of protection. It’s I started having the eyes to see God’s purpose in community a sense of community. It’s a sense of family. You have an entire for my life at a young age. I decided to say, “I’m going all in for generation of people there with the mentality that they have to Jesus. I believe what thus says the Lord about who I am, whose defend themselves at all costs and so the gang is a lure. When I am, and the new life that I’ve been given.” I went full steam you’re poor, don’t have a solid family structure, are not going ahead in it and first thing that happened was being disowned by to school, and are not educated, there are very few job oppor- my community, my friends – everybody that I thought was near tunities for you. When you don’t have a mom, you don’t have a and dear to me, because what God was calling me to was cross dad, and you don’t have a community, the benefits of being in a cultural ministry, something unheard of in our community in the gang are tremendous. When you’ve grown up seeing people who ‘80s. My family comes from the South. We’re running from slav- look like you get murdered, people who look like you not being ery, we’re running from Jim Crow, we’re running from all these valued, people who look like you being demonized in movies and things, and we come to the north, Chicago, which is segregated media, it forms a narrative for people of color in our society. The in itself for a number of different reasons. In the ‘60s, Martin role models you have are the guys that are directly in front of you Luther King would come to Cabrini. There was this sense so you learn skills, traits, and characteristics from these guys of black pride. There was this sense that we can make it, we’ll because they have what it takes. They have the demeanor, the overcome anything, we can do it. We don’t need anybody else. money, the cars, the status, the protection, and the community. They become the model for success. But God was calling me to a unique space of cross cultural ministry. Our pastor was a white guy from Oklahoma If those are the skills you’ve learned, going on a job interview and my youth pastor was a black guy from the south side of is more scary than staying on that block where two or three or Chicago. We have these worlds colliding, and I’m learning four people were just shot. Because your value is attached to from both sides. But culturally, what is this? I got heckled your success, if you go on a job interview and don’t get that job, a lot with, “Man, y’all know what white folks done to y’all, it’s further confirmation that you are worthless. And that’s what and you trying to go over there? Y’all in the church with the world has continually told people who are coming up in the a white dude?” But now I understand that God was doing projects. And so, 99 times out of 100, guys will stay on the corner something that I had no clue about back then, and now I versus filling out that job application. see why. I started having the eyes to see God’s purpose in community for my life at a young age. As I continued to grow and learn, I got rienced being thrown on the hood of a involved with a ministry traveling to police car and being humiliated. I’ve had churches doing Christian hip hop, dra- guns put to my head by police officers. ma, worship, and telling our story from I’ve been in the space where I felt like I Cabrini’s perspective. There were proba- had zero power. I understand the racism, bly only two or three Christian rap groups the oppression, the inequities in funding, when we started doing what we did. But education, politics, all of those things. when we would share our testimonies When I grew up as a kid, and I saw the and our stories and our deep hurts in world as a helpless insecure kid, I had no these wealthy churches, we would see the other choice but to run into the arms of kids bawling. We would see the moms Jesus. He was the only safety that I knew bawling. Our story was that we come from for sure. And I know that’s what has to the worst places, and God is still active. happen today in our world. We have to He’s still saving. He’s the same God yes- love people through their mess and point terday, today, and forever. He’s still saving them to Jesus. people. He saved me, He saved my mom, and God is doing something in Cabrini. That’s what I get to do in my ministry every And if God’s doing it in Cabrini, what could single day. God has allowed me to be the He do in a resourced church like this? In executive director of a multicultural orga- a resourced organization like this? God is nization called UR Chicago Alliance. We calling us to more. We were challenging are a workforce development community people, and then we would give an altar that mobilizes churches, businesses, and call. Hundreds and hundreds of people nonprofit organizations to help provide would come up, and we would pray over living wage opportunities for the gradu- folks and encourage them. God started to ates that come through our program. We show me that there was something that I prepare people for corporate America by have to say, that I have value, that I was providing soft skills, hard skills, and men- created in the image of God and able to torship. We actually dive deep into what stand boldly for the gospel. it looks like for someone coming from no opportunities to see through a different Eventually I got my degree and started lens, through a biblical lens of why God taking steps forward, and it became obvi- created you, the gifts He’s given you, and ous to me that God was creating me to be why He’s given you those gifts. When we a leader, but never to forget where I came identify those gifts, we try to place people from. As I thought about what was needed in careers or opportunities that actually in the community I came from, I realized use those gifts and where they can thrive. that until I’m fully committed to what the gospel is, until I’m willing to die for Christ When people understand that they have and for the gospel, we won’t see change. worth, they have value, and they are loved We won’t see change. Like in the story of by God, it changes their narrative. But Daniel, I had to resolve that I’m not going we’re working against a lot of false narra- That’s what Jesus did. He stood in the gap to bow down to the system, I’m not going tives. We’re working against a lot of hurt between one group and the other group, to bow down to oppression, I’m not going and injustice and inequity. There’s going to stood for justice and righteousness and to bow down to the lies that our culture be people who don’t like me on either side everybody hated Him for it. But that’s teaches us. Even if the Lord doesn’t save because I stand for the justice that Jesus what we’re called to do as His followers. me or pull me out, I’m not going to bow calls us to. But I’m going to stand for the The gospel is the solution, and we have to down to that. truth. Over the years I’ve seen God work, bring race, justice, poverty, inequality, and and I’ve seen the same people who didn’t all of that into a biblical context. When we We buried over 500 people in my Cabrini like me because of my stance come back start having these conversations, we see community. A lot of it from senseless and say, “I appreciate you. I appreciate that it’s people made in the image of the violence, a lot of it from hatred, a lot of your stance. I appreciate your boldness. I King who are being mistreated, excluded, it at the hands of police officers. All those appreciate you standing for righteousness and oppressed. If you follow Jesus, what things. I’ve experienced that. I’ve experi- when it wasn’t the popular decision.” is your call? What is your duty? enced being racially profiled. I’ve expe- As the church starts talking about this that the church either doesn’t recognize or er, that’s going to actually change things. more, pastors, lay leaders, people in the are the easy way to operate. God continues give us this opportunity church, their eyes are opening and God has to be used by Him. Right now. There is written the truth on their hearts. The time is If we’re going to create a different future, no greater time. The world is looking for now for us to hear God’s voice speaking in the church has to believe what black and change, and we bring this message of this struggle. As an African-American, my brown brothers and sisters have to say. truth. It’s not a condemning message; it’s message to the church is that there have Hear their stories. Understand their plight. not passing blame. The message is Jesus, been a lot of sacrifices made on the side And then ask how is God speaking to and it’s time for believers to step into this of African-Americans, especially those who you through that? God will create a time space and lead the way. are called to do cross cultural ministry. For and a space for believers to speak and to a while, I was debating if I was going to enter this space with humility but also with HE STOOD IN THE GAP BETWEEN actually be done with the white church. It power. There is a lot of learning to do, ONE GROUP AND THE OTHER GROUP. often feels like there are systems in place but it’s our unity, when we come togeth- JOURNEY THROUGH DANIEL

Week 2 | Days 6–10 Week 2 | Days 6–10 Day 6 Faithfulness in the Midst of Uncertainty

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

~ DANIEL 3:17-18

In today’s reading, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego continues. As we’ve seen, they have been accused of refusing to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. Now, they are threatened with death in a blazing furnace. The passage begins with a stunning statement by the three men. They say in Daniel 3:17-18, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

What’s remarkable about their response is the faithfulness they show in the midst of uncertainty. They recognize that God has the power to save them. They also recognize that God might choose not to save them. In that place of unknowing, they still resolutely declare that they would never submit to the corrupt agendas of evil rulers.

In the end, God intervenes in a dramatic fashion. He sends one who “looks like a son of the gods” to deliver them from the flames (Daniel 3:25). This is the first of several times in the book of Daniel that God sends a supernatural being to save His persecuted people from suffering (Daniel 6:22; 7:13; 8:25; 10:12-14; 12:1). However, this story should not be read as a guarantee that God will save us from whatever imminent harm is looming on the horizon. In fact, the latter half of Daniel describes how God’s people undergo enormous suffering at the hands of a 2nd century BC tyrant known as Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Daniel 11:33 tells us that some who would choose to be faithful in the midst of Antiochus’ abominable policies would “fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.” God would eventually raise up these faithful followers over their oppressor, but their deliverance would come in the afterlife (Daniel 12:2-3).

44 | Week 2 While the story shows us God’s ability to save, it’s more of a challenge for us to be faithful, even when we don’t know the outcome. As followers of God, we don’t do what is right because life will be easy for us or because God will save us as a result. We do what’s right because it’s what God calls us to do.

DANIEL 3:16–30

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied 25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and to defend ourselves before you in this matter. the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the the God we serve is able to deliver us from opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego your gods or worship the image of gold you came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, pre- have set up.” fects, governors and royal advisers crowded 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with around them. They saw that the fire had not Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their attitude toward them changed. He ordered the heads singed; their robes were not scorched, furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and there was no smell of fire on them. 20 and commanded some of the strongest sol- 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be diers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed- and Abednego and throw them into the blazing nego, who has sent his angel and rescued his furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, servants! They trusted in him and defied the trousers, turbans and other clothes, were king’s command and were willing to give up bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. their lives rather than serve or worship any god 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed that the people of any nation or language who the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach say anything against the God of Shadrach, and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces tied, fell into the blazing furnace. and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his for no other god can save in this way.” feet in amazement and asked his advisers, 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and Meshach and Abednego in the province of threw into the fire?” Babylon. They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

Week 2 | 45 Day 6 Questions

1. What does it say about God that He sent a representative to join Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in their place of suffering?

2. What recent or current situation are you facing that requires faithfulness without certainty? What right thing is God asking you to do?

46 | Week 2 Day 7 The Cutting Down of a Cosmic Tree

“The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.”

~ DANIEL 4:17

Daniel 4 records the story of another dream that comes to Nebuchadnezzar. Like the dream in chapter 2 and the story in chapter 3, this dream focuses on another large object: a tree. This was not just any large tree. The tree that Nebuchadnezzar sees has cosmic features. It is described as standing in “the middle of the land” (literally: the center of the earth), is so tall that its “top touched the sky,” and is “visible to the ends of the earth” (Daniel 4:10-11).

Although Nebuchadnezzar is confused about the meaning of the dream, cosmic trees like this one were likely familiar images to the king. Cosmic trees frequently appeared in Mesopotamian iconography as symbols of imperial power. In fact, in some depictions, Mesopotamian kings are portrayed as personifications of cosmic trees. The Bible, which was written in this cultural context, uses the image of cosmic trees in several places to offer critiques of proud kings and their kingdoms. Ezekiel 31 describes the empire of Assyria as a cosmic tree that “towered higher than all the trees of the field” and was “the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God.” As the prophecy goes on, it tells how God cut down the great tree of Assyria because of its pride and evil ways.

Nebuchadnezzar, who incidentally was instrumental in conquering Assyria, missed the meaning of the dream, perhaps out of ignorance or stubbornness. However, the dream’s significance shouldn’t be lost on us. Just as the great tree of Assyria was cut down, the cosmic tree of Nebuchadnezzar would be “cut down,” too (Daniel 4:14). Just as the cosmic tree of Nebuchadnezzar was cut down, so too could God bring down the proud rulers of our society. Sometimes it might seem like self-absorbed autocrats are running the world. However, Nebuchadnezzar’s dream reveals an alternative perspective on reality: “the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people” (Daniel 4:17).

Week 2 | 47 DANIEL 4:1–18

4 bed: I looked, and there before me stood a NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM tree in the middle of the land. Its height was OF A TREE enormous. 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible 1 King Nebuchadnezzar, to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were To the nations and peoples of every beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was language, who live in all the earth: food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; May you prosper greatly! from it every creature was fed. 2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the 13 “In the visions I saw while lying in miraculous signs and wonders that the bed, I looked, and there before me was a Most High God has performed for me. holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven. 14 He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut 3 How great are his signs, down the tree and trim off its branches; strip how mighty his wonders! off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; animals flee from under it and the birds from his dominion endures from its branches. 15 But let the stump and its generation to generation. roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain 4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my in the ground, in the grass of the field. palace, contented and prosperous. 5 I had “ ‘Let him be drenched with the dew of a dream that made me afraid. As I was heaven, and let him live with the animals lying in bed, the images and visions that among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind passed through my mind terrified me.6 So I be changed from that of a man and let him commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be given the mind of an animal, till seven be brought before me to interpret the dream times pass by for him. for me. 7 When the magicians, enchanters, 17 “ ‘The decision is announced by mes- astrologers and diviners came, I told them sengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, the dream, but they could not interpret it so that the living may know that the Most for me. 8 Finally, Daniel came into my High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth presence and I told him the dream. (He is and gives them to anyone he wishes and called Belteshazzar, after the name of my sets over them the lowliest of people.’ god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) 18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebu- 9 I said, “Belteshazzar, chief of the magi- chadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me cians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods what it means, for none of the wise men in is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. can, because the spirit of the holy gods is 10 These are the visions I saw while lying in in you.”

48 | Week 2 Day 7 Questions

1. At a time when people are vying for seats of power across the nation, what does Daniel 4:17 communicate to you: “the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people”?

2. Scripture often describes the kingdom of God in upside-down terms. How does Daniel 4:17 reflect this upside-down value system? Where do you see our society making progress in embracing upside-down ideals? Where can we do better?

Week 2 | 49 Day 8 Becoming a Beast

“You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

~ DANIEL 4:25

Today’s reading narrates the interpretation and fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream. As we’ve read, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a cosmic tree that was cut down and transformed into a beast. Now, Daniel reveals that Nebuchadnezzar is the tree and that he would quite literally take on animal-like qualities.

Nebuchadnezzar’s degeneration into a beast plays off key ideas from the opening chapters of the Bible. Genesis 1:26-27 teaches that God created humankind in His “image.” Interestingly, that word “image” is equivalent to the word that’s used to refer to statues in Daniel 2 and 3. As God’s statue-like images, humans were given the privilege of representing God as kings and queens over the earth. This role included the responsibility of ruling over beasts. Unfortunately, as the following chapters of Genesis make clear, humans repeatedly failed to rule over beasts. They were “deceived” by crafty animals, and beast-like sin came to “rule” over them (Genesis 3:13; 4:7).

In Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream in chapter 2, God told Nebuchadnezzar that the king had the same responsibility as God’s original image-bearers, the job of ruling over “beasts” (Daniel 2:38). This responsibility is symbolized in the present dream by the portrayal of Nebuchadnezzar as a tree under which “wild animals found shelter” (Daniel 4:12). However, Daniel’s interpretation of the dream makes it clear that Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and violence against the people he ruled would culminate in his own ironic downfall. Instead of ruling over the beasts, he would become one.

Nebuchadnezzar’s metamorphosis into a beast highlights a theme we will continue to see throughout the book of Daniel: when we fail in our role as God’s image-bearers by lording our power over others, we become more beast-like than human (Daniel 7; 8). Now things don’t have to end this way. God promises restoration for those who “acknowledge” their mistakes (Daniel 4:25-27). But for those who continue to devour their victims, God will bring down those beasts.

50 | Week 2 DANIEL 4:19–37

DANIEL INTERPRETS THE DREAM and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The 19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) command to leave the stump of the tree was greatly perplexed for a time, and his with its roots means that your kingdom will thoughts terrified him. So the king said, be restored to you when you acknowledge “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, Your Majesty, meaning alarm you.” be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only your sins by doing what is right, and your the dream applied to your enemies and its wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. meaning to your adversaries! 20 The tree you It may be that then your prosperity will saw, which grew large and strong, with its continue.” top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant THE DREAM IS FULFILLED fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter 28 All this happened to King Nebuchad- to the wild animals, and having nesting nezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king places in its branches for the birds—22 Your was walking on the roof of the royal palace Majesty, you are that tree! You have become of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great great and strong; your greatness has grown Babylon I have built as the royal residence, until it reaches the sky, and your dominion by my mighty power and for the glory of my extends to distant parts of the earth. majesty?” 23 “Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messen- 31 Even as the words were on his lips, a ger, coming down from heaven and saying, voice came from heaven, “This is what is de- ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave creed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in royal authority has been taken from you. the grass of the field, while its roots remain 32 You will be driven away from people and in the ground. Let him be drenched with will live with the wild animals; you will eat the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by animals, until seven times pass by for him.’ for you until you acknowledge that the Most 24 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and this is the decree the Most High has and gives them to anyone he wishes.” issued against my lord the king: 25 You will 33 Immediately what had been said be driven away from people and will live about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He with the wild animals; you will eat grass like was driven away from people and ate grass the ox and be drenched with the dew of like the ox. His body was drenched with the heaven. Seven times will pass by for you dew of heaven until his hair grew like the until you acknowledge that the Most High feathers of an eagle and his nails like the is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth claws of a bird.

Week 2 | 51 34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnez- 36 At the same time that my sanity was zar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my restored, my honor and splendor were sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. High; I honored and glorified him who lives My advisers and nobles sought me out, and forever. I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebu- His dominion is an eternal dominion; chadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the his kingdom endures from generation King of heaven, because everything he does to generation. is right and all his ways are just. And those 35 All the peoples of the earth who walk in pride he is able to humble. are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”

52 | Week 2 Day 8 Questions

1. In Mark 4:30-32, Jesus shares a parable that plays off themes from Daniel 4. Jesus says, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Based on Jesus’ parable and Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, what characteristics might distinguish the kingdom of God from the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar?

2. The closing words of this chapter highlight an important principle: “those who walk in pride [God] is able to humble.” When have you seen pride humbled? What pride might God want to humble in you?

Week 2 | 53 Day 9 The Hand of Power

Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.

~ DANIEL 5:5

Daniel 5 introduces us to a new ruler in Babylon named Belshazzar. The chapter begins with Belshazzar hosting a banquet. This banquet was likely the customary drinking party that ancient military commanders would host in advance of great battles. At that time (approximately 539 BC), the Persian army was approaching the city of Babylon and preparing to topple this old empire. So at his party, Belshazzar tried to encourage his people with a visible reminder of how the Babylonian gods had given them victory in the past. He called for the “goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem” so that they might drink from these trophies of war (Daniel 5:2).

What Belshazzar arrogantly fails to recognize is that the God of Israel had actually allowed this Babylonian victory in the past (Daniel 1:2). So as the story unfolds, God sends His own visual reminder to Belshazzar. A floating hand appears and writes an omen on the wall. This symbol of a hand plays off a theme in Daniel, which correlates hands and power. In the book of Daniel, hands are frequently seen as possessing power (Daniel 1:2; 2:34, 38; 3:15, 17; 4:35; 5:23-24; 7:25; 9:15). In fact, many times, words that mean “hand” in Hebrew and Aramaic are translated into English as “power” (Daniel 6:27; 8:4, 7, 25; 11:16, 42; 12:7). The point that the book of Daniel in general, and this story in particular, makes is that God holds ultimate power in His hands. God may give power to others for a time, and God can also take it away.

This omen may have been written for Belshazzar, but it should continue to speak to us today. In our independent and individualistic culture, we like to believe that we are in control, that power resides in our hands. The truth is that any power we have, really anything we have, comes to us by the permission of God. God may set power in our hands, but God can also take it away. With the power we have, we should walk humbly before God and work to bring justice on earth.

54 | Week 2 DANIEL 5:1–12

5 this writing and tells me what it means will be THE WRITING ON THE WALL clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed 1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for around his neck, and he will be made the third a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with highest ruler in the kingdom.” them. 2 While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver they could not read the writing or tell the king goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had what it meant. 9 So King Belshazzar became taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that even more terrified and his face grew more the king and his nobles, his wives and his pale. His nobles were baffled. concubines might drink from them. 3 So they 10 The queen, hearing the voices of the king brought in the gold goblets that had been and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, “May the king live forever!” she said. “Don’t and the king and his nobles, his wives and his be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! 11 There is a concubines drank from them. 4 As they drank man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the the wine, they praised the gods of gold and holy gods in him. In the time of your father he silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. was found to have insight and intelligence and 5 Suddenly the fingers of a human hand wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, appeared and wrote on the plaster of the King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and The king watched the hand as it wrote. 6 His diviners. 12 He did this because Daniel, whom face turned pale and he was so frightened the king called Belteshazzar, was found to that his legs became weak and his knees have a keen mind and knowledge and un- were knocking. derstanding, and also the ability to interpret 7 The king summoned the enchanters, dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult astrologers and diviners. Then he said to problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads what the writing means.”

Week 2 | 55 Day 9 Questions

1. The message that God holds power in His hands is meant to be a message of hope for people who are oppressed: God can bring down their oppressors. But why do you suppose He ever lets callous leaders have power in the first place?

2. How does the message that God holds power in His hands speak to you in your present situation? Is it a message of comfort? A word of warning? Both?

56 | Week 2 Day 10 The Writing is on the Wall

“But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.”

~ DANIEL 5:22

In today’s reading, the story of Belshazzar and the writing on the wall continues. As we’ve seen, the local Babylonian experts have proven ineffective yet again at interpreting an omen of truly divine origin. In fact, in each successive story, they’ve shown themselves to be increasingly incompetent. In Daniel 2, they couldn’t tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream. In Daniel 4, they couldn’t interpret a dream even after hearing it. Now in Daniel 5, they are not only unable to interpret a message, they can’t even read the message!

So at the behest of the queen mother, Belshazzar invites Daniel to interpret the omen. We learn from Daniel that the inscription said, “Mene, mene, tekel, parsin” (Daniel 5:25). This succinct message lists various Babylonian monetary weights. Like the metals of the statue in Daniel 2, the value of these weights declines as the list goes on. This general decline in value might share a clue about the significance of the message: something considered great would diminish into something of little worth.

However, more help would be needed to understand the writing’s full meaning, so Daniel proceeds to interpret the message. He says, “Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Daniel discerned this interpretation by means of creative wordplay. The Aramaic terms “mene,” “tekel,” and “peres” contain the same root letters as the words above translated as “numbered,” “weighed,” “divided,” and “Persia.” The meaning of the omen was that Belshazzar and his Babylonian empire would be brought down. The proud ruler had refused to humble himself, so God was going to do it for him.

God’s humbling of Belshazzar teaches about God’s concern for humility. In God’s upside-down value system, leaders are to live as though they are not fundamentally better than the people they lead. In fact, God wants leaders to embrace the posture of servants. Unfortunately, governments, corporations, and even churches frequently elevate their leaders to a godlike status. We must resist this impulse or else God will intervene. The writing is on the wall.

Week 2 | 57 DANIEL 5:13–31

13 So Daniel was brought before the king, and his body was drenched with the dew of and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most of the exiles my father the king brought from High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. gods is in you and that you have insight, 22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not intelligence and outstanding wisdom. 15 The humbled yourself, though you knew all this. wise men and enchanters were brought 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against before me to read this writing and tell me the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from what it means, but they could not explain it. his temple brought to you, and you and your 16 Now I have heard that you are able to give nobles, your wives and your concubines drank interpretations and to solve difficult problems. wine from them. You praised the gods of sil- If you can read this writing and tell me what ver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, it means, you will be clothed in purple and which cannot see or hear or understand. But have a gold chain placed around your neck, you did not honor the God who holds in his and you will be made the third highest ruler in hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he the kingdom.” sent the hand that wrote the inscription. 17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may 25 “This is the inscription that was written: keep your gifts for yourself and give your mene, mene, tekel, parsin rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him 26 “Here is what these words mean: what it means. Mene: God has numbered the days 18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave of your reign and brought it your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and to an end. greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because 27 Tekel: You have been weighed on of the high position he gave him, all the na- the scales and found wanting. tions and peoples of every language dreaded 28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and and feared him. Those the king wanted to put given to the Medes and Persians.” to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, 29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel he promoted; and those he wanted to hum- was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed ble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became around his neck, and he was proclaimed the arrogant and hardened with pride, he was third highest ruler in the kingdom. deposed from his royal throne and stripped of 30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the his glory. 21 He was driven away from people Babylonians, was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede and given the mind of an animal; he lived with took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox;

58 | Week 2 Day 10 Questions

1. The story of Belshazzar in Daniel 5 parallels the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4: both kings are humbled after exhibiting great pride. However, their final outcomes are different. What did Nebuchadnezzar do that Belshazzar didn’t, and what can that teach us today?

2. In Daniel 5:22, Daniel indicts Belshazzar not only for his pride but also for his unwillingness to respond to what he knew: “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.” Why would Belshazzar’s knowledge make him more culpable? What does this mean for us and our knowledge of God?

Week 2 | 59 SARAH

HAVING EYES TO SEE THE SELF AS GOD DOES. WHEN YOU’RE REALLY YOUNG AND THOSE THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU IN YOUR FORMA- TIVE YEARS, IT ALSO STARTS TO FORM YOUR IDEA OF WHAT LOVE IS.

Growing up, I walked to school, I was a crossing guard and the ice cream truck would come by; it was idyllic. We used to run around and play cops and robbers in the neighbors’ yards. It was wonderful. It really was.

My name is Sarah, and I grew up in Schaumburg, IL. We were raised Catholic, and while I still really enjoy and love that tradition, I never had a relationship with God then. I always thought it was the priest who had the relationship with God. But I still loved church. I love to sing in church and growing up, I would see my dad doing his quiet time at the kitchen table. There were a lot of things that he instilled in us that, now having this relationship with God, I can see was a lot of biblical wisdom. I grew up in a house with nine people. I have four brothers and two sisters. They made me resilient, but when I left Schaumburg at 19, I was ready to go. I was out of there. My parents used to have a sign on the door, and it was hilarious. It said, “Leave now when you’re 18 and you still know everything.”

So I moved in with friends, and oh my goodness. It was such a reality check, like a punch in the face. Finances were a huge shock to me, as was having to be self-sufficient. Nobody came to wake me up so that I would be on time for school. Nobody came to check and see that my homework was done. I had to do that on my own. That was definitely interesting. And I had a lot of interesting roommates; some were very difficult. Those difficulties brought out things that had been hidden parts of my life.

I was 13 years old the first time someone my appearance. I had to remind myself, “No, introduced me to cocaine. At 13, I thought I God is going to stand with you here, and you’re was an adult because of the things that I had going to find your identity in Him. You’re going seen and gone through. It set me on the path to find your worth in Him.” of thinking, “Oh, this is normal.” It took being sober in Christ and time to look back and under- The radical honesty was so amazing because stand that was not normal at all. But there was God led me down this path of forgiveness to abuse I had experienced and situations where I talk to everyone who had hurt me or I had hurt. was introduced to very hard drugs, things that I To talk to my abuser and forgive my abuser, to just don’t think a young person should ever be talk to a girl that I made a mean comment to in subjected to, and those things began to shape seventh grade. It was amazing. I chopped off all my choices. Experiencing sexual abuse at a my hair. I didn’t wear makeup. I lived in the same very young age was one of those things. The dress for a while. It was awesome because all aftermath of that was that my idea around what of that, all of those things that I had placed so sex is was completely broken. When you’re much value in, God said, “Let it go. This is who really young and those things happen to you in you are, and you’re beautiful just as you are.” your formative years, it also starts to form your idea of what love is. I started to choose abusive Now I can look back on my life and see that I partners because I was really trying to heal from stopped going to church shortly after my abuse past hurt, but that just led to more abuse. and that was when I was 13. I can connect those things now. But my dad, throughout all As a coping mechanism, I sought out a drug, the time since, would ask, “Hey, do you want to pride, buying something, eating something, or come to church?” He was always inviting, nev- just spacing out on whatever I could as a means er shaming, but just always inviting. So it was to cope. It compounded and then I was just really cool that once I was ready, I could say, drowning. Then I would change location, my “Hey, dad, I want to go to church.” I knew who hair, my job, or my boyfriend. It would always to call. A seed was planted. For all the parents be external things. reading this, the prodigal child can return. I felt the Holy Spirit telling me, “Go to church.” At that At the time, I didn’t know that the only thing that point my stepmom was having surgery on her was going to change me truly is Christ. The first foot, and she had asked me to pray for her. So time that God introduced Himself to me was I thought, “Okay. I’m going to put a prayer re- actually God putting this thought into my head. quest in the prayer box at church. I don’t need God said, “I want you to be radically honest.” to talk to anybody. I’ll just put my little prayer in.” One Sunday, the prayer box wasn’t there, so Unfortunately, it’s so normal to lie, and lie on top I walked up to the Welcome Center and lo and of a lie, on top of another lie. I really began to behold, it’s Grace, and she asks, “Oh, are you wrestle with that at the beginning of 2017, which here to sign up for small group?” I said, “Ugh, was a really hard time in my life. I actually refer yeah. Here’s this prayer I have too.” to that season as the “dark ages” because it was just so dark. But I was able to start facing those Oh, wow, did that change everything for me demons and facing things that I was project- because then I found myself in this small group, ing onto other people and saying, “This is their and it completely changed my life. There were fault.” God was introducing me to who I really a lot of assumptions that I had before about was and the sin in my life, which was heavy, but Christians in general, like these people are God did it in a beautiful way, and I was able to judgmental and perfect, and I am so deeply see what redemption looks like in the process. broken that I absolutely have to pretend to be I had a twisted view of what love should be and perfect in order to do this. Of course, my own of who I am. But that has changed so much with shame shows up as perfectionism in my life God. I remember one of the first things I did was all the time. write on my mirror in lipstick, “I am a child of God,” because every time I would look in the But the group was so not like that. It was so mirror, it would be a place of self-deprecation, authentic. It was so incredible. My small group hatred, judgment, or trying to find the value in still meets and there are girls in my small group who are standing up in my wedding. It’s incredible, and beneath the anger, the mean comment, or how that the group changed my life because it was this authen- person treated you in the meeting at work that derailed tic place that taught me about grace. you. And then He shows you the hurt within you and says, “Can I just sit next to you in your suffering? Can Before that, I was hiding, drowning, searching every- we just sit here together in it, not try to fix one anoth- where, searching in every religion. Really, like the Bible er, but just sit next to each other?” That’s what God says, sort of tossed in the waves. My whole life had did for me, and that’s what He does for everyone. God been fake, flighty, and anxious. I remember waking up sits with you and holds your hand in places that you every morning and having this pit in my stomach from think He doesn’t exist. But that’s where He’s actually all of this unresolved conflict and pain and all of the lies the most present. I had told, things I had done, and who I had betrayed. It was just this ball growing, rolling down a hill and Wherever you are, you are not alone. One of the most growing. That was before Christ. profound moments I had in my small group was when I had relapsed with weed. With any addiction comes After Christ, there is light, compassion, grace, a shame. It doesn’t matter what it is - drugs, pornogra- chance. Philippians 4:7 is real. It is real. It is a peace phy, food, TV, whatever. There’s shame, and I think the that surpasses all understanding. I went back to my enemy wants to lock you in this little shame prison and journals, which I’ve been keeping since I was a little isolate you, but I remember the Holy Spirit bringing to kid. It was actually a way that I was able to meet myself me the book of James and saying, “Confess to one in my abuse. I would write a lot of really dark poetry another so they can pray for you.” I remember sitting and hide my abuse there. I was able to see that it was in my friend’s house and confessing and crying. These real. That was what my life was like. women just held me. There was no judgment and they prayed over me. I’ll tell you what, I’ve never gone back I had been broken. I was lost and sad. I was just so to drugs and it’s been amazing. Even that failure was sad. It felt like I had no one but myself. I could never a reminder that God transforms failures too. You think depend on anyone but myself so I was going to do you’re failing, but God is teaching you. He is guiding it myself, even if it killed me. But then God told me, you. He is making you resilient so that when He’s ready “You don’t have to die. I already did that. You are my to bring you into that next thing, you’re prepared. child. You matter, and your life matters, and there’s forgiveness for you and for everyone around you. It’s So talk to someone. It is not weird. Therapy is the going to be okay.” coolest thing ever. It is amazing. Everybody should go to therapy. Learn to speak about God and how He’s And that revelation came through radical honesty and working in your life. Learn to feel exactly how you’re having the courage to look at myself and my world feeling when you’re feeling it and not feel bad or hide through new eyes. You can’t be free from something it. You don’t have to be anybody but who you are. you’re hiding from or something you’re not acknowl- God already knows who you are, and God loves you. edging. Of course we don’t want to acknowledge I’ve discovered that I don’t have to be ashamed of my that. Why would I want to acknowledge any of these story. My story is beautiful because God saved my life things, especially when you have a reason to say, “But and He made me who I am. Your story is beautiful, and this person did this to me?” God wants to give you the vision to see that truth too.

“Hurt people hurt people” is so true. God gives you this new vision. Jesus gives you eyes to see the thing

YOUR STORY IS BEAUTIFUL, AND GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU THE VISION TO SEE THAT TRUTH TOO.

JOURNEY THROUGH DANIEL

Week 3 | Days 11–15 Week 3 | Days 11–15 Day 11 Standing Firm in the Face of Lions

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

~ DANIEL 6:10

Daniel 6 introduces us to another ruler, and not just a new ruler, but a new empire – the Persian Empire ruled by Darius the Mede. While the leaders and their governments have changed, some of the ways they conduct business have remained the same. In fact, just as the story of Belshazzar in Daniel 5 paralleled the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4, the story of Daniel 6 parallels the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. In Daniel 3, three men of Judah were faced with the life or death decision of whether to bow down to a statue or remain loyal to God. Now in Daniel 6, a different man of Judah, Daniel, is faced with a similar choice: praying to an earthly king or being killed for praying to God.

In this story, Daniel is set up by a group of local politicians who are jealous of his high position within the government. Hoping to see this foreigner fail, they play on pride and self-image to manipulate King Darius into making a law that says that “anyone who prays to any god or human being” except Darius should be “thrown into the lions’ den” (Daniel 6:7). Daniel’s response to the law, which pitted loyalty to the king against loyalty to God, is noteworthy. Daniel 6:10 says, “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel’s response here is an act of both defiance and discipline. It is an act of courage and also his common practice. He immediately rebels against the decree by going to God in prayer, but his prayer is not some spurious exhibition. It is simply a continuation of what he had been doing all along.

68 | Week 3 Daniel’s faithful living in the midst of his ordeal must be a model for us. His private practice produced public devotion. In our social media-driven society, we too often get those things reversed. We mistake people for their personas. We think faithfulness is primarily about what we publicly say rather than what we privately and perpetually do. That kind of faith only leads to a veneer of cultural Christianity and a private life that remains untransformed. If we want to stand firm in the face of lions, it’s the regular and unremarkable spiritual habits that will build our strength and deepen our faith.

DANIEL 6:1–10

6 6 So these administrators and satraps went DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS as a group to the king and said: “May King 1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three prefects, satraps, advisers and governors administrators over them, one of whom was have all agreed that the king should issue an Daniel. The satraps were made accountable edict and enforce the decree that anyone who to them so that the king might not suffer loss. prays to any god or human being during the 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, the administrators and the satraps by his shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your exceptional qualities that the king planned Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, so that it cannot be altered—in accordance the administrators and the satraps tried to with the law of the Medes and Persians, find grounds for charges against Daniel in his which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius conduct of government affairs, but they were put the decree in writing. unable to do so. They could find no corrup- 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree tion in him, because he was trustworthy and had been published, he went home to his neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these upstairs room where the windows opened men said, “We will never find any basis for toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got charges against this man Daniel unless it has down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks something to do with the law of his God.” to his God, just as he had done before.

Week 3 | 69 Day 11 Questions

1. Daniel 6:4 tells us that Daniel was “trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent,” even as a captive working in a foreign government. Who do you know that could be described in similar terms in a difficult work environment? Why should it matter how we conduct our business?

2. What is your current prayer life like? What is keeping you from embracing a routine like Daniel?

70 | Week 3 Day 12 God Alone Rescues and Saves

“He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

~ DANIEL 6:27

Today’s reading continues the story of Daniel and the lion’s den. As we’ve seen, Darius was manipulated into making a decree that required all prayer go to him for 30 days. In humble noncompliance with the decree, Daniel offered prayers to God, just as he had always done. Now the story continues with the conspirators turning Daniel in. They say to the ruler in verse 13, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.”

Unlike Nebuchadnezzar’s heated reaction to the civil disobedience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Darius’ reaction is remarkably benevolent. Daniel 6:14 says, “When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.”

Darius may seem benevolent, at least in comparison to his erratic predecessor, but he is also characterized as incompetent. In a moment of comedy and irony, Darius desperately tries to save his only honest administrator but proves to be incapable of dissolving his own law. Admitting defeat, he says to Daniel in verse 16, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” In other words, Darius couldn’t save Daniel from his short-sighted policies but perhaps God could.

This portrayal of Darius may be comedic, but like all comedy, it contains a piercing sliver of truth. Despite all the power that human leaders may hold, there will always be limitations to what they can achieve. In American society, where we put extraordinary trust in our leaders, where we believe they can save us from past wounds and hope they can chart out an idyllic future for us, the story of Daniel and Darius should teach us to place our hope elsewhere. If we need someone to rescue us, God alone can save.

Week 3 | 71 DANIEL 6:11–28

11 Then these men went as a group and anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living found Daniel praying and asking God for help. God, has your God, whom you serve continu- 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him ally, been able to rescue you from the lions?” about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a 21 Daniel answered, “May the king live decree that during the next thirty days anyone forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut who prays to any god or human being except the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the me, because I was found innocent in his lions’ den?” sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before The king answered, “The decree stands— you, Your Majesty.” in accordance with the law of the Medes and 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to Persians, which cannot be repealed.” lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who lifted from the den, no wound was found on is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no him, because he had trusted in his God. attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree 24 At the king’s command, the men who had you put in writing. He still prays three times falsely accused Daniel were brought in and a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was thrown into the lions’ den, along with their greatly distressed; he was determined to wives and children. And before they reached rescue Daniel and made every effort until the floor of the den, the lions overpowered sundown to save him. them and crushed all their bones. 15 Then the men went as a group to King 25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your and peoples of every language in all the earth: Majesty, that according to the law of the “May you prosper greatly! Medes and Persians no decree or edict that 26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my the king issues can be changed.” kingdom people must fear and reverence the 16 So the king gave the order, and they God of Daniel. brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, “For he is the living God whom you serve continually, rescue you!” and he endures forever; 17 A stone was brought and placed over the his kingdom will not be destroyed, mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his dominion will never end. his own signet ring and with the rings of his 27 He rescues and he saves; nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not he performs signs and wonders be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his in the heavens and on the earth. palace and spent the night without eating and He has rescued Daniel without any entertainment being brought to from the power of the lions.” him. And he could not sleep. 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. came near the den, he called to Daniel in an

72 | Week 3 Day 12 Questions

1. In Daniel 6:21, Daniel repeats a greeting we have read several other times throughout the book: “May the king live forever” (cf. Daniel 2:4, 3:9; 5:10, 6:6). How does this greeting contrast with the affirmation of Daniel 6:26: “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end” (cf. Daniel 4:3, 34; 7:14, 18, 27; 12:2, 3, 7)? What is the book trying to teach us through these contrasting veins of thought?

2. When have you set too much hope in a human leader? How were you let down, and how does that experience shape your perspective today?

Week 3 | 73 Day 13 A Vision of Four Great Beasts

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.

~ DANIEL 7:1

Chapter 7 marks a critical juncture in the book of Daniel. It concludes the Aramaic section of the book, which runs from Daniel 2-7. It also marks the beginning of the apocalyptic section of the book, which runs from Daniel 7-12. Technically, we have already encountered some apocalyptic material in the dreams of Daniel 2 and 4. But whereas Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams were a part of narrative stories, the dreams and visions we read now in the second half of the book of Daniel are just that, dreams and visions.

The apocalyptic material we read in this part of Daniel can seem very challenging, but a couple tips can make this part of the book less imposing. First, it’s critical to know that an apocalypse is not necessarily a depiction of the “end of the world” as one might think from watching Hollywood Christianity. An apocalypse is simply an unveiling, a revelation, or a vision of the world through a different set of lenses. Viewing the world through this perspective can help us see reality the way God sees it. Second, the main themes, images, and ideas that we’ve encountered in the first six chapters all reappear in the final six apocalyptic chapters. The book of Daniel wasn’t haphazardly put together; a lot of creative genius went into designing this book. If we read it slowly and sensitively, we can appreciate the masterpiece that it is.

The opening verses of Daniel 7 draw on a number of important themes related to the first half of the book. They describe four great “beasts” that “crush” and “devour” their victims while speaking arrogantly. This imagery is reminiscent of Daniel 6, where conspirators “falsely accused” (literally: devoured) Daniel, and where lions “crushed” their bones. It is also reminiscent of Daniel 4, which describes how Nebuchadnezzar devolved into a beast after he failed to rule with justice and humility. That alone should give us a clue about the significance of the four beasts. Finally, the appearance of four symbols in a dream should remind us of the dream in chapter 2 where four metals represented four kingdoms of this world.

74 | Week 3 We will spend another day working through this critically important vision, but we can already see that Daniel 7 contains yet another prophetic critique of worldly empires. Through this apocalypse, God wants us to perceive that leaders and the structures they manage can behave like beasts, trampling upon the weakest among them.

DANIEL 7:1–8

7 mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up DANIEL’S DREAM OF FOUR BEASTS and eat your fill of flesh!’ 1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of 6 “After that, I looked, and there before me Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions was another beast, one that looked like a passed through his mind as he was lying leopard. And on its back it had four wings like in bed. He wrote down the substance of his those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and dream. it was given authority to rule. 2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, 7 “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of and there before me was a fourth beast— heaven churning up the great sea. 3 Four great terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It beasts, each different from the others, came had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured up out of the sea. its victims and trampled underfoot whatever 4 “The first was like a lion, and it had the was left. It was different from all the former wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings beasts, and it had ten horns. were torn off and it was lifted from the ground 8 “While I was thinking about the horns, so that it stood on two feet like a human being, there before me was another horn, a little one, and the mind of a human was given to it. which came up among them; and three of the 5 “And there before me was a second beast, first horns were uprooted before it. This horn which looked like a bear. It was raised up on had eyes like the eyes of a human being and a one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth that spoke boastfully.

Week 3 | 75 Day 13 Questions

1. Apocalyptic visions like what we read in Daniel 7 use vivid images to reveal an alternative perspective on reality. What makes images effective in shaping our view of reality? What feelings do you have when you envision the scene of four beasts?

2. How has God already been opening your eyes throughout the book of Daniel?

76 | Week 3 Day 14 The Suffering and Enthronement of the Preeminent Image of God

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

~ DANIEL 7:13-14

Today’s reading continues Daniel’s vision of the four beasts. The vision begins with beasts emerging out of chaotic waters, a scene reminiscent of biblical and Near Eastern creation stories where creation begins in the context of a watery, dark, and monstrous chaos (e.g., Genesis 1:1-2; Psalm 74:12-17). The vision now moves to a new scene where God, referred to as the “Ancient of Days,” is seated in a courtroom and is surrounded by His holy angels (Daniel 7:9).

In this courtroom, another figure appears who is described as “one like a son of man” (Daniel 7:13). This figure ascends on the clouds to God and is given “authority, glory, and sovereign power.” This scene also picks up on creation themes. In Genesis 1:26-28, creation culminated with the installation of humans as God’s royal image-bearers on the earth. Here, a human being (that’s what the Aramaic phrase “son of man” means), is installed as king over the earth. In a sense, this vision depicts a new creation.

But who is this son of man? The interpretation of the vision links the figure to the “holy people of the Most High” (Daniel 7:18, 22, 27). Just as the four beasts represent four empires, so the son of man represents the faithful followers that the beasts had crushed. After a period of suffering under a beastly king, they experience a reversal; they are rescued and raised to positions of power like we’ve seen so often throughout the book of Daniel (Daniel 2:48-49, 3:30, 5:29, 6:27-28).

Week 3 | 77 However, when we look at the New Testament, it’s clear that Jesus claimed this title as His own (e.g., Mark 13:26; 14:62). Why did He make this connection? Since God’s people continued to be burdened by the political, social, religious, and spiritual powers of this world, Jesus chose to stand in their place as a good king ought to. As the Son of Man, He represented them, not as a literary symbol but as a surrogate who let the beasts of this world, the principalities and powers, unleash their crushing blows on Him. What appeared to be a victory for those powers was actually their undoing. After a period of suffering, Jesus was raised to new life, launching a new creation. When He ascended on the clouds to the Father, He was set on a throne of royal authority as the preeminent image of God (cf. Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:32-36; Ephesians 1:20-22; Colossians 1:15-20).

DANIEL 7:9–28

9 “As I looked, 13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming “thrones were set in place, with the clouds of heaven. He approached the and the Ancient of Days took his seat. Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. His clothing was as white as snow; 14 He was given authority, glory and sover- the hair of his head was white like wool. eign power; all nations and peoples of every His throne was flaming with fire, language worshiped him. His dominion is an and its wheels were all ablaze. everlasting dominion that will not pass away, 10 A river of fire was flowing, and his kingdom is one that will never be coming out from before him. destroyed. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM stood before him. 15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the The court was seated, visions that passed through my mind disturbed and the books were opened. me. 16 I approached one of those standing there 11 “Then I continued to watch because of the and asked him the meaning of all this. boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept “So he told me and gave me the interpreta- looking until the beast was slain and its body tion of these things: 17 ‘The four great beasts destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. are four kings that will rise from the earth. 18 But 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their the holy people of the Most High will receive authority, but were allowed to live for a period the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, of time.) for ever and ever.’

78 | Week 3 19 “Then I wanted to know the meaning of the earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The fourth beast, which was different from all the ten horns are ten kings who will come from others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth this kingdom. After them another king will and bronze claws—the beast that crushed and arise, different from the earlier ones; he will devoured its victims and trampled underfoot subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know the Most High and oppress his holy people and about the ten horns on its head and about try to change the set times and the laws. The the other horn that came up, before which holy people will be delivered into his hands for three of them fell—the horn that looked more a time, times and half a time. imposing than the others and that had eyes 26 “ ‘But the court will sit, and his power and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I will be taken away and completely destroyed watched, this horn was waging war against forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven Ancient of Days came and pronounced will be handed over to the holy people of the judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting Most High, and the time came when they kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey possessed the kingdom. him.’ 23 “He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth 28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face on earth. It will be different from all the turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.” other kingdoms and will devour the whole

Week 3 | 79 Day 14 Questions

1. The vision of Daniel 7 anticipates the story of Jesus, but it also looks back to the story of Daniel and the lion’s den in chapter 6. How does the experience of Daniel relate to the experience of the son of man in chapter 7?

2. When Jesus and the early Christian leaders spoke about the “gospel” or “good news,” their message focused on the fact that Jesus had become King and His kingdom had come (e.g., Mark 1:14-15; Acts 5:42). Why is this good news? If this is the gospel message, how should we proclaim it in our world?

80 | Week 3 Day 15 At God’s Appointed Time

“In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.”

~ DANIEL 8:23-25

Daniel 8 contains another vision of beasts and horns, which represent kings and kingdoms. Unlike previous visions, this vision gives some specific interpretations for these images. The first image Daniel sees is a two-horned ram, a representation of the “kings of Media and Persia” (Daniel 8:20). Then, Daniel sees a shaggy goat with a prominent horn, a representation of “the first king” of “Greece,” Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:21). The final image Daniel sees is a small horn emerging from the goat. This horn is not explicitly identified, but most scholars agree that it represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a later Greek-Syrian tyrant.

Scholars draw this conclusion because the proud exploits attributed to this horn are known to be true of Antiochus. For example, verse 11 says that the small horn “took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord.” This is a reference to Antiochus’ decision in 167 BC to ban the worship of Yahweh and murder anyone who defied his order. Also in verse 11, it says that the horn claimed divine status when it “set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord.” Antiochus famously claimed to be God when he accepted the title “Epiphanes,” a title meaning “God manifest.”

The visions of Daniel 9 and 11 will also point to the corrupt deeds of Antiochus, an indication of just how barbaric he was. Even though this vision of Antiochus was so disturbing that Daniel was “appalled,” the message of the vision was still one of hope (Daniel 8:27). Hard times would continue to fall on the people of God, but like all the arrogant kings Daniel had encountered, this oppressor would meet his “end” at God’s “appointed time” (Daniel 8:19). This is the message we should take away from the vision. Sometimes it’s not clear what God is doing or if He even cares. In reality, He sees the plight of those who are hurt by callous authorities. God’s request is simply that we stay faithful in the waiting and trust that He will make things right at the appointed time.

Week 3 | 81 DANIEL 8

8 south and to the east and toward the Beautiful DANIEL’S VISION OF A RAM AND A GOAT Land. 10 It grew until it reached the host of the 1 In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, heavens, and it threw some of the starry host I, Daniel, had a vision, after the one that had down to the earth and trampled on them. 11 It already appeared to me. 2 In my vision I saw set itself up to be as great as the commander myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of of the army of the Lord; it took away the dai-

Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. ly sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary 3 I looked up, and there before me was a ram was thrown down. 12 Because of rebellion, the with two horns, standing beside the canal, and Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were the horns were long. One of the horns was given over to it. It prospered in everything it longer than the other but grew up later. 4 I did, and truth was thrown to the ground. watched the ram as it charged toward the west 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and and the north and the south. No animal could another holy one said to him, “How long will stand against it, and none could rescue from its it take for the vision to be fulfilled—the vision power. It did as it pleased and became great. concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion 5 As I was thinking about this, suddenly a that causes desolation, the surrender of the goat with a prominent horn between its eyes sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the came from the west, crossing the whole earth Lord’s people?” without touching the ground. 6 It came toward 14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside and mornings; then the sanctuary will be the canal and charged at it in great rage. 7 I reconsecrated.” saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was THE INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked 15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and it to the ground and trampled on it, and none trying to understand it, there before me stood could rescue the ram from its power. 8 The one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard a goat became very great, but at the height of its man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell power the large horn was broken off, and in its this man the meaning of the vision.” place four prominent horns grew up toward the 17 As he came near the place where I was four winds of heaven. standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son 9 Out of one of them came another horn, of man,” he said to me, “understand that the which started small but grew in power to the vision concerns the time of the end.”

82 | Week 3 18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then by his own power. He will cause astounding he touched me and raised me to my feet. devastation and will succeed in whatever he 19 He said: “I am going to tell you what will does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the happen later in the time of wrath, because the holy people. 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, vision concerns the appointed time of the end. and he will consider himself superior. When 20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents they feel secure, he will destroy many and take the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn will be destroyed, but not by human power. between its eyes is the first king. 22 The four 26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings horns that replaced the one that was broken off that has been given you is true, but seal up the represent four kingdoms that will emerge from vision, for it concerns the distant future.” his nation but will not have the same power. 27 I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for 23 “In the latter part of their reign, when several days. Then I got up and went about the rebels have become completely wicked, a king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will was beyond understanding.

Week 3 | 83 Day 15 Questions

1. The vision of Daniel 8 contains a number of parallels to previous stories and visions. What parallels do you notice between the actions of kings in this vision and the actions of kings in previous stories? What do you suppose the book is trying to teach us through these patterns?

2. Daniel 8:27 says that Daniel “got up and went about the king’s business” despite being “exhausted” and “appalled” by his vision. What do you suppose gave him the resolve to continue working for a king (i.e., Belshazzar [see verse 1]) who was not fundamentally different than the horn he saw in the vision? How does Daniel’s example speak to you?

84 | Week 3 IRIS

GOD IS IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE I LOST MY MOTHER WHEN I WAS EIGHT, AND I’VE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WRIT- ING OBITUARIES.

I think about death a lot, and that might be totally weird. It probably has something to do with the fact that I lost my mother when I was eight, and I’ve had a lot of experience writing obituaries. I look at pictures totally differently now because I’ve had to sift through them to pick for obituaries. I had to bury two of my brothers and when I look at pictures now, they mean so much more to me because you never know how they’re going to be used.

My name is Iris Flores, and I am kind of from everywhere. I was originally born in the Cabrini–Green housing projects. Flores is my married name. People assume that I’m Latina, which I am not. A large part of my story and who I am is because I lost my mother at the age of eight. I moved a lot. I went to twelve grammar schools and three high schools, so I’m everywhere. I went to the city schools, I went to the suburban schools, I went to school in Minnesota, whoever could take me. I went to Downers Grove South High School my freshman year, Palatine High School my sophomore year, and I graduated from Senn High School. I mostly lived in the suburbs after I graduated from high school because I prefer the suburbs, but I ended up moving back to the city because I was employed by the City of Chicago.

My mother was kind of a quiet woman, and she was in excru- ciating pain all the time from a disease called scleroderma. I think she was heavily medicated. She didn’t talk to me a whole lot, and after she died, I moved every six months to a year. I ended up moving back and forth to Cabrini-Green a couple times. The last time I lived there, it was really bad. The hallways smelled like urine. The elevators didn’t usually work, so it was not abnormal to get out of school and have to walk up 13 flights of stairs. You couldn’t touch the railing because people would usually spit on them. It wasn’t a great place to live. On my first day of kindergarten I had a don’t understand.” He goes, “What are God through music. Eventually I really felt cute little matching rain jacket, boots, and you illiterate? I said you can’t live here like I developed a personal relationship hat but by the time I got home, they were anymore. I don’t want the responsibility, with God. all gone. I got beat up. They took my jack- so think of somewhere that you want to et, my boots, and my hat. It wasn’t a good go.” I said, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take There was a time when I was very involved place by the time I went to kindergarten. care of it. Can I leave my things here until in church. I was in the choir, the women’s tomorrow?” He said, “You can stay here group, and the prayer group. I always I had my first impression of religion when until tomorrow.” I said, “I’m fine. No thank remembered the importance of leaving Father Sebastian would come to our you.”I left and walked over to Lisa’s house. a little sprinkle of Jesus if I came into house on Saturdays and do whatever they contact with someone who I knew was did. My mom was a devout Catholic, and She lived in the same complex, and we struggling. I have some friends that are we went to church at St. Joseph’s, but I were just hanging out. After a few minutes agnostic, Buddhist, and nonbelievers. I never felt like I understood anything at she says, “Wait a minute, you had a 10 pm always manage to just throw it out there church. I didn’t understand the standing, curfew. What are you doing here?” I said, because I know that it’s my responsibility kneeling, sitting down. I didn’t understand “My dad told me I couldn’t live there any- as a Christian. I have to plant a little seed. the hymns. I never really felt like I got anymore.” She said, “Are you serious?” And I Sometimes I think I might turn her off, and thing out of mass. said, “Yes.” Lisa’s husband got up off the she might not call me again, but I know couch and put their two kids in the same that it’s okay because it’s my duty as a When I was 16, I moved in with my dad. bed to free a bed up, put their clothes in Christian. I feel like God’s had my back He lived in Palatine with his new wife. the combined drawers and he said, “You because I’ve been somewhat faithful to He had a one-bedroom apartment and my have a home here from now on.” I moved what He wants me to do. father was very honest and very direct. I in with them that night, and I lived with had been living with him for two weeks. them for about a year. Later on, because my husband and I My father went and bought alcohol every always worked opposite shifts, it was day and he took me with him. My father Through all that, never really having a hard for us to go to church at the same was very personable. Everyone loved him. home, and not having any real connec- time. I had been praying and praying He could’ve been the mayor of Palatine. tions, I just knew that God kept me safe. and praying that God would find the right He would go into the liquor store and there I had been in so many negative places. service for him to go to, and there were was this woman there named Lisa. I don’t There was a time when I moved back to several different times when we tried to go know if this makes sense to you or not, the city in my junior year of high school at the same time, and it just never worked but when you’re an African-American per- and I got hooked up with a really bad out. When he finally got the opportu- son in a predominantly white community, crowd. I promise you that God had His nity to go to church with me, it was the when you see another black person you arms around me because there was death, Sunday that a former gangster or ma- kind of have this, “I see you” connection. there was addiction, there was all sorts of fia-type guy was the speaker, and his things that a 16-year-old should not have story was so similar to my husband’s that Lisa was an African-American woman. been exposed to. There was no parent to I knew God delayed my husband coming Turns out she was 14 years older than me, supervise me. I can’t tell you how many for that particular service. and we shared the same birthday. She nights I walked the streets of Chicago by worked at the liquor store and I started myself at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 a.m. I knew it 100% without a doubt. I think going in there just to hang out with her that was the first real experience he had when I didn’t have anything to do, and we But then I ended up meeting some girls where he felt a connectedness. Ironical- became friends within the first two weeks who took me to a typical black church. I ly, I eventually switched to work midnight I lived with my dad. think it was a Baptist church, and I totally shifts and a lot of Sunday mornings, I freaked out because I had never had that would get in from work at 6:30 in the I had a 10 pm curfew and one night experience before. People were having morning. So, my husband started taking when I got in the house, my dad and the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues, our girls to church by himself because he Catherine were not on the couch, and I so I was totally petrified, but I remember switched shifts and now was working in knew something was wrong because that feeling some emotion. That was the first the afternoons. was not normal. My dad called me in the time that I ever felt like God could’ve next room and I said, “Hey, what’s go- actually been a thing that people could So now he was the primary church guy in ing on?” He says, “You cannot live here feel and connect with. I fell in love with the family and over the years, I’ve seen any longer and I’d like to know where gospel music and sang in the choir. I felt God work in his life. Now he volunteers at you want to go.” I said, “Excuse me? I like I made my first true connection with the church, and he’s just completely come to understand God on a whole different level. He recently got baptized, accepted the Lord as his savior. Watching God work in his life has been another confirmation to me of how things happen in God’s time, not always when we want.

If nothing else, I’ve definitely learned that every challenge, every struggle, and every dark period was necessary for me to become who I am today. I always tell my kids that I’m just so thankful for all the struggle because it’s completely molded me. It’s made me who I am. I have so much to offer people because I can speak from a frame of reference. I feel like I give my kids such a strong foundation because I can pull from so many different areas and experiences, and they know that I come from a place of true knowledge.

And now as a police officer in the City of Chicago, I still encounter really, really difficult things all the time. My truth might not be anyone else’s truth. I can only give you what I think. I’m a woman of color, African-American, black, whatever. My husband is Hispanic. Growing up, I spent a large majority of my life in white neigh- borhoods. So as a Chicago police officer, I see all the sides. I am a firm believer that no one owes you anything. If you want to make your situation better, if you want to make your circumstances better, you have to put in the work. I also know everyone can use some help. Unfortunately, I think the problem is so complicated that it’s not one particular thing.

But the biggest problem I see in my community is broken homes. Although my father left when I was young, I still had one. My brothers were good guys, and I think it’s because they had a father and a mother who taught them values. But for some people, their mother might not know their father, they both might be on drugs, and they’re poor, no one’s making sure they’re eating balanced meals, no one’s making sure they’re going to school.

In those situations, I think you’re destined for are protesting with the black people right now, failure. I think that it’s a lot of things that are because I’m feeling the most racial tension I’ve the problem. I think that the judicial system is ever felt in my life.” Yeah. It’s such a complicat- not where it should be. And of course, systemic ed thing. Of course, with my job, I see racism, I racism has existed forever, and it might always see sexism, being who I am and where I am. Of exist. course, we know racism exists. We can’t deny that, but it hurts my heart to see all the male and I absolutely understand that there are some female officers who show up for work every day problems with some police officers, but being a because they genuinely think they’re making black police officer, married to a man who is a a difference. It’s such a complicated job. It’s a non-white police officer, I can tell you that not super complicated job. It’s never one reason all white police officers are racist. I think that why things happen. It’s just so sad that it’s come there are more good cops than bad cops. down to race because I think it’s usually not the Unfortunately, everyone can pull in an audience reason, you know? and tell a story if they tell it right. But every story that you hear might not be right, and you have It’s hard. It’s a really hard time, and it’s so sad be- to be so careful with what you listen to because cause people don’t see police officers as human the person that’s delivering the message might beings who have the same flaws as everyone have a specific agenda. There are times when I else. They suffer from anxiety, depression, bi- find myself listening to news commentaries, and polar. They suffer from the same things. They’re I have to turn them off because they’re so far not Superman and Superwoman, no matter what from the truth. The average police officer doesn’t people think. wake up and say, “I’m going to shoot a black guy or woman today.” That’s not the way it happens. We try so hard, and it’s all the grace of God. I tell you, he has completely just wrapped His arms You have to see people on an individual basis. around our family. To see my husband grow to You have to know the totality of the circum- where he is today, it’s truly a beautiful thing. It’s stances, and when people ask me to discuss the just one more proof that God is real. He’s shown video and footage, I refuse to get caught up up for me time and time again because I prayed in that conversation because we’ve gotten for my husband. I mean, from the day I got him, to the place in society where if you don’t feel I prayed that he would get to know God on a exactly like the person you’re speaking to, they personal level. We’ve been married 22 years don’t want to have anything to do with you. now. In the last 10 years, I’ve seen unbelievable But we don’t have to see eye to eye 100% or growth and connectedness. agree 100%. We just have to have an intelligent dialogue and understand each other’s opinions. Looking back, the biggest thing I learned from My husband and I have different opinions all losing my mother at eight is that life is short, and the time, and we talk about it and he’ll convince we don’t have a whole lot of time to waste. With me to see his side, and I’ll convince him to see my job now, I leave my family with the mindset my side, and sometimes we just have to disagree that I might not come back. You just don’t know. and that’s okay. We don’t have to always feel Don’t assume I’m living to 80. Don’t assume that the same. my kids are going to bury me. Every time I deal with people, I deal with them like it might be the I remember driving to work one morning, listen- last time I see them. I tell all my partners at work, ing to talk radio, and I just got so sad from all if anything ever happens to me, you know that I the negativity I was hearing. I just cried halfway genuinely love you. You have no doubts about to work because it just seems like we’re in such that. When you treat people right, you don’t have a dark space. I told my husband, “I don’t know to have any regrets. where all these white people came from who

WHEN YOU TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT, YOU DON’T HAVE TO HAVE ANY REGRETS. JOURNEY THROUGH DANIEL

Week 4 | Days 16–20 Week 4 | Days 16–20 Day 16 A Confession of Corporate Sin

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.”

~ DANIEL 9:4-5

Daniel 9 contains another vision, but unlike the previous visions, it begins with a reflection on Scripture and a prayer. The historical and biblical background for this occasion is significant. Verses 1-2 tell us that “in the first year of Darius,” Daniel meditated on a message “given to Jeremiah the prophet,” which concerned “seventy years” of desolation for Jerusalem. In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet talked about how the people of Judah would be exiled in Babylon as a result of their sins but would return to their land after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Now in 539 BC, nearly seventy years after Daniel’s deportation to Babylon, Daniel is meditating on these passages and wondering if the return to Jerusalem is imminent.

After reflecting on this passage, Daniel turns to God in prayer regarding the things on his mind. The prayer he prays follows a model outlined in 1 Kings 8:46-51. He starts by pleading with God to show love to God’s people. Then, Daniel makes a confession of corporate sin: “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws” (Daniel 9:5).

What’s noteworthy about this prayer is that Daniel admits his own part in the sin of his people even though he has repeatedly been vindicated as innocent by God. In the book of Daniel, there are no accounts of any wrongdoing by Daniel. He has proven to be without corruption as an individual, but he recognizes that he was a participant in a community that was guilty of wrongdoing and sin.

Daniel’s humble posture in prayer should challenge us as Christians in America today. In our individualistic society, we tend to think of sin as the crime of individuals, not

94 | Week 4 communities. When we see evil pervading the walls of governments, workplaces, schools, or churches, we blame others, never ourselves. The truth is, sin can be committed by individuals and by communities, and we can be held at fault for both. It is the action or inaction of individuals that allows corporate sin to continue and systemic wrongs to go on. Thankfully, we have a merciful God who forgives those who confess their complicity and work to bring change.

DANIEL 9:1–19

9 Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem DANIEL’S PRAYER and all Israel, both near and far, in all the 1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes countries where you have scattered us be- (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over cause of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and the Babylonian kingdom—2 in the first year our kings, our princes and our ancestors are of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the covered with shame, Lord, because we have Scriptures, according to the word of the sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is

Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the merciful and forgiving, even though we have desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. has transgressed your law and turned away,

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: refusing to obey you. “Lord, the great and awesome God, who “Therefore the curses and sworn judg- keeps his covenant of love with those who ments written in the Law of Moses, the love him and keep his commandments, servant of God, have been poured out on 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have us, because we have sinned against you. been wicked and have rebelled; we have 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against turned away from your commands and laws. us and against our rulers by bringing on us 6 We have not listened to your servants the great disaster. Under the whole heaven prophets, who spoke in your name to our nothing has ever been done like what has kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is writ- all the people of the land. ten in the Law of Moses, all this disaster 7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day has come on us, yet we have not sought

we are covered with shame—the people of the favor of the Lord our God by turning

Week 4 | 95 from our sins and giving attention to your your people an object of scorn to all those

truth. 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring around us.

the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is 17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and righteous in everything he does; yet we petitions of your servant. For your sake, have not obeyed him. Lord, look with favor on your desolate 15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; people out of Egypt with a mighty hand open your eyes and see the desolation of the and who made for yourself a name that city that bears your Name. We do not make endures to this day, we have sinned, we requests of you because we are righteous, have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, your righteous acts, turn away your anger listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your sake, my God, do not delay, because your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of your city and your people bear your Name.” our ancestors have made Jerusalem and

96 | Week 4 Day 16 Questions

1. Why do you think it is so hard for individuals to accept blame like Daniel did for societal issues?

2. What corporate sins do you think we need to confess as a country? As a society? As a church?

Week 4 | 97 Day 17 The Seventy “Sevens”

“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.”

~ DANIEL 9:24

Today’s reading continues the occasion of Daniel 9. We’ve seen Daniel praying to God after reflecting on Jeremiah’s prophecy about the seventy years of captivity. Now, Daniel receives a vision from the angel Gabriel, which reveals more about the exile of the people of God. In Daniel 9:24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.” In other words, exile was not entirely over for the people of God. They would return to the land of Judah, but even there, their suffering would continue for “seventy ‘sevens’.”

The phrase “seventy ‘sevens’” has been the subject of endless debate. Most scholars agree that the phrase means seventy “seven-year intervals” or 490 years. They draw this conclusion by comparison with Leviticus 25:8, which talks about how an event known as the Year of Jubilee should occur after seven “seven-year intervals” or 49 years. Beyond that, scholars have offered endless interpretations about when this 490-year period might begin and end. Verses 25-27 complicate things even more. Those verses subdivide the 490 years into periods of 49 years, 434 years, and 7 years. No matter when this 490-year period is thought to begin or end, it is virtually impossible to line up all these time frames with dates of significance in Jewish and Christian history, if that is even the correct understanding in the first place.

Instead of trying to force the numbers to add up, it is probably best to interpret Daniel’s seventy “sevens” as theological math, a common phenomenon in the Bible where the significance of a number is not in its numerical value, but in what it symbolically conveys. A good example of this is in Matthew 18:21-22, which uses the same numbers as Daniel 9. When Peter asks Jesus if he should forgive someone up to seven times, Jesus responds, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22 NLT). The point isn’t that Peter should forgive someone precisely

98 | Week 4 490 times and that would be enough. Given that the number seven often conveys ideas of completion or perfection in the Bible (and much more the number 490), the point is that Peter should forgive as many times as is necessary. In a similar way, Daniel 9 seems to be expressing that at the complete and perfect time, God would act on behalf of His powerless people. This is certainly how Jesus and the New Testament writers understood the mission of Jesus. As Paul writes in Romans 5:6, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly” (cf. Mark 1:15; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10). So rather than spending our time attempting to calculate exactly when certain events did or may yet take place, we should instead spend our energies creating communities that demonstrate the qualities that God has required of His people since the beginning: justice, righteousness, and self-giving love.

DANIEL 9:20–27

THE SEVENTY “SEVENS” 25 “Know and understand this: From the 20 While I was speaking and praying, time the word goes out to restore and rebuild confessing my sin and the sin of my people Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler,

Israel and making my request to the Lord my comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and God for his holy hill—21 while I was still in prayer, sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After came to me in swift flight about the time of the the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will evening sacrifice.22 He instructed me and said be put to death and will have nothing. The to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you people of the ruler who will come will destroy insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you the city and the sanctuary. The end will come began to pray, a word went out, which I have like a flood: War will continue until the end, come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will Therefore, consider the word and understand confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ the vision: In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end 24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple people and your holy city to finish transgres- he will set up an abomination that causes sion, to put an end to sin, to atone for wicked- desolation, until the end that is decreed is ness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to poured out on him.” seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Week 4 | 99 Day 17 Questions

1. Daniel 9:21 indicates that Daniel received an answer to his prayer while he was still praying. Why do you suppose God was so quick to speak to Daniel?

2. Many scholars see the details of Daniel 9:26-27 as describing the events of 171-164 BC when Antiochus IV Epiphanes killed an “anointed” priest, “put an end” to Jewish worship, and installed an “abomination that causes desolation” in the Temple. If this is the case, then in Mark 13, Jesus reapplied these symbols to his first century context because many similar things were happening in His own day. He as God’s anointed would be killed, and the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed by the Romans. Why do you suppose history seems to repeat so often? What does the end of this vision (and really all the visions of Daniel) teach us about the end of each cycle of history?

100 | Week 4 Day 18 Supernatural Warfare

But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.

~ DANIEL 10:13

Today’s reading includes an extended introduction to the final and longest vision in the book of Daniel. It begins with Daniel seeking a message from God through the practices of prayer, mourning, and fasting. As we’ve seen God do so many times in this book, He responds to Daniel by sending an angelic messenger. But this time, the messenger is delayed by three weeks and for a strange reason. In Daniel 10:12-13, the angel says, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”

Here, the messenger reveals an important but difficult to understand part of reality. He reveals that beyond the material dimension stands a supernatural realm where spiritual beings fight on behalf of the nations they represent. The idea that spiritual beings represent different nations was common in the ancient Near East and is reflected in other parts of Scripture. For example, Deuteronomy 32:8 (MSG) says, “When the High God gave the nations their stake, gave them their place on Earth, He put each of the peoples within boundaries under the care of divine guardians.” In this circumstance, a spirit fought to delay Daniel’s angel because the message the angel brought was about the impending fall of Persia to the Greeks (Daniel 10:20; 11:2-3).

In our modern culture, we don’t talk much about the spiritual realm. It’s clear though that biblical authors and spiritual leaders like Daniel, Paul, and Jesus often talk about this reality. So how do we live knowing this truth? We do not live by assigning mysterious spiritual causes to every event; the Bible warns us about this. Instead, we live and pray, knowing that not everything is explainable by physical realities that we can see. This should not produce fear in us but confidence in the God we serve and the truth that Jesus has conquered the principalities and powers of the world. God’s ultimate victory and supremacy in all things is already assured.

Week 4 | 101 DANIEL 10–11:1

10 yourself before your God, your words were DANIEL’S VISION OF A MAN heard, and I have come in response to them. 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom revelation was given to Daniel (who was called resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it one of the chief princes, came to help me, concerned a great war. The understanding of because I was detained there with the king of the message came to him in a vision. Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three what will happen to your people in the future, weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all 15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed until the three weeks were over. with my face toward the ground and was 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, speechless. 16 Then one who looked like as I was standing on the bank of the great river, a man touched my lips, and I opened my the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me mouth and began to speak. I said to the one was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine standing before me, “I am overcome with gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like can hardly breathe.” the sound of a multitude. 18 Again the one who looked like a man 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the touched me and gave me strength. 19 “Do not vision; those who were with me did not see it, be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he but such terror overwhelmed them that they said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” fled and hid themselves.8 So I was left alone, When he spoke to me, I was strengthened gazing at this great vision; I had no strength and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have left, my face turned deathly pale and I was given me strength.” helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I 20 So he said, “Do you know why I have come listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to you? Soon I will return to fight against the to the ground. prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince 10 A hand touched me and set me trembling of Greece will come; 21 but first I will tell you on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one you who are highly esteemed, consider supports me against them except Michael, carefully the words I am about to speak to your prince. you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 11 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, 1 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your I took my stand to support and protect him.) mind to gain understanding and to humble

102 | Week 4 Day 18 Questions

1. How much thought have you given to the reality of the supernatural realm? Does it intrigue you? Does it scare you? Are you unconcerned about this dimension? Why?

2. Daniel prayed humbly, fervently, and persistently for three weeks while he waited for an answer from God. Have you abandoned any of your prayers to God? What’s keeping you from humbly, fervently, and persistently sharing what’s on your heart with Him?

Week 4 | 103 Day 19 Kings Will Arise and Kings Will Fall

“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.”

~ DANIEL 11:36

Yesterday, we read the introduction to the final vision of Daniel. Today’s reading reveals the message of the vision, which was “written in the book of truth” (Daniel 10:21; 11:2). This message reads like a history book. It recounts the rise and fall of various kings and kingdoms in the ancient Near East. These kings are not referred to by their names but are easily identified by the activities attributed to them. For example, the “mighty king” of Greece whose kingdom is “broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven” is undoubtedly Alexander the Great, the Greek emperor whose kingdom was divided between four generals after his sudden and early death in 323 BC (Daniel 11:3-4). Likewise, the “king of the North” who abolishes daily sacrifices, installs “the abomination that causes desolation” in the temple, and murders those who remain faithful to God is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Greek-Syrian tyrant who terrorized Judeans before his death in 164 BC (Daniel 11:28, 31, 33).

A good study Bible or commentary will help readers make these connections, but you don’t need to know exactly who each king is in this chapter in order to understand the point. Repetitious words and themes drive home the big idea. King after king will “arise” to power (Daniel 11:2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 16, 20, 21, 31). They will do whatever “pleases” them without concern for others (Daniel 11:3, 16, 36). But no matter how invincible they seem, each will meet their own “end” (Daniel 11:27, 35, 40, 45). These repetitions emphasize the fact that human history tends to follow certain patterns. Just as Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius were all humbled in their own ways after they arrogantly afflicted Daniel and his contemporaries, many other violent kings would arise and fall.

104 | Week 4 For Judeans who faced the prospect of being “burned,” “captured,” or “plundered” by these kings, this survey of history must have served as a source of hope (Daniel 11:33). God saw their suffering, and He would bring down their oppressors at His “appointed time” (Daniel 11:27, 29, 35). This message continues to be “truth” for us today (Daniel 11:2). Those with power might do what pleases them for the time being, but the seemingly unstoppable empires of the world are really just transient to God. He will bring victory to His people, in this life or the next.

DANIEL 11:2–45

THE KINGS OF THE SOUTH AND royal escort and her father and the one who THE NORTH supported her. 2 “Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more 7 “One from her family line will arise to take kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, her place. He will attack the forces of the king who will be far richer than all the others. When of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir against them and be victorious. 8 He will also up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. seize their gods, their metal images and their 3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule valuable articles of silver and gold and carry with great power and do as he pleases. 4 After them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. the North will invade the realm of the king of It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the South but will retreat to his own country. the power he exercised, because his empire 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble will be uprooted and given to others. a great army, which will sweep on like an 5 “The king of the South will become strong, irresistible flood and carry the battle as far but one of his commanders will become even as his fortress. stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom 11 “Then the king of the South will march with great power. 6 After some years, they will out in a rage and fight against the king of the become allies. The daughter of the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be South will go to the king of the North to make defeated. 12 When the army is carried off, the an alliance, but she will not retain her power, king of the South will be filled with pride and and he and his power will not last. In those will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not days she will be betrayed, together with her remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North

Week 4 | 105 will muster another army, larger than the first; to an agreement with him, he will act deceit- and after several years, he will advance with a fully, and with only a few people he will rise huge army fully equipped. to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel 14 “In those times many will rise against the secure, he will invade them and will achieve king of the South. Those who are violent among what neither his fathers nor his forefathers your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of among his followers. He will plot the overthrow the North will come and build up siege ramps of fortresses—but only for a time. and will capture a fortified city. The forces of 25 “With a large army he will stir up his the South will be powerless to resist; even their strength and courage against the king of the best troops will not have the strength to stand. South. The king of the South will wage war 16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will with a large and very powerful army, but he be able to stand against him. He will estab- will not be able to stand because of the plots lish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the power to destroy it. 17 He will determine to the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his come with the might of his entire kingdom and army will be swept away, and many will fall in will make an alliance with the king of the South. battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent And he will give him a daughter in marriage in on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans other, but to no avail, because an end will still will not succeed or help him. 18 Then he will turn come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the his attention to the coastlands and will take North will return to his own country with great many of them, but a commander will put an wealth, but his heart will be set against the end to his insolence and will turn his insolence holy covenant. He will take action against it back on him. 19 After this, he will turn back and then return to his own country. toward the fortresses of his own country but 29 “At the appointed time he will invade the will stumble and fall, to be seen no more. South again, but this time the outcome will be 20 “His successor will send out a tax collector different from what it was before. 30 Ships of to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, the western coastlands will oppose him, and however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and or in battle. vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will 21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible return and show favor to those who forsake person who has not been given the honor of the holy covenant. royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its 31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate people feel secure, and he will seize it through the temple fortress and will abolish the daily intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination swept away before him; both it and a prince of that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will the covenant will be destroyed. 23 After coming corrupt those who have violated the covenant,

106 | Week 4 but the people who know their God will firmly precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will resist him. attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of 33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, a foreign god and will greatly honor those who though for a time they will fall by the sword or acknowledge him. He will make them rulers be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When over many people and will distribute the land they fall, they will receive a little help, and many at a price. who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of 40 “At the time of the end the king of the the wise will stumble, so that they may be South will engage him in battle, and the king refined, purified and made spotless until the of the North will storm out against him with time of the end, for it will still come at the chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. appointed time. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.41 He will also invade THE KING WHO EXALTS HIMSELF the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but 36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will exalt and magnify himself above every god be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend and will say unheard-of things against the his power over many countries; Egypt will not God of gods. He will be successful until the escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures time of wrath is completed, for what has been of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, determined must take place. 37 He will show with the Libyans and Cushites in submission. no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for 44 But reports from the east and the north will the one desired by women, nor will he regard alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to any god, but will exalt himself above them all. destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of royal tents between the seas at the beautiful fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and he will honor with gold and silver, with no one will help him.

Week 4 | 107 Day 19 Questions

1. The situation of faithful people in Daniel 11:33-35 parallels the situations of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 1, 3, and 6. All were forced to choose between life or loyalty to God. Unfortunately, some described in Daniel 11 were not immediately rescued by God as their predecessors had been. How do we make sense of God’s seemingly haphazard dealings with the world? Can we? What is the message of Daniel 11 for those who don’t experience immediate earthly rescue?

2. Daniel 11:32 indicates that those “who know their God will firmly resist” evil powers like Antiochus IV Epiphanes. How were people back then supposed to show resistance? What do you suppose godly resistance looks like today?

108 | Week 4 Day 20 The Rescue and Raising of Faithful Followers of God

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

~ DANIEL 12:2-3

Daniel 12 concludes the final vision and brings the book of Daniel to a stunning close. In the first half of the vision, we read about a series of kings who would “arise” to their thrones and oppress the people of God (Daniel 11:2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 16, 20, 21, 31). We were told that each king would meet their just “end” similar to the way previous kings in the book were humbled because of their pride (Daniel 11:27, 35, 40, 45). But somewhat surprisingly, we also read that some people who remained loyal to God would meet a similar fate; they would “fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered” (Daniel 11:33).

The death of God’s faithful in Daniel 11 stands out given that in so many previous stories and visions, God rescued and raised His people to victory. God rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the furnace and raised them to positions of power. God rescued Daniel from the lions and raised him to the second-highest throne in Persia. God rescued the Son of Man and those He represented, giving them a kingdom that would never be destroyed. But now it seems that the furnace has burned God’s followers. It seems that the lions have devoured them. It seems that the enemies of the people of God have caused their demise. So what does it mean for God to be sovereign and just if this is the end for many innocent people who courageously stayed faithful to Him?

Chapter 12 presents the resolution. If God’s justice is to be ultimately realized in the world, the end for the faithful who have died won’t be death but will be one last great work of rescue and raising. Daniel 12:2-3 says, “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those

Week 4 | 109 who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Here we read the clearest Old Testament reference to bodily resurrection. The promise of the vision is that those who remain loyal to God will be rescued from death and raised to rule and reign with Him, filling the royal role that God gave humans from the very beginning (Genesis 1:26-28). This is what it means to say that the resurrected would “shine” like “stars.” In the Bible, shining stars are symbols of royalty as in Numbers 24:17, which says, “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” To be a star is to have a position of power in God’s kingdom. So as we’ve seen throughout the book of Daniel, tyrants may oppress others in their pursuit of power, but in the end, seats of authority in God’s kingdom are reserved for the humble and faithful.

This is the promise for us today if we stay faithful to God. In a society that is not so different from Babylon, Persia, and Greece, many things may tempt us to ignore, abandon, or even live in direct contradiction to our faith. Our own cultural idols and comforts may draw us away from the justice that God desires for our communities. Like Daniel, we must have the eyes to see these forces for what they are and the courage to resist them no matter the cost. God has in a sense already rescued and raised those of us who have pledged allegiance to Jesus the King. So with the power He’s invested in us, our mission is to join Him in bringing the good news of the kingdom of God on earth.

110 | Week 4 DANIEL 12

12 7 The man clothed in linen, who was above THE END TIMES the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and 1 “At that time Michael, the great prince who his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him protects your people, will arise. There will be swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will a time of distress such as has not happened be for a time, times and half a time. When from the beginning of nations until then. But at the power of the holy people has been finally that time your people—everyone whose name broken, all these things will be completed.” is found written in the book—will be delivered. 8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” will awake: some to everlasting life, others 9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those the words are rolled up and sealed until the who are wise will shine like the brightness time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made of the heavens, and those who lead many to spotless and refined, but the wicked will righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. continue to be wicked. None of the wicked 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of will understand, but those who are wise will the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go understand. here and there to increase knowledge.” 11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice is 5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before abolished and the abomination that causes me stood two others, one on this bank of the desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of 12 Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches them said to the man clothed in linen, who the end of the 1,335 days. was above the waters of the river, “How long 13 “As for you, go your way till the end. You will it be before these astonishing things are will rest, and then at the end of the days you fulfilled?” will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

Week 4 | 111 Day 20 Questions

1. Now that you’ve read the book of Daniel, if someone was to ask you what it is all about, how would you summarize it?

2. What is your biggest takeaway from Daniel? How have you been inspired to live differently as a result of reading this book?

112 | Week 4 NIVES

EMBRACING JOY THROUGH UNCERTAINTY NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT JOY FROM YOU.

There’s a song that says, “If you receive and you believe, testify.” I don’t really like to talk about myself, but I think it’s important to do so when we go through certain things in life and experience certain things, and whenever God’s presence is in someone’s life, it’s encouraging to share with others.

My name is Nives, and I grew up in Croatia. I was born in Yugoslavia, and I was a child from a mixed marriage between a Croatian and a Serb. This didn’t really matter when we had Yugoslavia, but when the civil war in Croatia started in 1991, that seemed to be all that mattered. On top of being from a mixed marriage, I had the last name of a Serbian president so I couldn’t hide. I belonged nowhere on either side. I’m from a town that had a lot of military presence and my town was a border town. Those were the unlucky ones in the war because for four years, there was always some kind of a fighting and shooting and bombing until the war ended in 1995.

The first year was the worst. I never knew when it was going to happen. I could be playing tennis and suddenly there’s an alarm. I’m running home and there are bombs flying, falling down, and planes are above my head. And I’d think, “All right, I’m almost home, maybe I’ll make it, maybe not.” And that’s where faith comes in, when you have no influence, no power, no control. That’s when we can say, “Okay, God, come on, step in. I just can’t do this on my own. If I make it through, if I survive, just show me the way. What’s my purpose? Why am I doing this? Why am I the lucky one? What do I do with this experience? It can’t be for nothing.” In high school, I was an okay tennis player, and American taxpayers. I understood her point of view, I was invited to play tennis in Germany. I told my but to have that discussion at the dinner table, in parents, “I’m 17. I want to go. I don’t want to be front of us, that was too much. here in the middle of the war. I’m done with this.” I was young and didn’t know how hard it was going But there are all kinds of people, and you just have to be. That was the first time in my life when I really to not let that influence and impact you. You just felt like I couldn’t do this. It was just too hard. I was do your thing and do the best you can. In Europe, so attached to my mom. My life goal was to get a we’re surrounded by so many countries and inev- job in the same building with her, but it just felt like a itably you will travel to another country. Or if you wind behind my back. Like, you’ve got to go do this, live in a tourist country like Croatia with the coast, you’ve got to go do this. Have faith that it’s going to you will be exposed to other languages, cultures, be okay. It wasn’t even so much that I was adven- the way they talk and even behave. And in America, turous or brave. Not at all. It was just how the whole even though it’s a melting pot of cultures, it’s still thing happened. Even how they invited me out of separated and shielded from the rest of the world. nowhere, even though they never saw me play. So For people who are born and raised in small towns, I went to Germany, and played one year for them. they’re not exposed to that. New things tend to feel Then I came home to finish high school and while scary for a lot of people, but they’re not. If you look I was preparing to finish and graduate, I got an at it as exciting, you never know what you’re going offer to come to Chicago and play tennis for DePaul to find out and learn. University. I was 18. After college, I was planning on going back to I had taken a little English in school, but you can’t Croatia, which was always my plan. But I ended up compare that to the college level. I didn’t even know falling in love, getting married, and staying here. what the SAT exam was. I got a book, studied for I told my family, “Sorry, guys, I’m going to be liv- a month, and took the exam. Now that I have kids ing here from now on.” So I got married. I worked living here in the US, I realize what a process it is for Jewel-Osco for nine years as a procurement and how important it is. I didn’t know then, which manager in the main office. Then, I got preg- was a blessing at the time. I passed the exam by five nant with twins. I lost one baby at 10 weeks and points to get in. But that’s when the real work began the other one at 30 weeks. It was a very unusual for me. I had to play tennis every day, travel to tour- circumstance. But the interesting thing that naments every weekend, along with studying and happened is when I was 30 weeks pregnant, I going to school as well. I learned a lot about myself. had a placenta rupture and ended up in the I learned a lot about what I’m capable of doing and hospital and the baby died. I ended up getting a bad also just the culture here. I didn’t know much about pulmonary embolism. As I laid in my hospital bed, America. I did not have an American Dream. I heard a whisper and had a whole conversation. I believe this so firmly even though my husband It just happened. When I came here, it was very and the nurses said that I didn’t say a word. That different from what I was used to, and it took me whispered conversation was God’s blessing to many years to assimilate. I was very fortunate that me, proof that I’ve got to keep believing, being I was always around people who were loving and faithful, and trusting God. supportive, who didn’t care that my English was broken, that I spoke funny and was missing a lot This might sound like a crazy story, but like I of words. I was surrounded by student athletes said, if it happens, you have to testify. I heard a and over time, I got better, and the professors whisper say to me that this baby was not meant understood and supported me. to be, but the one next year would be. That But of course there are people who assume that made me very angry. The whisper kept saying, if you don’t speak perfect English, that means that “You don’t need to know why. That’s just how you are not smart because the way you speak is it’s going to be.” a reflection of your intelligence. When we went to tournaments, we were hosted by families in the But the next year, I had a baby girl. And the towns we played in. One time, my teammate, who voice had told me it would be a girl. I don’t know was also from Croatia, and I were at the dinner table how to explain it, but when you live through with our host family. In front of us, they discussed something like that, your faith is unshakeable. how scholarships shouldn’t be given to interna- tional students because that takes away from the

I think that prepared me for when, seven years how beautiful it was in the middle of my nervous later, my husband passed away. It was very sud- breakdown, and here comes my neighbor and he den and unexpected. He left for work and never says, “Hey, how about I shovel for you today?” I’m came back. He was 38, and it was just a shock. I like, “Oh my God, thank you so much.” That was a was a widow with children ages 5 and 7, with no small miracle. I like to think I’m strong and tough, family to help. When I look back on my life and but sometimes I’m not. I always feel that when I the tragedies that happened, I think they slowly surrender, when I’m done controlling and doing prepared me. You can’t be fully prepared for this, things on my own, that’s when God says, “Okay, but I always believe that things will be better. now you can listen. Now you can hear me.” Without that belief and faith, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here. It’s been a long road, and there were It’s difficult to be happy or satisfied with everything a lot of tears and good people around me. A lot of in your life. And most of the time, if we’re honest, people helped me, even helped me keep my faith. we’re not. But if you can find joy in your life, no And I would always wonder, why would all these matter what’s going on around you, as powerless things be happening to me? as you may feel, remember that you are God’s beloved child, no matter what. No one can take I’ve realized that all my experiences are really just that joy from you. a way for me to be ready and prepared to help and serve people in my life who are going through There’s always hope. There is God’s grace and similar things. I can reach out to others and say, God’s love. And sometimes our prayers are “Hey, I’m here to hold your hand. I’m here to talk unanswered, but it’s not because God is busy to you. I’m here for you.” When I was in need, or doesn’t care or doesn’t love us. Sometimes others saved me. One time, I was shoveling my we just have to be patient. We might not get the driveway. My neighbor was also clearing his answers to why things are unanswered, but driveway. He had a snow blower and I had an old some things are blessings really. We just don’t fashioned shovel. He never said a word. The next know it at the time. So always keep the faith time I had to shovel, I was so tired. I couldn’t do it and find people in your life who support you and anymore and laid the shovel on the ground. I was love you and who can be there for you and never done. God, Jesus, come on I need something. And give up. as I said that, I was looking at the snow falling and

SO ALWAYS KEEP THE FAITH AND FIND PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO SUPPORT YOU AND LOVE YOU AND WHO CAN BE THERE FOR YOU AND NEVER GIVE UP. Small Group Discussion Guide

This discussion guide is intended to help small groups who are studying the Journey through Daniel together. Each discussion focuses on a major theme in the book of Daniel. Because we’re focusing on themes that pervade the entire book, groups can have productive discussions on the big ideas of Daniel no matter when they meet, or how far they are in their reading progress.

Group Leaders, feel the freedom to craft your own discussion questions, use reflection questions from the daily experience, or ask general questions like: What was new to you from this reading?, What has been challenging to you?, What is God teaching you? Be prayerful, observant, and sensitive to your group members as you discern how best to lead.

WEEK 1: POWER OF GOD | DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• In your reading of Daniel, where have you seen God’s power at work most clearly so far?

• Why do you think this theme is presented so strongly in the book of Daniel?

• How does Daniel’s description of God’s power speak to our personal, professional, and political views about authority?

• When have you seen God’s power at work most clearly in your life?

• What situation are you facing now in which you need to be reminded that God is ultimately in control?

Take time to pray as a group for each other and for faith to continue to trust in God.

WEEK 2: ALLEGIANCE TO GOD | DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• In your reading of Daniel, where has the theme of allegiance to God shown up so far?

• Why do you think this theme is presented so strongly in the book of Daniel?

• In the context of a political election, why should this theme matter to us today?

• What things call for allegiance in our lives?

• What should it look like for us to pledge allegiance to God today?

Take time to pray as a group and ask God to reveal what true kingdom allegiance looks like and to provide each person the courage to live it out.

120 | Small Group Discussion Guide WEEK 3: PERSPECTIVE FROM GOD | DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Where have you seen God reveal a new perspective to people in the book of Daniel?

• Why do you think this theme is presented so strongly in the book of Daniel?

• With all that is going on in our world – from the pandemic to protests about racial injustice – it seems almost as though we are experiencing an apocalypse, not in the sense that the world is ending, but in the sense that God is trying to help us see things from His perspective. What do you suppose He might be trying to show us?

• What do you think prevents us from seeing the world as God does?

• How have your eyes been opened through your reading of Daniel?

Take time to pray as a group that God would open our eyes to see the injustices of our world, the needs of our world, how God is at work, and how we can participate in that work.

WEEK 4: HOPE BECAUSE OF GOD | DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Where have you seen God give hope in the book of Daniel?

• Why do you think this theme is presented so strongly in the book of Daniel?

• How have you seen God give hope to the hurting?

• How can you be a beacon of God’s hope to the hurting in our world?

• How could you use some hope right now?

Take time to pray as a group that the hope of God would fill our lives and that we would find strength through remembering what God has accomplished in the past as we look expectantly towards the future.

Small Group Discussion Guide | 121 Bibliography

Collins, John Joseph, and Adela Yarbro Collins. Daniel: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel. Hermeneia— a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.

Goldingay, John. Daniel. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word Incorporated, 1989.

______. Daniel and The Twelve Prophets for Everyone. Old Testament for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2016.

Keener, Craig S., and John H. Walton, eds. NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016.

Longman, Tremper, III. Daniel. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999.

______. How to Read Daniel. How to Read Series. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2020.

Lucas, Ernest. Daniel. Apollos Old Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Apollos; InterVarsity Press, 2002.

______. “Daniel” in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.

Matthews, Victor Harold, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Pace, Sharon. Daniel. Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2008.

Widder, Wendy. Daniel. Story of God Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2016.

Wright, Christopher J. H. Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017.

122 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

DANIEL 7:13–14