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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ002109A
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00:23 Can you guess who's the most popular and powerful super hero 00:27 of all time? There's many to choose from today. Superman, 00:31 Wonder Woman, Batman, 00:33 Holt, Spiderman, Captain America and Ironman, to name just a few. 00:40 By definition, these fantasy figures are brave, courageous, 00:44 faithful, fearless and embody life and hope. They've morphed 00:50 from the realm of big legend and fantasy into larger than life 00:54 characters who captivate our world today through radio, film, 01:00 television and electronic games. Who's the most popular and 01:03 powerful of them all? Well I don't know. I guess that could 01:07 be debated forever because remember, they're just fictional 01:11 characters. There's nothing real about them. But I'd like to tell 01:15 you about one of my all-time favorite super heroes and he's 01:20 for real. There's nothing fictional about him. He's the 01:25 real deal. Like all superheroes he's brave, courageous, faithful 01:30 fearless and yes embodies life and hope. He represents the very 01:37 best attributes of humanity and the ultimate force for good 01:41 imaginable. He represents us at our very best. He's an ideal of 01:46 humanity's true values and morals and is a real life human 01:50 being, one of us. Not some distant icon, some fantasy 01:56 figure. His selflessness, compassion and his desire to 02:02 always do the right thing are traits that we can all learn 02:04 from and aspire to. So stay tuned to hear about one of the 02:10 greatest real life super heroes our planet has ever seen. It may 02:15 be, must maybe, we'll discover the secret of how to develop 02:19 some of these super hero attributes for ourselves. 02:24 ♪ ♪ 02:35 Daniel. The very name of this super hero of God brings vivid 02:41 images to our minds. Dreams of world empires, golden statues, 02:45 fiery furnaces, lions' dens, horns, beasts, powerful angels 02:52 delivering mysterious end time prophecies, the rise and fall of 02:56 great empires through the corridors of time. Few people 03:00 have seen more action packed into one lifetime than Daniel. 03:07 Today we're going to look at the life and times of Daniel and 03:10 consider the special message he has for us today. This is 03:15 Daniel's story. 03:16 ♪ ♪ 03:21 We go all the way back to the year 605 B.C. A great Babylonian 03:27 warrior king, Nebuchadnezzar, went on the war path. He set out 03:31 to invade Jerusalem. In fact the Bible tells us that this ancient 03:36 king made three invading trips to Jerusalem. Three times he led 03:42 his mighty army 1500 km from Babylon across the fertile 03:47 crescent to Jerusalem, and each time inflicted a more severe 03:52 punishment. On his first trip in 605 B.C. he took home with him 04:00 many of the precious utensils he found in Solomon's golden temple 04:04 and in addition he and his troops took hostage a selected 04:09 number of Jewish young people and Daniel was one of those 04:13 taken prisoner. Daniel and his fellow captives were taken north 04:19 from Jerusalem along the Mediterranean coast, then east 04:22 to Carchemish and south along the Euphrates River and finally 04:28 into Babylon located near the modern day city of Baghdad in 04:33 Iraq. The journey covered over 1500 km and probably took about 04:40 two months. They would have known in their hearts that 04:44 they'd probably never see their homes or families again. 04:47 One thing you can say about a long forced march like that one 04:52 is it either breaks you or makes you and by the time Daniel 04:56 arrived in Babylon he'd made some very important decisions. 05:02 Now if you think you live in a high pressure environment, if 05:05 you think you have to succeed in a hostile, very secular world 05:11 then you'll want to get to know Daniel and you'll be very 05:15 interested in what happened next. You see he rose to 05:19 incredible heights and did so in an alien land. His captors tried 05:24 their best to reprogram him but he ended up reprogramming 05:31 history. As a bright young member of Jerusalem's nobility, 05:38 Daniel had been chosen to serve in Nebuchadnezzar's palace. The 05:40 Babylonians wanted to retrain, reteach and reprogram him. 05:45 Eventually they wanted him to worship their God and represent 05:50 their interests. Some of the retrained young men would be 05:55 sent off to rule portions of the vast Babylonian empire and 05:59 that's the predicament Daniel found himself in walking in the 06:03 shadow of Babylon's glorious temples and palaces. He was 06:07 surrounded by an alien and alluring culture with very 06:11 different values and his captors were determined that their 06:17 values would become his values. They wanted to get Babylon 06:22 inside him and Babylon had it all. It was appealing and 06:27 tempting to a bright young mind. Babylon was an advanced, highly 06:33 developed, innovative and sophisticated society. Way back 06:38 in those days they knew all about solving quadratic 06:42 equations, reciprocals, squares and square roots, cube and cube 06:47 root. In fact, they were so advanced that some of their 06:51 system has come down to us today. They were the ones who 06:54 came up with 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour 06:59 and 360 digress in a circle. And Babylonian astronomers were 07:07 world leaders. They carefully recorded eclipses and knew how 07:10 to interpret and predict them. They'd also introduced bills, 07:14 promissory notes, receipts, letters of credit, compound 07:19 interest and even a system of checks. But Babylon was also 07:24 a world leader in some other kinds of knowledge and practices 07:28 The dark arts: Magic, pagan mythology, astrology, divination 07:35 and sorcery permeated their society and Daniel was 07:40 surrounded by all this new, exciting and alluring culture 07:44 with very different values. And that's the challenge that faces 07:48 many of us today. We are surrounded by a culture that is 07:53 increasingly secular. The values we see promoted all around us 07:57 are often opposite from our own. The demands of a materialistic 08:03 world tend to stifle spiritual life. In the razzle dazzle of 08:08 graphic images all around us God is usually left out of the 08:13 picture. So the question is, how do we hang onto important 08:19 values in a hostile environment? How do we keep our faith in the 08:25 middle of Babylon? Amazingly enough Daniel succeeded in doing 08:30 that against all the odds. He thrived in a hostile environment 08:34 After all the attempts to reprogram him, his faith was 08:39 still standing, his values were still standing tall. I believe 08:45 that this young Hebrew has a lot to tell us about succeeding 08:50 spiritually in a secular environment. So let's look at 08:55 what happened to Daniel in exile There was a plan for Daniel and 08:58 some of the more promising of the captives. Here's what it 09:02 says in Daniel chapter 1 and verse 5: 09:19 Daniel and his friends were to have Babylon's finest. They were 09:25 privileged but there was a catch This is isn't just kindness. 09:31 It's a deliberate strategy to turn Daniel and his friends into 09:36 Babylonians through and through. Many of these foods violated 09:41 the health principles and regulations of his religious 09:43 beliefs. They'd been declared unclean in the scriptures 09:47 and much of it 09:48 had been offered to idols and for sure the intoxicating wine 09:53 isn't on his approved list. The law that God gave to the Hebrews 09:58 contained instructions about diet and they'd become a part 10:01 of Daniel's identity. So the Babylonians were really saying 10:06 eat like us, conform to our customs and as the saying goes, 10:12 beggars can't be choosers. A captive has to eat whatever is 10:17 placed before him. Who were these exiles to turn down the 10:21 delicacies of the king himself? So what was Daniel to do? Well 10:28 this is what he did. Look at Daniel chapter 1 and verse 8: 10:44 I love those five words, Daniel purposed in his heart. He made 10:51 up his mind. He made a resolution that he was going to 10:55 be faithful to God. He resolved he wasn't going to lose his 11:00 identity bit by bit. He wasn't going to just keep quiet. Daniel 11:05 asked the chief steward if he could eat something else. This 11:10 man balked. He was afraid to change the menu that the king 11:14 had ordered. But here Daniel showed his true colors. This 11:18 young man proposed what was perhaps the world's first 11:22 comparative dietary study. Here's what it says in 11:25 Daniel chapter 1 verses 12 and 13: 11:49 What was Daniel saying here? He was saying that he and his 11:54 friends would do better if they stuck to God's principles and 11:58 followed the diet that he had prescribed. And furthermore, 12:02 Daniel said that he could prove it. He could prove it in just 10 12:06 days. The steward reluctantly agreed. Two menus were served 12:12 for 10 days and at the end of that period Daniel and his 12:16 friends looked healthier than everyone else. They were doing 12:19 just fine without all that wine and rich food. Daniel has 12:24 something important to teach us here. When his values stuck out 12:30 a bit in the crowd he didn't apologize. He didn't make 12:33 excuses. He wasn't embarrassed about being different. No Daniel 12:39 was confident that God's way was best. God's principles 12:43 produced the best kind of life. Daniel was sure about that. If 12:49 God's way was best in Jerusalem, it would be best in Babylon; 12:55 simple as that. So what can we do to keep our faith strong in 12:58 the middle of Babylon? Well first of all, be confident that 13:04 God's way is best. If God's way is just a bunch of rules, if 13:08 you're just conforming to his will because you have to, then 13:11 you'll conform to something else when you have to. God's way is 13:16 best for you. Believe that. Become convinced of that. If you 13:22 do, you'll stand tall in any environment. Now let's look at 13:27 another challenge young Daniel faced in Babylon. One night King 13:34 Nebuchadnezzar lay awake fretting about a dream that he'd 13:37 had and couldn't quite remember it. It seemed like it was 13:42 important. It seemed like it meant something, but he couldn't 13:45 for the life of him recall what he'd seen. So, in the morning 13:51 the king summoned his wise men, his magicians, enchanters, 13:55 sorcerers and astrologers. He wanted to know what his dream 14:01 meant. They answered confidently Tell us your dream and we'll 14:06 interpret it. But Nebuchadnezzar replied, No, you tell me what I 14:11 dreamed. He figured if they were so great at revealing mysteries 14:15 and interpreting dreams, then they ought to be able to also 14:19 tell him what he'd dreamed. Well the wise men turned pale. They 14:25 couldn't get inside the king's head. They couldn't tell the 14:29 king what he'd dreamed. No one could do that but the gods, they 14:33 said, and they don't live among men. Well Nebuchadnezzar did not 14:38 like to be disappointed so he ordered all the wise men 14:42 executed, and that included Daniel and his friends even 14:46 though they weren't present. Well hearing the soldiers were 14:51 on their way Daniel prayed earnestly to God. He prayed to 14:54 the God who reveals deep and secret things. He prayed for an 14:59 answer. And then Daniel got up off his knees and asked to see 15:03 the king. Daniel did indeed get an audience before 15:07 Nebuchadnezzar and this is what he said to him as recorded in 15:11 Daniel chapter 2 verses 27 and 28: 15:34 Daniel didn't really have the answer for the king. He didn't 15:38 claim to possess secret knowledge as did the other 15:40 Wiseman. He didn't claim to have special powers but he did know 15:46 a God in heaven who reveals secrets. He knew a God who had 15:51 the answers. And on that fateful day Daniel, the Hebrew captive, 15:58 proceeded to tell Nebuchadnezzar precisely what he had dreamed. 16:01 The king had seen the image of a huge metal man made of gold, 16:07 silver, bronze and iron. He watched as a stone smashed into 16:13 the statues feet and broke the entire image into pieces. Then 16:19 Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that in this dream God was giving him 16:23 a glimpse into the future. In fact, he was showing him the 16:28 broad sweep of history right down to the climax of earth's 16:32 history. The image represented a future succession of empires 16:39 from Babylon to Medo-Persia to Greece and Rome and then on into 16:43 the time of modern Europe. That stone represented the kingdom 16:49 of God, which will never be destroyed. This is one of the 16:53 most remarkable prophecies in the Bible. It covers thousands 16:57 of years of world history and it pictures the succession of 17:02 world empires with amazing accuracy. Daniel would rise to 17:07 an honored and trusted place in Nebuchadnezzar's government 17:10 and he did it by not hiding his faith, by not compromising his 17:16 values. He did it by showing people around him that God has 17:21 answers. Don't think that God's truth shrinks just because 17:26 you're surrounded by Babylon, by the secular city. God still has 17:31 answers. God's truth is still relevant. So when you feel the 17:37 walls of Babylon closing in, remember, first of all, believe 17:43 that God's way is best. Second show people that God has 17:50 answers. Now let's look at one more challenge Daniel faced 17:53 while exiled in Babylon. Later we find Daniel 17:57 appearing among the 17:58 governors of King Darius. Now this is a remarkable fact. 18:02 Because Darius was a Mede. He ruled the Medo-Persian empire. 18:08 That's the empire that defeated and succeeded Babylon. A king's 18:13 right hand man doesn't stick around when a kingdom collapses 18:17 or is overthrown. He's usually lucky to keep his head. But 18:22 Daniel had become such a valued advisor that he retained 18:27 a place in court even after Babylon fell and the Medes and 18:31 Persians came to power. In fact, Daniel became one of the three 18:37 most powerful men under King Darius in the whole Medo-Persian 18:41 empire. Here's what the Bible says in 18:44 Daniel chapter 6 and verse 3: 18:59 Well not everyone, of court, was thrilled with this idea. 19:04 High officials in fact were becoming more and more jealous 19:08 of this foreigner among them, this foreigner who'd risen to 19:12 such a high position. They began conspiring against him. They 19:17 looked for something to accuse him of, some indiscretion, some 19:22 way he'd used his position for personal gain. But they couldn't 19:26 come up with a single thing. So, they focused on his religion. 19:30 Maybe they could that to trap Daniel, maybe they could trip him 19:35 up over religion. Daniel was never a part of the worship of 19:40 idols. He had always worshipped one God, the God of heaven. So, 19:45 these officials laid a careful trap for the Hebrew. They 19:49 approached King Darius one day with a flattering suggestion. 19:54 How about having a King Darius month? All petitions should be 19:58 directed to the monarch during this 30-day period. Anyone who 20:03 prays to any other God or man should be cast into a den of 20:08 lions. Well Darius thought this was a nice gesture of loyalty. 20:13 He signed the decree into law. Soon Daniel heard about the 20:18 decree and he realized he was in trouble, big trouble. He 20:24 couldn't pray to Darius anymore that he could pray to a log. But 20:29 what should he do. Well it was only a month. Surely the God of 20:33 heaven could live without his prayers for that long. Maybe he 20:39 could simply hide the fact that he was petitioning Jehovah, the 20:43 one true God, and not King Darius. Well this is what the 20:47 record says Daniel did when he got home. It's found in chapter 20:52 6 and verse 10 of the book of Daniel. 21:10 Look at his courage, look at his faith. Daniel prayed to the God 21:16 of heaven. He wasn't showing off. He wasn't making a 21:20 spectacle of his faith. He was simply following his custom. 21:24 That was Daniel's custom. It's what he'd been doing for years, 21:29 praying to the God who had revealed himself in such a 21:33 special way in that Jerusalem temple. He'd prayed to the God 21:37 of heaven as a youth carried off into exile. He'd prayed to the 21:42 God of heaven when presented with the king's delicacies. He'd 21:46 prayed to the God of heaven when facing execution along with the 21:50 wise men. He'd prayed to the God of heaven when empires collapsed 21:56 and kingdoms changed hands and he was praying still steadfastly 22:01 facing Jerusalem. It was a matter of principle for Daniel. 22:04 He wasn't going to deny his God in order to accommodate an 22:09 arbitrary decree. No. He would simply live out his faith as was 22:15 his custom since early days. Those jealous officials took 22:21 notice. They spotted him at his window and hurried off to court 22:24 to report his violation. King Darius was dismayed when he 22:30 learned that his trusted friend Daniel had been caught. He 22:35 realized too late the true intent of that decree, but he 22:39 couldn't change the royal law. So, Daniel was thrown into a 22:45 den of lions. He spent an entire night with these hungry beasts. 22:51 But in the morning an anxious King Darius found him still 22:54 standing, alive and well. Here's how Daniel put it as recorded 22:59 in Daniel chapter 6 and verse 22 23:09 How do we keep our faith strong in the middle of Babylon. We do 23:15 what Daniel did. We aim to please God. Now that may sound 23:21 simple, but the aim is really important. Because a lot of 23:25 times our aim is toward other people. We're worried about what 23:30 they think of us. We're worried about what they might be 23:33 whispering behind our back. We're concerned about being 23:39 excluded or looked down on. In a very secular environment, we 23:43 often aim one eye at God and the other at the people around us. 23:46 But Daniel prayed with both eyes on the God of heaven. His aim 23:52 was true. His heart was strong. He aimed to please God, not his 23:57 jealous peers. That's what gave his life meaning and stability. 24:04 That's how we survive and thrive in the middle of Babylon. First 24:09 believe that God's way is best. Secondly, believe that God has 24:15 answers and thirdly, aim to please God. Do this and you'll 24:20 come to know for yourself that in every situation, every 24:25 environment, God is faithful. Daniel shows us how to keep 24:30 faith intact even as an exile, even after the fall of Jerusalem 24:36 Even after his whole world had collapsed, his faith was still 24:40 standing. His values were still standing tall. Are you still 24:45 standing today or do you feel a bit pressured, a bit worn down? 24:50 Has your faith taken a beating lately? If you're swaying 24:56 instead of standing please reach out to Daniel's God today. 24:59 Determine that you'll keep standing with the God who 25:04 reveals secrets, the God who plans the future, the God who 25:07 can keep us safe even in the lions' den. Determine that in 25:12 your heart right now as we pray. 25:16 Dear Father, thank you for giving us the shining example 25:21 of Daniel in the courts of Babylon. Thank you for being 25:25 trustworthy. Thank you for coming through in all kinds of 25:30 circumstances. We want to trust you more completely today. We 25:34 affirm the fact that you have the answers. Our aim is to 25:39 please you always. Accept our commitment now in the name of 25:43 our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. 25:48 The story of Daniel has encouraged and inspired people 25:53 all over the world. Few people have seen more action-packed 25:57 into one lifetime than Daniel. He was indeed one of God's real 26:02 life superheroes. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when 26:08 struggling with the challenges of life in a hostile and secular 26:12 world. But if you're looking for ways to live a better life and 26:16 find inner peace and true happiness, if you'd like to get 26:20 closer to God, then I'd like to recommend a free gift we have 26:23 for all our viewers today. It's a free Bible reading guide on 26:29 the book of Daniel. This booklet is our gift to you and is 26:34 absolutely free. There are no costs or obligations whatsoever. 26:37 So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity to receive 26:41 the gift we have for your today. Here's the information you need: 26:46 Phone or text us at 0436333555 in Australia or 0204222042 in 26:59 New Zealand or visit our website www.tij.tv to request today's 27:07 free offer and we'll send it to you totally free of charge and 27:11 with no obligation. Write to us at: 27:32 Don't delay. Call or text us now. 27:36 If you've enjoyed today's journey to ancient Babylon and 27:40 our reflections on the life and times of Daniel, then be sure to 27:44 join us again next week when we will share another of life's 27:48 journeys together. Until then remember the ultimate 27:53 destination of life's journey. Now I saw a new heaven and a new 27:57 earth. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 28:00 There shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. There shall 28:05 be no more pain. For the former things have passed away. 28:09 ♪ ♪ |
Revised 2021-03-01