On the Way to Wonder

Chapter 4 of Daniel tells how the King of Babylon had a second dream. The first dream in Chapter 2 established Daniel’s credibility and stature in his job. The king dreamt Babylon pictured as the golden head of a great statue whose various sections are made up of various metals of declining value. One interpretation would be that the Babylonian empire was greater than all the empires that followed and King Nebuchadnezzar was its head. WOW. We noted

• God is working out of the box, outside Judaism, concerned about other empires and involved in their development also.
• The King did not connect the dream with God’s sovereignty globally
• A great statue resulted with instructions to worship the statue and not the God who sent the dream.
• The Three Men in the Firey Furnace encounter follows and God rescues them.

In Chapter 4 the King has another dream. It might be significant that we now hear the narration from the King’s point of view.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4  King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity! ² The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.

³ How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.

 ⁴  I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace. ⁵ I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me. ⁶ So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, in order that they might tell me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation. ⁸ At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream: 

1. How does King Nebuchadnezzar describe God?__________
2. How is the King’s response to the second dream similar to his response to his first dream? __________________________
3. How is the King’s response different this time? ____________

⁹ “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Hear the dream that I saw; tell me its interpretation.

¹⁰  Upon my bed this is what I saw;
there was a tree at the center of the earth, and its height was great.
¹¹ The tree grew great and strong,  its top reached to heaven,
and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.
¹² Its foliage was beautiful, its fruit abundant, and it provided food for all.
The animals of the field found shade under it, the birds of the air nested              in its branches, and from it all living beings were fed.

4. The King dreamt of a great tree in the center of the earth. The use of a tree to represent a king was common in that day. It might be interesting to draw on a piece of paper a wonderful, productive tree offering shelter. Now name what things in your picture represent in your life. _______________

¹³ “I continued looking, in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and there was a holy watcher, coming down from heaven. ¹⁴ He cried aloud and said:

5 The King visualizes “a holy watcher” that comes down from heaven. How would you represent the holy in your picture?_________________

6 “A holy watcher” probably refers to an angel.

‘Cut down the tree and chop off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from beneath it and the birds from its branches. ¹⁵ But leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field  in the grass of the earth.¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a human, and let the mind of an animal be given to him.  And let seven times pass over him. ¹⁷ The sentence is rendered by decree of the watchers, the decision is given by order of the holy ones, in order that all who live may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals; he gives it to whom he will
and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.’

¹⁸ “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.”

7 The rare condition of a human assuming the actions, mentality of an animal is called boanthropy (bo because the King became like an ox. The condition suddenly comes and suddenly goes.) We all fear the unknown humiliation of some condition overtaking us. The likelihood of developing boanthropy is very minimal but alzheimer’s disease is common today. Perhaps poverty is the shadow in our mind. For many, I suspect the violence of today’s riots is pretty terrifying. What is your Achilles heal? What are you afraid of? _______________________

8 But note, the plight that is to overtake the King is not random but has a purpose, v. 17. What is the purpose?____________________ Please note also that the condition is for a time, not for eternity, to teach a lesson not to support reincarnation.

¹⁹ Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for a while. His thoughts terrified him. The king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies! 

9. How would you describe Daniel’s feelings now for this King who carried Daniel away from is home country and threatened to kill him in chapter 2. Do you remember a time when someone you thought of as an enemy grew into being someone you valued? _________________________________
10. “Speaking truth to power” is an idiom we use that might describe what is happening here. So what do you think is going on with Daniel? ______

²⁰ The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, so that its top reached to heaven and was visible to the end of the whole earth, ²¹ whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and which provided food for all, under which animals of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests— ²² it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven, and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth. ²³ And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him’— ²⁴ this is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵ You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and gives it to whom he will. ²⁶ As it was commanded to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be re-established for you from the time that you learn that Heaven is sovereign. ²⁷ Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.”

11. Daniel gives the King the interpretation followed by sage advice: atone for your sins. Atonement is a big theological word that we usually think of in terms of Jesus atoning for our sins. Atone means to make amends for past wrongs or offenses. Put “at” “one”, atone, return to a previous state. Jesus’ atonement puts us at – one with God, restored to our pre-fall state with God. What might Nebuchadnezzar have to “atone”? ________________
12. Daniel follows with advise to repay your “iniquities with mercy to the oppressed.” Ouch. That one hits closer to home as we hear cries for justice from our streets. No specific actions are defined. But I do draw from this study that God is concerned about the King’s acceptance of God’s sovereignty, about the plight of the downtrodden, and uses ordinary people (foreigners) to work out His purposes. Is there someone or something this brings to your mind that you need to work on restoring at-oneness with? ___________

Study 8 Daniel 3:8-30   June 3, 2020

     We have been following Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they adjust to their new country where they were forced to go through military conquest. Test 1 was diet. We saw Daniel negotiate with the head steward for a ten-day trial diet that allowed them to observe Jewish dietary laws. Success. Test 2 was revealing an unknown dream of the king and then give an interpretation. This time Daniel plead for time and called his friends to prayer. Success. Test 3, the dream of the king being a giant statue and the king is the golden head of a statue. Now a statue has been built and all have been ordered to worship it. Public defiance seems to be their strategy this time. Let’s read.

⁸ Accordingly, at this time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, shall fall down and worship the golden statue, ¹¹ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

1. When the time of public celebration comes, our heroes refuse. Perhaps you will remember that is what got Mordecai in trouble in the book of Esther. Their non-compliance was noted and reported. If feels a bit like tattling to me but it is obvious our heroes chose passive resistance. Our whole country and other places in the world are expressing outrage right now over unnecessary deaths of people of color and demonstrations are occurring nationwide. Hmmm. In fact, Christianity has lived in tension with government rulers through out history. I want to applaud the Biblical heroes who confronted misused power but I feel the tension with the command to turn the other cheek..
2. I assured my daughter that I was alive for the Watts riots, for Vietnam, for Civil rights demonstrations and I suspect most of you were too. We carry those memories. Others carry memories of unjust divorces and other conflicts that has left deep scars and fears of conflict. As you reflect on a time of conflict, how was conflict handled back in the day? ________________ How would you describe “nonviolent resistance”?___________________________ Advantages/Disadvantages________________________
3. Reflect on what parameters and guidelines you have in your thinking to help you navigate opposition to situations you find you don’t agree with? ____________________________

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in; so they brought those men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. ¹⁷ If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. ¹⁸ But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

4. Our three men, minus Daniel, are confronted by the king about their public stance and given a chance to recant. Write three adjectives you might use to describe their response to the king? ________
5. Read Matthew 5: 23 and Matthew 18:15-17. Are these Biblical guidelines for resolving disputes workable for you? _________
6. Looking at the men’s response, might lead us to reflect on how our faith hinges on prayers being answered the way we think God should act. Have you felt that way? _______________

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace heated up seven times more than was customary, ²⁰ and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹ So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics, their trousers, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. ²² Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was so overheated, the raging flames killed the men who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³ But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

7. The king was filled with rage. Today we face rage at injustice. Heating a furnace seven times hotter sounds like the burning going on today. What solution might we offer?   I note the innocent men that died from the order. I note the “cross” the three had to face. I bow my head in grief. That must have been terrifying.
8. How do you understand the power of the cross to defeat evil, rage? _________________________________________

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.” ²⁵ He replied, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god.”^[e] 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ²⁷ And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunics were not harmed, and not even the smell of fire came from them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that utters blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” ³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

9. God did choose to protect the three men in the fiery furnace. That does not always happen. Are there elements of this part of the story that stand out to you?
10. Prayer is never pointless regardless of how God chooses to act. Let us be faithful to pray for people of all races caught in the furnace of riots and rage today.

Study 7 Daniel 3:1-7 (May 27, 2020)

Israeli youth, Daniel and his three friends, were captured and taken to Babylon (Iran) to be trained in Nebuchadnezzar’s service as a wise men, knowledgeable in language, customs, and procedures. In chapter 2 Daniel interprets a terrifying dream had by the king. God wants the king to understand that his kingdom is like the golden head of a great statue; other kingdoms to come will be of less valuable metals. We suspect God is also stating His sovereignty. The king is delighted as Daniel shares how God not only revealed the nature of the dream but also the interpretation. There seems to be no action plan implied. The king honors Daniel. Daniel gets a promotion and praises God.

Today we hear that the king has now built a golden statue, approximately 90 feet tall and nine feet wide, out on the plains. That is ¼ as tall as the Great Pyramid. That is about 1/3 the height of the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben. Impressive. I would suspect the dream may have inspired the statue but that is not stated.

1. We thought about “inspiration” and “revelation” in light of Daniel’s explanation of the king’s dream. Inspiration can also be a creative, forward, source for projects to be undertaken. The solution to a troublesome homework problem comes to mind and needs to be tried. Perhaps you have had ideas of something to sew, something to do in woodwork, something to grow in your garden. Can you think of one of those creative experiences when you really felt proud of what you produced? Describe that project. ______________________________
2. What were the hopes and aspirations attached to the project? ______________________________

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue whose height was sixty cubits and whose width was six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent for the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to assemble and come to the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³ So the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

3. Perhaps you can remember the opening ceremony or dedication of Bethany or some similar event. In Kenya, the tradition at the opening of a house or the naming of a child was that a goat had to be slaughtered, a goat roast and all guests fed. Ah, perhaps we can think of the traditions associated with a wedding. Describe the dedication _________________________________
4. Who was invited? ____________________________
5. What food was prepared? ______________________
6. Who spoke? _________________________________
7. What was important to you? _____________________

Most of us are not kings nor have inherited that power but let’s read Nebuchadnezzar’s orders.

When they were standing before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up, ⁴ the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.” ⁷ Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Lest we be too hard on Nebuchadnezzar, let us not forget what happened to people in our tradition who disagreed with the reigning monarch; religious wars between Catholics and Protestants in England, Ireland; tribal wars in other parts of the world; our political powers arguing about who should be impeached. Elimination of opposition is perhaps more human than we care to admit. It is in stark opposition to this attitude that Jesus’ command to love our enemy. Christianity stands counter-culturally.

8. Can you think of people who have opposed, thought differently about challenges you faced, and whom you thought you would have liked to disappear, be eliminated from the conversation? How? _____________________________________________
9. Hmmm, this seems to get to a sensitive subject that we can reflect on safely in sheltering. Are there people I have held a grudge against but am called to forgive? ____________
10. Whom do I struggle with that I could do a kind deed to this week? What? When? ______________________________

Today we finish Chapter 2 of Daniel. Our young man, carried off to Babylon, was chosen and trained in his new culture to be a “wise man.” Perhaps he was in the king’s office of cultural affairs but we know he was not in the church, just an ordinary person doing his job. BUT, culture and faith always live in tension and we see that in Daniel. First he feels the rub with dietary expectations. He negotiates for a trial period to live within his religious restrictions, and passes. So far, so good. Then the king has a terrifying dream and demands that his wise men tell him the dream and interpret it for him. There is no indication Daniel is in that meeting. The men cannot and in-fact believe no one can but the gods can and “they do not live with men.” Death is ordered for all the “wise men.” Hmmmm.

The executioner, Arioch, arrived at Daniel’s door last week. Daniel had the situation explained to him and went to the king to ask for time. He and his friends pray. Today we pick up our story as Daniel has indeed received “wisdom” from the gods! “ v. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”

Let’s continue:

            ²⁴ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation.”

²⁵ Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can tell the king the interpretation.” ²⁶ The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” ²⁷ Daniel answered the king, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, ²⁸ but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed were these: ²⁹ To you, O king, as you lay in bed, came thoughts of what would be hereafter, and the revealer of mysteries disclosed to you what is to be. ³⁰ But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me because of any wisdom that I have more than any other living being, but in order that the interpretation may be known to the king and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

1. Today we reflect on this. I believe we would call this “inspiration,” “revelation,” or what? For my master’s I had to read a professor from Stanford University. His sociological explanation of life had perhaps three categories: social, psychological, and environmental but then he posited a fourth category he call “fortuitous events.” He had to agree, while not giving credit to God, that things happen that change the course of events, change understanding of how 1+1=2, and impact our life direction. I put down the phone, having accepted to go to a conference that the synod would pay half way if I could find the cost of the other half. I walked to the mailbox and there was a check from our home church for the exact cost of the conference donated by an anonymous person. Never before and never since has that happened. I credit God. It was a “fortuitous event.” Have you ever had a dream that illumined a problem you were grappling with? Been inspired right when you needed to perform? Reflect and think of a time where you received inspiration, an answer, an insight that just popped into your head and impacted your life. _____________________________
2. Perhaps it is significant that Daniel confesses that he was given insight, not for his own advancement, but for the king’s insight. The word we might use here is “humility.” One of the characteristics of Daniel, a man esteemed by God, an employee of the king was humility. What does humility look like to you?________ Synonym____________ antonym_______________ Describe an experience with a humble person________________.

 ³¹ “You were looking, O king, and lo! there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; it was standing before you, and its appearance was frightening. ³² The head of that statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, ³³ its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. ³⁴ As you looked on, a stone was cut out, not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. ³⁵ Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

3. The king’s dream is of a giant statue. We shall learn next that it is a picture of the kingdoms of the world. A rock hits the statue and shatters it. Today we might think of the kingdoms of the world as a globe being struck by a meteor. Can you think of an image that would share a sense of how you understand the kingdom’s of your world? ______________
4. What kingdom would you put at the center of your image?_________________________          And what might threaten or shatter it?__________________

³⁶ “This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. ³⁷ You, O king, the king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory, ³⁸ into whose hand he has given human beings, wherever they live, the wild animals of the field, and the birds of the air, and whom he has established as ruler over them all—you are the head of gold. ³⁹ After you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over the whole earth. ⁴⁰ And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron; just as iron crushes and smashes everything, it shall crush and shatter all these. ⁴¹ As you saw the feet and toes partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but some of the strength of iron shall be in it, as you saw the iron mixed with the clay. ⁴² As the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. ⁴³ As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so will they mix with one another in marriage but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴ And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever; ⁴⁵ just as you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has informed the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation trustworthy.”

5. Daniel gives the interpretation. The statue represents four kingdoms. For historical interpreters who understand the symbols to be historical facts equate the gold head with the Babylonians, the silver chest and arms as the Media-Persian kingdom, the bronze belly and thighs to be the Greeks, and the iron legs to be the Roman empire. The rock that rises up is the kingdom of God that shall eventually emerge with eternal dominion. The advantage of these 20^th century interpretations is hindsight. The test of a prophet is that the prophecy takes place but at this point in the story, the future…is future. Many scholars would do a more general summary. Kingdoms rise and fall but God’s kingdom “shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people.” I wonder what about this message impacted the king and what impacts us. So what can we draw from this?
6. Agree,Disagree                                                                                                                                         God works outside the box. God cares about non-Christian kings and kingdoms. God is aware of world events. So what might that imply as we ponder the impact of Covid-19 on Christian “kingdoms” today?_____________________________________  
7. How might the symbol of the rock smashing the statue shed light on the role of the kingdom of God in our world?____________________________________
8. How might the assurance of the coming of the kingdom of God impact the king or us? _________________________

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshiped Daniel, and commanded that a grain offering and incense be offered to him. ⁴⁷ The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery!” ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel, gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

9. The king seems to acknowledge Daniel and Daniel’s god. What seems to be missing? Has he become a “believer” or what is missing? _________
10. Daniel is promoted but Daniel does not forget his friends and speaks up for their benefit also. Daniel was humble but also recognized his support team. Who is your support team? _________________________________________          How might you show appreciation this week? __________

Last week we looked at how a secular event, the king after a nightmare demands an explanation from his wise men, has deeply impacted Daniel’s life. We shall see that while Daniel does not seem to be directly summoned with the wise men called to the king, the results of that meeting, threaten his life. The wise men could not tell the king his dream nor its explanation and so the execution of all wise men was ordered. The soldiers come to Daniel’s door.

It seems to me we live in a similar sort of time and can draw some applications from this passage. Our leaders are all trying to figure out how to deal with the present pandemic. National guidelines are set, state guidelines are set, and actually demographic (people over 65 with underlying health conditions) guidelines are set. Rules are being set. Wear masks. Wear gloves. Distance. Corona is at our door threatening our life with mandates from higher authorities. Let’s read the historical account.

¹² Because of this the king flew into a violent rage and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. ¹³ The decree was issued, and the wise men were about to be executed; and they looked for Daniel and his companions, to execute them. ¹⁴ Then Daniel responded with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the king’s chief executioner, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵ he asked Arioch, the royal official, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. ¹⁶ So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation.

1. In chapter 1, Daniel encounters the kings steward and bargains for a ten day trial diet. Today he encounters the kings executioner at his door. Daniel is now facing “the police.” He is not facing the guardian of the young men but the official enforcer. This is intense! “Daniel responded with prudence and discretion to Arioch.”
2. I note the officer has been identified by name. He is seen as a person in his own right.                                                                                                                                             A. Daniel responds with “prudence.” Can you give a synonym, a similar word or two for prudence?__________________                                                                                      B. Can you give an example of needing to respond with prudence? Makes me think of talking to the officer who pulls me over for speeding, speaking with a librarian about a fine, or??__________________________                                                                         C. What might be the opposite of prudence?_________________                                             D. Discretion means_________________
3. I note that Daniel now goes to the king. He carries his request to a higher person. He realizes the issue is not between him and the executioner but between him and the king. What clues us that we need to go to a higher authority?______________________
4. I now note that Daniel does not engage the king in a power or control argument but bargains for time. Do we have bargaining power with enforcers of Covid restrictions?___________________________                                                                           What might we bargain for? ________________________

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his home and informed his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹⁸ and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and. his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon might not perish. 

5. Daniel goes to his community. He does not play the Lone Ranger. What are the advantages and disadvantages of “group thought”? ______________________
6. Daniel tells them to seek “mercy.” He is not going to right/wrong thinking like the earlier discussion last week. Likewise we now see Daniel take the issue to an even higher authority, “the God of heaven.” How is a prayer for mercy different from a prayer for justification of your position? _____________________________
7. Daniel & Co pray not only for their salvation but mercy for all the wise men. Perhaps we might ponder our territorial tendencies in prayer – bless my people!

¹⁹ Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

²⁰ Daniel said:
“Blessed be the name of God from age to age,
for wisdom and power are his.
²¹ He changes times and seasons,
deposes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding.
²² He reveals deep and hidden things;

    he knows what is in the darkness,
and light dwells with him.
²³ To you, O God of my ancestors,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and power,
and have now revealed to me what we asked of you,
for you have revealed to us what the king ordered.”

8. Daniel receives the answer to his prayer. Daniel “blesses” the God of heaven. Reread his prayer of blessing. List five things Daniel is thankful for._____________
9. During this time of sheltering restrictions that we struggle with, can you think of five things you would praise God for today? Share with a friend. _______________

Study 4: Daniel 2: 1-11, (May 6, 2020) Called to the “Principal’s Office”

In Chapter 1 of the book of Daniel, we learned that Daniel and his three friends have been part of the captives taken from Jerusalem to Babylon around 500BC, have been chosen to be trained in the wisdom of their new country, and have started figuring our how to navigate the cultural challenges presented in dietary regulations. Perhaps we are not captives under a foreign power but as Christians, we juggle our understanding of our faith and our culture. Today we live in the shadow of Covid-19 virus and upcoming elections. How we navigate the “truth” of the various groups we interface with is an internal decision. Today we are going to look at the roots of an external conflict that impacted Daniel’s life. We too face impossible expectations and challenges that impact our lives.

In the narrative, the king has a dream and demands that the wise men of his country not only explain the dream but also remind him what the dream was about. Perhaps he was trying to find out if the wise men were wise or perhaps he awoke from sleep, shaking all over and too traumatized to remember the nightmare.

Daniel 2

2 In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. ² So the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. When they came in and stood before the king, ³ he said to them, “I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.” 

1. Can you remember a time when you were “called to the principal’s office,” too scared to do what you had been asked to do? We talk about “sweaty palm experiences or just going “blank.” Describe that experience and remember the associated feeling._____________
2. The king was so unsettled he turned to his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to help him. Who are the people in our society that you might turn to? Why?______________________

⁴ The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic), “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.” ⁵ The king answered the Chaldeans, “This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. ⁶ But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.” 

3. What was the cost of failure? ______________________________
4. What was the reward for success? _________________________

Perhaps a point of reflection is that when the risk of failure outweighs  the potential for success, fear becomes a voice that is hard to ignore and can paralyze us. As a young child I was given swimming lessons  to help me develop self-confidence, doctor’s orders. At the final, the teacher asked for volunteers to jump off the high dive. I, so much wanting to impress my mother, volunteered and climbed the ladder. At the top of the ladder, the distance to the bottom had doubled or   tripled! The perspective was sooooo different. I couldn’t do it and    backed down inI humiliation – preferable to death! I carried the family title “fearling” ever after. What tips the balance you?________

⁷ They answered a second time, “Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.” ⁸ The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see I have firmly decreed: ⁹ if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.” 

5. Tunnel vision. Notice that as the tension rises both sides of the conversation become stuck in their position. Unlike chapter 1 where Daniel negotiates for a 10 day trial period for his diet, the king and his advisors are stuck in their positions. Fear can paralyze. Are there other conditions that paralyze you? Exhaustion? Grief? What helps us get “unstuck?”_______________________________________

¹⁰ The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. ¹¹ The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.

6. “no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” Agree-disagree                                                                                                          A. There are challenges that only the gods know the answer_______                              B. the gods do not dwell with mortals. _____________________________                                C. Where do we find them? ________________________________________
7. Are there challenges I am facing today that feel like enormous tasks facing me? What is your prayer request? _________________________

Study 3 Daniel 1: 5-21 Values Clarification (April 29, 2020)

The Book of Daniel takes place in modern day Iraq, involving a small group of Jewish young men taken captive into exile there. They are not prophets, priests, or kings, just ordinary people like us. They were chosen to be trained in the knowledge of their new home. We have gone through schools, training programs, and contributed to the on going of our secular culture like the young men in the Book of Daniel. Also we navigate society on the basis of beliefs that characterize our lives and hopefully are observable to others. Today Daniel and friends face their first “values clarification” experience, when beliefs clash with the dominant cultural practices.

1. Before we start, reflect on the setting? What might have been “the rub” for these young men in their new culture because of the transition from Israel to Iraq? _______________________________________________ OK, that might be hard to imagine so let’s ponder where the conflicts are for immigrants coming to the USA? Where is “the rub” when they approach life differently? ______________________________________________ Now reflect on what aspects of the USA culture grates on your nerves? ______________________________________________                     Let’s read our text and see what issue Daniel & Co decided to focus on.

5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. They were to be educated for three years, so that at the end of that time they could be stationed in the king’s court. 6 Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah. 7 The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. 9 Now God allowed Daniel to receive favor and compassion from the palace master. 10 The palace master said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king; he has appointed your food and your drink. If he should see you in poorer condition than the other young men of your own age, you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel asked the guard whom the palace master had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 You can then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the royal rations, and deal with your servants according to what you observe.” 14 So he agreed to this proposal and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating the royal rations. 16 So the guard continued to withdraw their royal rations and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams.

18 At the end of the time that the king had set for them to be brought in, the palace master brought them into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar, 19 and the king spoke with them. And among them all, no one was found to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were stationed in the king’s court. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel continued there until the first year of King Cyrus.

2. Daniel &Co chose to focus on dietary regulations of their religion.   You might enjoy reviewing Leviticus 11 that deals the dietary laws for the Jews. Diets are huge fads for us too. Remember Atkins, Keto, Weight Watchers? Face Book continually advertises ways to deal nutritionally with diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and overweight. We have not even entered discussions of food allergies. Food is a huge thing and part of our identity. What diet did Daniel propose? ______________________     What are the advantages of this diet? ______________ Problems _____________
3. Diets while personal decisions, create implications for the other. How did the steward respond when presented with Daniel’s request? _____ What were his problems with Daniel’s proposal?___________________
4. Since we meet virtually, let me name a hypothetical issue of our day. Let’s pick swearing, the use of God’s name carelessly, breaking the second commandment. I ask my children not to swear, at least in our house. So let’s think about it. What are some of the reasoning that might support this request? ___________________________________________________ What might be some of the benefits? __________________________ How does this request impact the lives of the other? _________________
5. When met by the steward’s resistance, Daniel negotiates. He proposes a trial period of 10 days. As you think of the issue that irritates you, pick one and ponder what a trial period might look like. __________________
6. At the end of the trial period, what marked Daniel’s plan as successful. _________________________                                                             What would mark success of your suggestion? __________________

The Bible mentions now that Daniel also had gifts in interpreting dreams. This will become important later but for now, Daniel got his “toe in the door” with his diet. I note there is no indication that Daniel advised it for the whole court. It seems that Daniel chose to stand up for personal integrity with his religious values. Perhaps “faithfulness in small things” resulted in opportunities for further use of spiritual gifts and resulting opportunities to witness to his faith.

7. Identify an arena where faithfulness in small details, while perhaps a bit nit-picky in nature, might establish your character and open the door for sharing the faith that is foundational to your life?___________________
8. Share with a friend about your thoughts and set a period of time when you will pray for each other.

Daniel 1: 3,4 Chosen (April 22, 2020)

Last week we placed the book of Daniel in history and geography. We placed ourselves historically and pondered the historical influences that have formed our lives. This week we will ponder Daniel’s qualifications to be used by God…and ours. Was there anything that made him special?

³ Then the king commanded his palace master Ashpenaz to bring some of the Israelites of the royal family and of the nobility, ⁴ young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 

Daniel was chosen as one of many young men to be trained.

1. What were his qualifications. ______________________
2. Now think about your training, perhaps application for college, perhaps apprenticeship, perhaps enlistment into the armed services? What qualifications did you have?______________________

Daniel was chosen “to serve in the palace.”

3. What do you imagine that might have meant? _____________
4. Nobility chosen to serve, what tensions might Daniel have struggled with? ______________________________________
5. Now reflect on those first years of service in your “career.” My first year of probation hall was a very steep learning curve. I had to find a voice! I jumped out of the frying pan of probation into junior high math teacher with the low achievers!!! If I could have afforded to quit I would have or if I could have found someone to marry me and rescue me, I would have jumped. Lessons learned!   What challenges did you face, or lessons learned? ______________
6. What helped you persevere? ___________________________
7. Hmmmm, could immigrants living us, be going through similar challenges? How might we help them? _________________

Daniel was not a priest or theologian but an ordinary person caught in social upheaval, chosen to be trained. Spend time thanking God for times you have been chosen and the challenges and blessings that came with it.

Daniel 1: 1,2 Introductions (April 15, 2020)

The book of Daniel is the fifth major prophet book in the Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations by Solomon, Ezekiel and then Daniel. All are major books as they lived as significant times in the history of Israel and were “the voice of God” to his people. The man, Daniel, was not a theologian like Paul, not a doctor like Luke, nor a fisherman like Peter but was one of the captives taken from Jerusalem to “the land of Shinar” i.e. Babylonia, originally where the Tower of Babel was located (Gen. 10:10; 11:2), and what is now modern day Iraq.

The book of Daniel was written in the second century BC and has two major divisions. The first six chapters were written in Aramaic about adventures of Daniel in the court while the last six chapters were written in Hebrew with more apocalyptic visions. That means they were more prophetic about the future whereas the first six are more relating how Daniel lived out his gifts in the intrigues of court life. Perhaps the question we seek wisdom for is how a teacher, a businessman, a retiree, an ordinary person maintains integrity is secular culture.

The goal of the study is not to do an in-depth analysis of the book of Daniel as I am not a Biblical scholar but to ponder how God might be speaking to our lives today. We will look at this famous book, not to discern images of end-times but to see how a man living in difficult times, lived out his faith. So we are going to start with “introductions.” The Bible sets the book of Daniel historically and geographically.

I invite you to join me with a pen, a piece of paper to write your answers and a favorite drink.

Daniel 1: 1a In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah,

• Jehoiakim was the second son of Josiah (the boy who became king at age 8), king from 609-598 BC after his father had died and his older brother was removed from the throne by an Egyptian invasion and he was made king. His name was changed from Eliakim to Jehoiakim. He was the next to the last king of Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, centered around Jerusalem.
• 1.  What historical leaders define our lives? For a few it might be Uncle Ike, but for most of us it is JFK, or Clinton, and maybe Obama? Each name raises images of cultural struggles that have formed our lives and defined us – Vietnam, Desert Storm, Civil Rights, 9/11, turn of the century, Twin Towers or Covid-19. What historical people and events have formed you? ______________

1b King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.  ² The Lord let King Jehoiakim of Judah fall into his power, as well as some of the vessels of the house of God. These he brought to the land of Shinar, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his gods.

• Nebuchadnezzar is famous for rebuilding the Babylonian empire, building the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World). He destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and initiated the Babylonian captivity, attacking Jerusalem twice.
• Perhaps of note is that the Lord allowed this to happen. We start this study right after Easter where we pondered Jesus, MIA. God does not always choose to miraculously save His people. I would note the difference between “God caused this to happen” and “God let this happen.”                                                                                  2. Can you think of a time in your life when God seemed to step back and allow a difficult situation unfold, challenging your faith? ______________________________        3. Now as you reflect on that situation, can you see lessons learned or benefits from living through that difficult time? ______________                                                                4. What helped your faith during those “silent” times? ___________
• “Some of the vessels of the house of God” were taken into captivity. I think of 1 Samuel 4,5 when the Philistines capturing the Ark of God. I think of Sampson being captured and imprisoned. Later in Daniel we will see these vessels play an important role but for now, we note that God’s ways are not always understandable or predictable. Debate reigns in the USA today as that which we think of as sacred, is not respected by the dominant culture: statues of the Ten Commandments, rules surrounding the Sabbath, and perhaps more.                                                                     5. Where do you struggle the most with the dominant culture today? __________

6. Summary: The Bible has introduced the book of Daniel, geographically, historically, and somehow socially. Write your introduction that could be posted on line should you choose as a comment, or be shared with friends when we can again meet. _____________________________________

As we go through this study we will see how Daniel was caught in the unfolding swirl of his day. We might get some clues on how to cope with our changing realities.