Recap: Daniel 1-2, John 1-2
We kicked off to a good start last week. Though we were set back by way of the longer but more meaningful messages of exhortation for giving and for Holy Communion, we were able to cover what we said we would cover – that is, the first 2 chapters of Daniel and John.
There was a lot to discuss. For Daniel 1 I remember mentioning God’s authority not only to assign but also to move power and authority, our point that it’s the name that the Lord gives us that sticks, more than any other name assigned to us. We also spent a little more time talking about Daniel’s ‘test’ – of their ‘team’ eating only vegetables and water for 10 days while the other wise men went on their way, eating food served to the King, and drinking the wine the King drank; Bottom line, yes, it’s what comes out of our mouths that defiles us, but it’s what goes into our mouths that defines whether how effective we are with the gifts given to us.
We spent even more time with the story in Daniel 2: We discussed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the inability of his ‘wise’ men to remember the dream and consequently interpret it. Through this story we pointed out how we definitely have our limitations, but we also have our unworldly demands – and only when we call out to the Lord are we given revelations beyond said limitations and demands; or, beyond what we can dream or realize. Daniel’s prayer led to God’s revelation, and we pointed out that the first thing Daniel did was to praise the Lord – Which continues to validate our claim that the revelations of the Lord are definitely beyond what we can think, that we respond in awe, and in worship.
Of course, we also talked about Nebuchadnezzar’s actual dream, and how the statue of gold, then silver, then bronze, then iron, then clay and iron represented kingdoms that would follow his own. We went through Daniel’s continued revelation and interpretation, and took note of the stone ‘which was not formed by human hands‘ which rolled down and stuck the statue at the feet, resulting in the statue and all it was made from being broken beyond repair, shattered.
Finally, as Daniel was led to praise the Lord, so revelation also leads others to whom we have shared, to praise Him as well. Kings and exiles praise the Lord upon receiving His revelations.
For lack of time we skipped John 1:1-18, and a couple more points, before I decided to point out how, when people have questions, Christ does not hold back in saying, ‘Come and see’. He told this to two of the disciples of John the Baptist, and when Philip encountered a cynical Nathanael about Him, he said the same thing: ‘Come and see‘; The point here being both the faithful and the cynical are continually called to ‘Come and see‘; and, in similar fashion to how Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar responded, when Jesus revealed to Nathanael that He was the One who saw him first, well, that was apparently enough for the latter to proclaim, right then and there: Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel! (John 1:49)
One revelation leads to another, just as we move from glory to glory: Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” (John 1:50)
John 2 was where we were supposed to talk about the wedding feast in Cana, and I wanted to point out how Christ turned ritual cleansing water into celebratory wine… but, again, we ran out of time. Instead, I emphasized on how Christ was confronted after His actions in the temple grounds, where He made a whip of cords, turned tables over and drove away the moneylenders and the bird vendors, telling them: Do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.
Like the King’s food and wine, we’re not to indulge ourselves and use our gifts for our own pleasure or gain; No, I could imagine Christ turning the tables and driving away all that is detrimental in our own beings, so we’re temples that glorify the Lord by way of maximizing our gifts.
I get it, that’s a stretch. And I didn’t say that when I was actually sharing, nor do I know if I should include that on the recap… but what I definitely talked about was Christ’s exchange with the Pharisees, who asked Him what sign He would show them for what He did at the temple.
To this, Christ responded that He would ‘tear this temple down‘ (which we know, in our day and age, refers to Himself), and that He would raise it up again in 3 days. And this is where I mentioned how Christ was the Cornerstone which was the first stone laid at the foundation… if only to connect it to the Stone which was not formed by men, which rolled down the hill and struck and destroyed the statue Nebuchadnezzar built.
Funny, it’s only now that I noticed that we can actually go back to the ‘loop’ of Trusting and Revelations, because it’s actually in Isaiah 28:16 where we read of the Cornerstone:
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’
Put this together with what was said of the stone which was the statue’s folly…
But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.Daniel 2:35
And Daniel’s interpretation:
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces 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 a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”Daniel 2:44-45
Christ is the stone which signifies the end of human empires, and the beginning of a kingdom that shall stand forever.
So what’s really going on here is that I’m just putting all this together just so I have a proper ‘ending’ for this portion of the series, considering that I didn’t think I ended on such a good note when I actually delivered. Hence, the underlined statements which I put together more neatly here, before I keep going down this road of glory (Daniel) and grace (John).
Two things we ultimately picked up from this walk through Daniel 1-2 and John 1-2:
both the faithful and the cynical are continually called to ‘Come and see‘.
it’s what comes out of our mouths that defiles us, but it’s what goes into our mouths that defines whether how effective we are with the gifts given to us.
First, it’s what we give our attention to that determines how effective we are with the gifts and blessings given to us.
But how do we know if what we are focused on is good for us?
Kings and exiles praise the Lord upon receiving His revelations.
Second: Christ is the stone which signifies the end of human empires, and the beginning of a kingdom that shall stand forever.
Amen. Before I forget here’s something else I’d like to keep mentioning as we go through this.
DISCLAIMER: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.2 Timothy 3:16-17
I believe that what we discuss for today does not cover everything in complete detail. I preach in good faith that the Lord will make all of it work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
If you are spurred on by the Holy Spirit to dive deeper into today’s Scripture, I am encouraging you to do so, and am open to a beautiful exchange of revelations.
In other words, I can’t cover everything, but it is my prayer that through our discussion, you may be made divinely ‘curious’ and read the Bible yourself, through the lens of Christ and His finished work.
Today I decided to do things different. First, I only pointed out or drilled down on one particular event per chapter (which was pretty easy considering each chapter had 2 to 3 events at most); Second, I ‘paired’ chapters according to how they connected, saving me some time.
Daniel 3
In the third chapter of Daniel, the following topics are covered:
- The Fiery Furnace
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”Daniel 3:24-25
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside 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 speaks anything 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 rescue in this way.”Daniel 3:28-29
I shared on how Christ is with us in our own ‘fires’ – it may burn everything else around us, but in Christ’s presence we will not be burned.
Also, I pointed out how Nebuchadnezzar, looking from the outside in, ended up praising the Lord.
John 4
In the fourth chapter of John, the following topics are covered:
- Jesus and the Woman of Samaria
- Jesus heals an Official’s son
I chose to point out Christ with the Samaritan in the Well of Water, in contrast to Christ with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace. I didn’t talk too much about the exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, save for when He mentioned the following:
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
In Christ’s presence we will not be burned from the outside in, and here we read of how we will overflow with living water from the inside out. In fact, I misquoted this verse – instead of mentioning the ‘spring of water’, I mentioned ‘rivers of living water bursting forth from our bellies’ – Which is actually from John 7. I’ll need to point that out next Sunday.
For this Wednesday, or also for this coming Sunday, I’d like to elaborate if only for a while on the following Scriptures:
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”John 4:21-26
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”John 4:34-38
And if I have even more time, I’d like to cover this, too:
47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.John 4:47-53
To wrap up, I put Daniel 4 and John 3 together.
Daniel 4
The fourth chapter of Daniel is presented as King Nebuchadnezzar’s ‘testimony’.
The following topics are covered:
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream, Daniel’s Interpretation
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation and Restoration
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” Daniel 4:4-18
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”Daniel 4:19-27
29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. Daniel 4:29-33
Now I’d like to go through this in more detail when I have the time… but I will just share that I summarized the dream and its interpretation and its implementation – meaning what really happened to Nebuchadnezzar.
I pointed out how if we grow big enough, we may find ourselves attempting to reach out branches as high as the heavens and the stars, and end up humbled, to a point that we would be made as beasts…
34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Daniel 4:34-36
Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.Daniel 4:1-3
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.Daniel 4:37
But at the end of it all, Nebuchadnezzar ended up praising the Lord, just as he did right after calling Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of the fire.
John 3
In the third chapter of John, the following topics are covered:
- Jesus & Nicodemus:
- You Must Be Born Again
- For God So Loved The World
- John The Baptist Exalts Christ
Of course, for lack of time, I chose to talk about the discussion between Nicodemus and Jesus.
Of all the things, Jesus chose to share this to Nicodemus:
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.John 3:1-17
Of course, we just had to emphasize on John 3:16. However, I wanted to point it out in contrast to Nebuchadnezzar. He gloried in all His works, and ended up as a beast for seven years. Reminds me of Herod, who took the praises of the people, who wanted to elevate him as a God, only to be struck down, dead and humiliated.
Here, we read in the verse so known and loved by the world – that God was the One who sent His Son; From the elevated heavenlies, to be born as One of us, and to lay His life down.
Self-exaltation results in our humiliation
Humility brought Christ to glory – and our Salvation.
If I do have time, I would like to also cover this section where John the Baptist exalts Christ.
25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.John 3:25-36
In closing I shared what I learned from our discussion last Friday, particularly the following:
Legacy is no longer in the forefront. Christ is.
There’s pivot of thinking. There’s a renewal of the mind. There ARE revelations.
We’re moving from ‘faking it till you make it’, and ‘rebuking the sickness/poverty/spirit of this and that’, to proclaiming that the Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness, our right standing with God, His being with us in all the pain and suffering, and greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world.
There’s a greater emphasis, a deeper application of our true trust in the Lord, and the glory and grace follows.
I didn’t come as prepared – in fact, more overwhelmed than prepared… but I thank God for causing it all to work for the good of those who love Him.
I wish (1) to continue sharing everything else I gathered from this at later times, and (2) to learn and implement ways to efficiently meditate on and disseminate future revelations from the bulk of Scripture we will be having, through this first quarter of 2025.
At any rate, I’m learning. We’re all learning… and it’s just so wonderful.
To our God be all the glory and praise forever and ever.
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