Listen along with our teaching series through the book of Daniel: Living as Strangers in a Strange Land. Join us as we follow Israel through exile. We will explore how they dealt with life as a minority culture, fighting to maintain faithfulness to God despite opposition and assimilation.
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses the biblical theme of exile, the circumstances that surrounded Judah's exile and captivity in Babylon, and in particular, the steadfastness of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in the face of unbelievable suffering and temptation. Then we consider how we too may live faithful uncompromising lives as followers of Jesus as we wait for our return from exile.
In this second week in our Daniel series, Josh develops the historical backdrop and cultural situation of Judah's exile in Babylon that brings Daniel chapter 1 into sharper resolution. From here we try and understand what it was about Daniel and his friends that gave them the strength and resolve to say no to the influences and cultural pressures of Babylon when so many of their contemporaries could not.
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses how knowing our story and the identity that our story provides us gives us what we need for life-long obedience in exile. Daniel knew his history and it kept him faithful. He knew his future and it gave him boldness. And as we come to find that Daniel's future is now our past, we have all that we need for faithful obedience and bold witness in our present. — We apologize for the poor audio quality in the recording. We'll have that fixed next week.
This week's teaching centered on Daniel 3 where we considered the worship of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image and Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego's refusal to bow. Then we explored the dangers associated with nationalism and the worship of empire and nation.
Our God is good, he is the true King and he is in control. These truths are seen throughout the story of Daniel and specifically in Daniel 4, this week. We see a King, dethroned and ultimately how God changes his heart. We see a young exile, heartbroken over the bad news for the King, one who truly had obeyed God's command to seek the welfare of the city. Ultimately, we see a King who is telling others of the greatness of our God. Walk through the story of exile with us, as we learn of God’s gracious appeal to his people to relinquish control and acknowledge his good and sovereign rule afforded to us through Jesus Christ.
In this week's teaching, we look at chapter 5 and learn about the blasphemy of Belshazzar's arrogance, the providence of God in history, and the hope of a greater exodus.
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses how the biblical themes of Covenant, Exile, Redemption, and Return are found throughout the biblical story. We look specifically at Judah's return from exile, how Daniel experienced his own private Passover in the lion's den, and how his night with the lions ultimately points us to the greater Passover of Jesus's death and resurrection.
Daniel 7 is new territory in the story that Daniel is telling. We've left the familiarity of historical-narrative and found ourselves in the odd world of apocalyptic literature. It's for that reason that we have slowed our walk through Daniel down. In this week's teaching, we consider the beasts that are presented in Daniel 7 and we look to Genesis to discover why beasts are used as a symbol in Daniel's terrifying dream. What we discover is that when we sin against God we abdicate our authority to rule as God's image over the beasts to become like beasts ourselves.
In this week's teaching, we look at the beastly kings of Daniel's dream, the mystery of the empty throne sitting beside the Ancient of Days, and the Son of Man who is given authority over an everlasting kingdom.
In this week's teaching, we had some bad news, some good news, and some new news. The bad news is that this teaching does not —contrary to what was promised in the previous week— reveal the hidden identities of the 4 kings of Daniel 7, the good news is that the Son of Man and the kingdom of heaven has finally come in Jesus and his kingdom has been shared with his people, and finally, the new news is that Soma Waxahachie has a new place to call home!
In this week's teaching, we understand more fully the reason for Israel's deportation and how their exile in Babylon was ultimately ineffective to purge their hearts of sin. Then we look at Daniel's prayer of confession and his mediation for his people. And lastly, we consider the enigmatic 70 Weeks prophecy found in the last half of the chapter and how it points us to the coming Son of Man who will finally and ultimately put an end to Israel's rebellion by offering his life as an atonement for their sin.
In this week's teaching, as we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem we find an interesting connection between Daniel 10 and John 12. We discovered that one of the many things that happened as a result of the glorification of the Son of Man was that the ruler of this world was cast out and his tyranny over the nations was finally ended.
