Our unit of lessons taken from the Book of Daniel are now completed.  We have observed and studied the life of Daniel and his three young Hebrew friends as they endured exile from their beloved nation of Judah.  Their life as teenagers in the city of Jerusalem came to an end as they were taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar and forced to serve in his courts. 

In the year 586BC, they were made to stand as servants in this foreign land, lights of their Creator who were remaining firm in faith in a world far from God.  We have seen them develop and retain strong convictions that kept them from eating forbidden foods.  Daniel was used of God to interpret the prophetic dreams of this King of Babylon.  God would lift Daniel up to serve until his own years as a senior adult. 

The three friends of Daniel would refuse to bow to a statue of gold dedicated to Nebuchadnezzar.  They were willing to face death in a furnace of fire.  They would be joined by the Lord Himself inside that flame and walk away un-singed and smoke free! 

Under the reign of the son and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel would be called upon to read “the handwriting on the wall” that appeared to Belshazzar during his drinking party.  That night, the Persians would conquer Babylon.  Daniel would live to serve yet another foreign leader named Cyrus. 

Daniel would survive a whole night of potential peril in the den of lions. His refusal to worship King Darius of Persia and pray only to him proved that these men of Judah existed to worship God and God alone.  Daniel proved himself to be a warrior in prayer day after day after day at least three times a day.  His windows were opened toward Jerusalem in the west with great hopes of restoration and fulfilled promises. 

God continued to give insight to Daniel as he progressed in age all the way into his 80’s and 90’s.  This 2600 year old prophetic word from the Lord continues to be fulfilled one event at the time as we march toward the culmination of the plan of God for the ages.  The Ancient of Days will indeed be the Only One qualified to retain the throne which belongs to the Creator of the Universe.

The “Daniel” prayer in chapter nine is a stellar example of all that God taught Daniel through the years of his pilgrimage.  In lands far away from the beautiful land called Judah and the city of God called Jerusalem, Daniel displayed a deep faith, an enduring hope, a daily moment by moment relationship with God in his role as an intercessory prayer warrior.  His no-compromise stand shone brightly against the dark background of a world that sought to draw him away from His Eternal Father. 

The purpose of each of these lessons has been to give us the courage to follow the example of Daniel as he stood firm in a world far away from the design of Holy God.  The final three chapters of Daniel give us insight that the prophetic word of the Lord continues to be fulfilled, event by event by promised event. 

Modern day news networks just THINK they have breaking news to share!  Through personal visions and visits by angelic messengers sent from the throne room of God, Daniel was given confirmations of the Old Testament covenants of God and specific prescriptions for future events on the Calendar of Eternity.  

We may not know when.  We may not understand how.  We may not exactly grasp what will occur.  Be firmly assured that we know these prophecies will be completely fulfilled to the exact letter and revelation.  The most assuring fact of all is that we know WHO will be The Actor on the stage of world events and world conclusion.  The Prophecy Announcer will be the Prophesy FULL-Filler! 

Those who dare to be a Daniel in these days will be the ones to hear those six words from the Three In One:  “Well done good and faithful servant!”  Daniel was referred to in 9:23 and 10:11 and 10:19 as “highly esteemed.”  In 10:12, he was affirmed in his humility because he “set his heart” on understanding the messages sent from God to a nation in exile. 

Daniel has been used as an example to encourage and equip us to do one thing well:  daily walk with God wherever He chooses to place us, pursuing faithful obedience with every fiber of our body through every moment of our days.  “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”  Hebrews 11:39-40