Two Writings Explained Daniel 12 chapters 1. Refusal to eat King’s food: vindicated 6. Refusal to obey King’s edict: vindicated TWO IMAGES TWO VISIONS of BEASTS 2. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue 7. The 4 beasts 3. Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue 8. The 2 beasts Two Kings Disciplined Two Writings Explained 4. Nebuchadnezzar’s fall and restoration 9. Writing of Jeremiah - prophecy 5. Belzhazzer’s values and Judgement 10-12. ‘Writing of Truth’ and ultimate         destruction of ‘the king’

Daniel 12 chapters Questions of Value Chapter 1 The golden vessels of divine service placed in the temple of Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. Chapter 2 The Gentile empires: image of a man, made of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay, smashed by a stone ‘cut out without hands’. Chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image and the worship of the state. Chapter 4 Great Babylon’s splendour, built by Nebuchadnezzar for ‘the glory of his majesty’. Nebuchadnezzar goes mad, behaves like an animal, and then is restored to his ‘majesty and splendour’. Chapter 5 The golden vessels of divine service again; taken from the temple and used by Belshazzar to drink from himself. The writing on the wall = money values and weights. Belshazzar weighed in the balances and found wanting.

Daniel Very young -12 yrs? King’s school Obedience – why choose food? 12 chapters Very young -12 yrs? King’s school Obedience – why choose food? (See chapter 10 :3) What alternatives could Daniel take? just refuse to eat anything not prepared properly? organise a hunger strike? eat only the ‘clean’ food and leave behind the rest?

Daniel 3 All Gold at 9 x 90 feet! Two Statues Daniel 2 Four materials Daniel 3 All Gold at 9 x 90 feet!

Daniel 4 “I see 4 men – Son of man”

Daniel NOT specific – Allowed to worship own God(s) Chapter 3 : 1st Persecution. See elaborate system NOT specific – Allowed to worship own God(s) BUT MUST put Nebuchadnezzer FIRST King forced to act by Nobles BUT – saved by God’s intervention Nebuchadnezzer lesson 2 (lesson 1 in Ch 2) God of the Jews – able to Deliver ! Can choose to intervene !!

Daniel Difficult Interpretation Daniel : God judges Pride !! Chapter 4 : Dream Difficult Interpretation Daniel : God judges Pride !! Nebuchadnazzer : Boanthropy Happy ending – Lesson 3 for him Learnt difference between Animals and Man ! Awareness of Almighty PERSONAL God. God SPEAKS – to YOU!!

Daniel 12 chapters Questions of Value Chapter 1 The golden vessels of divine service placed in the temple of Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. Chapter 2 The Gentile empires: image of a man, made of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay, smashed by a stone ‘cut out without hands’. Chapter 3 Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image and the worship of the state. Chapter 4 Great Babylon’s splendour, built by Nebuchadnezzar for ‘the glory of his majesty’. Nebuchadnezzar goes mad, behaves like an animal, and then is restored to his ‘majesty and splendour’. Chapter 5 The golden vessels of divine service again; taken from the temple and used by Belshazzar to drink from himself. The writing on the wall = money values and weights. Belshazzar weighed in the balances and found wanting.

Belshazzar Humbled Rembrandt

Daniel 5 Difficult Interpretation Mene – Mene – Tekel – Upharsin Chapter 5 : Writing on the Wall Vessels from Jerusalem Temple. Difficult Interpretation Mene – Mene – Tekel – Upharsin Millions Millions Kilos “not enough” What are your Values? Can everything have money value ONLY? Can you buy love? Should you buy love? Honour? Truth?

Daniel 5 Some things – if valued by cost – loses value! What Money CANNOT buy? Some things – if valued by cost – loses value! Blood donation – should sell? Kidney? Half a liver? Your body? (Legal prostitution in many countries: Netherlands, New Zealand, etc) Your family time? Church time?

Daniel 5 Belshazzar – King of largest empire If Empire – no real ‘values’ except money – WILL FALL or COLLAPSE!! Belshazzar – King of largest empire NO values except money, enjoyment, power Important lesson for each of us Important lesson for missions, churches Important lessons for Countries !!

Persians entered under the water gates! BABYLON FELL in 539 BC Persians entered under the water gates! "Babylon was being besieged by the Persian army, led by Ugbaru, governor of Gutium, while Belshazzar, inside the city, was giving a great banquet for 1,000 of his nobles. Belshazzar's name means "Bel (another name for the god Marduk) has protected the king." Perhaps the banquet was given to show Belshazzar's contempt for the Persians and to allay his people's fears. Archeologists have excavated a large hall in Babylon 55 feet wide and 165 feet long that had plastered walls. Such a room would have been sufficient to house a gathering of this size. Belshazzar considered his city secure from assault because of its massive walls. Within the city were supplies that would sustain it for 20 years. Therefore the king felt he had little cause for concern." John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary., The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 1:1344.

Two Writings Explained Daniel 12 chapters 1. Refusal to eat King’s food: vindicated 6. Refusal to obey King’s edict: vindicated TWO IMAGES TWO VISIONS of BEASTS 2. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue 7. The 4 beasts 3. Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue 8. The 2 beasts Two Kings Disciplined Two Writings Explained 4. Nebuchadnezzar’s fall and restoration 9. Writing of Jeremiah - prophecy 5. Belzhazzer’s values and Judgement 10-12. ‘Writing of Truth’ and ultimate         destruction of ‘the king’