Let us study another prototype of our Savior from the OT, namely Dani'el. The name is Hebrew and means 'Elohim is my Judge'. He and three other young men were either of royal lineage or belonged to noble families. After Judah was taken captive to Babylon, they found themselves in the court of the king of Babylon around 600 BC as advisors to Nebuchadnezzar. They were: Dani'el, Hananyah, Misha'el and Azaryah. All proper names have certain meanings in Hebrew. I have already explained the meaning of the name Daniel above. Hananyah means 'YHWH is gracious' and 'YHWH has favored'. The name Misha'el means 'Who is like Elohim?' The name Azaryah means 'YHWH has helped'.
In Babylonia, proper names had meanings and Nebuchadnezzar changed those Jewish names to those of his own idols. He called Daniel Belt'shatzar after the name of his own idol. Hananyah was changed to Shadrack. Misha'el was changed to Meishakh and name Azaryah was changed to Aved-N'go. ~I will focus now only on Daniel~
Of Daniel did the angel say the following acc. to the OT: "You are greatly beloved." I will return to this later.
Daniel's courage and determination
Daniel did not want to defile himself with the king’s table food, because the food was not kosher and not suitable for the Israelites according to the Law of Moses. He persuaded the chief of the eunuchs to allow him and his three friends to eat vegetables and drink water instead. This was a fast, because they did not eat any meat or drink any wine.
So Daniel was exceptionally brave and still knew that he was a slave in the king’s court and that he had to be constantly on his guard. Especially after when the king, after those four Jewish young men's three years of studying the Chaldean language, chose them as the king’s closest advisors. Jealousy flared up in the court and intrigue began.
Daniel was given the wisdom to interpret dreams and writings. After the king saw a dream about a large statue, Daniel was able to tell the king what dream king had had and to explain the meaning of the dream! For this reason, the king rewarded Daniel with gifts and placed him in a high position. This caused envy among the other courtiers.
King Darius of Media came to power after conquering Babylon in 539 BCE. Seeing that Daniel was wiser than the other courtiers, he planned to put Daniel in charge of the entire kingdom. Then the other courtiers persuaded the king to make a law that no one may pray to anyone except King Darius for 30 days. Daniel still prayed to YHWH as before.
Daniel was thrown into the lions' den
Please, see picture above. YHWH sent his angel to close the mouths of the lions. When the King Darius found Daniel alive, he ordered that all those courtiers who had conspired against Daniel, along with their family, be thrown into the lions’ den. They did not make it to the bottom of the den before the lions attacked them and crushed their bones.
YHWH gave Daniel the skill to see in many visions far into the future. Even after our time about things that would happen on earth, and he was told the interpretation of visions. At first, he was given the same dream as the king of Babylon about a large statue. Then he was given the skills to see in vision many named kingdoms rise and fall on earth.
Yehowah loved greatly Daniel
Because Daniel inclined his heart to obedience to Yehowah, he was especially dear to his Creator. He fasted and prayed to Jehovah to fulfill His promise to Jeremiah to restore Israel to their land. Those noble acts: obedience to the commandments of the Torah, fasting, and praying for Israel were the same ones that Yeshua did later. Dan. 9:3-4 ja 19-23
>>3 And I set my face toward the Adonai Elohim, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to Yehowah my Elohim and made my confession, saying, O Adonai, the great and awesome Elohim, keeping the covenant and mercy of those who love Him, and to those who keep His commandments,...<< Dan. 9:3-4
>>19 O Adonai, hear! O Adonai, forgive! O Adonai, listen and act! Do not delay, for Your own sake, O my Elohim. For Your name is called on Your city and on Your people. 20 And while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and making my cry fall before Yehowah my Elohim for the holy mountain of my Elohim.
21 And while I was setting my prayer in order, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, touched me in my severe exhaustion about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 And he enlightened me and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I have now come out to give you skill in understanding. 23 At the beginning of your prayers the word came forth, and I have come to explain it. For you are greatly beloved. Then understand the matter and pay attention to the vision:<< Dan. 9:19-23
Challenge: If, like Daniel, you begin to be obedient to the teachings of the New Testament, avoid sin, begin to fast and pray for your city and your people, then Yehowah will begin to show his love for you in a whole new way and he will reveal to you hidden things in dreams and visions that you did not know before. By them you'll increase your faith and have an effect on your life of holiness!
The largest empires on earth
From our perspective, it is interesting that the major nations in Daniel's visions were not the current great powers, such as China, India, the USA and Russia. Instead, the following four are mentioned from the time of Daniel: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. In addition, it is stated that Rome will fall apart, but later rising up to a superpower.
The Roman Empire fell apart into several different nations at different stages, but is forming again into a new power. This is the EU, which acc. to Revelation chapter 13 will develop into the strongest and most terrible superpower in human history! Something revolutionary must happen to today's superpowers: China, India, the USA and Russia.
How they will lose their position of power can happen in many different ways, such as through revolutions, natural disasters, excessive corruption, etc. The USA is experiencing many 'time bombs', such as violence, racial strife, and it may split into independent states or blocs due to political and religious disputes. The Yellowstone volcano may erupt.
Russia and China are dictatorships consisting of several enslaved ethnic groups. Revolutions have happened before, and those two countries are already on their way to the next one. India is also quite heterogeneous in population and is rapidly drowning in air pollution. Pandemics may cause further destruction to those three big ones.
Vision of the Eternal Kingdom
The most amazing dream and its interpretation that Daniel received was a vision of an eternal Kingdom on earth! It will crush all other kingdoms of the world and Daniel saw the Son of Man, (Yeshua Mashiach) arriving on the clouds of heaven to the Eternal One and was given all authority, Kingdom and dominion forever and ever! Dan. 7:11-14
>>11 Then I was looking because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke. I was looking until the beast was killed, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 And the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. Yet length of life was given them for a season and a time.
13 I was looking in the night visions. And behold! One like the Son of Man came with the clouds of the heavens. And He came to the Ancient of Days. And they brought Him near before Him. 14 And dominion was given to Him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.<<
Daniel as a prototype of Adonai Yeshua
YHWH mentions Daniel among the three most righteous men in the OT. They were Noah, Daniel, and Job. Each of them was the most righteous in their era. Noah built the ark with his sons. In it he, his family and all their descendants were saved from the flood. Because of the righteousness, Job was tempted and Daniel was persecuted. Eze. 14:19-20
>>19 Or if I send a plague into the land and pour out My fury on it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast; 20 though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live, declares the Adonai Yehowah, they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they by their righteousness would deliver only their souls. <<
In addition to his righteousness and persecution, Daniel was a prototype of the Savior as a prophet, for he was given revelations of great world-wide events and was the most trusted advisor to the kings of the superpowers of his time, including Nebuchadnezzar, Belshatzar the king's son, and Darius the king of Medo-Persia.
Obs. Next Shabat I will study the topic: What should we know in advance about the Devil, so that we can avoid the traps he has set for us?
Songs suitable for the topic
Please, note: Our Savior's original name in Hebrew is Yeshua HaMashiach HaNotzri
Daniel In The Lion' Den
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
Lord I Lift Your Name On High
We Plough the Fields and Scatter
How Lucky I Must Be
P.S. You can check out the interesting stages of my life from the link below. My life has been a great adventure. There have been successes and setbacks. Adonai Yeshua has always helped me!
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