“The most High is ruler over the realm of mankind” I.Personal history of Daniel – Chapter 1 II.Prophetic history of the Gentiles during the times of the.

“The most High is ruler over the realm of mankind”

I. Personal history of Daniel – Chapter 1II. Prophetic history of the Gentiles during the times

of the Gentiles – Chapters 2-7III. The prophetic history of Israel during the times of

the Gentiles – Chapters 8-12

Who’s the Boss? Six Stories with great endings

1. Eat your vegetables – Ch. 12. You rule them, I rule you – Ch. 23. Fire? What fire? – Ch. 34. Keep off the grass – Ch. 45. Give him a hand – Ch. 56. God is King and I ain’t lion – Ch. 6

Chapter 1 - Eat your vegetables17 As for these four young men, God gave them

knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the

eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

Chapter 1 - Eat your vegetables19 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all

none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which

the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were

in all his realm.

Chapter 2 - You rule them, but I rule you46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate

before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king

answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets,

since you could reveal this secret.”

Chapter 2 - You rule them, but I rule you48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many

great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all

the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego

over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire? 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach,

Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach,

Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire.

Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire? 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the

king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the

hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on

them.

Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire? 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship

any god except their own God!

Chapter 3 - Fire? What fire? 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or

language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in

pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

Chapter 4 – Keep off the grass34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding 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 is from generation to generation.

Chapter 4 - Keep off the grass35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as

nothing;He does according to His will in the army of heaven

And among the inhabitants of the earth.No one can restrain His hand

Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

Chapter 4 - Keep off the grass36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for

the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to

me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.

Chapter 4 - Keep off the grass37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is

able to put down.

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of

men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand22 “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your

heart, although you knew all this.

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and

your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or

know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and

this writing was written.25 “And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God

has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found

wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand25 “And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God

has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found

wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Chapter 5 - Give him a hand30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was

slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Chapter 6 - God is King and I ain’t lion25 Then King Darius wrote:

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

Chapter 6 - God is King and I ain’t lion26 I make a decree that in every dominion of my

kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For He is the living God,And steadfast forever;

His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,And His dominion shall endure to the end.

Chapter 6 - God is King and I ain’t lion28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in

the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

“The most High is ruler over the realm of mankind”

Six stories.Each has a happy ending.Each has unique points.

Each has a common point.

Story #1

God is faithful to the faithful.Daniel and his friends were hundreds of miles from home.

They were the enemy.They kept the Covenant with God.

Story #1 = Eat your vegetables

God is faithful to the faithful!Daniel and his friends were hundreds of miles from home.

They were the enemy.They honored God by keeping the Covenant with God and

He exalted them in captivity.Key verse = 8

Story #2- You rule them, I rule you

God is faithful to the faithful!Daniel looks to the Lord and His faithfulness privately and publicly to give him insight so that their lives and those of

others would be spared.Key verses = 17-23, 28

Story #3 - Fire? What fire?

God is faithful to the faithful!These are men who faithfully served the King.

However, now his command cuts to the heart of who they are.

Key verses = 17-18

Story #4 - Keep off the grass

God is faithful to the faithful!Daniel is again given insight into the King’s life.

But this time the focal point is the humbling of one of the great rulers in world history.

Key verse = 25

Story #5 - Give him a hand

God is faithful to the faithful!Daniel, a captive, bravely rebukes a key ruler just prior to

his defeat. Once again, a proud ruler is unseated by God.

Key verses = 22-23

Story #6 - God is King and I ain’t lion

God is faithful to the faithful!Though his life is on the line, Daniel refuses to

compromise his worship of the real King.Key verses = 21-22

God is faithful to the faithful!

The opening chapters of Daniel teach us that:1. God will is still on the throne no matter what situation

we might face.2. Honoring whoever our rulers are is important.3. No matter who governs us, some principles can never

be compromised

God is faithful to the faithful!

The opening chapters of Daniel teach us that:4. No matter who things may look, it is God who controls nations and who governs them.5. God is able to humble and change leaders.6. Daniel honored the Lord first, was courageous, and was a man of prayer. He was loved for it! So will we be.7. God is faithful to the faithful.