Dan09B Daniel Six Examples of the Forerunner Lifestyle (Dan. 1 6)

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torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your
judgment has come. (Rev. 18:9-10)
H. Just as Belshazzar was at the height of luxury and feasting, and then fell in one hour (5:1-4), even so
the harlot at the height of her luxury, ease, and power will fall suddenly (Rev. 18:1-18).
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In one hour such great riches came to nothing& 19They threw dust on their heads and cried
out& saying, Alas, alas, that great city& in one hour she is made desolate. (Rev. 18:17-19)
I. Practical: To be willing to speak to secular leaders about national issues.
International House of Prayer of Kansas City ihopkc.org
Free Teaching Library mikebickle.org
End-Time Studies in the Book of Daniel (Spring 2015) Mike Bickle
Session 9b Daniel: Six Examples of the Forerunner Lifestyle (Dan. 1-6) Page 7
VIII. DANIEL 6: PERSECUTION AND DELIVERANCE FACING A LION S DEN
A. Daniel 6 demonstrates costly obedience in the face of persecution and the threat of prison and death.
This extraordinary obedience and faith was followed by supernatural deliverance. Daniel was
delivered from the lion s den, from the very mouths of hungry lions.
B. At this point Daniel was in his eighties, shortly after the fall of Belshazzar and during the reign of
Darius (who was under King Cyrus). Darius had made Daniel one of his three primary leaders over
the kingdom, inciting the jealousy of other Persian leaders. Thus they proposed a new law that the
king authorized, which resulted in Daniel being forbidden to pray to the God of Israel.
C. His life was threatened probably near the time that he received the vision in Daniel 9 or Daniel 10.
We cannot be decisive about the exact date, but Daniel 6 is assumed to have occurred near the
beginning of the Persian rule because of the language of establishing its government in Babylon.
Daniel 6 expresses the demonic rage against Daniel near the time that he received prophetic insight.
D. They planned a way to trap Daniel, knowing that he would never draw back on his personal
devotion and commitment to prayer. Daniel stayed true to his prayer life, knowing that the new law
was a scheme established because of their jealousy. Daniel s consecration in this situation expressed
his lifelong commitment to prayer (6:10).
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Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with
his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed
and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. (Dan. 6:10)
E. He had always set his heart to obey the Lord. This was once again put to the test. He continued
steadfastly in his usual daily habit of prayer, resulting in his being thrown into a den of lions.
Yet the Lord supernaturally delivered him from persecution. There was a sudden reversal of fates as
Daniel s oppressors were thrown into the very lion s den that they had prepared for Daniel. The
result of Daniel s testimony and God s deliverance was that the name of the Lord was exalted in the
nations by King Darius (6:25-27). God s purpose is always to exalt His name.
F. David warned rulers and lawmakers in the end times not to make decrees against God or refuse to
pay homage to His king (Ps. 2:10-12). Believers in the end times will face official decrees and laws
intended to prevent them from worshiping the Lord.
G. Should we obey man rather than God, when man s law is clearly against the commands of the
Lord? Daniel could have prayed in secret. But he prayed at his window with his arms held high to
the Lord. End-time believers will face the question of whether or not they are willing to identify
publicly with the Lord, even when it is unpopular or costly.
H. Practical: To be willing to stand for Jesus in the workplace before secular authorities.
I. Summary: We see six examples: one about the fasted lifestyle (Dan. 1), two about taking a stand for
the Lord in the public arena, knowing that it could cost us our job or life (Dan. 3 and 6) and three
about speaking prophetic dreams to secular authorities (Dan. 2, 4, and 5).
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