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1Copyright © 2020 by the Sabbath School & Personal Ministries Department, General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904,
USA.
January–March 2020 A General Conference
Sabbath School & Personal Ministries Department Publication
Daniel: Practical Principles for End-Time Living
INSIDE FRONT COVER – Ad for TMI
inVerse
Daniel: Practical Principles for End-Time Living
January–March 2020
Staff
Editor: Justin Kim
Senior Editorial Assistant: Sikhu Daco
Director of Sabbath School: Ramon Canals
Assoc. Director of Sabbath School: Jim Howard
Principal Contributor: David Shin
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Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, USA.
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Contents
Week 1 Daniel 1 The Secret of Prophetic Understanding
Week 2 Daniel 2 The Key to Prophetic Understanding
Week 3 Daniel 3 Radical Faithfulness
Week 4 Daniel 4 Radical Intervention
Week 5 Daniel 5 End-Time Accountability
Week 6 Daniel 6 Dying for Devotions
Week 7 Daniel 9:1–19 A Church in Crisis
Week 8 Daniel 10 Waiting Time
Week 9 Daniel 2:31–49 Predictive Prophecy
Week 10 Daniel 7:1–8; 15–28 New Superpower
Week 11 Daniel 7:9–14 Total Transparency
Week 12 Daniel 8 Removing the Record
Week 13 Daniel 9:20–27 Adventist Identity
Philosophy of inVerse
The inVerse Bible Study Guide curriculum has been developed for those who yearn for a more
profound Bible study experience. It will dare you to engage Scripture more deeply and more
broadly, ultimately enriching the ability to share your growing experience with others.
Everything from the content to the format has been designed to enhance your spiritual journey if
you will accept the challenge of engaging this Bible study.
Format
There will be two formats: the Journal edition that utilizes digital space and the Print edition that
is abridged for traditional users. If you page through the Journal edition, you will immediately be
struck by how much blank space there is! No, we did not forget to print the text, nor are we
simply trying to save money on ink. The space has been intentionally left open for you to fill in
with your personal study of the Bible. The margins provide guidance on how to engage the text
for study, and you will document your experience with Scripture in the journaling space
provided.
Numerous studies have shown that writing out by hand your thoughts, reflections, and
engagement with the text will deepen their kinesthetic impression on your mind. Something
about putting pen to paper helps us to tactilely internalize the material. No, it’s not the same as
typing it out! In this stage of the digital world, we need to benefit from the unlimited space of the
digital but also not to be slaves to its limitations. So take the time to write in those open spaces!
Don’t worry if your handwriting is terrible! This journal is for your own record, so just make
sure it’s legible to you.
On that note, this Journal will be a resource for you to reference anytime you need to share a
Bible study, preach a sermon, or refresh yourself on the particular Bible topic. Place inVerse on
your bookshelf; as you continue through the curriculum, enjoy the aesthetic appeal of the
curriculum on display in your personal library.
Content
Four inVerse Bible Study Guides will be produced each year. Twice a year, the topics covered
will correlate with the topics presented in the Adult Bible Study Guide (ABSG). Even then,
while the topic for the quarter may be similar to that of the ABSG, the specific weekly material
will differ. The remaining two topics for the year will not mirror the ABSG but will be specially
selected to address young adults.
While the inVerse curriculum is intended primarily for the young adult Sabbath School
experience, it can also be used as a versatile tool for personal ministry application. There are no
dates printed, so that you can use and reuse this resource anytime with anyone. There are also no
days of the week; so if, for instance, you have a small group Bible discussion on a Wednesday
evening, you could make Thursday your first day of study that culminates in a group discussion
the following Wednesday. The discussion questions at the end of the weekly lesson (entitled
inQuire) will help stimulate your small group discussion whenever you hold it.
A notable change is the sparse commentary included. Removing the commentary in the Journal
edition is intended to encourage personal Bible study, rather than relying on someone else’s
comments from their Bible study. There is commentary available online, accessible through the
QR codes in your study guide. However, just as the discussion with your small group only
enhances your Bible study, the online commentary is mean to augment your understanding
throughout the week.
Benefits
In summary, some benefits of the inVerse Bible Study Guide curriculum include:
Deepening your identity as a Christ-centered, Bible-believing, and Advent-awaiting
Christian
Learning how to study the Bible for yourself
Generating your own Bible studies for use in sharing
Teaching others how to study the Bible and journal
Understanding the Bible topics better after having developed the material yourself
Participating in a more lively small group Bible discussion based on advance
preparation
Stretching your faculties by engaging both the analog and the digital in your study
Hearing fewer opinions and more of what the Bible actually says on topics
Knowing, loving, and serving the Lord Jesus Christ more fully
Finally, it may take a bit more effort on your part to feel the benefits of this new curriculum, but
the effort will be well worth it. Pray earnestly for the aid of the Holy Spirit as you wrestle with
some texts, or as you learn the discipline of consistently meditating on the Word of God. Allow
God to teach you and to mold you as you engage Scripture and you will not regret it.
A Quick Guide To Usage
1. Pray seriously and honestly!
2. Read with a digital or analog Bible (it’s a Bible study guide—don’t skim over the Bible parts!)
3. Use your favorite writing utensil for the analog Journal components.
4. In the Journal edition, scan the QR code for more commentary and resources on the text.
5. Use inVerse either for daily devotions (seven steps for seven days; 13 weeks for every three
months) or for weekly Bible study, Sabbath School, prayer meeting, family worships, or
discipleship on how to study the Bible.
Study Guide Sections
inTro—introduces the passage of the week as well as its main themes
inScribe—provides a prompt to write out the text
inGest—focuses on practical points, reflective principles, and contextual details
inTerpret—focuses on more apologetic perspectives and questions that might arise from the
passage
inSpect—provides a list of verses outside the main passage to be cross-studied for deeper insight
and clarity
inVite—centers the passage and its principles on bringing out and pointing to Jesus Christ, the
living Word
inSight—presents a perspective from the writings of Ellen White on the passage or theme
inQuire—introduces a list of questions to be answered reflectively or used as a resource for
discussion (in a Sabbath School class, for instance)
Further Study Resources
Users are also encouraged to watch inVerse on Hope Channel TV
(https://www.hopetv.org/inverse) for the corresponding lesson. This online roundtable discussion
seeks to study the Bible with warm humor, practical intelligence, simple application, and
authenticity. May you be blessed as you embark on this experience and as the Holy Spirit opens
your mind and heart to Him.
inVerse is a publication of the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department of the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for university students, young adults, working
professionals, and young parents.
Introduction
Lessons
Inside Back Cover: inVerse on Hope TV Ad
Daniel: Practical Principles for End-Time Living
Can the book of Daniel have any practical bearing on our lives today? Is the book of Daniel
relevant to twenty-first-century living? The answer is found in the words of Jesus in Matthew
24:15, where Jesus gives a book endorsement: “ ‘Therefore when you see the “abomination of
desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him
understand) . . .”
Notice these ideas found within Jesus’ endorsement of the book of Daniel:
Daniel is an inspired prophet and, by implication, the book of Daniel is trustworthy.
The book of Daniel should be read and studied.
The book of Daniel would be understood.
The prophecies within the book of Daniel will be fulfilled.
The book of Daniel’s message is relevant and practical for end-time living
(Leslie Hardinge, Jesus Is My Judge, 1).
Jesus states that the book of Daniel is relevant for twenty-first-century end-time living. The name
Daniel literally means “God is my judge.” Laodicea, God’s last-day church, means a “people
judged.” Daniel is a type of God’s people who will be living during the time of judgment just
prior to the second coming of Jesus.
The book of Daniel has within it two main genres: stories and prophecies. In its eight stories, six
of the them depict characteristics that we are to seek to emulate as the prophecies are being
fulfilled; and the other two stories depict characteristics that we are to seek to avoid as the
prophecies are being fulfilled (Hardinge, Jesus Is My Judge, 6).
This series of inVerse lessons on the book of Daniel is divided into two main sections. The first
section will focus on the eight stories in Daniel and drawing practical applications to our daily
lives. The second section will deal with the main prophecies in Daniel.
Ellen White indicates rich blessings are in store for those who read and study the book of Daniel:
“When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely
different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that
heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the
blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart” (Testimonies to Ministers, 114).
The book of Daniel is relevant, enriching, practical, and essential for end-time living.
May the promised blessing found within Jesus’ endorsement of Daniel be yours.
inTro
Temperance Taboo
Temperance is a word that is almost frowned upon in the twenty-first century. Standards of diet
in a religious context are viewed as legalistic. We live in a culture in Christianity where you can
do anything you want with your body because, after all, “it’s my body.” In the Christian
community, the idea that one is saved almost gives license to eat and drink any way that one
wants to. Truth be told, the idea of temperance is viewed with raised eyebrows even in our
community of faith. Yet should it be? Does temperance have a place in the Christian experience?
Contained within chapter 1 of Daniel is the theme of temperance. From our cultural perspective,
beginning a prophetic book with the theme of temperance is a peculiar one. Yet in Daniel 1,
temperance lays the groundwork for intellectual and spiritual understanding that is critical to the
rest of the book of Daniel.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 1 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 1:8, 17. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map the
chapter.
inGest
Causation and Correlation
Daniel and his three friends were taken captive by the Babylonians. Yet this was not an ordinary
captivity behind bars. They were put into the University of Babylon to be educated to fill the
highest positions in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court.
Imagine the first day when they were ushered into the Babylonian cafeteria. It featured the finest
gourmet cooking and fine-dining experiences from the chefs of the king himself. “But Daniel
purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies,
nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he
might not defile himself” (Dan. 1:8).
It cannot be overstated that there would be no book of Daniel had the Hebrews eaten of the
decadent delicacies of the king. The four Hebrews were found to be physically superior to the
other students as a result of their habits of temperance. However, the chapter points to another
principle that is connected to temperance—one that is beyond the physical dimension: “Daniel
had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Dan. 1:17).
Daniel 1 brings out a correlation between Daniel’s remarkable temperance stance and his
remarkable spiritual understanding. Furthermore, the chapter brings out a causation between
Daniel’s temperance and his academic excellence when the king found them to be ten times
wiser than everyone else. Indeed, the emphasis of the chapter in terms of temperance is its
connection with spiritual understanding: “As for these four young men, God gave them
knowledge and skill of all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and
dreams” (Dan. 1:17). In other words, temperance has natural, physical, intellectual, and spiritual
benefits. Temperance for the glory of God has supernatural benefits that are added.
The book of Daniel is a prophetic book. Chapter 1 begins with a temperance test and ends with
unprecedented spiritual understanding. The lesson is apparent: In order to understand the
prophecies of Daniel, we must practice the temperance of Daniel.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse in Daniel 1. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
What area do you need to manifest temperance in?
What other areas correlate the physical with the spiritual as well?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 1
What is temperance?
Ellen White stated that temperance is “to dispense entirely with everything hurtful and to use
judiciously that which is healthful” (Patriarchs and Prophets, 562). In other words, temperance
is abstaining from the bad and moderation in the good.
What were the issues with the Babylonian diet?
The drink provided was alcoholic. The word for wine in the Bible can refer to fermented
or unfermented grape juice. And the Bible is clear in its stance on the fermented: “Do not
look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around
smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Prov. 23:31, 32). This
text does not refer to regular grape juice!
The food had been offered to idols.
The blood had not been drained in slaughter. “You must not eat meat that still has blood
in it” (Lev. 17:12, NIRV).
The Babylonian diet included unclean meat (Leviticus 11).
What was the Daniel diet?
“Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to
drink” (Dan. 1:12, KJV). The term pulse has roots from the word for seed and is a reference to
the diet in Genesis. “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is
on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food’ ”
(Gen. 1:29). The book of Daniel begins with Daniel and his three friends choosing the Edenic
diet.
We are not saved through vegetarianism or veganism. However, the book of Daniel does reveal
the correlation between diet and spiritual understanding. The key to understanding the prophetic
books of Daniel is not limited to the intellectual dimension alone, but also includes the physical
dimension—namely, what we choose to ingest into our bodies.
Journal:
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to
point to overall?
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
Which area in your physical dimension needs some spiritual attention?
inSpect
What relationship do the following verses have with the primary passage?
Genesis 10:8–10; 11:1–9
Leviticus 11
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; 10:31
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 1?
inVite
Relational Response
Romans 12:1 says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Paul
framed temperance in the context of a relational response, not a transactional context.
The text uses the word therefore, implying a concluding statement. In other words, Paul has just
spent the whole beginning of the book of Romans bringing out the “mercies of God” in salvation
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Salvation is free and cannot be earned. Then after
Paul has spent the bulk of the book of Romans expounding on the “mercies of God,” he says,
“Therefore present your bodies a living sacrifice.” In other words, our bodies are given to God as
a response to the “mercies of God.”
Temperance is not a means of salvation. Temperance is a response of the heart that has been
touched by the “mercies of God.” Our bodies are to be given to God as a “living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God.” Temperance is the means through which we respond to God’s love. Paul
then ends the verse with “which is your reasonable service.” In light of God’s mercies, giving
our bodies to God is “reasonable.” Temperance does not earn our salvation; temperance is our
reasonable response to salvation.
Journal:
What is Jesus saying to you through Daniel 1?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“At the court of Babylon were gathered representatives from all lands, men of the highest talent,
men the most richly endowed with natural gifts, and possessed of the broadest culture that the
world could bestow; yet among them all, the Hebrew youth were without a peer. In physical
strength and beauty, in mental vigor and literary attainment, they stood unrivaled. The erect
form, the firm, elastic step, the fair countenance, the undimmed senses, the untainted breath—all
were so many certificates of good habits, insignia of the nobility with which nature honors those
who are obedient to her laws.
“In acquiring the wisdom of the Babylonians, Daniel and his companions were far more
successful than their fellow students; but their learning did not come by chance. They obtained
their knowledge by the faithful use of their powers, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They
placed themselves in connection with the Source of all wisdom, making the knowledge of God
the foundation of their education. In faith they prayed for wisdom, and they lived their prayers.
They placed themselves where God could bless them. They avoided that which would weaken
their powers, and improved every opportunity to become intelligent in all lines of learning. They
followed the rules of life that could not fail to give them strength of intellect. They sought to
acquire knowledge for one purpose—that they might honor God. They realized that in order to
stand as representatives of true religion amid the false religions of heathenism they must have
clearness of intellect and must perfect a Christian character. And God Himself was their teacher.
Constantly praying, conscientiously studying, keeping in touch with the Unseen, they walked
with God as did Enoch.
“True success in any line of work is not the result of chance or accident or destiny. It is the
outworking of God's providences, the reward of faith and discretion, of virtue and perseverance.
Fine mental qualities and a high moral tone are not the result of accident. God gives
opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them.
“While God was working in Daniel and his companions ‘to will and to do of His good pleasure,’
they were working out their own salvation. Philippians 2:13. Herein is revealed the outworking
of the divine principle of co-operation, without which no true success can be attained. Human
effort avails nothing without divine power; and without human endeavor, divine effort is with
many of no avail. To make God’s grace our own, we must act our part. His grace is given to
work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort.
“As the Lord co-operated with Daniel and his fellows, so He will co-operate with all who strive
to do His will. And by the impartation of His Spirit He will strengthen every true purpose, every
noble resolution. Those who walk in the path of obedience will encounter many hindrances.
Strong, subtle influences may bind them to the world; but the Lord is able to render futile every
agency that works for the defeat of His chosen ones; in His strength they may overcome every
temptation, conquer every difficulty.”
Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, 485–487.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in
your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your kitchen, cafeteria, and refrigerator?
How is temperance much more than dietary changes?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
Share insights from this week’s memory verse and Bible study as well as any discoveries,
observations, and questions with your Sabbath School class (or Bible study group). Consider
these discussion questions with the rest of the group.
How have I experienced the “mercies of God”?
What have been my feelings about temperance standards such as diet, alcohol, and smoking?
How does viewing temperance as a response to God’s love change my perspective of
temperance?
Why doesn’t God simply bless everyone like He does Daniel? Why do you think cooperation is
important to God?
What are instances in your life where you have experienced how your diet has impacted your
mind? How does temperance affect one’s spiritual perception?
What are instances in your life where you have reaped the natural benefits of temperance?
How does our popular culture view temperance?
How does the Christian community view temperance?
Have you ever experienced or seen where diet has been viewed as a way of earning salvation?
Have you ever experienced or seen a situation where someone says it doesn’t matter what you
eat or drink because you are already saved? What are the pitfalls of either of these two positions?
What are some ways that we can experience God’s “mercies” more?
inTro
Prerequisites
Daniel chapter 1 begins with the theme of temperance and its correlation with spiritual
revelations, while chapter 2 contains the theme of prayer and its relationship with spiritual
revelation. A crisis has arisen in Babylon, and Daniel and his three friends pray. God’s answer to
their prayers affected not just their circumstance but also Christianity’s understanding of
prophetic history forever. And it all began in a small-group prayer meeting!
The importance of prayer is often talked about but is seldom practiced beyond the formalities of
praying before meals and before one goes to sleep. It has almost become a mere ritual or rite of
passage that Christians do out of habit. Thus the organic, authentic, and invigorating potential of
prayer is seldom experienced. Furthermore, the transformative power of prayer for the individual
as well as the global impact is lost.
We might think of prophecy as an intellectual exercise of the mind. However, the book of Daniel
grounds prophetic understanding in physical temperance and spiritual prayer. The book of Daniel
does not assume a dualistic approach of the separation between mind, body, and the spiritual
nature to understanding. Rather, it necessitates that the entire human being be conditioned for
spiritual revelation. Prayer is the prerequisite to spiritual prophetic understanding.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 2:1–30 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write
out Daniel 2:16–23 from your Bible translation of choice. You may also rewrite the passage in
your own words, outline, or mind map the chapter.
inGest
Human Impossibility: God’s Possibility
The king of Babylon has a dream followed by sudden amnesia. His blubbering wise men try to
come up with a solution but to no avail. This enrages the king, who places all the wise men of the
kingdom on death row. Daniel seeks an audience with the king, where he asks for more time. His
request granted, Daniel returns home and calls a prayer meeting with his three friends, and the
rest is history. (We will cover the dream and its interpretation in the prophetic section that comes
later in this study commentary.)
The first response of Daniel and his three friends to the crisis was to pray. Sometimes the only
thing we can do is pray, especially when the solution requires supernatural intervention. In this
case, the supernatural intervention also involved supernatural revelation. Although temperance
enhances our spiritual perception, this alone is not enough; we need to bathe our study of God’s
prophetic Word in prayer. Prayer is the key to spiritual revelation and understanding.
Before Daniel receives the first prophecy, he commits to physical temperance and spiritual
prayer—this affects his being. Being must precede knowing. Being in prayer creates the correct
mental posture for approaching prophecy—human wisdom must bow to the great “I AM.”
Daniel and his three friends’ prayers for supernatural revelation are an example that we are to
seek to emulate as we wrestle with the prophetic message found within the book of Daniel.
Daniel was in an impossible situation. He was asked to figure out what the king had dreamed in
his own bed. Daniel’s response to the crisis was to pray. When we pray, human impossibility is
God’s opportunity.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
Memorize your favorite verse in Daniel 2:1–30. Write it out multiple times to help
memorization.
Why does humanity refuse to acknowledge its own limitations? What are impossible areas in
your life that are opportunities for God?
What is your prayer life like? Do you have a small group of pray-ers who can support your
times of impossibility?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 2:1–30
Why did God give the dream to Nebuchadnezzar first, rather than to Daniel?
God gave the dream to Nebuchadnezzar first and not to Daniel, which indicates that God was
trying to reach King Nebuchadnezzar through the dream. One of the greatest predictive
prophecies of Scripture was given to a heathen monarch! Bible prophecy is redemptive in nature,
and not just about predictions and fulfillment. It’s about saving people. Ultimately
Nebuchadnezzar was converted through a series of events that began with prophetic illumination.
Another reason why God gave the message to Nebuchadnezzar first was to reveal to him the
futility of seeking truth apart from God’s messengers, His prophets. These human vessels were
chosen to deliver supernatural revelations. Seeking spiritual truth apart from other sources,
whether they be academic institutions, palm readers, or secular sources, all fall short of God’s
prophetic Word found in Scripture. The book of Daniel reveals the supremacy of Scripture above
every other source of knowledge.
Why was prayer the condition of revelation for Daniel?
Before God can give revelation, the heart must be right. This can only be accomplished through
prayer. By nature, prayer is an acknowledgment of our own deficiency and of God’s supremacy.
The simple act of prayer implies humanity’s inability, inadequacy, and need. The prophecies of
Daniel can only be understood when our studies of the prophecies are bathed in prayer.
Furthermore, prayer has implications for the nature of the great controversy between Christ and
Satan. Roger Morneau states, “In prayer and supplication to God, who waits for our requests for
help so that He will then have the legal right in the sight of the universe to move with power into
Satan’s domain and rescue his captives” (The Incredible Power of Prayer, 41). There are rules in
the great controversy. Prayer gives God the right and authorization to move above and beyond
what He would normally be able to do. Our prayers are our consent in giving God clearance to
intervene.
What is the significance of Daniel praying with his three friends?
We see the importance of private prayer in Daniel chapter 6. Corporate prayer in no way
diminishes the need for private prayer. Daniel 2, however, establishes the blessing of small-
group prayer in addition to our personal prayer life—especially in times of crisis. Daniel and his
three friends became a community of prayer and fellowship through their experience in Babylon.
This also reveals that spiritual revelation comes to the community of believers but can be
received in isolation apart from the body. The Bible establishes the essential relationship of
spiritual community and spiritual revelation.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to
point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
Which composite picture of Daniel’s character emerges from this chapter?
inSpect
What relationship do the following verses have with the primary passage?
Prayer Life of Jesus
Mark 1:35
Matthew 14:23
Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:28
Prayer Life of the Christian
Philippians 4:6, 7
1 Thessalonians 5:17
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 2:1–30?
inVite
Conversation Is Relationship
It’s easy to fall into a mindless ritual of saying the same prayers over and over again out of habit
or obligation. Prayer is one of the most essential yet neglected practices for professed
Christians. Prayer is the lifeblood of the soul. Furthermore, it is conversation with God, and
conversation is relationship. As one expert on conversation put it, “The conversation is the
relationship,” and “our very lives succeed or fail, change gradually, then suddenly one
conversation at a time” (Susan Scott, Fierce Conversation, 12). In other words, we talk about
having a “relationship with God,” but what does that mean? When we boil down our
relationship with God to its essence, it is communion with Him—conversation. Therefore, if
there is no conversation, there is no relationship; if there is no prayer, there is no relationship.
Prayer has been turned into a meritorious ritual by some, or a non-essential, supplementary
aspect of the Christian experience by others. Prayer is neither of these. Prayer is purely
relational. In our marriages, friendships, or any other human relationship, conversation is our
relationship, and our relationship with God is no exception. Prayer is conversation; and
conversation is relationship.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in Daniel 2:17–23?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“Our heavenly Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing. It is our privilege to
drink largely at the fountain of boundless love. What a wonder it is that we pray so little! God is
ready and willing to hear the sincere prayer of the humblest of His children, and yet there is
much manifest reluctance on our part to make known our wants to God. What can the angels of
heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject to temptation, when God's heart of
infinite love yearns toward them, ready to give them more than they can ask or think, and yet
they pray so little and have so little faith? The angels love to bow before God; they love to be
near Him. They regard communion with God as their highest joy; and yet the children of earth,
who need so much the help that God only can give, seem satisfied to walk without the light of
His Spirit, the companionship of His presence.
“The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered temptations of
the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that
God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of
God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's
storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence? Without unceasing
prayer and diligent watching we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the
right path. The adversary seeks continually to obstruct the way to the mercy seat, that we may
not by earnest supplication and faith obtain grace and power to resist temptation….
“Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot
burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent
to the wants of His children. ‘The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.’ James 5:11. His
heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him
everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up
worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace
is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read;
there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His
children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our
heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. ‘He healeth the
broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.’ Psalm 147:3. The relations between God and
each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share
His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.”
Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, 94, 95, 100.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what personal applications are you convicted of in your
life?
What practical applications must you make in your prayer life?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
Share insights from this week’s memory verse and Bible study as well as any discoveries,
observations, and questions with your Sabbath School class (or Bible study group). Consider
these discussion questions with the rest of the group.
What is your prayer life like—really?
When is the last time you felt like you really talked with God? What was the difference that
time?
What are some of the things that make it difficult to pray?
When was a time when God really answered your prayer?
What times do you find it easier to pray than others?
What are the types of things that we typically pray for and why?
Have you ever fallen into a mindless ritual of praying? Why do you think this can happen?
When was a time that you prayed in a small group of friends? What was that experience like?
What do you think is the key to a consistent, powerful prayer life?
inTro
Commitment
We live in a culture where the Christian community has recreated God in its own image—the
postmodern Christian God that is big on grace and low on human commitment. Rationalizations
are given for every biblical principle. Compromise and explanations are touted any time biblical
principles conflict with human desire. In short, we live in a world where Christianity promises
you everything and yet requires little or no commitment.
Daniel chapter 3 radically challenges the postmodern picture of God. The God of Daniel
is the God of both radical grace and radical commitment. Rather than recreating God in our
image, we are recreated in the image of God’s willingness to sacrifice even life itself.
The radical grace of God that required the death of God brings out a response of radical human
commitment even unto death. The three Hebrews made their stand on the plain of Dura,
exemplifying radical faithfulness unto death, a characteristic that will be reproduced again in
God’s people at the end of time.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 3 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 3:16–18. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map the
chapter.
inGest
Faithful unto Death
Daniel’s three friends are standing on the plain of Dura. They can see the smoke ascending from
the furnace and perhaps even feel its heat. The music plays, and thousands of people, like
dominos, bow before the golden image gleaming in the sun. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
remain standing while all around them are bowed down as far as the eye can see. It’s clear they
are the only ones standing.
The temptation to compromise in this moment would have been almost irresistible. It would have
been the easiest thing to do to rationalize in that moment. There would have been a thousand
excuses to kneel before the image or even conveniently tie your shoelaces! After all, it’s just
kneeling. Wouldn’t God understand that I’m really kneeling to Him in my heart and not to the
image?
The three Hebrews on the plain of Dura made a commitment that they would rather die than
kneel. They represent a radical commitment to truth and duty that is foreign to our contemporary
culture. Yet it is this radical commitment that God is calling His faithful to emulate at the end of
time. “We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God,” even if
that means our death (White, The Great Controversy, 460).
Biblical end-time ethics is not situational; it is radically principled. Even life itself is not worth
compromising over our allegiance to God. “It is better to die than to sin; better to want than to
defraud; better to hunger than to lie” (White, Conflict and Courage, 119).
The scenes on the plain of Dura will be repeated at the end of time. An image will be set up, and
all will be forced to worship the image on penalty of death. But there will be a remnant that will
refuse to worship the image. The clarion call to be faithful to God, even unto death, will be
answered by God’s people. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s radical faithfulness typifies the
characteristics of God’s last-day people.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse in Daniel 3. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
What were the pressures that you felt that caused you to compromise?
What were the rationalizations that you told yourself? How did you feel afterwards?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 3
Hermeneutics
Nebuchadnezzar used a conveniently biased hermeneutic (an interpretive lens) to reinterpret the
Daniel 2 dream to suit his own egotistical ambitions. Instead of the multi-metal man of his
dream, the king erects an image entirely of gold—implying, of course, that his kingdom would
never end. Using an alternative hermeneutic to that which God has revealed, unfortunately, did
not end with Nebuchadnezzar and continues today.
The three main schools of prophetic hermeneutics are preterism, futurism, and historicism.
Preterism assumes that prophecy is entirely a description of the past: there is no predictive nature
to prophecy. Futurism assumes that prophecy has no present or historical bearing as it will only
happen in the future. Historicism follows history as it relates to God’s people down to the present
day and through the end of time. This is what we see in Daniel 2 as it begins with Babylon and
extends down through history to the present day into the future prediction of the second coming
of Jesus and the establishment of God’s kingdom.
Music
Nebuchadnezzar incorporated the use of music to capture the emotions and set the stage for
worshiping the image. Four times in Daniel chapter 3 the music is mentioned, including
repetitious detail of even the types of instruments that were played. The music clearly was the
signal to bow down and worship the image that the king had set up.
Music plays a critical role in false worship. It has the power to capture the emotions, overriding
reason and conscience. Music will no doubt play a crucial role in false end-time worship as well.
Tribulation
There is popular belief today among Christians that God’s people in the end of time will avoid
tribulation. However, the story of the fiery furnace illustrates that God will not keep His people
from tribulation, but rather He will be with them through tribulation. Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego were not saved from the fire; they were saved through the fire.
Revelation 13 and Daniel 3
The same issues and themes that presented themselves in Daniel 3 will play out again in the end
of time as described in Revelation 13. Even as there was an image set up in Daniel 3, there will
be an image set up in the end of time. Even as there was a call to worship the image, there will be
a worldwide call to worship the image in the end of time under the penalty of death.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to
point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
What parts of Daniel 3 do you see happening today?
inSpect
What relationship do the following verses have with the primary passage?
Revelation 13:8–18
Daniel 6:8–15
Revelation 14:6–10
Revelation 16:1–12
Revelation 5:6–14
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 3?
inVite
Whose Opinion Matters
What was the motivation that drove the three Hebrews to make such a radical stand on the plain
of Dura? It certainly was not the fear of humankind; it was the fear of God. This was not a fear of
God in the sense of being afraid; rather, for the Hebrews, the opinion of God mattered more than
the opinion of their human peers. God’s opinion was worth dying for. They cared what God
thought more than anyone else in the world!
The person you love the most is the person whose opinion matters the most. In a sense, because
you love them, you “fear” displeasing them. In the end of time, there will be two groups of
people: those who fear God and those who fear the beast—those who worship the Lamb and
those who worship the beast. The beast uses coercive measures, while those who follow the
Lamb do so out of love.
The Hebrew young adults made their stand because, to them, God was living reality in their
consciousness. Through the eyes of faith, they believed in the invisible God, and when the music
played, it was as if they were in the audience of the only One whose opinion mattered most.
Journal:
Where do you see Jesus in Daniel 3?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“What a lifework was that of these noble Hebrews! As they bade farewell to their childhood
home, how little did they dream of their high destiny! Faithful and steadfast, they yielded
themselves to the divine guiding, so that through them God could fulfill His purpose.
“The same mighty truths that were revealed through these men, God desires to reveal through the
youth and the children of today. . . .The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who
will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not
fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the
pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.”
Ellen G. White, Education, 57.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what personal applications are you convicted of in your
life?
What are practical applications you must make in your school, family, workplace, church, and/or
society?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
Share insights from this week’s memory verse and Bible study as well as any discoveries,
observations, and questions with your Sabbath School class (or Bible study group). Consider
these discussion questions with the rest of the group.
What are you willing to die for?
What do you think were the motivations for why you made your stand?
Would you die for someone that you love? Does love change one’s perspective of death?
What does standing for God even in the face of death reveal about God’s perspective of death?
Why do you think God asks us to be willing to die for Him rather than compromise principle?
What are ways that we can keep a consciousness of God ever before us?
What are ways that we can get to the place where God’s opinion matters most?
inTro
Pride
Pride is touted as a positive virtue in the secular world, as long as it presented in a socially
acceptable and palatable manner. Even in the Christian community, some sins are looked upon
with disdain but the subtle nature of pride in one’s own heart gets a pass. Of course, there is plain
arrogance that we abhor. The irony is that we abhor it the more because of the vestiges of pride
that we have in our own hearts. We hate the characteristics in others that we ourselves fully
possess.
The story of Nebuchadnezzar’s public humiliation and fall from pride is a warning especially to
those living in the end of time. Pride is a characteristic that we are to ask God to expunge from
our lives. Pride will be the downfall of Christian living just before Jesus comes. Of the eight
stories in Daniel, this story reveals the characteristic that we are to avoid as the prophecies of
Daniel are being fulfilled.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 4 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 4:19–27. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map
the chapter.
inGest
Curing Pride
Daniel chapter 4 is the only chapter in the book not written by Daniel. Instead, King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon writes his personal testimony. Here Nebuchadnezzar is given
another dream, and this time he remembers it. The dream as interpreted by Daniel is a warning
for Nebuchadnezzar to humble himself or he will become a beast for seven years. For a time, the
king heeds the warning, but old habits are hard to break. While Nebuchadnezzar is in the midst
of his egotistical boast, a voice comes from heaven, and the king is stricken with insanity. For
seven years, the greatest king on earth is reduced to an animal. Humbled, the king acknowledges
the God of heaven and is converted. This is the last reference to Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible.
This was God’s radical intervention. It took seven years as a beast to bring Nebuchadnezzar to
his senses. The pride of Nebuchadnezzar had to be broken before he could feel his need for God.
As C. S. Lewis stated, “It was through pride that the devil became the devil,” and pride is “the
complete anti-God state of mind.” Augustine stated, “It was pride that changed angels into
devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” The drastic nature of God’s intervention to rid
Nebuchadnezzar of pride reveals how deep-seated it is.
Sin is typically viewed in terms of categories—from the heinous sins of the serial killer to the
white lie. Pride would not typically make it to a person’s top-ten list of sins. Yet on God’s list,
pride is number one. Proverbs 6:16–19 says, “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an
abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that
devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and
one who sows discord among brethren.”
On God’s top-seven list of sins, pride ranks higher than murder. Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony
echoes down to the end of time as a warning to God’s people of the sin of pride and God’s
dramatic intervention to cure a proud monarch of pride.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse in Daniel 4. Write it out multiple times to help with memorization.
Have you ever had an experience where you felt that God had humbled you? How did you
feel?
How does Nebuchadnezzar’s experience shed a new perspective on that humbling
experience?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 4
What condition did Nebuchadnezzar have for seven years?
“Today psychiatrists have diagnosed Nebuchadnezzar’s behavior as a variant of paranoia and
schizophrenia. . . . The patient imagines that he had been transformed into a wolf (lycanthropy,
an ox (boanthropy), or another animal (dog, leopard, snake, crocodile), and behaves as such
down to the most intimate details. A 49-year old woman was convinced her head was that of a
wolf complete with snout and fangs. And when she opened her mouth to speak, she would hear
herself growl and howl like a beast” (Jacques Doukhan, Secrets of Daniel, 70).
“The proud king’s hair grew long and matted like the ruffled feathers of a buzzard, and his nails
resembled the tailings of a bird of prey. Wide-eyed and gibbering, he plucked grass, and stuffing
it into his mouth, munched it like an ox” (Hardinge, Jesus Is My Judge, 58).
How do we reconcile God’s loving nature with making Nebuchadnezzar a beast for seven years?
Seven years as a beast seems hard. Some have falsely circulated the idea that God does not
discipline and that God does not kill. It is a false view that reduces love to mere sentimentalism
and enabling. If we define love from Scripture rather than from popular culture, we see a picture
of God’s love that is the perfect blend of justice and mercy from the vantage point of eternity.
The story of Nebuchadnezzar reveals God’s eternal perspective of saving the king for eternity
and weighing the temporary discomfort of being an animal for seven years. From the eternal
perspective, seven years of being a beast was the most loving thing that God could do. As C. S.
Lewis stated, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our
pain” (C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain, 91). This is not to say that every uncomfortable
circumstance, trial, or calamity is God trying to get our attention; the enemy of souls must be
factored in. However, we cannot miss the point of Daniel 3 that God’s first and primary goal for
our life is saving us for eternity; everything else is secondary. God is willing to allow temporary
discomfort if that will bring us to decide eternal salvation with Him.
“If we allow our minds to be absorbed by worldly interests, the Lord may give us time by
removing from us our idols of gold, of houses, or of fertile lands” (Ellen White, My Life Today,
18).
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
How might God be shouting in your life?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
Proverbs 8:13
Proverbs 11:2
Proverbs 13:10
Proverbs 16:18, 19
Proverbs 18:12
Jeremiah 9:23
Isaiah 14:12–14
Ezekiel 28:11–16
James 4:6, 10
Philippians 2:3
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 4?
inVite
Whatever It Takes
God’s dramatic intervention to save Nebuchadnezzar for eternity reveals the heart of God and
His desire to save to the uttermost. It took seven years as a beast for Nebuchadnezzar to come to
his senses. In terms of salvation, one of the most radical prayers that one can pray is: “Lord,
whatever it takes, save me.” This is a radical prayer that gives God permission to intervene in
our life.
Our sense of dependence upon God is the most helpless yet invincible place that we can be as a
Christian. Sometimes, the worst thing that ever happened to us is the best thing that ever
happened to us.
On July 30, 1967, Joni Eareckson Tada dived into a shallow spot of the Chesapeake Bay,
breaking her neck between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae. She became a quadriplegic,
being paralyzed from the shoulders down. Her entire adult life she has been confined to a
wheelchair. In her book she states, “In a way I wish I could take to heaven my old, tattered
Everest and Jennings wheelchair. I would point to the empty seat and say, ‘Lord, for decades I
was paralyzed in this chair.’ . . . At that point, with my strong and glorified body, I might sit in it,
rub the armrests with my hands, look up at Jesus, and add, ‘The weaker I felt in this chair, the
harder I leaned on You’ ” (Joni Eareckson Tada, Heaven: Your Real Home, 184).
Salvation from an eternal perspective gives our present trials a different perspective, especially if
those hardships lead us to a greater dependence on God.
Where do you see Jesus in Daniel 4?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“In a moment the reason that God had given him was taken away; the judgment that the king
thought perfect, the wisdom on which he prided himself, was removed, and the once mighty ruler
was a maniac. His hand could no longer sway the scepter. The messages of warning had been
unheeded; now, stripped of the power his Creator had given him, and driven from men,
Nebuchadnezzar ‘did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his
hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.’ ”
“For seven years Nebuchadnezzar was an astonishment to all his subjects; for seven years he was
humbled before all the world. Then his reason was restored and, looking up in humility to the
God of heaven, he recognized the divine hand in his chastisement. In a public proclamation he
acknowledged his guilt and the great mercy of God in his restoration. ‘At the end of the days,’ he
said, ‘I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto
me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever, whose
dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: and all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the
army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto
Him, What doest Thou?’
“ ‘At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor
and brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was
established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.’
“The once proud monarch had become a humble child of God; the tyrannical, overbearing ruler a
wise and compassionate king. He who had defied and blasphemed the God of heaven now
acknowledged the power of the Most High and earnestly sought to promote the fear of Jehovah
and the happiness of his subjects. Under the rebuke of Him who is King of kings and Lord of
lords, Nebuchadnezzar had learned at last the lesson which all rulers need to learn—that true
greatness consists in true goodness. He acknowledged Jehovah as the living God, saying, ‘I
Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and
His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.’
“God’s purpose that the greatest kingdom in the world should show forth His praise was now
fulfilled. This public proclamation, in which Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the mercy and
goodness and authority of God, was the last act of his life recorded in sacred history.”
Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, 520, 521.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your public and social life?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
When was a time in your life that God got your attention? Did you perceive it at the time as a
good thing or bad thing?
What is the relationship between love and discipline?
Can parents do something in the best interest of a child that can be perceived as unloving from the
vantage point of the child?
What are some things that parents do from a long-term perspective in the child’s best interests?
Why do you think that God ranks pride number one on His list of deadly sins in Proverbs 6:16–
19?
Why is it hard to feel our need and dependence on God?
What are things that we can do to feel our need of God more?
inTro
Characteristic to Avoid
Accountability is a word that brings with it feelings of fear and dread. This word is typically not
used in positive terms. However, imagine a world without accountability. What if our judges
were not held accountable to uphold the law? Or our police to enforce the law? Or our bankers
were not held accountable to be honest? Without accountability there is no trust, and without
trust there is no relationship.
Daniel 5 is a story of a king’s accountability. More than that, it is the story of end-time
accountability. It is the story of a king who squandered the opportunities and the light that had
been given to him. Out of the eight stories in Daniel, this is the second narrative that reveals
characteristics that we are to avoid as the prophecies are being fulfilled.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 5 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 5:18–28. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map
the chapter.
inGest
Squandered Opportunities
The city of Babylon had been surrounded by the army of Cyrus. Babylon was considered to be
impregnable, with enough food to last twenty years. Belshazzar, king of Babylon, held a drunken
feast in defiance of the siege. In the midst of his debauchery, Belshazzar had the sacred vessels
taken by Nebuchadnezzar from the temple in Jerusalem brought to the feast, and he drank his
favorite alcoholic beverages out of them, declaring the god of gold and silver. Suddenly, a
mysterious supernatural hand emerged and wrote on the wall. The music stopped. In a moment
of instant sobriety, the king’s knees began to knock together. Daniel was summoned to interpret
the handwriting on the wall.
Daniel came in and gave a history lesson, a theology lesson, and a reading lesson in one chapter.
First, Daniel recounted how God had humbled Nebuchadnezzar for seven years as a beast. Then
he gave a theology lesson on accountability, stating, “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not
humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord
of heaven” (Daniel 5:22, 23a). Finally, Daniel gave the king a reading lesson by interpreting the
handwriting on the wall, predicting the fall of Babylon. That very night, Babylon fell to the
Medes and Persians.
The words of Daniel to Belshazzar—“although you knew all this”—ring as a warning to those
living in the end of time. It is not how much you know; it’s what you do with what you
know. Belshazzar had been given much light. He had been given a front-row seat to witness
Nebuchadnezzar humbled by heaven as well as converted to the God of heaven.
The lesson of Daniel 5 is a lesson of accountability. “Belshazzar’s example stands out as a
beacon to admonish us of what we ought never to do—ignore or make light of the truths we have
received from Scripture” (Hardinge, Jesus Is My Judge, 74).
At the end of time, unprecedented light will be given to mankind. Revelation 18 reveals that the
whole earth will be lit with the glory of God. Everyone will be given a chance to make an
intelligent decision. God is going to reveal Himself to the world with unprecedented light and
truth. However, “to whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48). With
much light comes much responsibility. The example of Belshazzar is a warning to those who
squander and even openly defy the privileges of light that have been given to them.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
Think of examples in your life where you have been blessed with God revealing Himself to
you. How has God blessed you with opportunities, light, and truth?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 5
What are the parallels between ancient Babylon in Daniel and end-time Babylon in Revelation?
They both cause their subjects to be drunk (Dan. 5:1; Rev. 17:2).
They both have wine in golden cups (Dan. 5:3; Rev. 17:4).
They both mix the sacred with the pagan (Dan. 5:1–4; Rev. 18:1–3).
They both are defeated by kings from the east (Isa. 45:1–5; Rev. 16:12).
They both are built over the river Euphrates (Isa. 44:27, 28; Rev. 16:12; 17:6, 15).
They both fall when the river Euphrates dries up (Isa. 45:1–5; Rev. 16:12, 19)
The fall of ancient Babylon in Daniel reveals characteristics of how symbolic Babylon in the
book of Revelation will fall. The fall of ancient Babylon came about because of the rejection of
light and truth in the same way the fall of end-time Babylon will come because of the rejection of
light and truth.
Does God hold everyone to the same level of accountability?
“God’s test of the heathen, who have not the light, and of those living where the knowledge of
truth and light has been abundant, is altogether different. He accepts from those in heathen lands
a phase of righteousness which does not satisfy Him when offered by those of Christian lands.
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
Think of examples in your life where you have been blessed with God revealing Himself to
you. How has God blessed you with opportunities, light, and truth?
He does not require much where much has not been bestowed” (Ellen G. White Comments, The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 5:1121).
James 4:17 states, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
The principle that emerges is that accountability is directly proportional to the amount of light
that we have been given. Less light means less accountability. More light means more
accountability.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
What thoughts surface when thinking about accountability to God?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
John 9:41; 12:35; 13:17
2 Peter 2:21
Revelation 16:12; 18:1–10
Isaiah 45:1
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 5?
inVite
Relationality and Accountability
God loves us, and He desires to reveal Himself to us. He does this through nature, through His
Word, and most profoundly in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The knowledge of God brings
with it great blessings and the responsibility for accountability.
Accountability seems like anything but a relational word. We typically view it in terms of
accountability to authority or accountability to institutions. However, we are accountable to our
children and spouses in a relational sense. Relationship without accountability is no more of a
relationship than we can have with our cars and homes. In other words, accountability implies
free, intelligent moral agents. Relationships, love, and intimacy can only exist where there are
free moral agents; and with free will comes accountability—accountability being the other side
of the coin of free will.
In terms of our relationships, we can know that our accountability will always come from a
Being who is the very definition of fairness and love. There will never be any misunderstanding,
for He is omniscient. There will never be injustice, for He is justice. There will always be mercy,
for He is mercy. In the end, there is no one that we can be more grateful to be accountable to
than to God.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in Daniel 5?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“Before that terror-stricken throng, Daniel, unmoved by the promises of the king, stood in the
quiet dignity of a servant of the Most High, not to speak words of flattery, but to interpret a
message of doom. ‘Let thy gifts be to thyself,’ he said, ‘and give thy rewards to another; yet I
will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.’
“The prophet first reminded Belshazzar of matters with which he was familiar, but which had not
taught him the lesson of humility that might have saved him. He spoke of Nebuchadnezzar's sin
and fall, and of the Lord's dealings with him—the dominion and glory bestowed upon him, the
divine judgment for his pride, and his subsequent acknowledgment of the power and mercy of
the God of Israel; and then in bold and emphatic words he rebuked Belshazzar for his great
wickedness. He held the king’s sin up before him, showing him the lessons he might have
learned but did not. Belshazzar had not read aright the experience of his grandfather, nor heeded
the warning of events so significant to himself. The opportunity of knowing and obeying the true
God had been given him, but had not been taken to heart, and he was about to reap the
consequence of his rebellion.”
Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, 529.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your relationships?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
Who are some individuals you can think of who have been given less light than you?
Who are some individuals that have been given more light than you?
What role do you think the opportunity to receive truth plays in accountability? In other words,
what if I don’t know truth but I have the opportunity to know truth? How does that play into
God’s accountability?
What is your gut response when you hear the word accountability?
What are some examples of how accountability has played out in your relationship with your
parents? Significant other? Institutions? Works?
What kind of world would we have if we did not have accountability?
How does your picture of God affect your view of accountability?
inTro
Highest Priority
Devotional time can often be missed and rushed through in the busyness of life. In the rush of
day-to-day crammed schedules and classes, devotional life can seem less important. The pull of
getting things done, the pressure of deadlines, and the heaviness of life’s demands can make
Bible study, prayer life, and spiritual disciplines wane. The commitment to devotions can even
disappear in times of crisis or stress. If we are not aware, devotions can easily go to the
backburner of our priority list.
Daniel chapter 6 presents a radical commitment to devotions exemplified by Daniel well into his
career as a senior citizen. Not only was the elder statesman known for his wisdom, prophetic
understanding, faithfulness, and integrity, but he had a devoutness that characterized him
throughout his years. Daniel so valued his devotional life that he thought it was worth dying for.
Are you dying to get busy or too busy to die? Discover Daniel’s liberation in this week’s study of
chapter 6.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 5 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 6:6–10. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map
the chapter.
inGest
End-Time Anchor
Daniel was now an old man and well into his eighties, yet he faced one of the greatest challenges
of his life. Similar to the theme in Daniel chapter 3, worship again becomes a central issue.
While Daniel was not present at the test on the plain of Dura in chapter 3, chapter 6 removes any
questions of his fidelity to God.
A decree was made that anyone worshiping anyone other than the king for thirty days would be
thrown to the lions. That first morning, Daniel knew that opening his windows and praying to
God would mean his death. But Daniel would rather die than miss his devotions.
Daniel’s example leaves a legacy of practical principles for a devotional life. First, Daniel’s level
of commitment was absolute. Devotions were the highest priority of his day. Everything else was
secondary. He had a lifetime to develop this crucial habit that made him successful in his
professional as well as spiritual life. Second, Daniel had a regular time and place for personal
devotions. This regularity became a central ritual for his daily life, one that provided him with
strength, motivation, direction, and passion.
Daniel’s devotional life became the bedrock of his legacy of faithfulness. The same is true for
God’s people living in the last days—the devotional life of God’s last-day people will be the
anchor for their faithfulness and fidelity to God.
Practical pointers for the devotional life:
1. Ask the Lord to create in you a deeper desire for Him.
2. Set a regular time and place to have devotions.
3. Pray before you begin, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.
4. Choose a passage of Scripture. You can start off with practical books like 1
Thessalonians or James.
5. Paraphrase the passage in your own words in your journal or on a sheet of paper.
6. Ask God, “Lord, what are You trying to tell me through this passage?”
7. Write your prayer response to God.
8. Think about the Bible passage throughout the day.
Take baby steps. Begin with just a few minutes a day and increase over time. If you miss a
day or days, don’t be discouraged. Just start up again. Your goal is not to achieve a great track
record—it’s about trajectory. Pray that God will create in you a deeper desire for Him.
Journal:
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
How do you balance devotional life, personal worship, and Sabbath School study all together?
What have you seen to be the tangible benefits of having a consistent and profound devotional life?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 6
Parallels between Daniel 3, Daniel 6, and the mark of the beast
They involve persecution for obeying God’s law (Dan. 3:6; 6:5; Rev. 12:17).
They involve false worship (Dan. 3:5; 6:6–9; Rev. 13:15).
They involve the death decree for failure to comply (Dan. 3:6; 6:7; Rev. 13:15).
They involve the saving of the righteous by the intervention of God (Dan. 3:25–28; 6:19–
23; Rev. 19:11).
The story of Daniel in the lions’ den has the same theme as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
in the fiery furnace. These two chapters parallel the end-time issue of worshiping the beast in the
book of Revelation.
Am I saved by my devotions?
The Bible is clear that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Becoming a
Christian is one thing; growing in Christ, which requires maintaining our connection to Him, is
another. As Jesus said, it is a vine-to-branches relationship. Devotions maintain our connection
to God as our source of strength. Accepting Jesus as our personal Savior makes us alive in
Christ. Our devotional life keeps us alive in Christ by connecting us to the source of strength.
What if I miss devotions?
Like with any habit, it may be challenging at first to establish the new habit of daily devotions.
But if you miss, don’t give up! The Bible says that a righteous person keeps on getting back up
(Prov. 24:16). Ask the Lord to give you strength. He will help you, for He desires nothing more
than to spend time with you daily!
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
Which area of prayer is needed more in your relationship with God?
inSpect:
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
2 Chronicles 6:36–40
Psalm 55:17
Mark 1:35
Psalm 5:3
Psalm 88:13
Psalm 119:147
Isaiah 50:4
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 6?
inVite
Quality Time
Relationships are built on quality time. Think of people who are dating; time together is the
entity most sought after—it is made the highest priority. In fact, a couple that does not spend
time together will grow apart. The difference between a friend and an acquaintance is closely
related to the amount of voluntary time they spend together. If we are serious about our
relationships, we will be intentional about spending time together. Time together provides an
opportunity for shared experiences, conversation, and the building of memories.
Our relationship with God is also built on time. God considers time such an important factor in
our relationship with Him that He established the Sabbath immediately after creating human
beings. The Sabbath is a cyclical occurrence that makes our relationship with God the priority of
our week. Our daily devotions are a cyclical occurrence that makes our relationship with God the
priority of our day.
Our relationship with God can be difficult to define—it can be thought of as an ethereal,
nebulous thing. However, the notion of time and relationship puts our relationship with God into
tangible terms. In other words, no time with God = no relationship with God. It’s a startling
reality to reflect upon, but God is always eagerly waiting to spend time with us and will receive
us regardless of our track record.
Journal:
Where do you see Jesus in Daniel 6?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“Jesus did not contend for His rights. Often His work was made unnecessarily severe because He
was willing and uncomplaining. Yet He did not fail nor become discouraged. He lived above
these difficulties, as if in the light of God’s countenance. He did not retaliate when roughly used,
but bore insult patiently.
“Again and again He was asked, Why do You submit to such despiteful usage, even from Your
brothers? It is written, He said, ‘My son, forget not My law; but let thine heart keep My
commandments: for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not
mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.’ Proverbs 3:1–4.
“From the time when the parents of Jesus found Him in the temple, His course of action was a
mystery to them. He would not enter into controversy, yet His example was a constant lesson. He
seemed as one who was set apart. His hours of happiness were found when alone with nature and
with God. Whenever it was His privilege, He turned aside from the scene of His labor, to go into
the fields, to meditate in the green valleys, to hold communion with God on the mountainside or
amid the trees of the forest. The early morning often found Him in some secluded place,
meditating, searching the Scriptures, or in prayer. From these quiet hours He would return to His
home to take up His duties again, and to give an example of patient toil.”
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, 89, 90.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your time management?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire:
How is your personal devotional life?
When have you had times that your devotions have been consistent? Inconsistent? In a rut?
When have you had times when you’ve had amazing devotions? What made the difference?
Why do you think it is hard to have a consistent devotional life?
What are some of the greatest hindrances to personal devotions?
Given that we are not saved by works, why is it a temptation to think doing devotions is a part of
our salvific work?
Can we be saved without a devotional life, though?
What role do devotions play in the Christian life?
What are some practical things you can share that have helped you in your devotional life?
inTro
A Faulty Church?
In the twenty-first century, the faults and foibles of the church have made individuals, both
within and without the church, jaded and cynical about the church and institutions in general.
There is no question that the charlatans and hypocritical leaders have in many ways caused a
black eye to the church’s reputation. There is the gut reaction to dissociate oneself and move on;
after all, we all have our own problems and issues.
We find in Daniel’s prayer, however, an example of not dissociating from a church that is
messing up. Instead, the first half of Daniel 9 reveals a stunning identification with a church that
is in crisis. Rather than moving away and being indifferent to the church in crisis, Daniel moves
toward it and identifies with it on a profound level. Daniel’s prayer portrays a vivid example of
how we can respond to a faulty church.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 9:1–19 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write
out Daniel 9:1–7. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map
the chapter.
inGest
Praying for My Church
The church was in crisis. Because of their unfaithfulness to God, the people of Israel had been
taken into Babylonian captivity for almost seventy years, as predicted by Jeremiah. Daniel’s life
stretched over the entire seventy years of captivity, and he knew that the time period was about
to come to an end. As recorded in Daniel chapter 8, he heard a time prophecy of 2,300 years and
feared that the captivity would be extended beyond the seventy years. Daniel chapter 9 is his
prayer to God for his church in crisis.
The longest prayer in the book of Daniel is on behalf of his church. Daniel’s prayer was an
example of how we are to respond to a church in crisis.
1. Daniel responded by praying for his church.
“I prayed to the LORD my God” (Dan. 9:4). Daniel did not slander the church in private
conversations or in public discourses; he interceded in prayer to God on behalf of His beloved
church.
2. Daniel’s attitude was not “me”; it was “we.”
“We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned
away from your commands and laws” (Dan. 9:5, emphasis supplied). Daniel identified himself
with the people of God; He did not dissociate himself from the church. Though a righteous man,
he identified himself with the sins of the church. He did not take the position of superiority over
his people (the church), but rather came from the posture of being with his people.
3. Daniel responded by reaffirming the necessity of heeding God’s prophets.
“We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name” (Dan. 9:6).
Daniel’s prayer brought out that the solution to the church’s plight was to go back to following
the Word of the Lord as given by God’s prophets. He acknowledged that the current condition of
the people of God had come as a result of rejecting His prophets.
4. Daniel responded with personal self-denial––fasting.
“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in
sackcloth and ashes” (Dan. 9:3, NIV). Daniel was all in on his prayer for the church, in that he
was willing to practice personal self-denial in the form of fasting. Daniel was so fully invested in
his burden for his church that it affected his physical life as well as his spiritual life.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
Have you ever been put off by the faults of people in the church?
How does Daniel’s prayer impact you with respect to the faults of the church?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Daniel 9:1–19
What is the point of praying for the church if God already has a vested interest in His church?
God will not infringe on our free will without our permission. This is true for ourselves but it is
also true for others. Intercessory prayer for others gives God permission to move above and
beyond what He would otherwise do. Our prayers are authorization for God to move. In Daniel
chapter 9, you see God answered Daniel’s prayer in giving him prophetic revelation for not only
his present church but also the church until the end of time.
What role does fasting play in the Christian experience?
It is important to remember that fasting gains no “points” with God. Fasting is not to impress
God or to earn our acceptance with Him. Some people cannot fast for medical reasons.
Nonetheless, fasting has great benefits. An important aspect to take note of in the Sermon on the
Mount is that fasting is equated with giving and with prayer. Christ used the same wording when
He spoke on these topics: “When you give alms” (Matt. 6:3); “And when you pray” (Matt. 6:5);
“Moreover when you fast . . .” (Matt. 6:16). Notice Jesus does not say “if” you fast, but “when”
you fast.
Fasting brings the physical nature into agreement with your spiritual desire by correlating the
dependency on physical food with dependency on Christ. When fasting, one experiences a
physical humbling that is correlated to a spiritual humbling before God. Fasting changes us,
changes our attitude toward God and others.
Different types of fasting can involve the eating of simple food or no food. Ellen White states,
“Now and onward till the close of time the people of God should be more earnest, more wide-
awake. . . . They should set aside days for fasting and prayer. Entire abstinence from food may
not be required, but they should eat sparingly of the most simple food” (Ellen G. White,
Counsels on Diets and Foods, 188).
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
Which area of prayer is needed more in your relationship with God?
inSpect:
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
Zechariah 1:12–17
Zechariah 7:5
Jeremiah 25:1–10
Jeremiah 29:10
2 Chronicles 36:20–21
Matthew 13:24–30
Revelation 12:13–17
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 9:1–19?
inVite
Identification
Daniel’s prayer encapsulates the spirit of Christ’s love for His embattled church. Daniel
intercedes on behalf of his people even as Christ intercedes on our behalf before the Father.
Daniel asks for the mercy of God on behalf of his people even as Jesus pleads mercy on our
behalf. Daniel identifies himself with God’s people’s sins; Jesus becomes sin for us and
identifies Himself with us.
The church is portrayed in Scripture as the bride of Christ. Though it has its faults and
shortcomings, it is still the apple of God’s eye. As Ellen White states, “Enfeebled and defective
as it may appear, the church is the one object upon which God bestows in a special sense His
supreme regard. It is the theater of His grace, in which He delights to reveal His power to
transform hearts” (White, The Acts of the Apostles, 12).
Daniel exhibits the spirit of Jesus and gives us a picture of the love of Christ on behalf of His
church. It is the same spirit that we, as Christians living in the end of time, are to have as the
church goes through the final crisis.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in Daniel 9:1–19?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“Has God no living church? He has a church, but it is the church militant, not the church
triumphant. We are sorry that there are defective members. . . . While the Lord brings into the
church those who are truly converted, Satan at the same time brings persons who are not
converted into its fellowship. While Christ is sowing the good seed, Satan is sowing the tares.
There are two opposing influences continually exerted on the members of the church. One
influence is working for the purification of the church, and the other for the corrupting of the
people of God. . . .
“Although there are evils existing in the church, and will be until the end of the world, the
church in these last days is to be the light of the world that is polluted and demoralized by sin. .
. .
“There is but one church in the world who are at the present time standing in the breach, and
making up the hedge, building up the old waste places; and for any man to call the attention of
the world and other churches to this church, denouncing her as Babylon, is to do a work in
harmony with him who is the accuser of the brethren. . . . The whole world is filled with hatred
of those who proclaim the binding claims of the law of God, and the church who are loyal to
Jehovah must engage in no ordinary conflict. . . . Those who have any realization of what this
warfare means, will not turn their weapons against the church militant, but with all their
powers will wrestle with the people of God against the confederacy of evil.
“Those who start up to proclaim a message on their own individual responsibility, who, while
claiming to be taught and led of God, still make it their special work to tear down that which
God has been for years building up, are not doing the will of God. Be it known that these men
are on the side of the great deceiver. Believe them not.”
Ellen G. White, The Faith I Live By, 305.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in church life participation and attendance?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire:
What is the general attitude of culture to the faults of the church?
What is the general attitude of Christians to the faults of the church?
When your local or global church is in crisis, what is your natural response?
What are ways in which we can constructively respond to the faults of God’s church?
How do you think that Jesus feels about the faults of the church?
What do you think Jesus’ attitude is about our own personal faults?
Why do you think Daniel fasted for His church?
Where did Daniel’s love for His church come from?
inTro
Delay
We live in a world of instant gratification and quick fixes. Our devices give us access to instant
answers right at our fingertips. We hate waiting for anything. If our computers are keeping us
waiting, we simply upgrade to newer, faster ones. Waiting is considered a waste of time in the
twenty-first century.
In the tenth chapter, Daniel urgently prays and waits for three weeks before his prayers are
answered. Thereafter, the angel comes and explains the reason for the delayed response. Often,
when we wait for God to respond, we do not have the luxury of an explanation for the delay. Yet
waiting on God is a critical piece of the Christian development puzzle.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 10 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 10:10–14. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map
the chapter.
inGest
Not Lost Time
The work to rebuild Jerusalem was at a stalemate as the enemies of God’s people tried to
convince Cyrus to rescind his order to rebuild the city. Daniel prayed again for his people;
specifically, that the king of Persia would be persuaded to hold fast his decision in favor of the
Jews. Daniel continued to pray in sackcloth and ashes for 21 days with no response. Then the
angel Gabriel gave the reason for his delay. The king was resisting being persuaded, and Gabriel
needed backup; Michael was called, and the king was persuaded to cast his lot with the people of
God.
When we pray and do not receive an immediate response, Daniel 10 reminds us of the invisible
reality of an angelic war, or the great controversy, that is waging around us, though not always
apparent. Waiting involves a “temporary stop.” It is a time when we feel like things are on hold.
It’s when we feel like things are at a standstill and nothing is happening. Yet in reality, it is a
time that God has already factored as critical to our Christian journey.
Some of the greatest figures in the Bible—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David—had to wait and be
in a holding pattern for not three weeks, but for years, and in some cases decades. Those days
and sometimes years of waiting were priceless for developing the character of these great men of
the Bible.
Waiting time is not lost time. Waiting on God is a time during which character is developed. It is
a time when our faith is tested and strengthened. It is a time that we learn to trust and depend on
God. “Something actually happens while nothing is happening. God uses waiting to change us”
(Jade Mazarin, “God Is Working in Your Waiting,” desiringGod, Feb. 20, 2017,
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-is-working-in-your-waiting).
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
When have you ever felt that your life was on hold?
When have there been times that you felt that God was not answering your prayers?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
Who Is Michael?
Michael literally means one “who is as God.” There are several clues to Michael’s identity
throughout Scripture. In the book of Daniel, Michael is associated with the raising of the dead
from the grave. Here are biblical clues to the identity of Michael:
Michael is the archangel—Jude 9
The voice of the archangel raises the dead—1 Thess. 4:16
The voice of Jesus raises the dead—John 5:25–29
From these verses we see that Michael, the archangel who raises the dead, is Jesus.
In the Old Testament we find instances where “the angel of the Lord” appears to men. For
instance, an angel appears to Manoah and his wife to tell them that they will have a son. When
they ask the angel what his name is, he responds, “ ‘Why do you ask My name, seeing it is
wonderful?’ ” (Judg. 13:18). The clue to the angel’s identity is that Jesus’ name is also
“Wonderful” (Isa. 9:6). After the angel of the Lord left, they said, “ ‘We shall surely die, because
we have seen God!’ ” (Judg. 13:22).
The word angel means messenger. Jesus appeared in the form of an angel to bring special
messages to His people. In the case of Daniel, it was Michael who came to the aid of Gabriel to
answer his prayer.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
How does your view of unanswered prayers change, in light of the great controversy?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
Psalm 27:14
Psalm 40:1
James 1:4
Isaiah 40:31
Psalm 106:13
Exodus 14:13, 14
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 10?
inVite
Character Development
Jesus is interested in wholistic restoration. His goal is not just to get us into heaven but to fit us
for heaven. Jesus is concerned with both our title to and fitness for heaven. Our fitness for
heaven involves our character development, and our character development involves waiting on
God.
While it may be considered rude to keep someone waiting on you, when Jesus keeps us waiting,
it can be the most loving thing to do. God’s love is more than sentimentalism. It is a love that
cares about our growth and development and ultimately wants for us the fullness of happiness
and joy.
Imagine if we got from Jesus everything we wanted, when we wanted it. We would develop into
impatient, demanding, and entitled human beings. The fact is that waiting is a critical part of the
process of making us into loving, patient, and lovable Christians.
Waiting on God is not time that is worthless. It is the most productive time for our character
development. It is a time when God is intensely working in us while He is working for us.
Where is Jesus in Daniel 10?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“In the wilds of Midian, Moses spent forty years as a keeper of sheep. Apparently cut off forever
from his life’s mission, he was receiving the discipline essential for its fulfillment.
“Moses had been learning much that he must unlearn. The influences that had surrounded him in
Egypt—the love of his foster mother, his own high position as the king’s grandson, the
dissipation on every hand, the refinement, the subtlety, and the mysticism of a false religion, the
splendor of idolatrous worship, the solemn grandeur of architecture and sculpture—all had left
deep impressions upon his developing mind and had molded, to some extent, his habits and
character. Time, change of surroundings, and communion with God could remove these
impressions. It would require on the part of Moses himself a struggle as for life to renounce error
and accept truth, but God would be his helper when the conflict should be too severe for human
strength. . . .
“In order to receive God’s help, man must realize his weakness and deficiency; he must apply his
own mind to the great change to be wrought in himself. . . . Many never attain to the position that
they might occupy, because they wait for God to do for them that which He has given them
power to do for themselves. . . .
“Shut in by the bulwarks of the mountains, Moses was alone with God. The magnificent temples
of Egypt no longer impressed his mind with their superstition and falsehood. In the solemn
grandeur of the everlasting hills he beheld the majesty of the Most High, and in contrast realized
how powerless and insignificant were the gods of Egypt. Everywhere the Creator’s name was
written. Moses seemed to stand in His presence and to be overshadowed by His power. Here his
pride and self-sufficiency were swept away. In the stern simplicity of his wilderness life, the
results of the ease and luxury of Egypt disappeared. Moses became patient, reverent, and
humble, ‘very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth’ (Num. 12:3), yet
strong in faith in the mighty God of Jacob.”
Ellen G. White, Conflict and Courage, 86.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your school, family, workplace, and church?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire:
How do you feel during times of waiting?
Looking back, how did you grow in those times of waiting?
How does our culture feel about waiting?
What is an impatient person?
How would you describe a patient person?
How is patience developed?
What is the difference between God’s viewpoint of waiting and culture’s view of waiting?
What is the relationship between patience and happiness?
How does God give a person more patience?
inTro
Building Trust
Trust is built on history and track record. Trust is a dynamic relational entity that increases or
decreases based on our history with an individual or group that has demonstrated trustworthiness.
In other words, if we have a history of seeing and experiencing a person who has come through
for us time and time again, our trust grows. If we experience the opposite, our trust decreases.
Trust is based on our belief in the person’s character. The character traits of steadfastness and
commitment to keeping one’s word build trust. Who the person is and what the person says in
terms of reliability determines our level of trust in the individual.
Trust is based on our belief in the person’s capability. We can have trust in the person’s
character, but we won’t trust an individual to a particular task if we believe that they are
incompetent for the task. In other words, trust must be based on the person’s character and
capability.
Prophecy is God’s way of building our trust. The desire to reveal prophecy gives indication of
God’s character. And the accurate record of predictive prophecy reveals the capability of God. In
the prophecy of Daniel 2, God gives us a history and a track record of evidence that appeals to
our minds and hearts to trust Him.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 2:31–49 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, draw
out Daniel 2:31–35. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind
map the chapter.
inGest
Five for Five
In Daniel chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that is interpreted by Daniel, giving us a
stunning prediction of the rise and fall of kingdoms, ending with the second coming of Jesus.
The king saw a great metal man; with Daniel’s interpretation and historical verification, the
following prophecy is both fulfilled and predicted:
Head of Gold – Babylon
Chest of Silver – Medo-Persia
Belly of Bronze – Greece
Legs of Iron – Rome
Feet of Iron and Clay – Divided Europe
Rock – Second Coming of Jesus
Daniel 2 predicts that there will be four earthly world powers represented by the metals. The
metals decrease in value as you progress through history; but the metals increase in strength. The
Bible predicts the fragmentation of the world empire into iron and clay; and also predicts that
they would never be joined together in the same way as the other kingdoms, although there
would be attempts. Indeed, Charlemagne, Napoleon, and Hitler all tried and failed in uniting
Europe. Then the Bible predicts the installation of God’s eternal kingdom that would never be
destroyed.
God is five for five in His predictions. Babylon is followed by Medo-Persia, which is followed by
Greece, and so on. With incredible accuracy, while the kingdom of Babylon was at the height of
its glory and power, Daniel 2 predicted with remarkable, 100-percent accuracy the story of the
succession of kingdoms.
The only part that is not yet fulfilled is the second coming of Jesus. From purely a statistical
probability standpoint, belief in the second coming of Jesus is a rational and reasonable belief.
Faith in the second coming is not based on a lack of evidence that appeals to our reason. God
gives us His track record of 100-percent accuracy to trust His Word.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse in Daniel 2:31-49. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
When have been the times that you have struggled with doubts about the Bible or God?
In a human relationship, what causes you to trust or not trust someone?
How does God telling the future and it being fulfilled affect your relationship with Him?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look into Chapter 2:31–49
Is Daniel a legitimate prophet? Is his book trustworthy? How do we know?
The prophecy of Daniel 2 is so compelling and its interpretation so straightforward that critics
have contended that the book of Daniel could not have been written during the time of Babylon
but was written sometime after the fall of Rome. In Matthew 24:15 Jesus says: “ ‘Therefore
when you see the “abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the
holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand).”
Jesus, while living on earth during the time of the Roman Empire, states that Daniel is a prophet
and gives a ringing endorsement of not only the prophet’s authenticity as a real reliable prophet
but also the veracity of the book written by Daniel, indicating that we should read it. In other
words, if we believe in Jesus, we can also believe in Jesus’ words authenticating the prophet
Daniel and his book. If you are a believer of Jesus, you must also believe in the credibility of
Daniel and that Daniel 2 and its dream happened when it said it happened.
Is There a Secret Rapture?
The dream of Daniel 2 indicates that the second coming of Christ will be a tumultuous event that
will strike at the feet and destroy the entire image. The dream indicates that the coming of Christ
will mean the cessation of any earthly power even in its iron-and-clay form. The belief in a secret
rapture espouses the idea that Christ’s followers will be secretly snatched from the earth and
taken to heaven, while those remaining are left to continue through the tribulation. From even a
cursory read of Daniel 2, one can see that the secret rapture is not possible, given the way the
second coming happens. It comes as a huge stone that ends all human history as we know it.
The theory of the secret rapture is based on two main ideas: the thief in the night, and the one
being taken and the other left. The thief-in-the-night idea can be easily dispelled simply by
reading the other part of 2 Peter 3:10: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night,
in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent
heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” This is anything but secret.
The “thief in the night” refers to the notion that, just as a thief comes at a time we least expect it,
Jesus’s coming will suddenly happen and many will be taken by surprise. It will not be a secret
event that we will miss.
The other mantra of the secret rapture is the phrase, “one will be taken and the other will be left”
(see Luke 17:24–37). In verse 37 Jesus gives an indication of the state of the wicked, when the
disciples ask “Where, Lord?” and Jesus says to them, “ ‘Wherever the body is, there the eagles
will be gathered together.’ ” In other words, the wicked are not given a second chance when they
are dead. They are food for the birds (see Rev. 19:17, 18).
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
What is so deceptive about the secret rapture?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
God’s Claim of Predictive Powers
Isaiah 46:9, 10
Daniel 5:30, 31 (rise of Medo-Persia)
Daniel 8:20, 21 (rise of Greece)
Luke 2:1 (rule of Rome)
Characteristics of Christ’s Second Coming
Acts 1:9–11
Revelation 1:7
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 2:31–49?
inVite
Intellectual and Relational
In John 14:29, Jesus points out one purpose of predictive prophecy: “And now I have told you
before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.” In other words, predictive
prophecy is evidence that appeals to reason. The prophecy is predicted and it happens. This is
evidence in favor of the trustworthiness of Scripture. Is there still room to doubt? Sure there is.
However, this is true for any proposition. Jesus gives us prophecy so that we can have evidence
on which to base our belief. When it comes to our doubts, we are called to have faith based on
the evidence given; one of those evidences being predictive prophecy.
In John 13:19, Jesus gives the main purpose of predictive prophecy: “Now I tell you before it
comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.” The purpose of prophecy
is to lead one to the Person of prophecy, Jesus Christ. Prophecy leads us to the God whose mind
knows the future and, in His infinite love, has chosen to reveal the future before it happens so
that we may come to be intrigued with wonder, awe, and love with the God of prophecy.
Prophecy establishes our trust in God’s Word and introduces us to the God of prophecy.
Prophecy is intellectual, and it is relational. Prophecy appeals to the mind and heart. Predictive
prophecy appeals to our reason and appeals to our heart’s yearning for God.
Where is Jesus in Daniel 2:44, 45?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
inSight
“Many, especially those who are young in the Christian life, are at times troubled with the
suggestions of skepticism. There are in the Bible many things which they cannot explain, or even
understand, and Satan employs these to shake their faith in the Scriptures as a revelation from
God. They ask, ‘How shall I know the right way? If the Bible is indeed the word of God, how
can I be freed from these doubts and perplexities?’
“God never asks us to believe, without giving sufficient evidence upon which to base our faith.
His existence, His character, the truthfulness of His word, are all established by testimony that
appeals to our reason; and this testimony is abundant. Yet God has never removed the possibility
of doubt. Our faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. Those who wish to doubt will
have opportunity; while those who really desire to know the truth will find plenty of evidence on
which to rest their faith. . . .
“God desires man to exercise his reasoning powers; and the study of the Bible will strengthen
and elevate the mind as no other study can. Yet we are to beware of deifying reason, which is
subject to the weakness and infirmity of humanity. If we would not have the Scriptures clouded
to our understanding, so that the plainest truths shall not be comprehended, we must have the
simplicity and faith of a little child, ready to learn, and beseeching the aid of the Holy Spirit. A
sense of the power and wisdom of God, and of our inability to comprehend His greatness, should
inspire us with humility, and we should open His word, as we would enter His presence, with
holy awe. When we come to the Bible, reason must acknowledge an authority superior to itself,
and heart and intellect must bow to the great I AM.
“There are many things apparently difficult or obscure, which God will make plain and simple to
those who thus seek an understanding of them. But without the guidance of the Holy Spirit we
shall be continually liable to wrest the Scriptures or to misinterpret them. There is much reading
of the Bible that is without profit and in many cases a positive injury. When the word of God is
opened without reverence and without prayer; when the thoughts and affections are not fixed
upon God, or in harmony with His will, the mind is clouded with doubts; and in the very study of
the Bible, skepticism strengthens. The enemy takes control of the thoughts, and he suggests
interpretations that are not correct. Whenever men are not in word and deed seeking to be in
harmony with God, then, however learned they may be, they are liable to err in their
understanding of Scripture, and it is not safe to trust to their explanations. Those who look to the
Scriptures to find discrepancies, have not spiritual insight. With distorted vision they will see
many causes for doubt and unbelief in things that are really plain and simple.”
Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, 105, 109–111.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your social life?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
How does a person’s commitment to keeping their word affect your level of trust?
How does a person’s history of keeping or not keeping their word affect your level of trust?
How does Daniel 2’s accuracy affect your view of God’s credibility?
How does looking at the prophecy through the relationship lens change your understanding of
prophecy?
How does prophecy build your trust in God? In His Word?
How does one process the doubts and evidence that God presents?
How do one’s motivations play out in terms of how we see evidence and process our doubts?
inTro
New Player
There are children born every day into the horrible places of war zones. The soldiers on the
ground are only players against the great backdrop of leaders and entities. In a similar way, we
all have been born into a war zone. The players on the field are situated against the backdrop of
the great controversy between Christ and Satan. We must look beyond the players on the field of
history that we can see to the invisible realities that we cannot see, to realize fully the issues that
are at stake.
In Daniel 7 we have a repetition of the world powers in the metal image of Daniel 2; but we have
an additional player that enters the scene. The new power is different than all the rest, and Daniel
7 gives the most details about this new power, leaving us clues to come to a clear understanding
of the identity of this new player.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 7:1–8; 15–28 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time,
write out Daniel 7:8, 25. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or
mind map the chapter.
inGest
Following the Clues
Daniel 7 is a repeat and enlargement of the timeline in the metal image of Daniel 2. This time,
though, instead of metals there are beasts.
Lion – Babylon
Bear – Medo-Persia
Leopard – Greece
Beast with Iron Teeth – Rome
Ten Horns – Divided Europe
This is a review of the information presented in Daniel 2 but with new insight given. A little
horn power arrives on the scene. Here are ten characteristics and clues that we can gather about
the little horn power from Daniel 7:8, 25:
1. This power comes from “among them,” meaning somewhere in divided Europe (v. 8).
2. If the power came up among the ten horns, then it would have to come up sometime
after the fall of Rome in 476 AD.
3. This power would be a little kingdom (v. 8).
4. This power would pluck out or uproot three kingdoms: Heruli, Vandals, Ostrogoths (v.
8).
5. There is a “man at its head,” and this man “speaks for it” (v. 8).
6. It would be different from the others (v. 8).
7. It would speak “pompous words against the Most High” (v. 25).
8. It would “persecute the saints of the Most High” (v. 25).
9. It would “intend to change times and law” (v. 25).
10. It would rule for a “time, times, and half a time” (v. 25).
Daniel 7 adds an additional player to the lineup of world kingdoms, a world player that is a
Christianized version of paganism. Through this power, God’s law would be changed. Through
this power, millions would be persecuted and killed. Only one power meets all ten of the
characteristics: the Roman Catholic papacy. Every Protestant reformer from Luther to Calvin to
Wesley came to the same conclusion. God is giving a prophetic message that the papacy will
play a critical role in history and in end-time events.
In the successive kingdoms from Babylon to Rome, Satan has sought to develop pagan practices
such as sun worship and idolatry. With the inception of Christianity during the time of Rome,
Satan sought to stamp out Christianity by persecution. However, the more Satan persecuted, the
more Christianity grew. Satan changed his plans; as the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join
them. Christianity became the popular religion of Rome, and with it, the pagan practices such as
sun worship and idolatry were rebranded into Christianity. Papal Rome became the vehicle
through which Satan would move his agenda.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
What are your personal feelings when you hear that the Papacy is the little horn power?
How does reframing this revelation through the lens that Jesus is sharing this information
change how you feel?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look at Daniel 7
Does this mean that Catholics will not be saved?
The little horn power being identified as the Catholic Church does not have any bearing on the
salvation of the members of the organization. God is identifying the papacy as a key player in
world events. He is not making a statement about the eternal salvation of its members. However,
this fact does not minimize the gravity of the fact that Satan will use the mode of paganism under
the garb of Christianity as a means to an end.
What is “a time, times, and half a time”?
This time period comes up other places in Scripture, namely Revelation 12:14: “The woman was
given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the
wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the
serpent’s reach.”
Notice that this is exactly the same time period as in Daniel 7:25 describing the little horn power
that persecutes God’s people. In other words, while the little horn is persecuting for a time,
times, and half a time, the women is on the run and hides in the wilderness for a time, times, and
half a time.
Revelation 12:6 unlocks the meaning of “a time, times, and half a time.” In this verse, the
woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken
care of for 1,260 days. This verse says the same thing that verse 14 says, except it replaces “a
time, times, and half a time” with 1,260 days.
Using the day-for-year principle (Ezek. 4:6; Num. 14:34), this comes to 1,260 years. This is the
exact time period that the papacy dominated Europe during the Dark Ages from 538 AD (when
Justinian eradicated the last of the remaining three kingdoms that stood in opposition to the
papacy) to 1798, when Berthier, Napoleon’s general, took the pope captive, where he died in
exile.
Similarities between the little horn of Daniel 7 and the sea beast of Revelation 13
Notice that the exact same beasts of Daniel 7 are mentioned in Revelation 13:1–3, except in
reverse order. This sea beast is an amalgamation of the beasts of Daniel 7. This power is a
synthesis of all the pagan kingdoms that have gone before it.
Revelation 13:5 – Both speak great words and blasphemies.
Revelation 13:5 – Both rule for a prophetic 42 months, or 1,260 literal years.
Revelation 13:7 – Both make war with the saints.
The little horn of Daniel 7 is the beast of Revelation 13. The two chapters are referring to the
same power. However, Daniel 7 is, from our vantage point in the twenty-first century, a
reference to the workings of the papacy in the past, while Revelation 13 is an indication of the
workings of the papacy from now until the end of time.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
Why do you think that God revealed this information to us?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
2 Thessalonians 2:1–4
1 Timothy 4:1–3
Acts 20:28–30
Matthew 24:24
2 Peter 2:1–2
1 John 4:1, 3
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with this section of Daniel 7?
inVite
Jesus Christ or Anti-Christ?
The great controversy between Christ and Satan culminates with Satan using the papacy as the
vehicle to bring the world to false worship. The central issue in the end of time will be worship.
The central issue will be the question, Will you worship Jesus Christ or will you worship the
anti-Christ?
The prophecy of Daniel 7 about the little horn’s power is a warning from God that the issues at
stake will not be Christianity against paganism. Rather it will be paganism under the garb of
Christianity that will be persecuting God’s people. Ultimately, the papacy is simply a player in
the backdrop of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.
The warnings about the end-time anti-Christ is by implication a clarion call to rest in Jesus
Christ. If we rest in Jesus, we can be assured that He will save us for the next part of the
prophecy, where the kingdom of God will be established, and we will be a part of God’s
kingdom forever. The end-time issue will revolve around the central issue of worshiping Jesus
Christ or worshiping the anti-Christ.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in the midst of the prophecies of Daniel 7?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. In those
countries where Catholicism is not in the ascendancy, and the papists are taking a conciliatory
course in order to gain influence, there is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that
separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy; the opinion is gaining ground that, after
all, we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that a little concession
on our part will bring us into a better understanding with Rome. The time was when Protestants
placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased. They
taught their children to abhor popery and held that to seek harmony with Rome would be
disloyalty to God. But how widely different are the sentiments now expressed!
“The defenders of the papacy declare that the church has been maligned, and the Protestant
world are inclined to accept the statement. Many urge that it is unjust to judge the church of
today by the abominations and absurdities that marked her reign during the centuries of
ignorance and darkness. They excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of the barbarism of the
times and plead that the influence of modern civilization has changed her sentiments.
“Have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by this
haughty power? So far from being relinquished, this claim was affirmed in the nineteenth
century with greater positiveness than ever before. As Rome asserts that the “church never erred;
nor will it, according to the Scriptures, ever err” (John L. von Mosheim, Institutes of
Ecclesiastical History, book 3, century II, part 2, chapter 2, section 9, note 17), how can she
renounce the principles which governed her course in past ages?
“The papal church will never relinquish her claim to infallibility. All that she has done in her
persecution of those who reject her dogmas she holds to be right; and would she not repeat the
same acts, should the opportunity be presented? Let the restraints now imposed by secular
governments be removed and Rome be reinstated in her former power, and there would speedily
be a revival of her tyranny and persecution.”
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, 563, 564.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you can make in light of these prophetic revelations?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
How does our world currently view the papacy?
How does our culture view the position that the papacy is the little horn power of Daniel 7?
How can we love the members of the system yet be faithful to sharing what the Bible says about
the system?
How does the backdrop of the great controversy between Christ and Satan reframe how you
share about the little horn power?
What does God revealing the little horn power reveal also about the character of God?
What are some practical pointers for how we should and should not share the message of Daniel
7?
More than a revelation of the new superpower, what is the larger message when we zoom out
from Daniel 7?
inTro
Openness
We live in world where there is a lack of transparency. Whether it be in government, families,
marriages, or business relationships, there seems to be trend in which people are hiding pertinent
information. Everyone, it seems, is hiding something. The fact is that information is power, and
the one who manipulates information can be put in a position to abuse power.
God is the most powerful Being in the universe, not only in terms of physical might but also
because He has all the information. Yet God chooses the path of transparency and openness in
how He decides our eternal salvation.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 7:9–14 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write
out Daniel 7:9, 10. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind
map the chapter.
inGest
An Open, Transparent Process
Last week, we looked at the little horn power that ruled from 538 AD to 1798, the period of
“time, times, and half a time.” Daniel 7 indicates that sometime after the rise of the little horn
power, but before the second coming, a judgment will take place in heaven.
Notice that Daniel 7 is in chronological succession, each of the kingdoms presented in the order
that they appear in history. This is an important observation when it comes to the judgment scene
in heaven (vv. 9, 10).
Lion
Bear
Leopard
Terrible Beast
Ten Horns
Little Horn (538–1798)
Judgment in Heaven
Second Coming
The judgment comes chronologically after the little horn power and yet before the second
coming of Jesus. After reading through Daniel 7, one comes to the conclusion that there is a pre-
Advent judgment, meaning a judgment before the coming of Christ. Daniel 7 pinpoints the time
of judgment as taking place after 1798 but before the second coming.
The judgment scene in heaven is public before the universe; “ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened” (Dan. 7:10). In other
words, this is a moment of transparency for God before the inhabitants of the universe. God has
an open judgment of every name written in the books. This is not because God needs to know.
Rather, this happens so the universe will know the decisions that God is making. The
beneficiaries of the open judgment in heaven are the inhabitants of the universe who have not
fallen into sin.
The open judgment reveals that the issues at stake in the great controversy are issues regarding
the character of God. God wants to ensure that every question the inhabitants of the universe
have in regard to God’s salvific decisions is answered. God knows what decisions need to be
made, but He wants the intelligences of the universe to know. Before God brings anyone who
has been infected by sin into the heavenly gates, He goes through an open, transparent process of
judgment before the entire universe. Then the whole universe can say, “True and righteous are
His judgments” (Rev. 19:2).
Journal:
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
How have you viewed the idea of God’s judgment in the past?
How does having an open, transparent judgment process affect your view of God’s character?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look at the Judgment
Is there biblical support for a judgment after the cross?
Evangelicals have claimed there is no pre-Advent judgment because all judgment ended at the
cross. However, an examination of Scripture indicates that the apostles after the cross were
proclaiming a judgment that was to come in the future.
Acts 24:25 states, “Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to
come.” Acts 17:31 says, “Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in
righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.” Romans 2:16 alludes to a future judgment:
“In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”
Notice that each of these references take place after the cross. Paul is preaching about a
resurrected Christ. He talks about a judgment in the future tense, not as an event that has taken
place but as an event that will take place.
What if I fear the judgment?
Daniel 7:22 indicates that the judgement will be “in favor of the saints.” In other words, this is
not God trying to keep you out of heaven. This is Jesus advocating to get you into heaven. Jesus
is your judge and your defense attorney. We have nothing to fear as long as by faith we have
accepted Him as our Savior.
This is a judgment that respects your power of choice. Ultimately the judgment will be an
investigation to see whether you have by choice accepted the righteousness of Christ. It is to see
whether you have the robe of Jesus on, as was illustrated in the parable of the wedding feast
(Matthew 22:1–14). In other words, we do not enter the judgment on the basis of our own track
record or merits; we enter the judgment with the record of Jesus Christ covering us.
Will we have the opportunity to review God’s decisions?
The Bible reveals that we will have the opportunity to review the decisions of God during the
thousand years (Rev. 20:4–6; 1 Cor. 6:3) after the second coming of Christ, while we are in
heaven. The fire of God that destroys the wicked does not happen until after the thousand years.
In other words, God waits on His executive judgment until everyone, including us, has the
opportunity to see the righteous judgment of God.
We will have many questions when we get to heaven, especially if we find that our loved ones
are missing. God, instead of concealing His reasoning, will be open and transparent. He will give
us all the information that factored into His decision, and He gives us a thousand years to
examine it. The beneficiaries of the investigative judgment are the unfallen inhabitants of the
universe; and we are the beneficiaries of the millennial judgment.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
What are the personal ramifications of believing in an open, transparent God?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
Eccl. 12:13, 14
Eccl. 3:17
2 Thess. 1:5
Luke 20:35; 21:36
Romans 14:10
1 Peter 4:17
Rev. 22:11, 12
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with this section of Daniel 7?
inVite
Righteousness by Faith
God is a transparent God. He is not holding a secret judgment in heaven to determine who has
been lost and who has been saved. He is holding an open judgment, so that all the universe can
see the decisions of who will be in heaven. This openness reveals that the issue in the great
controversy is the war for hearts and minds. Satan’s accusations against God before the universe
about God’s justice and fairness will be completely put to rest by the transparency of God in the
final phase of the plan of salvation in the judgment.
Jesus is our advocate in heaven. Satan is our accuser. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and
Lord, Jesus stands as our representative in heaven. The record of all our sins is blotted out by the
blood of Jesus; His life stands for our life. God does not see our sins, but rather He sees the
righteousness of Jesus Christ. It’s not about what God thinks of us; it is what God thinks of Jesus
in the judgment.
Righteousness by faith is the message of the judgment; for it is only through the righteousness of
Christ that we can stand in the judgement that is taking place in heaven. It is by claiming the
righteousness of Christ by faith that we can have peace and assurance through this judgment
period.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in Daniel 7:9–14?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
inSight
“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus
come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate
presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is
mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have
sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be
blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of
God’s remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses: ‘Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will
I blot out of My book.’ Exodus 32:33. And says the prophet Ezekiel: ‘When the righteous turneth
away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, . . . all his righteousness that he hath done
shall not be mentioned.’ Ezekiel 18:24.
“All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning
sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have
become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony
with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy
of eternal life. The Lord declares, by the prophet Isaiah: ‘I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy
transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ Isaiah 43:25. Said Jesus: ‘He
that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out
of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.’
‘Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father
which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My
Father which is in heaven.’ Revelation 3:5; Matthew 10:32, 33.
“The deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly tribunals but faintly
represents the interest evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life
come up in review before the Judge of all the earth. The divine Intercessor presents the plea that
all who have overcome through faith in His blood be forgiven their transgressions, that they be
restored to their Eden home, and crowned as joint heirs with Himself to ‘the first dominion.’
Micah 4:8. Satan in his efforts to deceive and tempt our race had thought to frustrate the divine
plan in man’s creation; but Christ now asks that this plan be carried into effect as if man had
never fallen. He asks for His people not only pardon and justification, full and complete, but a
share in His glory and a seat upon His throne.”
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, 483, 484.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your school, family, workplace, and church?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
How does Jesus being your defense attorney against the accusations of Satan make you feel?
How does the perfect record of Jesus being placed on your account make you feel?
Have you accepted the righteousness of Christ today?
What is the relationship between transparency and trust?
What are examples today where those in authority have shown authority?
What does transparency reveal about the character of God?
What are some of the challenges that keep us from accepting the righteousness of Christ?
What are some of the things that keep us from believing in the righteousness of Christ?
What does the judgment reveal about God’s character that the world should know?
inTro
Cleansing the Universe
Some elements of culture glorify sin. It is portrayed in movies and media. The masses pay to
consume the reenactment of sin. The fact is that culture doesn’t view sin as sin. It is simply seen
as human nature in its evolutionary progression. Even the Christian community thinks of sin in
flippant, trivial terms, where grace is portrayed in a way that minimizes the gravity of what sin
really is.
The Bible illustrates through the sanctuary that sin cost heaven everything. In order to remove it
from the universe forever, it will require a painstaking process of transparency and transference.
The cleansing of the universe forever from sin must involve the cleansing of the sanctuary from
sin. This lesson will explore that cleansing as found in Daniel chapter 8.
Journal (inScribe):
Write out Daniel 8 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time, write out
Daniel 8:4–14. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or mind map
the chapter.
inGest
Cleansing the Sanctuary
Daniel chapter 8 is a repeat and enlargement of the timeline of Daniel chapters 2 and 7.
Daniel 8 Daniel 7
(sanctuary language)
Lion
Ram Bear
Goat Leopard
Horrible Beast
Ten Horns
Horn Little Horn
Cleansing of Sanctuary ==== Heavenly Judgment (equal
entities)
Kingdom of God Kingdom of God
Daniel chapter 2 uses metals to describe the kingdoms. Daniel chapters 7 and 8 use beasts and
horns. The animals in Daniel chapter 7 are unclean, carnivorous animals of prey. However,
Daniel chapter 8 uses clean animals to describe the same powers and culminates with the
prophecy about the cleansing of the sanctuary.
The theme and emphasis of Daniel chapter 8 is the cleansing of the sanctuary. The animals
referenced in Daniel 8 are the ram and the he-goat; there is also a reference to horns. In the
cleansing of the earthly sanctuary, the ram and the he-goat were the animals (Lev. 16:5) used on
the Day of Atonement. The horns of the altars (Lev. 16:18, 19) were also cleansed on the Day of
Atonement. Furthermore, the phrase “the sanctuary will be cleansed” in Daniel 8:14 is an explicit
reference to the Day of Atonement and cleansing of the earthly sanctuary found in Leviticus 16.
Comparing Daniel chapter 7 and chapter 8, the judgment scene in chapter 7 is the same event as
the cleansing-of-the-sanctuary event in chapter 8. Both of them follow immediately after the
papacy. In our previous lesson, we deduced that the judgment scene in Daniel 7 must take place
sometime after 1798 and before the second coming. Therefore, the cleansing of the sanctuary
must also take place after 1798 but before the second coming. This leads us to another
conclusion: that the reference to the sanctuary must not be the earthly sanctuary, since 1798 is
well after Jesus ascended as our High Priest into the heavenly sanctuary (Heb. 8:1, 2). It must
refer to none other than the heavenly sanctuary.
The cleansing of the earthly sanctuary in Leviticus 16 reveals the systematic process of how God
removes sin. When a sinner came to the sanctuary, an innocent animal died in the place of the
sinner. The blood was either sprinkled on the veil or put on the horns of the altar in the sanctuary
(Lev. 4:6, 7). In other words, even though the sinner was forgiven, the record of those forgiven
sins was still kept in the sanctuary, signified by the blood. Therefore, the sanctuary was
becoming “polluted” with the record of the forgiven sins of Israel daily. Once a year on the Day
of Atonement, all the sins of Israel were removed from the sanctuary; the sanctuary was
cleansed. Even as Jesus came as a Lamb, and Jesus is our High Priest in heaven, so the types,
symbols, and ceremonies of the Old Testament sanctuary point to the realities of the plan of
salvation. The cleansing of the sanctuary on earth in the annual Day of Atonement pointed to the
cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven. According to Daniel 7 and 8, this takes place sometime
after 1798 and before the second coming of Christ.
The sanctuary process of removing sin points to the reality that it was a systematic process. Sin
does not simply disappear and vanish away; for sin to be forever eradicated from the universe,
God must follow this process. The cleansing-of-the-sanctuary process alludes to the nature of sin
itself. Sin is not a trivial thing; it is a deadly virus that cost God everything to cure and remove
from the universe.
Journal:
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
Do you have sins that you would prefer never to see the light of day?
How does the total removal of even the record of your sins make you feel?
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look at Daniel 8
Is there biblical support for the existence of a heavenly sanctuary?
Other Christian denominations have disputed the existence of a heavenly sanctuary. However,
the Bible is clear regarding the existence of the heavenly sanctuary. The word for “pattern” in
Exodus 25:8 implies that the earthly sanctuary was a model of another entity. God gave Moses
specific instructions as to the exact dimensions of the sanctuary and all its furnishings. And Paul
in Hebrews 8:1, 2, 4–6 quotes directly from Exodus 25:8, where he indicates that the earthly
sanctuary was a model of the heavenly sanctuary.
Notice that Paul indicates that the earthly sanctuary was a “copy and shadow of the heavenly
things.” In other words, the earthly sanctuary is not just an Old Testament relic that lost its
relevance when Jesus died on the cross. The sanctuary continues to have relevance because the
focus has shifted from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly sanctuary.
In Revelation, John sees three articles of sanctuary furniture in the throne room of God in
heaven: the lampstands (Rev. 4:5); the altar of incense (Rev. 8:3); and the ark of the covenant
(Rev. 11:19). The existence of the heavenly sanctuary could not be clearer than when John states
in the verse above that he saw “the temple of God . . . opened in heaven.” This was well after the
crucifixion and the ascension of Jesus. The book of Revelation is an end-time book with an end-
time message. Each sanctuary scene progressing through the book of Revelation implies that the
heavenly sanctuary is relevant to God’s end-time people.
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to point to overall?
What other principles and conclusions do you find?
How does God residing and ministering in the heavenly sanctuary affect your personal and spiritual life?
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
Exodus 29:38–46
Exodus 30:10
Leviticus 4:6, 7
Jeremiah 17:1
Leviticus 16
Hebrews 8:1–5; 9:1–28
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 8?
inVite
The Final Stage
The sanctuary reveals that God is a God of process and transparency to ensure that sin will never
rise again. The sanctuary theme and the great controversy theme are parallel. The sanctuary
provides a framework for understanding the work of Christ in restoring that which was lost in
Eden. The great controversy theme is the backdrop against which the sanctuary’s plan of
restoration is given. The plan of redemption as illustrated in the sanctuary reveals God’s way of
forever dealing with the issues that caused sin to spring up in heaven with Lucifer. When the
final stage of the sanctuary service is completed in the Most Holy Place, every question that the
universe had in regard to the claims put forth by Lucifer will be forever settled.
The sanctuary illustrates how Jesus removes sin from the universe. Jesus plays the role of the
Lamb. He dies on our behalf. Jesus as our sacrificial Lamb earned the right to remove the penalty
of sin. Then after His ascension, Jesus became our High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary. Jesus
as the High Priest has the right to apply the benefits of salvation to us and in us, including
delivering us from the power of sin. The cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven is the process of
God forever removing the record of sin.
The cleansing of the record of sin from heaven is the final stage of the process. Jesus as our High
Priest in heaven entered the Most Holy Place and began His work in the antitypical Day of
Atonement. While Jesus is doing the work of cleansing the sanctuary in heaven, through the
Holy Spirit He is cleansing the temple of our hearts here on earth. The righteousness of Christ
covers us, and the righteousness of Christ through the Spirit, working in and through us, cleanses
us.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in Daniel 8?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of
1844. It opened to view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious, showing that
God's hand had directed the great advent movement and revealing present duty as it brought to
light the position and work of His people. As the disciples of Jesus after the terrible night of their
anguish and disappointment were ‘glad when they saw the Lord,’ so did those now rejoice who
had looked in faith for His second coming. They had expected Him to appear in glory to give
reward to His servants. As their hopes were disappointed, they had lost sight of Jesus, and with
Mary at the sepulcher they cried: ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they
have laid Him.’ Now in the holy of holies they again beheld Him, their compassionate High
Priest, soon to appear as their king and deliverer. Light from the sanctuary illumined the past, the
present, and the future. They knew that God had led them by His unerring providence. Though,
like the first disciples, they themselves had failed to understand the message which they bore, yet
it had been in every respect correct. In proclaiming it they had fulfilled the purpose of God, and
their labor had not been in vain in the Lord. Begotten ‘again unto a lively hope,’ they rejoiced
‘with joy unspeakable and full of glory.’
“Both the prophecy of Daniel 8:14, ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed,’ and the first angel’s message, ‘Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the
hour of His judgment is come,’ pointed to Christ's ministration in the most holy place, to the
investigative judgment, and not to the coming of Christ for the redemption of His people and the
destruction of the wicked. The mistake had not been in the reckoning of the prophetic periods,
but in the event to take place at the end of the 2300 days. Through this error the believers had
suffered disappointment, yet all that was foretold by the prophecy, and all that they had any
Scripture warrant to expect, had been accomplished. At the very time when they were lamenting
the failure of their hopes, the event had taken place which was foretold by the message, and
which must be fulfilled before the Lord could appear to give reward to His servants.”
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, 423, 424.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications of believing in the heavenly sanctuary?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
What is society’s attitude about sin?
What is the Christian community’s attitude about sin?
What does God keeping a record of forgiven sins indicate about the nature of sin?
What is the difference between the sanctuary understanding of the removal of sin and the popular
understanding of how God removes sin?
How does one reconcile the assurance of salvation with the idea of the judgment?
What could be the benefits of the heavenly sanctuary to the inhabitants of the universe?
What does the removal of even the record of sins from heaven tell us about the character of God?
What does the way that God removes the record of sin reveal about the issues in the great
controversy?
inTro
Belonging and Believing
We live in an age when it’s more important to belong than to believe. People are looking for
community and for connection. Even in the Christian community, truth and beliefs and doctrines
are minimized. But God is calling us to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). In other words, it
is not belonging or believing; it is belonging and believing. God wants us to have community
that is grounded in truth.
Belonging and believing in an Adventist community necessitates that questions of
Adventist identity must be answered. We must know for ourselves whether the central tenets of
our belief system are indeed on solid biblical footing. Ellen White states that the 2,300-day
prophecy is “the central pillar” of the Adventist faith. By implication, if we are wrong on the
“central pillar,” the whole structure crumbles. How solid is the evidence for our interpretation of
Daniel 8:14? This is an identity question that we cannot afford to entrust to others; we must
examine the evidence for ourselves.
Journal:
Write out Daniel 9:20–27 from the translation of your choice. If you’re pressed for time,
write out Daniel 9:24–27. You may also rewrite the passage in your own words, outline, or
mind map the chapter.
inGest
Grounded in Messiah
In Daniel chapter 8, Daniel is given the vision of the ram, he-goat, horn, and the 2,300-day
prophecy. The angel Gabriel proceeds to explain the vision and does not explain fully the 2,300-
day prophecy in reference to the sanctuary. Daniel is awaiting the end of the seventy-year
captivity of the Jews and is worried that the 2,300-day prophecy means the seventy-year
captivity will be extended to 2,300 years. Daniel chapter 8 ends with Daniel fainting and sick
because he did not understand the vision.
Chapter 9 begins with Daniel’s reference to the seventy-year captivity and his prayer for the
restoration of his people to Jerusalem, as God had promised through Jeremiah. Daniel is worried
that the timetable for the restoration of his people, the city of Jerusalem, and the temple’s
rebuilding will be extended. Gabriel comes and says that he has come to help Daniel to
“understand the vision” (Dan. 9:23). The vision of the 2,300 days is not understood, and the
angel Gabriel proceeds to give the seventy-week prophecy. In other words, the key to
understanding the 2,300-day prophecy is to link it with the seventy-week prophecy.
Below is a diagram of 2,300-day and seventy-week prophecies, applying the day/year principle:
[graphic will need to be created]
The prophetic date of 1844 and the Adventist belief in the investigative judgment are grounded
in the seventy-week prophecy. The seventy-week prophecy proves the authenticity of Jesus as
the Messiah. He was baptized exactly on time. He died exactly in the year that the Bible
predicted. It’s hard to deny the veracity of seventy weeks and its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
When the seventy weeks are linked with the 2,300 days, the implications are clear. If 1844 is
wrong, then the seventy weeks are also wrong, and Jesus is not the Messiah. In other words, if
you are a Christian, then prophetically speaking, you must believe in the investigative judgment
that began in 1844. If you believe in Jesus as the Messiah, then being a Seventh-day Adventist
makes perfect sense.
Journal:
Go back to your scribed text and study the passage.
- [Circle] repeated words/phrases/ideas
- [Underline] words/phrases that are important and have meaning to you
- Draw [Arrows] to connect one word/phrase to another associated or related word/phrase
What special insights do your marks seem overall to point to?
Memorize your favorite verse. Write it out multiple times to help memorization.
What are the reasons that you are a Seventh-day Adventist?
Have you studied for yourself the reasons for your faith?
inTerpret
A Deeper Look at Daniel 9:20–27
How solid is the link between the 2,300 days in Daniel 8 and the seventy weeks in Daniel 9?
When Daniel 8 and 9 are read together from chapter to chapter in sequence, it becomes clear that
they are linked. (Remember, there were no chapter divisions in the original manuscript; the
divisions were added later for our convenience.) Here are evidences that the 2,300-day prophecy
of Daniel 8 and the seventy-week prophecy of Daniel 9 are linked:
1. In Daniel 9:21, Daniel states that Gabriel is the angel “whom I had seen in the vision at
the beginning.” There is no vision in Daniel 9, but there is a vision in Daniel 8 that is
interpreted by Gabriel. In other words, the association of Gabriel with the vision of
Daniel 8 indicates that the 2,300-day prophecy and the seventy-week prophecy are
linked.
2. Daniel faints and later says that he could not understand the vision (Dan. 8:27). The only
part of the vision in chapter 8 that Daniel could not understand was the 2,300-day
prophecy. When Gabriel comes in Daniel 9, he says to “consider the matter and
understand the vision” (Dan. 9:23). In Daniel 9, the angel Gabriel comes to give
understanding specifically in regard to the 2,300-day prophecy.
3. Daniel 8:15 uses the word hazon to refer to the whole vision and then uses the word
mareh in Daniel 8:27 to refer to the 2,300-day portion of the vision that Daniel did not
understand. When the angel Gabriel comes and says to “understand the vision” (Dan.
9:23), he uses the word mareh. In other words, the angel Gabriel links the 2,300-day
prophecy to the seventy-week prophecy linguistically.
4. When Gabriel opens with the seventy-week prophecy, he says that seventy weeks “are
determined” (Dan. 9:24). The word determined is the word chatak, which literally means
to cut off or separate. Gabriel is indicating that seventy weeks are “cut off” from the time
prophecy of the 2,300-day prophecy. In other words, the key to understanding the 2,300-
day prophecy is to look at it in the context of the seventy-week prophecy that is within
the 2,300 days.
What about the gap theory?
Some Christians have espoused the belief that the last week in the seventy-week prophecy is to
be detached and thrown off into the future. See the diagram below:
[graphic will need to be created]
According to some, the last week of the prophecy is to be seven years of tribulation. They
believe that the secret rapture is the event that begins the seven years of tribulation, when the
people who did not make it to heaven the first time get a second chance. According to this belief,
in the middle of the seven years the anti-Christ comes.
There are a number of issues with this position. First, there is no indication from the seventy-
week prophecy in Daniel 9 of any discontinuation or separation of the last week from the other
69 weeks. Furthermore, there is no mention of the anti-Christ in the seventy-week prophecy; on
the contrary, the seventieth week is a reference to “Messiah” (v. 26), who “shall bring an end to
sacrifice and offering” (v. 27). Jesus did this when He died on the cross and the temple veil was
torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51). This indicated that earthly sacrifices were no longer
necessary because the real Lamb of God had been slain.
Seventy-week prophecy diagram based on Daniel 9:24–27
[graphic will need to be created]
Journal:
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to
inSpect
How do the following verses relate to the primary passage?
Mark 1:15
Luke 3:1
Daniel 12:1
Acts 7:54–60
Acts 8:1-4
Ezra 6:14
Matthew 27:51
What other verses/promises come to mind in connection with Daniel 9:20–27?
What questions emerge after studying this passage? What parts are difficult?
After looking at your scribed and annotated text, what special insights do your marks seem to
inVite
Jesus and Adventism
Adventist identity is anchored in Jesus as Messiah. The whole notion of 1844 seems bizarre to
other Christian communities. Where in the world did we come up with that date? Yet, when we
see clearly that 1844 comes from being faithful to the text and anchoring it in the Messianic
prophecy of Jesus Christ, we come to the realization that 1844 is not weird but that it is Christ-
centered! According to the book of Daniel, the Adventist belief in 1844 is anchored in the belief
that Jesus is the Messiah; and the veracity of the seventy-week prophecy gives veracity to the
date of 1844.
The judgment message is anchored in Jesus as Messiah and the gospel. The whole notion of the
judgment seems antithetical to the gospel and the good news of salvation bought at Calvary.
However, Daniel 8 and 9 do not disassociate the two, but rather the chapters link them together.
The message of judgment and the message of the cross are joined together prophetically; they
should not be dissociated from each other theologically.
The linking of the seventy-week prophecy and the 2,300-day prophecy links Jesus as the Lamb
and Jesus as High Priest. These two time prophecies reveal Jesus in the courtyard of the
sanctuary and, by implication, Jesus as our High Priest in the Holy Place during the span from 31
AD to 1844 AD; and Jesus as our High Priest in the Most Holy Place from 1844 to the present
day. The linking of the seventy-week and 2,300-day prophecies further authenticates the
sanctuary as the hermeneutical key to understanding the plan of salvation.
Journal:
Where is Jesus in Daniel 9:20–27?
What is He saying to you through these texts?
How do you see Jesus differently or see Him again?
Prayer: How do you respond to seeing Jesus in this way?
Prayer Response:
inSight
“The scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the central pillar of the
advent faith was the declaration: ‘Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed.’ Daniel 8:14. These had been familiar words to all believers in the Lord’s
soon coming. By the lips of thousands was this prophecy repeated as the watchword of their
faith. All felt that upon the events therein foretold depended their brightest expectations and most
cherished hopes. These prophetic days had been shown to terminate in the autumn of 1844. In
common with the rest of the Christian world, Adventists then held that the earth, or some portion
of it, was the sanctuary. They understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary was the purification
of the earth by the fires of the last great day, and that this would take place at the second advent.
Hence the conclusion that Christ would return to the earth in 1844.
“But the appointed time had passed, and the Lord had not appeared. The believers knew that
God’s word could not fail; their interpretation of the prophecy must be at fault; but where was
the mistake? Many rashly cut the knot of difficulty by denying that the 2300 days ended in 1844.
No reason could be given for this except that Christ had not come at the time they expected Him.
They argued that if the prophetic days had ended in 1844, Christ would then have returned to
cleanse the sanctuary by the purification of the earth by fire; and that since He had not come, the
days could not have ended.
“To accept this conclusion was to renounce the former reckoning of the prophetic periods. The
2300 days had been found to begin when the commandment of Artaxerxes for the restoration and
building of Jerusalem went into effect, in the autumn of 457 B.C. Taking this as the starting
point, there was perfect harmony in the application of all the events foretold in the explanation of
that period in Daniel 9:25–27. Sixty-nine weeks, the first 483 of the 2300 years, were to reach to
the Messiah, the Anointed One; and Christ’s baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit, A.D. 27,
exactly fulfilled the specification. In the midst of the seventieth week, Messiah was to be cut off.
Three and a half years after His baptism, Christ was crucified, in the spring of A.D. 31. The
seventy weeks, or 490 years, were to pertain especially to the Jews. At the expiration of this
period the nation sealed its rejection of Christ by the persecution of His disciples, and the
apostles turned to the Gentiles, A.D. 34. The first 490 years of the 2300 having then ended, 1810
years would remain. From A.D. 34, 1810 years extend to 1844. ‘Then,’ said the angel, ‘shall the
sanctuary be cleansed.’ All the preceding specifications of the prophecy had been unquestionably
fulfilled at the time appointed.”
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, 409, 410.
Journal:
After this week’s study of the chapter, what are personal applications you are convicted of in your life?
What are practical applications you must make in your life from these prophetic studies?
Review the memory verse. How does it apply to your life this week?
inQuire
What are reasons that individuals are part of a denomination?
How important is the role of doctrines in choosing a denomination?
Is it more important to belong or to believe?
What evidence can you give for Jesus being the Messiah?
How does the 2,300-day prophecy build your faith in the Adventist movement?
Why is it important to have a solid biblical position for our core doctrines?
Why do you think the sanctuary is “the central pillar” (The Great Controversy, 409) of the
Adventist faith?
What are the implications of living in a time of judgment since 1844?