Episode 61: Understanding the Second Coming: Unsealing the Book of Daniel- Captive Evangelism

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UNDERSTANDING THE SECOND COMING: Unsealing the Book of Daniel- Captive Evangelism

UNDERSTANDING THE SECOND COMING: Unsealing the Book of Daniel- Captive Evangelism

UNSEALING THE BOOK OF DANIEL: CAPTIVE EVANGELISM

It was approximately one thousand miles on foot that Daniel and his three friends had to travel to reach Babylon. Modern travel time to reach most of the world is just a few days or hours. By the time he reached Babylon, Daniel was probably two months from his homeland. Why was Daniel taken captive and Judah overthrown by a heathen nation? Part of the reason is found in the opening verses of Daniel 1:

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god” (Daniel 1:1-2).

Daniel and the Hebrew captives were taken to Babylon because God gave Judah into the hands of the Babylonians. The Sovereign Lord of the Universe allowed His chosen people to be taken captive. From our perspective, it may seem terrible that God would allow such tragedy to come upon His own nation. But from God’s per­spective, it is never a tragedy. In His omnipotence God always works on the principle of love. Even His “chastening” is for our “profit” (see Hebrews 12:6-11).

Jeremiah, a contemporary of Daniel, wrote, “Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good” (Jeremiah 24:5). The 195-stripe-beaten, twice-rod-beaten, once-stoned, ship­wrecked apostle Paul, who eventually died a martyr, could say, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

I’m sure that Daniel would say “Amen” to Paul; for, as we are about to see, Daniel would also give anything, including life itself, to bring honor to God. And that de­gree of commitment comes only when the selfish human heart has seen something of the grace and love of the Savior. “We love Him,” said John the beloved, a former son of thunder, “because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19; Mark 3:17). When we fall in love with God, we long to please Him. “If ye love Me,” said Christ, “ye will keep My commandments (John 14:15, RSV). Love comes first, obedience always follows, for true faith in God “worketh by love” (Galatians 5:6).

Revelation 12:11 points to a people who have a similar experience. Having tasted of the forgiving power of the blood of the Lamb, “they loved not their own lives unto the death” (see Revelation 12:11). Their love for God is no silent, compromising witness. It is a testimony calculated to give glory to God by overcoming the devil (see Revelation 12:12). This was the experience of Daniel. Whether in life or in death, his destiny was to give glory to God. And what a destiny! There is none finer in this world, nor in the world to come.

Captivity Prophesied

The events of Judah’s captivity, which open up the book of Daniel, can be under­stood as the climax to an important series of events that began some one hundred years earlier. Considering

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