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    Daniel, Hosea and Joel
    Daniel, Hosea and Joel
    Daniel, Hosea and Joel
    Ebook260 pages3 hours

    Daniel, Hosea and Joel

    By F. Wayne Mac Leod

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    The prophet Daniel spoke to a people in exile. He reminded them that God had not forgotten them. He was a man who stood out in his day as one who was not afraid to be faithful to the God he loved and worshipped.In his exile, Daniel distinguished himself as a God fearing Jew wh o could interpret dreams. He was rewarded with a place of prominence among the wise men of the land. During this time, Daniel would have a series of visions pointing to the historical events that would lead up to the coming of a great Messiah and the end times.

    Hosea, was a prophet called by God to minister in a time a great spiritul decline in the nations of Israel and Judah. By God's command He married and unfaithful wife. Their relationship would symbolize the relationship between God and His people of that day. He spoke of the grief and anger of God over Israel's unfaithfulness. He calls his people to return to her God who would love and restore them.

    Joel likely lived just prior to the exile of God's people in Judah. He warned them of a coming invastion to purify the Land. He also spoke of a day after this judgement of God when the Spirit of God would move in a wonderful way among His people. His prophecy looked forward to the great day of Pentecost. Peter would describe what happened when the Holy Spirit fell on His people in the book of Acts by reciting the prophecy of Joel.

    These important prophetic books of the Bible challenge us to walk in obedient faithfulness to God. They teach us about a God who judges but who also blesses and rewards those who love and walk with Him. Each chapter of this book is concluded with some questions to consider and some points for prayer to help apply the passage to your daily life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherF. Wayne Mac Leod
    Release dateJan 21, 2015
    ISBN9781311783738
    Daniel, Hosea and Joel
    Author

    F. Wayne Mac Leod

    F. Wayne Mac Leod was born in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada and received his education at Ontario Bible College, University of Waterloo and Ontario Theological Seminary. He was ordained at Hespeler Baptist Church, Cambridge, Ontario in 1991. He and his wife, Diane served as missionaries with the Africa Evangelical Fellowship (now merged with SIM) on the islands of Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean from 1985-1993 where he was involved in church development and leadership training. He is presently involved in a writing ministry and is a member of Action International Ministries.

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      Book preview

      Daniel, Hosea and Joel - F. Wayne Mac Leod

      The prophet Daniel spoke to a people in exile who were paying the price for their sin. Even in exile for their rebellion God’s people still knew His presence and blessing. The book of Daniel is the story of a man who stood out in the midst of a rebellious people and who was unashamed of his God. It shows us that while God will not abandon His people He will discipline them for their own good.

      Hosea is a prophecy to a nation that turned its back on God. It is a story of a God who patiently endured insults and rebellion. The book serves as a warning to all who read it that the Lord is a God of holiness and justice. Hosea reminds us that God will deal with sin. God’s people, like the prodigal son, had wandered far from Him and they suffered the consequences of their rebellion. God did not forsake them, however. He waited, with arms open wide, to receive them. Through the prophet Hosea, God called them back to himself. The prophecy is a story of the grace of God in dealing with those who have wandered from Him.

      In the prophecy of Joel we see God’s people moving from barrenness to spiritual revival and from devastation by locusts to a land flowing with new wine. We catch a glimpse of the merciful and compassionate heart of God as He poured out His Holy Spirit and blessings on a repentant people. The prophecy offers hope of renewal for all God’s people.

      This commentary is not meant to replace the Bible. It serves only as a guide to take you section by section through the prophecies of Daniel, Hosea and Joel. Read the passages indicated at the beginning of each chapter. Work through the passage with the commentary, using it as a guide. Ask the Spirit of God to reveal the truth of the passage to you. You could possibly read one section each day in your personal quiet time with the Lord. Each chapter ends with a set of questions. Take a moment to reflect upon these questions. They will help you think about the practical application of the passage. Conclude your time by praying about the things you have learned. I have also given some suggested prayer requests at the end of each chapter. Take a moment to pray over these requests.

      My prayer is that this book will be instrumental in helping you walk devotionally through the prophesies of Daniel, Hosea and Joel. The book not only seeks to help you understand the passage but also to see its practical application to your life. May God bless you over the next few weeks as you meditate on these important Scriptures.

      F. Wayne Mac Leod

      INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL

      Author:

      The author of this book is a man by the name of Daniel. This is evident not only in the book itself but in other Biblical passages. In Matthew 24:15, for example, Jesus directly referred to prophecies in Daniel 9:27; 11:31 and 12:11 claiming that they were spoken through the prophet Daniel. In several passage in the book, Daniel uses the phrase I, Daniel showing us clearly that he himself was writing (see Daniel 7:28; 8:1; 9:2; 10:2; 12:5).

      Background

      The first two chapters of the book provide us with a number of details about Daniel and his times. He was born in Israel during the time that King Nebuchadnezzar was beginning to take captives back to Babylon as servants. Daniel was taken as a young man, brought to Babylon and trained to serve in Nebuchadnezzar’s court.

      The qualifications for serving in the court of Nebuchadnezzar was that each young man be from a wealthy Israelite family, without physical defect, handsome and intelligent (see Daniel 1:3-4). Daniel met all of those qualifications. He was trained in the language and literature of Babylon for three years and ate in the palace at the king’s table (1:4-5).

      His name was changed to Belteshazzar with likely means Bel, protect the king. Bel was the Babylonian god. While his new name spoke of the god Bel, Daniel’s heart was committed to the Lord God of Israel. Even as a young man, he demonstrated a strong allegiance to God and his commandments. Daniel refused to defile himself with food from the king’s table, choosing rather to follow the food laws of the Law of Moses. God would bless him for that commitment.

      Daniel would distinguish himself as an interpreter of dreams and visions. His interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2 caused the king to reward him with the position as ruler over the province of Babylon in charge of all the wise men (Daniel 2:46-48).

      During his time as chief of the wise men of Babylon, Daniel had a series of visions, strong in symbolism, relating to the immediate future of several nations, the coming of the Messiah and the end times.

      Importance of the Book for Today:

      In this book we are introduced to a young man who was stripped from his family and forced to serve an enemy king. His commitment to the Lord God of Israel is remarkable. Often risking his life to serve the Lord, Daniel refused to compromise or be discouraged in his situation. He rose to a position of great authority in the land using the gifts God had given him faithfully. He is a powerful example to us who serve in less than ideal situations today.

      The book of Daniel is also remarkable in the details God communicated to Daniel about the immediate future and the days to come. Even the smallest events were planned by God and fulfilled exactly as he showed Daniel. Nothing escapes God. He is the sovereign Lord of history and the times to come.

      Daniel also reveals to us that the events that take place in this life also have a spiritual dimension. We read about the angel Michael and his battle with the prince of Persia. We see God withholding the mouths of lions and the presence of his angel in the fiery furnace with Daniel’s friends. In all this we become aware of the unseen hand of the Lord God and his angels in the lives of his people.

      This same God cares for us today. His angels provide for our needs and protect us. In one of Israel’s worst crisis, Daniel reveals to us a sovereign God who protects, speaks and works all things for the good of his people and the glory of his name.

      Chapter 1 - FAITHFUL IN SMALL THINGS

      Read Daniel 1:1-21

      The book of Daniel was written in a time of exile. The story of Daniel occurs during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Commentators tell us that the events of this first chapter occurred while Daniel was just a youth. We are told that the training of youths for the service of the king usually took place usually before the child was 12 years of age. If this is that case we must certainly admire the commitment of Daniel even as a young man. The hand of God was on him from his youth.

      We begin the book of Daniel with some history of the period. It was in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim of Judah that Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and surrounded the city with his army (ca. 605 BC). At that time the Lord delivered Jehoiakim into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar took some of the articles from the temple and placed them in the temple of his god in Babylon. These articles had been consecrated to the Lord God. This was a very difficult time of judgment for the people of God. They did not understand why the Lord had allowed this to happen. There would have been many questions on their minds.

      At this time as well Nebuchadnezzar ordered the chief of the court officials to bring some young Israelite men into his court for training as court servants. These youths were to be of the noble class of Israelite society (verse 3). They were to be young men who were physically in perfect condition, handsome and intelligent. We have already stated that very likely these captives would have been around twelve to fourteen years of age.

      These youths were to be taught how to serve in the king's palace. Ashpenaz, the chief of the court officials, was to train them in the language and literature of Babylon (verse 4). Part of the training involved a special diet from the king's table. The training would last for a period of three years and then these young men would enter into the service of the king of Babylon.

      The book of Daniel tells us the story of four young Israelites chosen to be the king’s court servants: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. They were given new Babylonian names when they entered their training. The name Daniel means God is my judge. His name was changed to Belteshazzar meaning Bel's prince. Bel was a Babylonian god. By changing Daniel’s name, the Babylonians intended for Daniel to worship the local gods. It is significant to note that Daniel chose to refer to himself by his Hebrew name rather than by his Babylonian name.

      The names of Daniel's friends were also changed. Hananiah means whom Jehovah has favored. His name was changed to Shadrach, after the Babylonian god Rak. Mishael, whose name means: who is comparable to God, was given the new name Meshach after Shak the goddess of love. Azariah's name means Jehovah helps. He was given the name Abednego meaning servant of the shining fire. This could be a reference to the sun an object of Babylonian worship.

      In verse 8 we discover another way that Daniel deter-mined to remain committed to his God. Daniel resolved in his heart no to defile himself with the food and wine that came from the king's table. As a Jew, he understood that the food was unclean, according to the dietary laws of in the Law of Moses. He determined in his heart that he would be obedient in this matter and remain clean before God. Risking his life, he asked permission not to defile himself by eating unclean food.

      This would not have been an easy decision for Daniel to make. He did not know what the response of the official would be to this request. What is clear from verse 9, however, is that the Lord gave him favor with the official. As Daniel chose to obey the Lord in this matter, the Lord blessed and provided a way of obedience for him. What is quite amazing here is to see how the official opened his heart to Daniel. He admitted to this young lad that he was afraid of the king's response if he found Daniel looking worse than the other boys. I find it quite interesting that this official would open his heart to Daniel about this matter. He is sympathetic toward Daniel's situation but did not want to risk shirking his responsibility as an official. This shows us something of how strict life in the court really was. The chief official feared for his life if he chose to disobey the direct command of the king.

      Seeing the hesitation of the official, Daniel made a decision by faith (verse 11). He believed that if he was obedient the Lord would bless him. He asked the guard appointed by the chief official to test him and his friends for ten days on vegetables and water alone. (It is uncertain if the chief official Ashpenaz was aware of this.) At the end of ten days, the guard was to compare Daniel and his friends with the others who had been eating the king’s food. They agreed to the test. We can only admire this kind of faith on the part of these young Hebrew captives.

      Verse 15 tells us that at the end of ten days Daniel and his friends looked healthier and better nourished than the men who ate the king's food. Seeing this, the guard in charge of Daniel and his friends took away the king's food and fed them vegetables and water only. We cannot underestimate the impact that this had on the guard. Obviously, he would have seen the hand of God on the lives of these young men. Though they did not preach to him, their lifestyle and their obedience to God were a powerful testimony.

      Notice, that God blessed Daniel’s obedience in a wonderful way. Verse 17 tells us that the Lord gave them knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning in Babylon. The knowledge here was the knowledge of the literature and ways of Babylon. This was a gift from God. To Daniel he gave another gift—that of understanding and interpreting dreams and visions (verse 17). At this point in his life, Daniel would not have understood how important that gift would be.

      At the end of three years of training, the king talked with each of the men who had been place under the training of Ashpenaz, his chief court official. Nebuchadnezzar was very impressed with Daniel and his three friends. He found them ten times wiser than even the magicians and enchanters of his kingdom (verse 20). Daniel captured the attention of the king and was placed in the king's service. Daniel would serve in Babylon until the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, when the children of Israel would return to their own land.

      What we need to notice here is the obedience of Daniel in small things. He chose to be faithful in the matter of only eating what the Lord required of him. The Lord blessed this decision. What would have happened if Daniel had not been faithful to the Lord in this matter? Obedience in this simple matter was the first test Daniel needed to pass. Having passed this test, the Lord blessed him in abundance and released him into a fuller blessing. Daniel is an example of how a believer can remain faithful to the Lord in very difficult circumstances. May we be found faithful as well in the circumstances of our lives.

      For Consideration:

      What is the connection between obedience and the blessing of God in the life of Daniel?

      Are there areas in your life where you need to prove yourself faithful?

      Have you ever found yourself making compromises and not being absolutely faithful?

      What do we learn about the faith of Daniel in this passage? How does your faith compare?

      What does this passage teach us about how God and use young people to witness for Him?

      For Prayer:

      As the Lord to reveal to you any area in your life where you have failed to be as faithful as Daniel.

      Ask the Lord to give you more faith in Him and His purposes.

      Thank the Lord that as we obey He will be faithful to us, as He was to Daniel.

      Chapter 2 - THE KING'S DREAM

      Read Daniel 2:1-49

      Verse 1 tells us that in the second year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him very much. He called his magicians, sorcerers, enchanters and astrologers to stand before him. It is striking that he would call such a number of them together. In normal conditions the king might have consulted one or two of the wise men, but there was something quite different about this dream.

      When the wise men and magicians were gathered before him, the king told them that he had a dream that had troubled him and asked them to interpret it for him. When the astrologers asked the king to tell them his dream, the king refused to do so. He told them that they were not only to interpret his dream but also to tell him what he had dreamed. He warned them that if they could not tell him the dream, he would have them cut into pieces and their houses turned into a pile of rubble (verse 5). If, on the other hand, they told him the dream and its interpretation, they would receive from him great gifts, rewards and honor.

      It is quite clear from this that the king was very troubled by this dream. He believed that this dream contained a message for him, and he did not want to miss that message. He needed to be sure that what the magicians and sorcerers said was true. The way he could tell if the interpretation was correct was by demanding that they also telling him what he had dreamed. This way he could confirm what was being said.

      It is interesting to note here that the original text changes from Hebrew to Aramaic in this section of Daniel. While most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, this portion, from Daniel 2:4 to the end of chapter 7 was originally written in Aramaic.

      The astrologers and those present were shocked at the king’s request. Again they asked him to tell them the dream. Interpreting a dream was one thing, but telling the king what he dreamed was another. Again the king refused and accused them of trying to gain time because they did not have

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