Go with me back to Daniel chapter one. Daniel chapter one. I am so thankful for these Old Testament stories. I love these stories. I love these people. I love the message. I love the picture that these stories and the lives of these people portray to us messages of Christ, pictures of Christ. That's what all of them are, pictures of Christ. The book of Daniel is full of them. It's full of them. There's a lot of wonderful stories and accounts in this book. As I tell you all the time, every time I'm in chapter one of anything, I tell you, I don't know if the Lord's gonna let us go through this book or not. We're at his mercy. But I would like to give a intro to the book of Daniel. I would also like for us to see Daniel as a picture of Christ. That's what we're going to see tonight. But this is going to be. I don't know, maybe a study format or something. It's an intro to the book of Daniel, OK? It begins with Israel being taken into captivity. That's how this, this book begins. Israel was in captivity to Babylon for 70 years. And it is a major theme in the Old Testament. That captivity is a major theme in the Old Testament. I didn't realize how major of a theme it was until we studied the book of Ezra a few years ago. And as I started turning and reading and seeing when people lived and it's all through the Old Testament. Second Kings and Second Chronicles both mention it. One year before the captivity happened, one year before it happened, Jeremiah foretold of Nebuchadnezzar leading Israel into captivity. One year before it happened. It plainly says, and I'm not going to read it to you tonight. I'll either read it to you next time or tell you where it is. But it plainly says Nebuchadnezzar is going to lead Israel into this captivity. That was one year before. 102 years before, Isaiah foretold of Cyrus leading Israel out of this captivity. Portions of Ezekiel were written during the captivity. Portions of other books too. Jeremiah or I think Jeremiah. Ezra and Nehemiah are accounts of them being led out of the captivity. This one starts going in, Ezra starts coming out. Rebuilding of the temple, rebuilding of the walls. The book of Esther takes place just after the captivity is over. All through the minor prophets, all through the Old Testament, it's all through the Old Testament. The theme is the deliverance of God's people from this captivity. That's the theme. And it's a picture of the deliverance of God's people from the captivity of sin. Israel was in captivity for 70 years. How long is 70 years? You say it's 70 years. That's right. Another way of saying that is three score in 10. That's the life of a man or woman on this earth. God has allowed the average of three score and 10, 70 years. And we spend our time on this earth during that 70 years in the captivity of our own sin. We're God's people, but we are in the captivity of our own sin. And I want us to take note as we begin looking at this captivity, I want us to realize that not only is the deliverance of God's people a sovereign deliverance. But even the captivity of God's people, that was a sovereign captivity. Nothing about this was outside of God's control. Nothing about this. Now look with me at Daniel 1 verse 1, it says, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Judah is Israel, this is the king of Israel. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon unto Jerusalem and besieged it. Now we are going to see if the Lord lets us get into this book, I believe the Lord ended up saving this King Nebuchadnezzar. He right here in this moment is a picture of idolatry. His name means, the name Nebuchadnezzar means May Nebo protect the crown. Nebo was one of their false idol gods, false god idols. But what a picture of man by nature Nebuchadnezzar is. He represents the enemy. He represents sin. Over in chapter four, I don't know if there's a place that I quote more often than Daniel chapter four. That's where he went out and he saw, look at everything I've done. And the Lord said, you're going to end up crawling around in a field until I tell you otherwise. And after the Lord returned him back, he said, he's the King. He does what he wants with whom he wants and the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. None can stop him or question him. Their God is God. But Nebo was one of their false idols and Nebuchadnezzar represents idolatry. That's what he represents. God conquered him just like God, our Lord conquered all of his sinful people. Just like he has conquered all sin and all people. All things. He has conquered all things. In the end, it will be so that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. In chapter four, that's what Nebuchadnezzar had to do. He had no choice but to do that, to bow and to confess. But in our picture right here, the sin of idolatry attacked the people of God. It was the sin and attack of Babylon. Babylon came. Now, where did Babylon come from? Where did Babylon start? I wonder if any of the little kids may know. Where did Babylon start? The Tower of Babel. You ever heard that story? The Tower of Babel. What took place at the Tower of Babel? Works religion. That's what took place. False religion. The name Babylon means confusion by mixing. They tried to mix their works with God's grace. They tried to build their own tower to God. They said, we're gonna make our own way to God. We're gonna get to God by our own doing. We're gonna build this great tower. That's man's works. They tried to mix man's works with God's grace. And that sin, that mixing brought the confusion of losing God. God mixed and confused all of their languages. That's where all these different languages that we have on this earth came from. All of a sudden they couldn't understand each other. This one started speaking this language and that one started speaking that language and they couldn't understand each other and it all came to nothing and it fell. Man fell in that sin of trying to mix his own works with God's grace. That's what happened in the Garden of Eden. Man fell in the sin of trying to mix his own works with God's grace and mankind was taken captive in that fall. But even so, It was a sovereign captivity. Look right here at verse one. It says, in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon unto Jerusalem and besieged it. Verse two says, and the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. Even this was sovereignly at the hand of the Lord. It says the Lord gave. It is the Lord. Let him do what seemeth him good. The Lord kills. The Lord makes alive. The Lord wounds. The Lord heals. The Lord does all these things. The Lord does all these things. Our Lord was not ambushed. He was not surprised. Verse 2 says, 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. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel and of the king's seed and of the princes, children in whom was no blemish, but well favored and skillful in all wisdom and cunning in knowledge and understanding science and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace. and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans." This was an attack on Christ and the people of Christ, as we see the spiritual picture in this. That's who this describes. It says in verse three, certain of the children of Israel, certain of the children of Israel, of the king's seed. Of the princes, that's God's elect, God's elect people. Verse four describes Christ and every soul who's in Christ. This is how they're described. It says, no blemish. Well favored. This is Christ and every soul in Christ. Possessing this wisdom, this revelation. this knowledge, this understanding of the mind and will of God, possessing the very righteousness of Christ, having the ability in them to stand in the king's palace, to stand in the king's presence. That's who the enemy wanted to indoctrinate with these lies of idolatry, this teaching of lies, these fiery darts of lies and idolatry. The adversary desires nothing more than to bring the people of Christ into captivity. And he will do everything in his power to make that happen. Everything in his power to force his free will idolatry on God's people. But we're gonna see through this that Christ will not let that happen. He will not let it happen. Verse three says, And the king spake unto Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the prince's, children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat." Nebuchadnezzar's, this meat that would have been offered to idols. Verse five, the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat and of the wine which he drank. In this sense, the scripture says, wine is a mocker. The mocking of idolatry, the mocking, false religion and idolatry mocks God, mocks his word. Verse five, the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat and of the wine which he drank, so nourishing them three years that at the end thereof, they might stand before the king Now, among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel is a picture of Christ in this. These brethren are a picture of the people of Christ. The name Daniel means judgment. It means the judge of God. That's Jesus Christ. We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. He is the one who will bring judgment to the Gentiles. Daniel is a picture of Christ. These brethren represent the people of Christ. The name Hananiah means God has shown grace. Jehovah has favored. The name Mishael means God is my strength. It translates He is who God is. Jesus Christ is God and he's my strength. The name Azariah means God is my help. That's the gospel. That's the gospel. That's the grace and mercy of God's salvation. But the sin of the enemy tried to ruin it by mixing in man's works of idolatry. Look at verse seven, it says, unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names, for he gave unto Daniel the name Bel-teshazzar. Bel was one of their idols. And unto Hananiah of Shadrach. Drach was one of their idols. And to Mashael of Meshach. Shach was one of their idols. And to Azariah, of Abednego. Nego was one of their idols. Aren't you so glad the foundation of God stands sure? Aren't you so glad? Aren't you so glad that Christ has been given a name that is above every name? Aren't you so glad that there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved? The enemy tried to undo the grace of God, something that cannot be undone. But he tried to undo the grace of God. He tried to wipe out the remembrance of God's grace by the confusion of mixing man's sinful idolatry with the glory of God's holiness. Verse eight. I love these first two words. It says, but Daniel. We're going to say this is all because of Daniel. But God, Daniel is a picture of Christ, but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine, which he drank. Daniel is the one who purposed in his heart that he and his people would not be defiled by the sinful idolatry of man. Verse eight says, Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my Lord the king who hath appointed your meat and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? Then shall you make me endanger my head to the king. What he's saying is, if I don't give you what the king told me to, he's gonna kill me, he's gonna behead me. If you end up looking worse than the rest of them. Verse 11, then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had said over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. He said, prove thy servants I beseech thee 10 days and let them give us pulse to eat and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat, as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter and proved them 10 days. Daniel said, for 10 days, you let us eat vegetables. That's what Paul says. It's anything that comes from a seed. You let us eat vegetables and water and then you, after 10 days, compare us to all the other captives and then you make your decision from that. What Daniel was saying is no nourishment is going to come to us from idolatry. None. We are not going to defile ourselves with the flesh of man's works and the mockery of man's works, it's going to be the pure seed only. The seed alone, that's this word. The word of God, every word that has proceeded out of the mouth of God. Peter called this the incorruptible seed that liveth and abideth forever. We don't mix flesh with that. We don't mix our flesh with this. It's the seed alone. Our Lord said a sower went forth to sow seed. Scriptures alone, grace alone, faith alone, the glory of God alone because it's Christ alone. Daniel said, I'm not going to defile myself. Therefore, my brethren are not going to defile themselves. The other three, they were not defiled because Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled. That's the reason why Daniel is the one who purposed. It was all because of him. They were just not defiled with him. Verse 15 says, And at the end of 10 days, their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children, which did eat the portion of the king's mate. After the, at the end of 10 days, which is the number of completion in the scripture, seven is the number of perfection. 10 is the number of completion. At the end of 10 days, their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Thus, Melzar took away the portion of their meat and the wine that they should drink and gave them pulse." Ezekiel 34 calls the pasture of God's Word a fat pasture. I love that wording. I love hearing that and thinking it's a fat pasture. Isaiah 55 says, delight thyself in fatness. How do God's people do that? This word. Right here in this word. Our Lord said, open your mouth wide and I will fill it with my words. David said, my cup runneth over. That's what God's word does for God's people. It fills them with fullness. The irony of false religion is that's what they use for the Daniel diet to make people lose weight. That made them all fat. Spiritually speaking, that makes all of God's people very fat. They delight themselves in fatness. God's Word fills God's people with fullness. That fullness is Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. That fullness is the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. That fullness is forgiveness. and mercy and redemption in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. That fullness is all of the Godhead bodily in Him. Oh, the fullness that's in Christ. Verse 16 says, thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat and the wine that they should drink and gave them pulse. By the word of Daniel, that wickedness and that idolatry was taken away. It's all taken away. And they were given Christ alone. Verse 17, as for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. God gave all of them an understanding, but the secret things belonged to Daniel. Daniel's a picture of Christ. All the secret things belong to him. The only knowledge we have is the knowledge he reveals to us. He is the source of all wisdom, all knowledge. Verse 18, now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar and the king communed with them And among them all was found none like Daniel and Ananias, Mishael and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them 10 times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 10 is the number of completion. When he heard their word, he heard a finished word. He heard a complete word. Ten times better than all of that false religion mess that's not complete, not finished. Even I was thinking, you know, Nebuchadnezzar's still the enemy at this point. Even Pilate said, I find no fault in this man. I find no fault. This is a perfect man. Never has there been a man like this man. Verse 21 says, and Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus. That is not the time that he died. And that's not even the time that he left Babylon. That is the time of Israel's deliverance, Cyrus, 70 years later. Daniel was there for all of it. It's believed he was about 15 to 20 years old when he was taken into captivity. And he would have been there till he was about 85. Well, he was there longer than that. 70 years would be 85 or 90. But the point is, is he endured all of it, not part of it. He didn't start the captivity and then leave the rest of the captivity for somebody else. He endured all of it. And Christ our Savior endured all of it too. All the captivity of his people. He was the substitute of the entire life of his people. Let me just leave you with this blessed thought right here. Our substitute is our substitute for the entire life that we live on this earth. He was our substitute for everything we've done, everything we are doing, and everything we're gonna do. He was our substitute. He endured all of it. He was touched with the feeling of all of the infirmities. Having loved his own, he loved them to the end, all the way to the day of their deliverance. And every day after that, amen. Well, I hope the Lord will make that to be a blessing. Let's all stand together.