Lesson Two
Power To Deliver

1.	The Four Hebrew Captives:
a.	Daniel
b.	Hananiah
c.	Mishael
d.	Azariah

2.	Isaiah 39:7
"And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" 

3.	Descendents of Hezekiah
a.	They were made eunuchs
b.	They were handed over to Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs who was given charge over them for three years
c.	In an effort to convert them to the religion and culture of Babylon, Ashpenaz changed their names

4.	In The Ancient World Names Were Important And Of Great Significance 
a.	Daniel (God is my judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (Whom Bel Favors).
b.	Hananiah (Beloved of the Lord) changed to Shadrach (Illumined by the sun god).
c.	Mishael (Who is as God) was changed to Meshach (Who is like Venus).
d.	Azariah (The Lord is my help) was changed to Abednego (The servant of Nego).
e.	Though Ashpenaz changed their names he did not succeed in changing their faith
f.	They remained true to God and were ready to die for their faith

5.	Daniel 3:17
"Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King"

6.	Daniel 6:16
"Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee"

7.	Power To Deliver:
a.	In the historical part of this book we find recorded to incidents revealing God’s power to deliver
b.	The three Hebrews and King Darius expressed recognition of this power.
c.	Darius expressed his hope that Daniel's God would deliver him

8.	History: 
a.	The third chapter of Daniel is the story of the three Hebrew young men who would not bend, budge, nor burn. 
b.	They had been faithful servants and had obeyed the law of the land up to the point where it conflicted with the law of God. 
c.	The threat of a terrible death could not shake their purpose of being true to God.

9.	Nebuchadnezzar Was Not Satisfied So He Built An Image Of Himself
a.	It was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide
b.	A cubit is approximately eighteen inches, the image would be about ninety feet high and nine feet wide
c.	It was erected upon the Plain of Dura outside the walls of Babylon

10.	The Purpose Of The Image He Created
a.	To attract the largest crowd possible 
b.	Travelers approaching Babylon would be able to see the gold shining in the sun at a great distance.
c.	 It is quite possible that the image was placed on a high platform or a tall pedestal.
d.	Nebuchadnezzar’s image was simply a continuation of Babylonianism
e.	Babylonianism started at the Tower of Babel under Nimrod
f.	This is man’s attempt to establish a world empire combined with a religious system.

11.	The Prophecy of Daniel 
a.	Deals with the Times of the Gentiles, which begins with an image and ends with an image.
b.	Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the men of influence and authority to assemble for the dedication of his image. 
c.	At the sound of music they were ordered to bow and worship the image. 
d.	The three young Hebrew men refused to worship, and when brought before the king refused to compromise. 
e.	The threat of death did not affect their faith in their God. 
f.	They were willing to die with unshaken faith.

12.	Three Spectacular Things Happened While In The Fire:
a.	Their enemies were slain
b.	Their fetters were burned off
c.	Jesus Christ, as a Theophany of God, was in the fire with them

13.	The Fiery Furnace
a.	For the second time Nebuchadnezzar came face to face with the power of the one true God. 
b.	As a result he recognized that no other God could deliver like this and decreed that nothing could be said against the God of Israel. 
c.	The three Hebrews were promoted because of their dedication to their faith and convictions.

14.	I Peter 4:12
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you."

15.	Practical Lesson:
a.	Believers must go through the fiery trial.  
b.	If we keep true to our faith the same three results will follow that followed the faith of the three Hebrews. 
c.	The most important thing to remember is to refuse to bend, nor budge. 
d.	God will see that we do not burn.
e.	The words, "But if not" are worthy of deep thought. 
f.	Whether God delivered or not, the three Hebrews would still serve Him and bow down only at a true altar.
16.	Music
a.	The place that music has here is also worthy of consideration. 
b.	Music has a tremendous power for good or bad just as it did upon the Plain of Dura. 
c.	Satanic music is being used today to cause mankind everywhere to worship the wrong god.

17.	Prophetical Interpretation:
a.	(II Thessalonians 2:3, Revelation 13) - Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the man of sin who is still to be revealed 
b.	(Revelation 13:14) - The image is a type of the image of the beast.
c.	(Revelation 13:18) - Six is the number of man. 60 x 6 speaks of the number of the beast 666 

18.	The Three Hebrew Young Men Are A Type Of:
a.	The Nation of Israel brought through the fires of persecution.
b.	The 144,000 sealed during the Tribulation (Revelation 7)
c.	The testimony of deliverance that shall be given during the tribulation

19.	The History Of The Den Of Lions: 
a.	Found in Daniel Chapter Six
b.	Darius placed one hundred and twenty princes over his kingdom and made Daniel first president. 
c.	This made Daniel the most powerful man in the kingdom next to Darius himself.
d.	This is a tremendous testimony of God's grace. 
e.	Daniel was a true servant of God and had served for some seventy-two years under heathen pagan kings. 
f.	Because of his complete dedication to God, he was continually elevated and promoted.

20.	Daniel's Prayer Life 
a.	Figures largely in this lesson. 
b.	Note the phrase, "as he did aforetime" (verse 10). 
c.	The fact that his enemies were plotting to destroy him and the den of lions faced him did not make him pray more or less. 
d.	Daniel was not one who had a "fox-hole religion" or made "fox-hole prayers." 
e.	He had regular periods for prayer; a definite object in praying, a definite place for prayer; and a definite attitude in prayer.
f.	Remember Daniel was now an old man around ninety years old
21.	This Chapter Teaches Clearly The Value Of A 
a.	Life of faithfulness and dedication
b.	Life of prayer
c.	Life of faith.

22.	Daniel's Prayer Life Reveals
a.	In chapters two and nine as well as in this chapter 
b.	We should follow his example 
c.	And have a definite habit of prayer 
d.	A prayer closet or a definite place of prayer
e.	Specific needs when needs are called out to God
f.	A proper burden in prayer

23.	Daniel's Life Teaches The Value Of Faith 
a.	His faith in God is revealed clearly by opening his windows toward Jerusalem 
b.	This was not an act of presumption but rather an expression of faith
c.	Like all Jews, Daniel had the habit of praying while facing Jerusalem 
d.	He did not change because of the threat on his life 
e.	His enemies knew his habit and knew that he would not change 
f.	Even his enemies who hated him had faith in his faithful habit of prayer 

24.	Hebrews 11:33
"Who through faith … stopped the mouth of lions."

25.	We Can Have A Testimony Like Daniel Today
a.	It is possible to live godly Spirit filled lives where it can be said of each of us 
b.	An excellent spirit is found in us (verse 3)
c.	Was faithful (verse 4)
d.	No error nor fault found in him (verse 4)
e.	Verse 5 can be applied to each one of us: "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
f.	Verse 23—Daniel was delivered because "HE BELIEVED IN HIS GOD."

26.	I John 5:4
"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" 

27.	Prophetical Interpretation
a.	Darius demanded worship, homage and prayer from all people. 
b.	(Revelation 13) - He is a type of the person of Antichrist who will demand that as many as will not worship the image of the beast should be killed
c.	(Revelation 7:1-4, Revelation 14:1-5) Daniel preserved in the den of lions is a type of the 144,000 who are sealed and preserved during the tribulation
d.	The enemy destroyed is a type of the judgment of God falling upon the godless nations at the close of the Tribulation, at Armageddon
LESSON TWO
SELF HELP TEST
Circle the correct word:
1.	One of Daniel's three Hebrew friends was named (JOSEPH, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, MISHAEL).
2.	The master of the eunuchs was (ASHPENAZ, AZARIAH, HANANIAH).
3.	When Daniel was cast into the Lion's Den, the king was (NEBUCHADNEZZAR, DARIUS, CYRUS).
4.	The story of the Three Hebrew Children in recorded in Daniel (5,7,3).
5.	Nebuchadnezzar's image was about (30, 60, 90) feet tall.
6.	The fourth one in the furnace of fire was like (ELIJAH, SON OF GOD, DAVID).
7.	Six is the number of (THE WORLD, GOD, MAN).
8.	(DARIUS, JOEL, BELSHAZZAR) made Daniel first President.
9.	Daniel's life shows the value of (MONEY, POSITION, FAITHFULNESS).
10.	Darius, who demanded worship, homage and prayer is a type of (JESUS, ANTICHRIST, PETER).