HP Mansfield - Class 1: The Unpublished Diary of Daniel (Part 1)

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   My dear brethren and sisters in Christ Jesus, before we consider the unpublished diary of Daniel, I want to first of all introduce to you the man and the book that he wrote. There are two books of the Bible that are specifically represented to us as conveying a blessing. One is the book of Daniel, the other is the book of Revelation.

2. 0:25

   The divine encouragement is given to those two books. In Daniel chapter 12 we read concerning the revelation that was given unto Daniel in verse 10. Many shall be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And so here we are told that the wise shall seek out to understand this book of Daniel.

3. 0:57

   Notice why the Lord Jesus Christ said in that reference we quoted earlier, Let him that readeth understand. When we come to the book of Revelation, which is closely linked with the book of Daniel, we read these words in verse 3 of chapter 1. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein, for the time is at hand.

4. 1:27

   Blessed is he that readeth, and they that understand accurately the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein, for the time is at hand. They are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those words should encourage us to study these books. They are difficult books to understand, and that is the challenge that faces us.

5. 1:53

   But if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, if we treasure his word, we will go out of our way to endeavour to understand these books, upon which there is the divine encouragement that we should study them. Very often you hear brethren and sisters say that they are difficult books to understand, and they are inclined to set them aside.

6. 2:16

   But those books can be understood simply, and you can extend your knowledge of them until you understand them in their depths. The great thing is that we attempt to understand them, and so respond to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. And remember, these were the last words of Jesus Christ to his ecclesia.

7. 2:40

   Many years ago, when I was about 13 years of age, my father brought me a brand new Bible. We were going to study a part of it together. And so he brought me this Bible, he purchased this Bible, and he gave it to me that evening. And we were to start our studies together of the Bible.

8. 3:02

   And the book that he had selected, for me, a 13-year-old boy, was the book of Revelation. The book was brand new, the Bible, and this was the book that we were to read. And to open the studies, my father said to me, I want you to turn to Revelation chapter 1, and I want you to read to me verse 3.

9. 3:22

   And I read those words to him, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein, for the time is at hand. And he said to me, My son, that's the reason why we're going to study. That's the voice of Jesus Christ.

10. 3:42

    And Jesus Christ has promised a blessing upon those that study this part of the Word. Now I said, I want you to learn to mark up your Bible. Here's a pen. He says, You underline those words. I didn't want to do it. It was a brand new Bible. I didn't want to spoil that brand new Bible.

11. 4:02

    And I very hesitantly took the pen, and I didn't do it. He said, Come on, you underline those words. Blessed is he that readeth. So I got the pen, and I put a very light line underneath the Word. Blessed is he that readeth. He said, That's no good. Give me your Bible. I gave my Bible to my father.

12. 4:19

    He got a pen out and underlined them. He scored them underline, and ruined my brand new Bible. But he impressed the lesson upon me. And you know, ever since then, when I have purchased a Bible, because I remember what my father did when I was a 13-year-old boy, and he taught me something about loving the Word of God, and the blessing that has come to me over the years, because of that, I cannot express in words.

13. 4:47

    This book has helped me in moments of the greatest trouble. It has helped me in moments of tremendous depression. And I've been able to lift myself out of it by the power of that book. And therefore, every new Bible I get, though I know those words are there, and I don't even need to turn up the revelation, one, to know what they read, I take out a pen, and I underline those words.

14. 5:09

    In this Bible here, they are underlined in red. And I do it because of that. And I believe that there is a blessing there. And there is a blessing in understanding the book of Daniel as well. Because it makes the future a reality. We can see the hand of God in world events as they are taking place at this time.

15. 5:29

    And we are lifted up, whatever the circumstances of our life might be. And we are greatly encouraged thereby. So here are two important books that we should attempt to understand. And two important books that can convey to us a blessing if we endeavor to do so. Coming back then to the book of Daniel, let me give you the basic message of this book.

16. 5:53

    The main reference, I think, that you will find in the book of Daniel. So we turn to Daniel chapter 4, and we read verse 17. I suppose words that have been frequently quoted from the platform as we have expounded the truth to our friends. In Daniel chapter 4 and verse 17, we read the words of Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar.

17. 6:16

    This matter is by the decree of the watchers and the demand by the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basis of men. And that is the basic message of the book of Daniel.

18. 6:40

    This matter is by the decree of the watchers. And there you have a title for the angels. They are watching over the events that are taking place. And this decree came from the angels because God had put it into their hands to look after the events that were taking place. And the demand by the word of the holy ones, to the intent, and this is what Yahweh desires, that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

19. 7:15

    And now I'm going to render the rest of that verse as it is in the Hebrew. And will set up over it him that has set it north of men. And that's what Daniel is telling us. The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men. You see it in all the earth today.

20. 7:33

    You see it in the events that are taking place in the Middle East. The events that are taking place in Europe. Wherever you look, you see that. That the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men. And he giveth it into whomsoever he will. But the rest of that verse is couched in the future tense.

21. 7:50

    And will set up over it him that has set it north of men. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ. And the prophecy is stating what is going to come to pass as far as the Lord is concerned. And the whole of the prophecy of Daniel tends to reveal to us events leading to that end.

22. 8:11

    There's something unique about the prophecy of Daniel that you find nowhere else. You have the future displayed in the book of Isaiah, in Jeremiah, in Zechariah, and so forth. But in addition to that, in the prophecy of Daniel, he not only reveals the future, but he gives us a time limit as to its fulfillment.

23. 8:35

    He not only reveals the future, but he makes a time limit as to the fulfillment of it. You know, when you sign a contract, when you enter into a covenant, and you sign a contract, you have to give a time limit to that. No contract is valid without a time limit. So you purchase a house, and you might take out a mortgage, and you might sign for that mortgage.

24. 8:58

    But time is the essence of the contract. So it is with Yahweh. Time is the essence of the contract with him. He's made a contract. He made it with Abraham in the beginning. And he has set a time limit to that. And we are told in Hebrews chapter 11, that the times are thoroughly adjusted to God's command.

25. 9:19

    We hope perhaps later on in this week to give some attention to that. But the things that you see are happening in the earth today are not by chance of caprice. It wasn't by chance that Israel is back in the land at the time they are. It's not a matter of chance that things are taking place as they are in the earth.

26. 9:39

    There is a specific time for these things to happen. You consider what has happened just in the last few months. The suddenness with which it has occurred. The revolution, rather, in Iran. And things like that. Overnight things happen. And they are in accordance with the will and the purpose of Almighty God. So there is a time limit set on these things.

27. 10:03

    And it reminds us of the words that you find in the last verse of the book of Daniel. Go thy way till the end be, Daniel. for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. And there was a specific time set forth for the time when Daniel shall stand in his lot once again as God hath promised.

28. 10:31

    Now we take the book as a whole. We give a brief outline of the book. The name Daniel means the judgment of ale or the judgment of God. And you find that every chapter is dealing with judgment. There are twelve chapters in the book of Daniel. They can be set out in two sections of six chapters each.

29. 10:54

    The first six chapters are historical and personal. They tell of the man himself, the times and circumstances in which he lived, and some of the amazing incidents he experienced. The last six chapters are prophetical and visionary. And they outline the amazing visions and prophecies that he received from Almighty God. The first section, the section that deals with him personally, the section which tells of his faith and his courage and his piety, that is couched in the third person.

30. 11:33

    It's recorded as though it's writing about as Daniel was writing about somebody else. So it's all in the third person. But the last six chapters that speak of the visions of the prophecies that were given unto Daniel, they are in the first person. For example, if you turn to the seventh chapter of Daniel, you find in verse 2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night.

31. 12:01

    I saw, you see. It's in the first person. Again in the eighth chapter, In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared unto me, even unto me, Daniel. Again in the ninth chapter, In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by books. So you see, in the first six chapters, we have the personal aspect of the book, and in the last six chapters, we have the prophetic aspect.

32. 12:33

    of the book. I said that his name means the judgment of God, and every chapter deals with judgment. In chapter 1, you find that human knowledge is judged. Human learning is judged of their wanting. And the king finds Daniel ten times better than all the magicians. In chapter 2, you find that human philosophy is judged, because Daniel proves to be greater than the wise men when they are brought to interpret the vision.

33. 13:09

    In chapter 3, human worship is judged, because the king sets up his golden image and commands that people should bow down to it. But of course, ultimately, he learns his mistake. In chapter 4, you have human pride judged, because there is king Nebuchadnezzar saying, Is not this great Babylon that I was built for my glory?

34. 13:35

    And the vision comes to him, and he is driven as a madman away from the throne. And so, human pride was judged. In chapter 5, you have human impiety judged, because there we have the record of Belshazzar and his impious beast, and of the hand and the writing upon the wall. In chapter 6, human oppressors are judged, because Daniel in that chapter is put into the prison with the lions, and of course, faith finds a way to escape.

35. 14:10

    And so, every chapter is dealing with judgment, even when you come to the second portion of the book. When you come to the prophecies of chapter 7 onwards, you find in chapter 7 that the western dominion of Rome is judged. In chapter 8, the eastern dominion is judged. In chapter 9, Israel after the flesh is judged.

36. 14:33

    In chapter 10, Israel after the spirit is judged. In chapter 11, there's judgment on the oppressors of the land. And in chapter 12, there is judgment on the oppressors of the people. Judgment in every chapter of that book. And with the judgment, the majesty of Yahweh is revealed in the form of judgment that overcomes the particular people or person referred to.

37. 15:02

    we have prepared for you some outline of the whole book, a skeleton of the whole book, setting this principle out and also setting out a skeleton of every chapter of the book of Daniel. And afterwards, you will be able to get a copy of this, I hope, should there be sufficient for you all to get a copy.

38. 15:23

    If not, will you wait to get your copy? But we have prepared them there anyway. Now let us have a look at the man himself.

39. 15:33

    Daniel, the individual. He lived through a crucial period in history. He saw the judgment of Almighty God fall upon the people that he loved so much. and therefore he saw the tragedy of the judgment upon the people of Israel. He was about the same age as Ezekiel the prophet. But he went into captivity much earlier than did Ezekiel.

40. 16:03

    He was taken into captivity at the first deportation of Jews from the land. Before then, Daniel had cooperated with Jeremiah. So also had Ezekiel. And in these two men in Daniel and Ezekiel we have the influence and the power of Jeremiah. A tremendous influence for good. And you know there's a principle there that I think that we need to encourage in our ecclesia.

41. 16:32

    And the principle is this that in these men in Jeremiah Ezekiel and Daniel you have age and youth combined to work on effective work. You have the elderly man Jeremiah cooperating with the two young men Ezekiel and Daniel and you have that cooperation there that it's such a powerful work to the people in dispersion at that particular time.

42. 16:58

    And this is a valuable thing. It's something that we need to inculcate in our ecclesias where age and youth should work together for the furtherance of the truth because youth needs the experience of age and on the other hand age needs the virility of youth. And when you have both working together for a good work an important work will be accomplished.

43. 17:21

    You find it so often in the word of God this you have a Jonathan and a David you have a Haggai and a Zachariah you have a Paul and a Timothy and both are cooperating together in the work that Yahweh has set them to do. and this is a very valuable thing far more valuable than segregating age and youth into two groups.

44. 17:45

    Unfortunately when that takes place you find a distinct loss in both and a distinct loss in ecclesial life. Far better as a family unit to move towards the kingdom of God and as age and youth cooperate together to that end you have a very wonderful work that is accomplished. We learn in this first chapter in verse three that there were certain of the children of Israel and of the king seed and of the princes children in whom there was no blemish but well favoured and skillful in wisdom and cunning and knowledge and so forth and among these children there was Daniel.

45. 18:27

    They were taken as hostages to Babylon and the word that is translated children in verse four is from a Hebrew word signifying youth. They were youth. They were perhaps about 17 or 18 years of age and if they were that age they were born in a very significant year. They would have been born about the year 623 BC the year in which King Josiah brought the people of God to renew their covenant so that these young men would have been children of the covenant.

46. 19:07

    They had gone through that very important time. They had heard of Josiah and his reforms. They had cooperated with Jeremiah and therefore they were prepared by the study of the word of God for the crisis that now faced them. They were brought up in a godly home. No doubt about that to my mind.

47. 19:29

    Though Daniel is there on his own in the city of Babylon, the influence of the home is found in Daniel in that he though a young man is determined to carry out the principles of Yahweh. And the environment of his godly home stood him in good stead when he was brought into that evil atmosphere of Babylon at that particular time.

48. 19:53

    And that is another important lesson that we need to take to ourselves. the influence of the home in the development of godly characters. And I believe that it is important in our study of the word to take out these principles. And the home is the place where the ecclesia is greatest.

49. 20:13

    Let our homes be oases in this wilderness wandering where the water of life is constantly supplied. Let the daily readings be a function of that home. communal prayer be a feature of that home. And let the children be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And bring them out of that fashion.

50. 20:40

    Don't speak down to them but encourage them. Ask them questions upon the word of God. Allow them to come into the readings with you. Though they stumble their way through and it takes three times as long to read the chapter and sometimes you're looking at your watch as they're stumbling. through some short words like and things like that.

51. 21:01

    Encourage them in this. And you find that those children will be encouraged by it. And the influence of a good home will be found in their life afterwards. It doesn't always happen. You have examples in the word of God as though to encourage us in whatever circumstances of life we find. God. For example, I am convinced that the home of Samuel was a godly home.

52. 21:28

    But his sons, having been brought up in a certain understanding, went a certain way. So, much depends not only upon the parents but upon the individuals, the members of that family. And we're not responsible to them so long as we have done our part. But in this age, it is vitally important that our home become a centre for the exposition of the word to our children, no matter how simple it might be.

53. 21:58

    This age requires it because the world will take our children. Unfortunately, my experience has been that I've been brought close to close with many such problems. And I'm finding that these problems are increasing as we reach the end of time. And time and again, you are being involved in problems of this nature that show the need of the impact of the word of God in the mind of a child.

54. 22:28

    And as we are reaching a different environment than what the environment I was brought up in, so we must match our instruction with that environment. When I was brought up, of course, my father said I did a thing and I did it. And today, of course, you say a thing and the children have decided themselves whether they came to do it or they might think they will.

55. 22:50

    And this has to be countered by the way in which we bring those children up. That, I believe, is the teaching of this first chapter of Daniel. When Daniel was brought to Babylon, he, together with certain others, were taken by the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon was determined to wean them away from their adherence to Yahweh, the God of Israel.

56. 23:16

    When the king of Babylon had besieged the city of Jerusalem, he had entered upon a holy war. It was a case of Bel versus Yahweh. And the fact that he was able to take hostages to Babylon seemed to imply that Bel was greater than Yahweh. And now to impress that even further, he takes these young men and he's going to wean them away from their beliefs and he's going to compel them to submit to the way of Babylon.

57. 23:45

    Basically, I don't know what the position is in this country. That is what the educational system is doing in Australia at this time. I don't know what the circumstances are here, but I know what it is in Australia because I've been brought face to face with it and I've actually challenged it. But the principle of education today is to take those children from the home.

58. 24:07

    And sometimes teachers will tell those children, they've got to manifest an independence. Never mind what their parents say, work it out for yourself. And in some of the schools in Australia at the first moment, they are educating the children that they might take their own individual life. When they become 17, they can go out, leave home, go and have a flat, make your own way in life.

59. 24:29

    And this is being encouraged. And you've got to fight that back. And that is what we will do. We'll fight that issue back. And if necessary, I would approach the powers that be in regard to that as far as Australia is concerned. Because the impact of that is absolutely perilous upon children today.

60. 24:47

    And of course, the economic situation is such that when a child becomes about 17, and they imagine that they're adult, they will take and leave home because they've got the means to do so. You know, just to tell you another story, one time when I was young, very young, I decided to leave home.

61. 25:06

    and I ran away. When I ran back, I thought to figure out the prodigal sermon, they'd all come out and welcome me. They did, I felt very warm after that welcoming. But it wasn't quite the same thought, the warm warming. But that is the important thing that we have in this particular chapter, where the education of that man, Daniel, he had been taught in the things of God.

62. 25:30

    And you know, the basis of true education, of true understanding, is found in this book. When a person will study this book, it will establish habits of attention and concentration, which once he develops, will enable him to make a success in any realm of life. But of course, he won't want to be a success, except that he wants to be a success in the things of God.

63. 25:53

    So, they took these young men, and first of all, they educated them in the wisdom of Babylon. Then, having educated them in the wisdom of Babylon, they changed their names. And having changed their names, they insisted upon them eating the food of Babylon. Now, Daniel was content to be educated in the wisdom of Babylon.

64. 26:18

    He had sufficient knowledge of the word of God to be able to count over all that the university might set before him. He knew he hadn't sprung from the frog. So, it didn't matter what the university taught as far as evolution was concerned, he was governed by the things of God, and so it didn't matter very much.

65. 26:37

    His name was changed. He didn't like the change of name. He tells us that, not in so many words, but in the way he uses his own name in this book. But his name was changed, and he didn't mind that. But when it came to eating the food of Babylon, and eating food that the law would not permit him to eat, he refused categorically to do so.

66. 26:59

    He was not prepared to do so. And though it meant disgrace as far as the authorities were concerned, he was determined in his heart, he would not conform. He would not conform. And there's one little word there that I think we need to underline in our mind. And the word is in verse 8.

67. 27:19

    Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king's bread. He was determined, there was purpose of mind in what he did. He would not be turned out of his way. He purposed in his heart that he would refuse that king's meat. You know, when you come over to the Acts of the Apostles, you find the use of that word again in a very, very excellent way, and a way that we can apply to ourselves.

68. 27:52

    Because when we come to the 11th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and we read concerning Barabbas, we read in the 23rd verse, that when he came and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Now there's his exhortation epitomized.

69. 28:17

    It's in one line. With purpose of heart they should cleave unto the Lord. The exhortation possibly took an hour, but it could be summarized in that statement. Brethren and sisters, with purpose of heart, let us cleave unto the Lord. It says, for he was a good man and full of holy spirit of faith, and much people was added unto the Lord.

70. 28:40

    You see, what Barnabas is saying is this, you can't just drift into the kingdom of God. You have to have an objective, and you must drive to that objective. That's what the word purpose means, with purpose of heart, a clear objective, not merely gathering together as a social gathering, not merely because it's a friendly community that we meet with, but because in every regard, inactually, we have a purpose before us, we have an objective, and we're driving towards that objective, and we're never going to be deflected therefrom.

71. 29:15

    That's what Barnabas told them. Moses did the like, in the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, when he's about to die, and he gave to them the last message, the book of Deuteronomy, and he told them to ponder over these things, and he says, because it is your life. They were the words he used, it is your life, and if the book becomes our life, then with purpose of heart, we will cleave unto the Lord.

72. 29:44

    Now, as far as Daniel was concerned, it was with purpose of heart that he would not defile himself with a portion of the king's feet, nor the wine which he drank, and so he has brought before the prince of the eunuchs, and he advises the prince of the eunuchs that he is not prepared to carry out this instruction.

73. 30:03

    We read here that God, verse 9, had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. You know, they're wonderful words, and they're words that illustrate the words of wisdom that Solomon penned in the 60th chapter of Proverbs, and at verse 7, when a man's ways please Yahweh, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

74. 30:34

    And here we have an example of that. God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. And so the great contest is given, and the time was allowed, Daniel, and at the end of the time, we read that at the end of the days, verse 15, their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

75. 30:59

    And therefore, Daniel showed that his adherence to the things of Yahweh was in no danger to himself. Now, before we leave this point, let us consider the names that were given to Daniel and his friends. In verse 7, unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names, for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar, to Hananiah of Shadrach, to Mishael of Meshach, and to Azariah of Abednego.

76. 31:32

    All of the names of those hostages honoured the God of Israel. Daniel means the judgment of God. Hananiah means, Yah, hath been gracious. Mishael means, who is like unto Eil, or God. And Azariah means, help of Yahweh. And if you want to put all those names together, you can make a sentence if you desire to do that.

77. 31:58

    And the sentence would be something like this, in spite of the judgment of God, Yah has been gracious, and they shall be made like unto Eil, who lead on the help of Yahweh. So the four names really spelled out that message. And no wonder the king of Babylon wanted to change their names.

78. 32:16

    So he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar, which means the keeper of the hid treasures of Bel, the god of Babylon. And to Hananiah he gave the name of Shadrach, which means the inspiration of the son, whom they worshipped. Shadrach, and of Mishael, they gave the name of Meshach, which means given to the goddess Shaka, another god of Babylon.

79. 32:48

    And as far as the last one, Azariah, they gave him the name of Abednego, servant of the shining fire. And they worshipped the fire in Babylon. So every one of those names were names that honoured the god of Babylon. And that indeed is what Nebuchadnezzar intended. Because when you come to the fourth chapter of Daniel, and at verse 8, Nebuchadnezzar says this, At the last, Daniel came in before me, whose name was Bel-Bashazza, according to the name of my God.

80. 33:25

    According to the name of my God. So that you can see that as far as the king was concerned, he wanted to honour the gods of Babylon. Now Daniel himself accepted that name, though he preferred the name of Daniel, as I said earlier. And throughout the book, he mentions both this name of Bel-Bashazza and his own name of Daniel.

81. 33:52

    Daniel himself, as an individual, was a key student of the word of God. It was not only from the inspiration on high that he gave his knowledge, but from a careful study of the word of God. You find that in chapter 9 and verse 2. Because there he says, I learned by books.

82. 34:13

    And the books that he was studying at that time was the book of Jeremiah. We learn also that he was a man that pondered the message of those books. Consider the following references. In Daniel 7 verse 28, we read this, You see, it affected him personally that he should understand the things that were revealed unto him.

83. 34:43

    Again, in verse 27 of the next chapter, I, Daniel, fainted and was sick because he couldn't understand. See, the emotional impact of the word upon the man is like we read in the book of Revelation. When John says, when he saw the sealed book, I wept much because he said no one could read that book.

84. 35:06

    So it was here. Again, in the 10th chapter and at verse 12, Gabriel says to Daniel, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God, their words were heard and I am come for thy word. See how God took heed to that man?

85. 35:29

    This lonely captive in Babylon, this teenage boy that had been taken as a hostage to the city of Babylon, that was surrounded by everything that seemed to express the pomp and power of flesh, and in the midst of that took out those books and started to read those books and to study them that he might understand, who was so emotionally upset because he could not understand them, that he put it in his prayer that God might reveal the matter unto him.

86. 35:56

    See what God in heaven thought of that? The great God in the heavens, Yahweh in the heavens, surrounded by his angels, looking down, seeing this great city of Babylon, seeing that lonely captive, seeing him with his books open, and it pleases the heart of the mighty God. In another place, he says, he has elevated his word above all his holy name.

87. 36:18

    And you know, when people come aside to study that word, they honour the Father. They honour God. And here we have the message direct from heaven to this man. From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words with it. And here in heaven, we have the interest that God shows in the development of a mind governed by the word of God.

88. 36:53

    We're reminded again of words that you have in Malachi, in Malachi chapter 3, where we read in verse 16, that they that feared Yahweh spake off one to another, and Yahweh hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared him and thought upon his name.

89. 37:13

    And they shall be mine. They shall be mine. So you see, God looked down from heaven upon gatherings even as this, and the sacrifice of money and time that's given for these gatherings is good in the sight of Almighty God. They shall be mine. And here we have it in the case of Daniel.

90. 37:36

    Daniel was supremely a man of prayer. You can travel through the Bible, through the book, and read of his prayers. For example, in chapter 1 and verse 9, he prays at a time of personal need. In chapter 2, verses 17 and 18, at a moment of crisis, he brings his friends together, and he sets before them the principles that he wants Yahweh to help him with, in relation to the image.

91. 38:05

    In chapter 9, verse 3, a tremendously long prayer, as he prays for the peace of Jerusalem. A prayer that is recorded there and kept there, because the day is yet to come when that prayer will be answered. It has not been answered yet. Again, we have him in chapter 9, verse 23, in chapter 10, verse 12, praying for knowledge.

92. 38:30

    Praying for knowledge. Whenever we open that book, we should have a prayer to the Father that he will help us in the understanding of the book. And we, I believe, will gain help, because we're told in James chapter 1, and at verse 5, that if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God.

93. 38:48

    Let him ask in faith. Daniel was therefore a man of prayer. He was also a man of courage. You have that in the first chapter when he defies the king, and when he defies the prince of the eunuchs. He was a man of courage. He was clear-sighted. He knew what he wanted. He was plain speaking.

94. 39:09

    You see that in the words that he uttered when he comes before the king, he does not hesitate to express himself in a very courageous way, as we shall see later on. He was courageous in his action, he was reverent in his understanding, and he is approached to God. He was a man who walked with Yahweh, and Yahweh walked with him, and in all the circumstances of his life, there was a man that was governed and motivated by the things of Almighty God, because he drew God into his life as he came to understand his word.

95. 39:46

    And therefore we have in this man, a man of outstanding wisdom, so much so that we read in the 14th chapter of Ezekiel, and at verse 14, these words, Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Yahweh.

96. 40:11

    And again he says this same thing in verse 20, Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord Yahweh, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. So the qualities of Daniel were well known even his day and generation.

97. 40:35

    We should like to trace through the life of Daniel now. I have found this personally encouraging because you see he gives us an example in every age in which we might live. We are told that he was a child, a youth, when he was taken to Babylon. He was approximately 17 or 18 years of age according to the use of that word in chapter 1 of verse 5.

98. 41:02

    He was given a three-year apprenticeship so then at the end of that apprenticeship when he stood before the king in the way that is described in chapter 1, he would have been about 21 years of age. In chapter 2 however, which was before the completion of his apprenticeship, when he gave the revelation of the vision of the image, he would have been 19 years of age.

99. 41:25

    As a young man of 19 he stood before the king. In the third chapter of his prophecy, when there was this image of gold, Daniel had been sometime in the service of the king. He was perhaps about 30 years of age. In the fourth chapter when he stood before the king and he called upon the king to change his ways, when the king had seven years badness and it was probably towards the end of the king's reign, Daniel would have been a man, a mature man, of 51 years of age.

100. 41:57

     When we come to the seventh chapter which he dates himself, in verse 1, the first year of Belshazzar, he was 68 years of age. 68 years of age. In the eighth chapter which is likewise dated, he's between 70 and 71. So you see, at whatever age we might be, there is an example given unto us in this man.

101. 42:24

     In the fifth chapter and at verse 1, which likewise is dated, he would have been 88 years of age when he came into that palace and he gave the revelation concerning the hand that was upon the wall. In the ninth chapter, verse 1, he was 89 years of age at the fall of Babylon.

102. 42:47

     In the sixth chapter, verse 1, which likewise is dated, and he was taken into the lion's den, we always imagine him as a little young man and the pictures they paint of him. He's a virile young man and the lions look virile and young as well, but Daniel looks very, very virile and young.

103. 43:03

     He was in fact between 90 and 91 years of age. You imagine a man of that age standing up and facing so courageously what happened as recorded into that chapter. And in Daniel chapter 10, verse 1, likewise dated, he was approximately 92 years of age. And that possibly shortly after terminated his life of service before his God and to his fellow men.

104. 43:32

     going to I do mean that. I was working on the day for a year. I can assure you that there was quite a number in the audience that were agreeing with me because of their game.

105. 44:16

     Yes. Yes, well, I'm sure, brothers and sisters, we've appreciated very much the scriptural evidence that our brother has brought before us concerning the principles of salvation that were seen manifested in the life of this great man, Daniel. And possibly amongst many of the great principles that he's brought out, one of the most comforting of them all is that to love and to meditate upon the word of Yahweh is pleasing to Yahweh.

106. 44:49

     We said at the outset the handshakes of fellowship had been experienced this morning and our fellowship would deepen. And our fellowship this afternoon, brothers and sisters, through the instruction that we've received and the meditation that we've given to the word has indeed revealed to us, has it not? Some of the depths of the fellowship, some of the joys that we experience because every second of our life is known unto Yahweh.

107. 45:16

     What a comfort it is with his servant, our brother. We've had unfolded to us these wonderful principles and lessons and our heavenly father and our master has heard every word and he knows the desires of our heart to yet learn more. So I mustn't say any more in order that our other speakers will have time to unfold their wonders to us from the word.

108. 45:41

     Now there are a few moments and it's only moments and not minutes for questions because we're right on time. So if there is any brief questions, and they will have to be brief, I'm sure our brother first will be pleased to answer them. Thank you. For thou hast magnified thy name above all thy word, above all thy name.

109. 46:34

     I'm told, brother first, that it should read, For thou hast magnified above all thy name and thy promise. Is that so? One can't imagine anything being magnified above Yahweh's name. They're both, it seems as if there's one above another. That isn't so, is it, really? To give an answer as to the words, whether a variation of that particular rendition is justified, I'd have to have a look at the Hebrew of it.

110. 47:13

     But having a look at it as it stands in the authorised version, and accepting it even as that, what the psalmist would be telling us is this, Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Why? Because the attributes of the name are found only in the word. So that you have the word which reveals and magnifies the name.

111. 47:33

     And by the means of that word, that name is revealed. So both are of equal value. It's something like the Father and the Son, where you cannot come unto the Father except by the Son, and vice versa. And here you'll have this principle, that the word of Yahweh reveals the attributes of him.

112. 47:51

     And therefore that word will lead you to those attributes. So the word comes first, not in the sense of it being more important than the attributes, but in the way in which those attributes of the name will be revealed unto us. Thank you.