Homiletics Study: Exile & Return
Lesson 04 Passage: Daniel 3-4
Content (List of Topics or Events)
Faith Victory – Faithful Protected Rejecting False Worship (Daniel 3-4:3) 1. Nebuchadnezzar builds, sets up and dedicates idol (1-3) 2. Herald proclaims required worship of idol at playing music or penalty of furnace (4-7) 4. Astrologers denounce Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego for failure to worship idol to Nebuchadnezzar (8-12) 5. Furious Nebuchadnezzar summons three to say… if don’t worship, it’s the furnace; can any god rescue? (13-15) 6. Three respond “The God we serve can rescue… we will not worship your idol” (16-18) 7. Furious kings has three tied and thrown in (7x) furnace (19-23) 8. King sees 4 walking in furnace unharmed 4th like son of gods (24-25) 9. King calls for three to come out; they were unharmed (26-27) 10. King praised and ordered no one to disparage God; His kingdom is eternal (3:28-4:3) | Terrifying Vision – Daniel’s Dream Interpretation Requested (Daniel 4:4-18) 1. Nebuchadnezzar has dream that terrifies but wise of Babylon (1-3) 2. Astrologers fail to interpret dream and king calls Daniel to tell and interpret dream (4-8) 3. Daniel is told king’s dream of enormous tree with voice saying cut down the beautiful, plentiful tree and reason for dream (9-12) a. The tree physical characteristics described (13-15a) b. Loss of tree impact to birds, animals, change to animal mind until 7 times (15b-16) c. Decision and verdict to know the Most high who is sovereign over all (17) 4. King’s request to Belteshazzar to interpret dream because spirit of gods is in you (18) | Truth Revealed – Broken King Praises Most High (Daniel 4:19-37) 1. Daniel perplexed and terrified is assured by king “don’t be alarmed” (19) 2. Daniel tells vision; the subject is Nebuchadnezzar… he is tree (20-23) 3. Daniel describes dream’s meaning (24-27) a. Driven away and live with animals eating grass b. Seven times will pass until you acknowledge Most High sovereign. c. Advice renounce sins, do good, and be kind. 4. It happened 12 months later with a voice from heaven (28-33) 5. At the end of time, he raised eyes to heaven, sanity restored and praised Most High (34-35) 6. At this time, sanity, honor and splendor restored being restored to throne while praising King of heaven (36-37) |
Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)
Faith Victory – Faithful Protected Rejecting False Worship | Daniel 3-4:3 |
Terrifying Vision – Daniel’s Dream Interpretation Requested | Daniel 4:4-18 |
Truth Revealed – Broken King Praises Most High | Daniel 4:19-37 |
Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)
Nebuchadnezzar builds idol, demanding worship broken to worship God Almighty |
Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)
CTATL God can use our faithfulness to bring Him glory in even the most difficult situations. |
Application Questions
What things draw you away from God? How can you be victorious over those things? |
What are you delaying that God wants handled? |
How can God be praised for your victories? |
Principles to Remember
Faith is the Victory |
God’s Truth demands Response |
Victory is listening to God’s Voice |
Characteristic of God
Most High |
Theme
Victorious faith is demonstrated as we trust in God. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did it, Daniel shared it, Nebuchadnezzar learned it. |
