Pastor Steve

The Book of Daniel is a magnificent story of the triumph of Daniel and three other godly men in the midst of the moral and spiritual miasma of ancient Babylon. But it is also a record of important visions that prophesy both immediate and distant historical events. Critical scholars of the Old Testament have been…

When the command went out to execute the astrologers, Daniel was included. Soon the commander of the king’s guard, came to escort Daniel and his friends to death row. At this point young Daniel reveals an astonishing measure of faith. He went to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the…

At the end of Daniel 1 we are told that God gave Daniel three things. Because of his decision not to defile himself with the food and culture of the Babylonians, God granted Daniel wisdom beyond the wisdom of the Babylonians, influence beyond that of any in the kingdom, and health that resulted in long…

The most important verse in the first chapter of Daniel is verse 8, which says, “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.” What is your reaction to that? Remember that Daniel was a young man at this time. We know from the later development of the story that he…

In 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and enslaved many of the brightest and most promising Hebrew boys and took them back to Babylon. In Babylon they were to be trained for three years and then placed into the Babylonian King’s service. Approximately fifteen years of age, Daniel. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the…

One of the most influential books on theology ever written is The City of God by Saint Augustine of Hippo (written between a.d. 412 and 426). Its theme concerns the existence of two societies, which Augustine calls “cities.” One is God’s society. The other is the society of this world. Augustine described them, saying, “Two…