“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.” – Daniel 1:8
When big events are going on in the world, people are fixated and focused on what is seen. For example, in an election year, people are really fixated on what’s seen. There is a lot of noisy news, conflict, and people freaking out. Much of the Bible, including the book of Daniel, is different. It shows you that which is unseen. Behind the world we see is a world that God rules and reigns – the unseen realm. There’s a reality in the presence of God with angelic beings just as real as you and me and the world that we see. Daniel reveals all of this to give you hope and courage to keep faith in a world that’s lost its mind.
When it comes to elections, people are pulled either towards the right or the left. You may be feeling that tension. My hope, prayer, and goal as we study the book of Daniel is not to pull you left or right but to point you up and allow you to see all of human history, nations, kings and kingdoms, elections and politicians, and all decisions from the perspective of Jesus Christ so you can live your life Kingdom down.
In 605 B.C., Daniel and his friends are taken to a place called Babylon. Babylon is two things: an ancient place and a reoccurring spirit. This is the storyline of the Bible: Behind nations, empires, and movements are spirit beings who started as angels in the presence of God before rebelling and becoming demons. They declared war on God, sought to topple God as king, and intended to establish a counterfeit kingdom. They lost the war, were cast down to earth, and, ever since, have continually sought to do the same thing: set up a counterfeit kingdom ruled by Satan and demonic powers. That’s Babylon. Behind the ancient city of Babylon is the spirit of Babylon, which is still alive today. The spirit of Babylon wants to enslave you, your mind, heart, wallet, marriage, business, kids, and grandkids.
Babylon appears throughout the Bible and concludes in Revelation 14, 16, 17, and 18, where it calls Babylon the “mother of prostitutes.” God creates a people He calls His bride; Satan counterfeits with a people, Babylon, that are the prostitute. God creates, Satan counterfeits. The end of Revelation says, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” (Revelation 18:2) This means Babylon will work through nations, cultures, times, and places beginning before Daniel and continuing until Jesus comes back to win the war once and forever.
Are you wondering why God would allow Babylon to conquer Jerusalem? We will answer this question tomorrow.
Where are you seeing the spirit of Babylon at work in your own life and in the lives of those around you?
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