Athey Creek: Audio Podcast

Daniel offers a prayer in Daniel 9:18 asking for God’s help while acknowledging that the answer is not dependent on any of his actions, but God alone. In fact, as we study, we learn that when it comes to God’s work in our lives, none of it is dependent upon us but all upon God’s mercy and grace.

A Bible teaching titled “Through the Bible (Daniel 8)” from Daniel 8 by Brett Meador.

As one of the most notable and notorious figures in history, Alexander the Great did amazing things, conquered many nations, and was even foretold of in Daniel 8:1-8. As we investigate the life of Alexander the Great, we see that no matter how “great” he may have been, he is nothing compared to Jesus Christ.

After a terrifying vision of four beasts, Daniel is not only left aghast but utterly clueless about its meaning. But luckily for us, we have the hindsight of history and supplemental information from other biblical prophecies to help us unlock the meaning and prophetic implications of the beasts in Daniel 7.

One of Satan’s greatest tricks is carefully packaging his propaganda to appear harmless and even good, but we eventually find out what he is really selling. Daniel 7:3-8 gives us a demonstration of how things appear one way at first but later become altogether horrifyingly evil. As we study, we learn to identify these deceptive lies and what we can do to guard against being sucked into believing them.

The story of “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” in Daniel 6 is one of the most famous and beloved accounts in the Bible – and for good reasons. As Daniel holds fast to his faith as he faces being torn to bits by hungry lions, he demonstrates how to trust God for deliverance, shows His mercy and grace to others, and even gives us a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ.

When a mandate comes down that goes against Daniel’s long-established prayer habit, he is faced with a decision to give in or continue and face the consequences. As we see what he chooses to do in Daniel 6:10, we find a model of prayer to follow and advice on how we can biblically navigate issues in our own day.

Even though he knows about God and the prophecy from Daniel about Babylon’s faith, King Belshazzar is in denial to the point of rebellion in Daniel 5. But even though he denies it, the writing is already on the wall and his fate has been sealed, showing us that whether we like it or not, God’s plan and power won’t be stopped.

King Belshazzar thinks he is riding high in his secure and prosperous kingdom, but in an instant, the hand of God comes against him, and his fall is swift and final. As we look at what was written against him in Daniel 5:25-31, we examine the brevity and fragility of our own lives and how we can tip the scales in our favor through Jesus Christ when we stand before God.

King Nebuchadnezzar is caught up in a massive amount of sin and his prideful heart finally leads to his downfall in Daniel 4. But not all is lost for King Nebuchadnezzar as God’s redemptive power is on full display as he makes a comeback, learns to glorify the Lord, and gain true perspective.

King Nebuchadnezzar has a big problem – his pride! And unfortunately, we all tend to struggle with this same sin in some way, shape, or form. As we see why pride is so destructive and what we can do to combat it, may we arrive at the same conclusion as King Nebuchadnezzar did in Daniel 4:37 and only boast in what God has done for us.

When the egomaniac king sets up a statue of himself to be worshiped and three Jewish boys choose to disobey his mandate, the stage is set for one of the greatest demonstrations of faith and deliverance in the Bible. As we watch the story unfold in Daniel 3, we learn how to face difficulty and trials, stand firm in our faith, and trust that Jesus will be with us in the fire.

A Bible teaching titled “Even If” from Daniel 3:16-18 by Brett Meador.

King Nebuchadnezzar is shocked and enraged by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego's stance and questions their disobedience to him in Daniel 3:14. In much the same way, we live in a day where we may be required to answer for our actions, and we must be ready with our response, have the courage to proclaim it boldly, and willingly accept the ramifications it may have for us.

As God reveals King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel to interpret, we get an amazing foreshadowing of history and even a glimpse forward to the End Times. As we study the breakdown of the dream’s image in Daniel 2:17-49, we see how it was fulfilled perfectly in the rise and fall of various empires, how it starts and stops a prophetic timeline, and how it ultimately points us to Jesus’ eternal kingdom.

After a distressing dream, King Nebuchadnezzar calls upon the nation’s best and brightest men for an interpretation in Daniel 2:1-19 - but finds their ability to offer helpful advice is severely limited. Likewise, it can be hard to know what to do and who to trust for the right answer when we face troubling situations today. But like Daniel, we can find wisdom and truth in the Word of the Lord and will know what to do as we seek Him.

After being carted off to Babylon, young Daniel and his friends are faced with the choice to either conform to Babylonian culture or to hold fast to the godly principles they were taught back in Israel. As we study their situation in Daniel 1, we learn how we should face a world asking us to make compromises and glorify God through our obedience.

As we begin our study of the book of Daniel, we look at its namesake and find a powerful example of someone who lived a godly, purposeful, and impactful life even in the midst of a culture completely set against God.

As we wrap up the book with our study of Ezekiel 45-48, we learn more about the Millennial Kingdom Temple, the new borders of Israel, and more details concerning a somewhat mysterious person known as The Prince. And while we may still find ourselves with more questions than answers, we can rest knowing that God’s plan is perfect, and it will be precisely fulfilled someday.

A Bible teaching titled “River of Life” from Ezekiel 47:1-12 by Brett Meador.