Welcome back to days 256 thru 259. During this time we’ve read the book of Daniel. I will provide my own reflections very briefly. Key Verses: Daniel 1:19-20, “The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the kings service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.” Daniel 2:31, “You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue - an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.” Daniel 3:17-18, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. Daniel 4:34-35, “His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” Daniel 9:25-27, “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two sevens, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. In the middle of the seven he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” Brief Summary: Chapter 1 describes the conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Along with many others, Daniel and his three friends were deported to Babylon and because of their courage and the obvious blessings of God upon them, they were “promoted” in the king’s service (Daniel 1:17-20). Chapters 2-7 record Nebuchadnezzar having a dream that only Daniel could correctly interpret. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great statue represented the kingdoms that would arise in the future. Nebuchadnezzar made a great statue of himself and forced everyone to worship it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused and were miraculously spared by God despite being thrown into a fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar is judged by God for his pride, but later restored once he recognized and admitted God’s sovereignty. Daniel chapter 5 records Nebuchadnezzar’s son Belshazzar misusing the items taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and receiving a message from God, written into the wall, in response. Only Daniel could interpret the writing, a message of coming judgment from God. Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den for refusing to pray to the emperor, but was miraculously spared. God gave Daniel a vision of four beasts. The four beasts represented the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Chapters 8-12 contain a vision involving a ram, a goat, and several horns – also referring to future kingdoms and their rulers. Daniel chapter 9 records Daniel’s “seventy weeks” prophecy. God gave Daniel the precise timeline of when the Messiah would come and be cut off. The prophecy also mentions a future ruler who will make a seven-year covenant with Israel and break it after three and a half years, followed shortly thereafter by the great judgment and consummation of all things. Daniel is visited and strengthened by an angel after this great vision, and the angel explains the vision to Daniel in great detail. Personal Reflections of Daniel I thought that the major thing that stood out in the book of Daniel is how despite the persecution Daniel Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah better known as Daniel (Belteshazzar) , Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego they would not waver in their faith and beliefs. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not worship the false gods and statues of King Nebuchadnezzar or eat the kings’ food and was thrown in the fiery furnace, but God delivered them unharmed. Daniel would follow the decree not to worship God and was found guilty before King Darrius and was thrown in the lion’s den only to be spared by God and the lions did not harm him. They stood for what they believed despite the lack of popularity or consequences that would follow. They honored God with their lives and in their lifestyle. They saw serving God as greater than any consequence or punishment they might face. They obeyed God not even knowing whether God would save them. God says obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:11). To trust God and Obey is the ultimate sign of our love for Him. To have faith that God knows what is best for our lives despite what we think or what anyone else thinks. That is the servant’s heart and true follower of Jesus Christ. How many of us would be willing to be thrown in a fiery furnace or lion’s den for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and have the faith to trust Him despite the outcome? Wow this story always amazes me and makes me ask these questions of myself… How would I fair? Would I be able to do it? How strong is my faith? I can say I’m still a work in progress! How about you? Thank you Reflecting and Walking in Gods Word Daily 2014 FB FAM. Reading for September 18-22 , 2014 is Ezra 1-6., ps 137, Haggai 1-2 and Zechariah 1-14.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 21:16:03 +0000
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