Daniel 8

Read Daniel 8

Daniel's vision of a ram and a goat does not require any interpretative guesswork. An angelic messenger informed the prophet that the ram coming from the east stood for “the kings of Media and Persia” and the goat coming from the west was “the king of Greece.” One of the rulers of this second empire would eventually bring great trouble upon the people of the Promised Land.

Despite the evil done by worldly authorities, everything would be controlled from above by the Lord Himself. Even when the worst evil one, perhaps beyond the world of human beings, would “rise up against the Prince of princes,” he would not have the final say. “He shall be broken—but by no human hand.”

Daniel was “overcome” by what he saw and heard, “and lay sick for some days.” He was “appalled by the vision” because he “did not understand it.” Some of the disturbing events presented symbolically to the Hebrew prophet were part of a future era well beyond Daniel's life, while for us, the events of Greece and the Roman empire that followed are now ancient history.

The definite identification of the Medes and the Persians followed by an accurate prediction concerning Greece helps us in understanding many visions in the book of Daniel. Furthermore, some of what is written about the ram, the goat, and the “horns” that come from them move us to consider unseen spiritual realms down to the present age.

The images in Daniel are also used by John in the book of Revelation. Their inclusion in that final book of the New Testament forces us to consider events far beyond the old history of the Mediterranean world. All of what has taken place since the days of the Babylonians led to the rise of the nations of Western Civilization. Some of these people groups have been very active in Christian mission in the centuries following the Greek and Roman empires. Despite this wonderful heritage, these same powerful nations have become increasingly hostile to historic Christianity and Judaism in more recent decades.

We need not be physically sick over the vision, as Daniel was for a time. The message of this great Biblical passage can bring us much comfort in light of what God has already accomplished through His Son's death and resurrection. The history of the evangelization of the world should also bring us much encouragement that the future is certainly unfolding according to the Lord's good plan.

Three main points stand out as obvious based on Daniel 8: First, God is sovereign over every frightening power among men and angels. Second, Jesus is at the center of a massive resurrection victory that is ultimately unstoppable. Finally, we have been heading toward “the time of the end” for many centuries, and passages like 1 Peter 4:7-11 tell us exactly what we should be doing. Unnecessary panic is not God's plan for us. Instead, we must follow Daniel's example after a few rough days: “I rose and went about the king's business.”

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

God of Glory, You have given us hope in the midst of the challenging days that so many of us face in this current evil age. We are often quite perplexed. We do not know how to interpret the events around us. You surely are the sovereign Lord over this entire world. One great nation reaches the end of its appointed time, and in its place comes a mighty empire that will exist for Your purposes. You could lay out for us every detail of the future from the current moment until the return of Your Son, but such knowledge would be too much for us. Help us to rise up from our beds each morning and to be about the business of our great King Jesus. We would do well to serve Him always, and to wait for His return with joy and expectation.

Daniel 7

Read Daniel 7

“Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed.” The prophet received revelation from the Lord concerning the empires that would eventually replace Babylon on the world stage. Beyond the coming story of the Greeks and the Romans, there would eventually come “one like a Son of Man” who would command a realm greater than all the realms that would arise from the embers of Rome.

The victory of God's chosen Man would be an expression of the Lord's perfect judgment against those who imagine that they rule the world and that God and His Word can be safely ignored. Though a boasting tyrant might have “a mouth speaking great things,” and though demonic hosts might presume that they can wage “war with the saints” without adverse consequences, the “Ancient of Days” will make all things right. Judgment will be made in favor of “the saints of the Most High.” The time will come when the Son of Man and His holy people will possess “the kingdom.”

What will this final glorious dominion be like? It will not be a local empire, but will include “all peoples, nations, and languages” under the authority of the great Son of God. It will also not be a temporary empire, but will stand forever. The realm will be one of glory not only for the Captain of our salvation, but also for those who belong to Him. “The kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”

What will be the final condition of tyrants who would dare to oppose God's appointed Messiah? Rebellious rulers may proclaim their own supremacy for a season, but they will be given into the hand of the Almighty. The power of the evil one and his allies will “be taken away.” He will “be consumed and destroyed to the end.”

Daniel was overwhelmed by what he saw. “As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me.”

We who worship our sovereign God can muse upon our destiny with great joy. Jesus has already atoned for all our sins through His death on the cross. His resurrection is our confidence, and His promises bring us peace. He assures us by His Holy Spirit that we will be with Him forever in a world of perfect glory.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, a moment is coming that will signal the end of this present era and the beginning of the age to come. On that day Your Son will come on clouds of glory, but until then we will bring the message of Jesus Christ everywhere. Grant us open doors for the gospel and give Your servants both desire and strength for the task ahead. Thank You for the gift of Your Son. His Kingdom shall never be destroyed. We enjoy many blessings of eternity even now, but we desire the revealing of the fullness of Your Son’s dominion. You have spoken to Your prophets about great things concerning men and nations. You also revealed to them good news about the coming of Jesus. He first served in a lowly condition, but He shall return with judgment and glory. We believe Your Word, and we earnestly seek the appearing of Jesus Christ. Save us, O God!

Daniel 6

Read Daniel 6

The Hebrew prophet, Daniel, was in a very senior position in the government headed by Darius the Mede. It was the intention of the king to promote his spiritually gifted adviser even higher, setting “him over the whole kingdom.” Daniel's enemies, however, sought to destroy him through a devious plot to trap the faithful worshiper of Yahweh. They claimed that their plan restricting prayer “to any god or man for thirty days” except to Darius himself had enjoyed universal approval among all the leaders in the empire. Knowing that Daniel would continue his practice of praying toward Jerusalem three times every day, these adversaries would then produce evidence of his violation of the edict, and Darius would be forced to throw Daniel “into the den of lions.”

Their evil strategy seemed to have trapped both Daniel and Darius into the outcome they longed for. Daniel violated the law approved by Darius, and Darius understood that such a decree could not be revoked “according to the law of the Medes and the Persians.” The supreme leader of the Medes sought some way to save Daniel's life, but he could find none. Daniel was turned over to wild animals who would surely kill him. A stone was placed over the mouth of the den, “and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords.”

Darius spent the night fasting and rose early in the morning to see what had become of Daniel. He cried out, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Shockingly, Daniel was alive and well, and he gave God glory for his continued safety. “My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before Him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel had lived through this trial without any ill effects, but those who had sought to destroy him were themselves cast to the hungry beasts. “Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.”

As with the Babylonian heads of state who came before him, Darius was brought to a much higher estimation of the power of the God of the Jews. According to a pronouncement he then issued throughout the empire, this great “God of Daniel” was “the living God, enduring forever; His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and His dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.”

The faithful throughout the centuries had been given yet another great encouragement through the providence of the Almighty in the life of one of His servants. The Lord truly is the sovereign Ruler over all.

A still greater deed of victory over evil would eventually come through the only Savior of the world. Jesus' lifeless body was placed in a tomb with a large stone and an official seal. His adversaries were successful in their vicious plans, yet Christ rose from the dead, defeating mortality, and the world has never been the same.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, in every opportunity for obedience we should expect that opposition may arise. Keep us turning to You in prayer. May we be moved by what You want more than anything else in our lives. You are able to deliver us from every adversary. You know our enemies, seen and unseen. Save us out of dangerous snares of trial and temptation at just the right time. There is no other God like You. Your kingdom shall never be destroyed. Your dominion is from everlasting to everlasting. Grant us success and joy in Your service now and forever.

Monday Morning Clarity - 1 Chronicles 3:15-24

Like the Chronicler, we live in a time when our understanding of God and life is a minority view. How do we continue in the midst of the noise and the weariness of this present moment?

1. Replace the noise with quietness.
2. Replace the weariness with rest.

Then consider the longing of the Chronicler as evidenced by these verses that follow the line of David from the sons and grandson of Josiah through Zurubbabel and on to some of the later descendants of the line of kings who never sat on a throne in Jerusalem, but lived as subjects of larger empires.

The Chronicler and all faithful Jews of his day, longed for the reestablishment of the line of David as reigning kings in Judah. That good desire was ultimately answered by God in the coming of the eternal resurrection king, Jesus. He is the one that Jeremiah called "The Lord our Righteousness."

Today we long for the fullness of His reign in the midst of a region of the world where that hope is a minority view.

Do not be overly moved by the noise of the empire of worldliness all around us and by the weariness of daily discouragements. Find quietness in the Word and prayer. Find rest in the Word made flesh who died for us and rose as the Firstborn of the Resurrection. He is our Rock and our Redeemer.

The fullness of the kingdom that you long for is nearer than it has ever been before.

Sermon Notes

Daniel 5

Read Daniel 5

Nebuchadnezzar was the father (or perhaps just the predecessor) of Belshazzar. The new emperor invited 1000 of his lords with all their wives and concubines to an event where the guests were drinking wine with the highest ruler in Babylon. Belshazzar called for his servants to bring the holy vessels of Israel's God to aid them in their celebration. The gathered assembly not only “drank wine” with these objects taken from the temple in Jerusalem, they also “praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.”

Suddenly “the fingers of a human hand appeared” and wrote a message from God on the wall that no one could understand. Belshazzar was terrified. He called for all his wise men to give him the correct meaning of the letters, but “they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation.”

At the suggestion of the queen, Daniel was called and offered a great reward to make known the message that God was bringing to Belshazzar. Daniel had no interest in any compensation, but he was able to speak important words with great boldness and clarity at just the right moment. The Lord had “numbered the days” remaining in the reign of Belshazzar. He could have learned from the events that had taken place in Nebuchadnezzar's life, but instead he had been “weighed in the balances” by the Judge of all the earth “and found wanting.” The kingdom of Babylon would be “divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.”

The Babylonian officials did not have to wait very long to find out just how accurate Daniel's words were. “That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed.” Darius the Mede immediately took his place.

God rules over all, and He reveals His plans according to His own purposes. It is always dangerous to take what the Lord has set apart as special and to use it as something common. In the New Testament world, we have no inanimate sacred vessels. Christ Himself and the people of the worldwide church who bear His Name have taken the place of every sacramental treasure. We have been washed with His blood and filled with the Spirit of God.

Those who defile the Name of Jesus or abuse His treasured bride will one day have to answer to the Lord God Almighty. We are not objects that belong to depraved and idolatrous men. We have been created in the image of God and purchased by the sacrifice of the Lamb. We are saints of the Most High God. He will protect us and defend us forever from those who hate His beloved people.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O God, we thank you for the gift of the greatest King of all human history. Not every ruler on earth is one of the best among men. Some are exceedingly wicked, foolish, and oppressive. They come for a season and then they are gone. The time comes when they discover that their days are numbered. They learn that they have been found wanting, and their authority is taken from them. How are we to submit to wicked governors? We know that we must worship You only. We cannot do those things that would be against Your commandments just to have peace with those who are powerful. We cannot avoid duties to You just to have safety among those who would demand our absolute devotion. Though these leaders may have the power to kill, they cannot cast us into hell. We will not fear them above You. Help us to be faithful stewards of any authority we have been granted during our brief time in this fading world. May we use what You have given us to honor You, for we know that we may be called to account for our lives even this very day.

Daniel 4

Read Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that made him afraid. No one was able to give him an interpretation of what he had seen, so he called upon Daniel to enlighten him. When everything eventually came to pass just as the Hebrew prophet had said it would, the great emperor of Babylon had been brought down a notch in his own assessment and had come to understand that God was worthy of worship. He insisted on giving his own testimony publicly for all to consider.

Nebuchadnezzar was a great “tree.” The “beasts of the field” and the “birds of the heavens” lived under his protection. Yet at just the right moment when he was most impressed with the glory of his own majesty, God brought him low. For an ordained period of time, “he was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox.”

According to the Lord's appointment, this season of discipline came to an abrupt conclusion. “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored Him who lives forever.” The king himself concluded that God's reign is “an everlasting dominion.” The Almighty does everything “according to His will among the hosts of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.”

Though Nebuchadnezzar may not have given up on his polytheism, he had certainly gained a better understanding of his own condition as one who was very much subordinate to Daniel's God. He acknowledged that the Hebrew deity was the King of heaven. “All His works are right and His ways are just; and those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”

It is not only majestic rulers who need to learn the difference between the Creator and the creature. While it is indeed very difficult for a rich and powerful man to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24), even a poor man can be overcome by pride. God instructs us all to stop thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought. We should remember that we exist for His pleasure and that at the proper time He will exalt the lowly. (Romans 12:3 and 1 Peter 5:6)

The story of the Lord's discipline of Nebuchadnezzar and his subsequent restoration to his former high estate is all quite interesting. Even more captivating, however, is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He willingly lowered Himself for our salvation, even to the point of His death on the cross for our sins. Even the most wretched sinner who truly repents and believes can live with a confident expectation that he will eventually be raised up to live and reign with Jesus forever. This good news fills us not only with amazement but also with eternal gratitude and love.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O Father, You speak the truth to people according to Your great plan. You have created the heavens and the earth. Even a sparrow does not fall to the ground except according to Your decree. There is a King who is far above all the rulers of this world, and we have heard His voice and have eagerly received Him. Your revelation is a great help to us in our lives. We are so thankful for Your servants who have brought us the Word of truth. Through this blessing we have been kept from great foolishness and unnecessary self-preoccupation. You have rescued us from all kinds of dangerous thinking and behavior. May we use all that we are and all that we have for Your purposes. We will extol You forever, for You are able to bring low all those who walk in arrogance, and to lift up all those who glorify You.

Daniel 3

Read Daniel 3

“King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold” as the focus of a new system of idolatrous worship for all “peoples, nations, and languages.” Standing on “the plain of Dura” at ninety feet tall and nine feet wide, this object was not merely a work of art. When the music of various instruments was heard, everyone was to immediately “fall down and worship” or face the deadly sanction of being “cast into a burning fiery furnace.”

Certain of Nebuchadnezzar's officials who had access to the king used this occasion to attack their enemies. They “maliciously accused the Jews,” particularly noting Daniel's three friends, as offenders who would not obey the king's edict. “These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar, in “furious rage,” called in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to explain themselves. They were given opportunity to comply with the king's law, which they refused. Their answer was simple, direct, appropriate, and in its own way, respectful: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand.” Jehovah was infinitely greater than Nebuchadnezzar. “But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The king was “filled with fury.” He ordered that the heat of the fire be raised very substantially, so much so that the guards who brought the three Hebrew men to their expected doom were themselves killed by their exposure to the flames. Meanwhile, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego not only survived the ordeal, but were miraculously preserved in every way.

Everyone there that day saw a fourth figure in the furnace, one “like a son of the gods.” He was with them in their worst trial. Did they all die instantly? No, only the ropes that had bound them were consumed.

No one was able to deny that the condemned captives had experienced a powerful deliverance. What did Nebuchadnezzar conclude? “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants, who trusted in Him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.” The king went on to issue a new decree prohibiting any speech against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He also promoted them in the province of Babylon.

Who was that fourth person who entered into the furnace with the three men of faith? Was it an angel of the Lord, or was it God Himself in a visible manifestation? We know that God is able to rescue His people from any situation, and that He has saved us eternally and supremely by coming into this fallen world to suffer and die that we might live forever. Even now Jesus will carry us through every difficulty. God is our strength and our salvation. We trust that He will give us faithful words to say in any time of testing.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Great God and King, the rulers of this world are so easily carried away with their grandeur. We will not worship them or serve their false gods. Help us to be respectful, to submit to lawful authority, and to serve You by living in an orderly way. Keep us faithful to You if we should ever face the persecution of powerful people. Surely You will either deliver us from our trials or bring us immediately into Your glorious presence. In all the difficulties that we face, we trust that the Son of God is with us. The fire of men is nothing compared to the eternal fire that Your enemies will face. You alone are able to save us, for Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

Monday Morning Clarity - 1 Chronicles 3:10-14

God preserved the line of the kings of Judah against all human odds.

Some were quite good over all, some very evil, most fit into the "hard to say" group.

Even the best ultimately could not satisfy.

Only Jesus could defeat sin and death.

He is pleased to live in those who will tremble at His Word.

Sermon Notes
Sermon Audio

The Rule of Leading Men

The Rule of Leading Men

for

The New Hampshire Company

- a work in progress -

Summer, 2017

Prologue

Know this:

Turn from sin.

Trust in God who raises the dead.

Live in simplicity and sincerity.

Present yourselves to God

And make disciples

As you look for the coming of the Son of Man

Who died for us

And leads us by the hand and keeps us.

He is the King of glory.

Our hearts find our rest in Him.

Now may the God of peace be with you and give you everything you need to love Him well.

Amen.

Section 1: Historic Christian Communion with God and the Church According to The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

O Great I-AM, “Our Father” You've become.

Adopted us through Jesus Christ Your Son.

Your holy people sanctify Your Name,

And pray that all the earth will do the same.

May Satan's head be crushed beneath our feet.

Come soon King Jesus; make Your reign complete!

Teach us to know Your Word and to obey,

Content that You will rule the world today.

Feed us with heaven's bread that all may live,

And add Your blessings with each gift You give.

For Jesus' sake, forgive our many sins,

As we forgive both enemies and friends.

Leave us not in temptation's hopeless night,
Provide a way, through trials, to Your light.

To You alone, our Father, God, and Friend,

Be kingdom, power, glory, without end!

Section 2: Historic Christian Ethics According to the Ten Commandments

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

You shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.

Section 3: Historic Christian Doctrine According to The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets; and we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Epilogue: The Means of Grace

Prayer and Worship

The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments

Baptism and the Lord's Supper

Meditation Scriptures for Prologue

Know this:

Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers...

Turn from sin.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Trust in God who raises the dead.

2 Corinthians 1:9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Live in simplicity and sincerity.
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

Present yourselves to God

Romans 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

And make disciples

Matthew 28:19-20 [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

As you look for the coming of the Son of Man

Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Who died for us

Isaiah 53:5 [5] But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

And leads us by the hand and keeps us.

Isaiah 42:6 I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.

He is the King of glory.
Psalm 24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!

Our hearts find our rest in Him.

Psalm 131 [1] O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. [2] But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. [3] O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.

Now may the God of peace be with you and give you everything you need to love Him well.

Hebrews 13:20-21 [20] Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, [21] equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Amen.

Daniel 2

Read Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar had troubling images during his sleep that he could not understand. All of the various mystics advising the leader of the Babylonian empire were “summoned to tell the king his dreams.” This was an unusual request. Rather than asking for an interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to reveal what they could not possibly know. If they did not tell him the facts of what he had seen, he promised that they would be “torn limb from limb.”

Daniel was part of the group at risk. When he understood that his life might soon be taken from him, he asked about the urgency of Nebuchadnezzar's edict. When he was given further details about the king's demands, he asked for an audience with this powerful ruler, “that he might show the interpretation to the king.” Meanwhile, Daniel asked his friends to “seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery.”

Their plea to the Almighty yielded a great blessing and saved many lives, since “the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night.” Daniel's immediate response was praise. “Blessed be the Name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings.” This is one of the themes of the entire book of Daniel. The Lord God is in charge of all the powers of the earth.

When the young Hebrew prophet appeared before Nebuchadnezzar he did not claim credit for his accurate message. “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries and He has made known to king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.” Daniel insisted that the solution to the problem came to him, “not because of any wisdom I have.” He gave glory to God and also showed appropriate deference to the emperor.

The king's dreams were full of important prophecies that would be played out over many centuries. Combined with other visions received by Daniel, we can know for certain that the image of gold, silver, bronze, and iron/clay stood for four regimes: Babylon, Media/Persia, Greece, and Rome.

Most importantly, during the time of the Romans “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed.” This new realm “shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end.” While other rulers may come and go, there is an eternal resurrection world ruled by Jesus. The Son of God's very unusual government “shall stand forever.”

Nebuchadnezzar was very impressed by Daniel's report. “Truly your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a Revealer of mysteries.” The truth regarding several successive empires was a message that God had chosen to make known. Why did He do so?

First, we remember that the Almighty does everything for His own glory. We should be impressed with the Lord of creation and providence. His astounding uncovering of what false spiritual advisers could never have guessed was in direct response to the pleas of His beloved servants. These events came about for the right use of the Lord's prophet, Daniel. It was also part of God's project of humbling Nebuchadnezzar, a very proud ruler.

Finally, Daniel 2 is for the encouragement of the Lord's chosen people in every age. We enter into the drama of a tragedy averted and give glory to the Father and the Son. Our faith is strengthened by these prophetic words, and we can know for certain that the kingdom of Jesus is truly forever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, You are sovereign over both our waking and sleeping. You are aware of every detail of history and have a full understanding of all that is yet to come. This is not merely a knowledge of the future, for You have decreed all things that will come to pass. You are God, and there is no other. In various times and places You have chosen to reveal a small portion of Your great knowledge to Your servants the prophets. You gave them revelations in visions, events, and in words. You blessed them with a greater knowledge of who You are, and revealed deep and hidden things about the past, present, and future according to Your holy will. You never said more then You intended. You never spoke incorrectly. Your Word is perfect. You can make a slave the most important man in a mighty empire when You choose to reveal mysteries through a humble man. You ordain the rising and falling of kings and kingdoms. Beyond all of the powers of men, and all of their authority, You have brought about the coming of the Your Son's reign. You inaugurated this new world during the time of a very impressive empire among men. That empire is now long gone, but Your church continues to this day. It is on the offensive through numerous struggles, and even the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. You are a Revealer of mysteries, now wonderfully contained in written revelation. Your Scripture is a living Word that daily brings the breath of life to Your people in Your church.

Daniel 1

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The prophet Daniel was brought to Babylon during a time when Judah was forced into submission by a much more powerful empire. Many of the poor remained in the Promised Land, but some of the promising young people among the Judeans were selected to be trained for better service to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.

Daniel and his closest companions were treated very well by the “chief of the eunuchs,” the officer responsible for their care. They were taught “the literature and language of the Chaldeans” and were provided “a daily portion” of the food and drink that the king himself consumed. The aim of this plan was to help them in adopting the necessary Babylonian view of life that would make them competent servants of the emperor.

The first of several crisis points in the history of Daniel's days in Babylon centered around the food and drink that they were expected to receive. Daniel “resolved that he would not defile himself” as a person who was still seeking to follow Jewish law even during his time in captivity. He proposed to the chief eunuch that he and his friends would eat only vegetables for a test period of ten days.

The results of that trial pleased the king's servant. The four Hebrew men “were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food.” It was Jehovah who gave Daniel and the others favor with their captors. God made them both strong in body and accomplished in learning. The Lord equipped them with “skill in all literature and wisdom.” In particular, Daniel was given “understanding in all visions and dreams,” a fact that would be of great importance in future years.

The king himself agreed with the assessment of the chief eunuch. Nebuchadnezzar found the Hebrew men “ten times better” than others who were following the royal protocol for the preparation of skilled assistants. So began Daniel's many decades of service and trial in the courts of imperial power. Through it all, he remained devoted to the Lord despite very challenging trials.

Daniel became a powerful example for future servants of God of the way that the Lord might choose to honor those who consecrate their lives to Him in a time of great trouble. When Jesus explained Himself to those who were ready to stone Him for what they claimed to be disrespectful behavior against the God of the Jews, He said in John 10:36 that He was someone whom the Father had “consecrated and sent into the world.” Jesus later prayed for His future disciples, “As you sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I also consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:18-19)

Like Daniel, Jesus remembered who He was during a time when others would have moved Him far away from His Father's Word. We who have heard and believed the gospel need to remain steadfast in the truth of God even under the intense pressure that may come against us as we seek to obey our Savior.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Glorious and Sovereign Lord, make Your plans for Your people shine forth in the brightest colors in our darkest days. When our prospects seem bleak, You remain a bountiful Provider of every good gift. You can still care for Your children though they are strangers in a strange land. We are strengthened by Your Word and refreshed by Your Spirit. When it would appear that we would be destroyed in a time of trouble, You are able to do amazing things. You can give Your servants health, wisdom, learning, grace, diligence, and many other blessings. When we lack everything else, there is no greater gift than Your presence among us. Be with us day by day, and bless Your church in wonderful ways as we live in the midst of this fading world. Glorify Your Name through the provision of help that could only have come from You.

Ezekiel 48

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Ezekiel's vision of the new land of Israel included a central sanctuary with six tribal portions to the north and the remaining six to the south. Judah and Benjamin were closest to the most sacred precincts, but each tribe had access to the city of God through twelve gates, one for each of the sons of Jacob.

The most sacred area was described in detail in earlier chapters. We should reiterate the central role of a godly “prince” in the worship of the Almighty, and the preference given to “the sons of Zadok” who alone could perform certain activities because they “did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray.”

Ezekiel presented the possibility of a well-ordered nation—the Israel that might have been had the returning worshipers walked in the Lord's ways. It would have been the ideal Old Testament community, with all the tribes included, all with access to the holy city, and all obedient to the good prince. “The name of the city” from the time of its establishment continuing into the future would have been so inspiring: “The Lord is there.”

The fulfillment of this glorious divine plan required many willing hearts. The people and their leaders needed true faith in God—the kind of trust that will always yield great faithfulness. None of this would actually take place.

While we can rightly point to the failure of the returning exiles, we would do well to consider this great picture from the vantage point of the Lord's most excellent decrees. Why would God not bring about the wonderful Israel that He showed to His prophet?

Hebrews 11:40 gives us a good answer: “God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” The Lord intended to bring the New Testament age to the whole world rather than continue in the Old Testament era forever. It was Jehovah's best plan to eventually bring a resurrection kingdom into being without any stain of sin.

What is the use of such glorious visions as we find in Ezekiel 40-48 if they only point to an even better conclusion to God's story? They are written first to the people of their own day, that God's covenant community might see the wondrous plan of the Lord most appropriate for their time and vigorously pursue it.

Such inspiring oracles serve another great purpose. They cause the faithful in every generation to look up to the heavenly Jerusalem and to the Lord Jesus who reigns above. We remember what He has endured for us, and we do what we must to turn away from sin and to run the race set before us with endurance. With a renewed vision of Him as our best Temple, we turn again to “the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” In the light of His glory and grace, we persevere.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father, we will be with You in just a little while. We are not coming to visit, but to stay. One day Your Son will take us with Him as He returns to usher in the new age in all of its fullness. Those who are His in this world that is fading away will be changed and we will be together with Your Son forever. Teach us to be faithful to You even now. It is appointed for us to live once, and then to face judgment. You will carry us safely through that impending trial, for Christ has died for our sins. We long for the new holy work that You have prepared for us. There will be no evil in that work, but much joy. Here we feel so out of place. We are not at home. We long for the revelation of this new land. It is our inheritance, and we have a portion in it. O grant that we would enter that city through the gate appointed for us at just the right time. We want to live in the city with that glorious name: “The Lord is there.”

Monday Morning Clarity - 1 Chronicles 3:1-9

This passage is the Chronicler's very brief way of telling a very long story.

David reigned in Hebron for seven and a half years. There he had several sons, including Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah. All three had very tragic life stories, But David could not have known that when he and his family moved to the Chronicler's favorite place on earth, Jerusalem.

David reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-three years, and that was where his family life unraveled. Amnon raped his own sister, Tamar. Absalom murdered Amnon in revenge, and eventually led a massive rebellion against his father, dying in the process of his insurrection. Adonijah rejected the Lord's plans for his younger brother Solomon to reign, and also died because of his foolish efforts to assert himself above the king.

Yet it was also in Jerusalem that several other sons were born to David, including Solomon and Nathan, both by Bathsheba. These brothers would form the next generation that would lead to the Messiah (See Matthew 1 and Luke 3).

David's life was marred by great tragedy. The Chronicler does not dwell on this, but his choice of names in these verses makes it clear that he wants us to take that to heart. We gain perspective across the decades of our own lives as we meditate upon the sufferings and glory of the Savior who was from the line of David.

The story of Jesus 1 Chronicles style: Bethlehem, Nazareth of Galilee, Jerusalem, a cross, a borrowed grave, and empty tomb, present heavens, the New Jerusalem. To think that we have access to God through Him! Perspective and Prayer - What great gifts!

Ezekiel 47

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Holy Israelite obedience would eventually change the entire earth, but where could anyone ever find the goodness that was required by God? Adam did not have it, and thus he was unable to eat from the tree of life in Eden. The righteousness of the ancient Israelites was also lacking, leading eventually to their exile. They did not gain the blessings that were awaiting a faithful people according to Leviticus 26.

Toward the end of Ezekiel, the prophet saw a delightful vision of the world-transforming power of right relationship with the Almighty. However, time would show that the generations that returned to the Promised Land after the exile would have just as sad a record of disobedience as their ancestors before them.

What if they had been true to God? There would have been a river of life coming forth from the Lord's holy place. The waters originating from the altar in the rebuilt Jerusalem would have made the seas fresh wherever they flowed. The trees nourished in God's good land would have provided fruit all year long, and the leaves that came from their strong branches would have been useful for healing many people broken by futility and disease. A well-ordered Israel with extended boundaries would have been a showcase to all the other nations of the world, and even sojourners from other people groups would have found “an inheritance among the tribes” of God's chosen people.

Could there be no fulfillment of Ezekiel's triumphal Judaism? The Lord had something much better in mind. He would build a heavenly city based upon the sure and perfect holiness of one Man. Jesus' death would provide a cleansing stream that would reach far beyond the Middle East. People from every tribe inhabiting the globe would hear the message of grace based on the works of the true Substitute for sinners. The Spirit of God would bring resurrection life to a very great multitude of human beings.

Ezekiel's vision was marvelous for its time, but it simply was not extensive enough for God's ultimate purposes. The apostle John (Revelation 22:1-5) saw more than Ezekiel could have ever imagined. There will one day be a river “of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” The ancient “tree of life” will yield its great harvest, and the leaves of that tree will be “for the healing of the nations.” Best of all, the people of God will “see His face,” and His Name will be “on their foreheads.” The citizens of the new heavens and earth will worship God without sin, and the Lord God will be “their light,” and they will reign with Him forever and ever.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Our God, we want to see the water coming forth from Your heavenly temple. We want to put our hands in it, walk in it, and swim in it. We need the life from this river even now. That good stream brings resurrection everywhere it goes. O Lord, send Your Word everywhere, so that the dead may hear the voice of Your Son and turn to You. Surely there is a place in Your great land for all those who rest in Jesus. We were once foreigners to the covenant of grace, but now we are citizens of heaven because of the blood of the Lamb.