Proverbs 14: 30
A tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion [envy, jealousy; runaway emotions] is rottenness to the bones [like bone cancer].
Our God is very passionate, jealous of His glory, because He alone is worthy of worship. And He has placed strong, passionate emotions in us, also.
Here we are cautioned to have control over our hearts, to not let our lives be run on emotions, but to temper them with reason and our knowledge of God.
O my Father, help me to recognize the emotions I am experiencing, to be able to name them and thereby have power over them. Help me to control my response to whatever I am feeling with discernment and discretion, with prudence and understanding.
Teach me to live my life in Your righteousness, and to promote Your righteousness in my family and in the society I live in.
May Your guard be on my mouth--my thoughts and attitudes--to see with Your eyes and hear with Your ears, and so speak only Your words; so that the sweet fragrance of Your Spirit would be upon me, that those I see and interact with would be drawn to You, not be impressed with me.
And may my life, every day of my life, be a journey along Your path for my feet, with my hand in Yours, conversing with You continually along the way, promoting Your Kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Friday, August 10, 2018
Equal Before The Law
Numbers 15: 14-16
Suppose foreigners are visiting you or living among you in future generations. If they bring an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord, they must do as you do.
There is one law for the whole assembly: for you and foreigners who are living with you. It is a permanent law for future generations. As far as the Lord is concerned, you and foreigners are the same.
The instructions and rules are the same for you as well as foreigners who are living with you.
God's intention from the very beginning was to bring to Himself people from all Nations, not just Israelites. God chose Israel to be the ones through whom His Law, His Word would be delivered to the rest of the World: "To the Jew first, and also to the gentile."
God established the order of authority, those who were responsible to teach and care for others: Moses and Aaron, then the Priesthood, then the Levites, the heads of the rest of the tribes of Israel, then the Nations of the World.
When Korah, with Dathan and Abiram and On and 250 leaders of the congregation tried to usurp the authority of the priests and Moses and Aaron, defying the order of authority that God had established, they paid with their lives--an example for the rest (Numbers 16:1-40).
O my Father, You are serious; You must be taken seriously. Those who disrespect You by taking You lightly and disregarding Your Word and ways will not escape judgment.
Yet You offer Redemption to all equally. "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross." We are all born into sin, and we all commit sins, so we all deserve death. That's why You sent Your Son, that's why Jesus came: to fulfill those Laws carved in stone and written on parchment--to take our death upon Himself for each one of us, so that He can give us His own life, the Holy Spirit, and be cleansed to live with You where You are, forever.
Thank You, Father, for Your Love and Your faithfulness and Your beauty. Thank You for Your compassion and mercy, as well as Your Justice and righteousness.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Suppose foreigners are visiting you or living among you in future generations. If they bring an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord, they must do as you do.
There is one law for the whole assembly: for you and foreigners who are living with you. It is a permanent law for future generations. As far as the Lord is concerned, you and foreigners are the same.
The instructions and rules are the same for you as well as foreigners who are living with you.
God's intention from the very beginning was to bring to Himself people from all Nations, not just Israelites. God chose Israel to be the ones through whom His Law, His Word would be delivered to the rest of the World: "To the Jew first, and also to the gentile."
God established the order of authority, those who were responsible to teach and care for others: Moses and Aaron, then the Priesthood, then the Levites, the heads of the rest of the tribes of Israel, then the Nations of the World.
When Korah, with Dathan and Abiram and On and 250 leaders of the congregation tried to usurp the authority of the priests and Moses and Aaron, defying the order of authority that God had established, they paid with their lives--an example for the rest (Numbers 16:1-40).
O my Father, You are serious; You must be taken seriously. Those who disrespect You by taking You lightly and disregarding Your Word and ways will not escape judgment.
Yet You offer Redemption to all equally. "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross." We are all born into sin, and we all commit sins, so we all deserve death. That's why You sent Your Son, that's why Jesus came: to fulfill those Laws carved in stone and written on parchment--to take our death upon Himself for each one of us, so that He can give us His own life, the Holy Spirit, and be cleansed to live with You where You are, forever.
Thank You, Father, for Your Love and Your faithfulness and Your beauty. Thank You for Your compassion and mercy, as well as Your Justice and righteousness.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Daniel's Prayer
Daniel 9: 19
"O Lord hear! O Lord forgive! O Lord listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your Name."
This is the end of the long prayer Daniel offered when he was reading Jeremiah and realized that the 70 years he had predicted was at its end--it had been about 70 years since that was written.
His prayer covers this chapter from verse 3 to verse 19, and in it Daniel identifies himself with Israel 32 times. He approaches God on the basis of His loyal Love, in His covenant with Israel, confesses their sins, acknowledges their deserved judgment, and askes God for mercy.
Not because of any merits on our part, but simply based on His great compassion.
And he asks God to defend His own reputation, that has been maligned all these 70 years.
God will always defend His reputation. Every prayer in Scripture that asks God to defend His own reputation has been answered abundantly and in a timely manner.
God wants us to know Him, to know the Truth about Him, not our own ideas. When His people don't live the way He wants us to, for our own good, then His enemy tells the World lies about God, and maligns His reputation, to draw people away from Him.
O my Father, I pray that You would strengthen me to closely follow You in the path You've set my feet on. Help me, Father, to understand Your ways, and to display Your character in my life. Let my attitudes and words draw people to You, not me. And may Your Name be lifted up and magnified.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"O Lord hear! O Lord forgive! O Lord listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your Name."
This is the end of the long prayer Daniel offered when he was reading Jeremiah and realized that the 70 years he had predicted was at its end--it had been about 70 years since that was written.
His prayer covers this chapter from verse 3 to verse 19, and in it Daniel identifies himself with Israel 32 times. He approaches God on the basis of His loyal Love, in His covenant with Israel, confesses their sins, acknowledges their deserved judgment, and askes God for mercy.
Not because of any merits on our part, but simply based on His great compassion.
And he asks God to defend His own reputation, that has been maligned all these 70 years.
God will always defend His reputation. Every prayer in Scripture that asks God to defend His own reputation has been answered abundantly and in a timely manner.
God wants us to know Him, to know the Truth about Him, not our own ideas. When His people don't live the way He wants us to, for our own good, then His enemy tells the World lies about God, and maligns His reputation, to draw people away from Him.
O my Father, I pray that You would strengthen me to closely follow You in the path You've set my feet on. Help me, Father, to understand Your ways, and to display Your character in my life. Let my attitudes and words draw people to You, not me. And may Your Name be lifted up and magnified.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
King Cyrus
Isaiah 44: 28 to 45: 1-6, 15
He says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd. He will do everything I want him to do:" he says about Jerusalem, "It shall be rebuilt," and he says about the Temple, "Your foundation will be laid."
This is what the Lord says about Cyrus, His annointed one:
"I have held him by his right hand so he could conquer the nations ahead of him, strip kings of their power, and open doors ahead of him so that the gates would not be shut.
"I will go ahead of you, Cyrus, and smooth out the rough places. I will break down the bronze doors and cut through the iron bars. I will give you treasures from dark places and hidden stockpiles.
"Then you will know that I, the Lord God of Israel, have called you by name.
"For the sake of My servant Jacob, Israel, My chosen one, I have called you by name. I have given you a title of honor, although you don't know Me.
"I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no other god besides Me. I will strengthen you, although you don't know Me.
"So that from the East to the West people will know that there is no god except Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other."
"I prepared Cyrus for My righteous purpose. I will make all his roads straight. He will build My city and let My exiles go free without any payment or any reward," says the Lord of Armies.
It is amazing that God would tell Isaiah to write about this king by name. Isaiah lived and wrote from 740 to 680 B.C., and Ezra and Nehemiah, who recorded the fulfillment of this prophecy, wrote from 456 to 425 B.C.; so Isaiah wrote about Cyrus about 200 years before he was born.
This is proof that God is God, and He moves Nations and kingdoms to do His will in fulfilling His Plan of the Ages; even kings and leaders of Nations who don't even recognize Him as the only Supreme God of the Universe! He sets up and puts down, and He causes these people to do what He planned out ahead of time, even when they think it's all their own idea.
And Cyrus did all these things, and succeeded just as God said He would.
God has not changed, or changed His tactics. He knows all things (He is omniscient) because He designed all of Creation and planned out the whole progression of Time from before the beginning to after the end. And He's laid it all out for us in the 66 books of the Bible, the written Word of God.
We think we're having all our own ideas and thoughts, and making all our own decisions and choices freely. And we do have choices. And we do make our decisions freely. Within His parameters. We are free to choose what we want to do, but we are not free to choose what consequences will result from our decisions.
We can choose to do what is according to His plan for others' benefit--or if we choose not to expose ourselves to what we think will be detrimental to ourselves, God will use someone else who chooses His way to benefit the others He wanted to bless. (See Esther 4:14.)
And He still has all the Nations' leaders--all the kings and prime ministers and presidents and dictators and sheiks--in His hand, and He directs them in whatever role He puts them in. He knows who will do good, and He knows who has rejected Him and will do evil against their people.
He is setting up the World system even now, to be prepared and ready for when Jesus returns. All according to how He has told us, in His Word. Everything He has said will happen, will happen. And everyone He calls to Salvation will hear and respond, until all His sheep will be gathered into one fold, as He said (John 10:16). Then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
He says of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd. He will do everything I want him to do:" he says about Jerusalem, "It shall be rebuilt," and he says about the Temple, "Your foundation will be laid."
This is what the Lord says about Cyrus, His annointed one:
"I have held him by his right hand so he could conquer the nations ahead of him, strip kings of their power, and open doors ahead of him so that the gates would not be shut.
"I will go ahead of you, Cyrus, and smooth out the rough places. I will break down the bronze doors and cut through the iron bars. I will give you treasures from dark places and hidden stockpiles.
"Then you will know that I, the Lord God of Israel, have called you by name.
"For the sake of My servant Jacob, Israel, My chosen one, I have called you by name. I have given you a title of honor, although you don't know Me.
"I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no other god besides Me. I will strengthen you, although you don't know Me.
"So that from the East to the West people will know that there is no god except Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other."
"I prepared Cyrus for My righteous purpose. I will make all his roads straight. He will build My city and let My exiles go free without any payment or any reward," says the Lord of Armies.
It is amazing that God would tell Isaiah to write about this king by name. Isaiah lived and wrote from 740 to 680 B.C., and Ezra and Nehemiah, who recorded the fulfillment of this prophecy, wrote from 456 to 425 B.C.; so Isaiah wrote about Cyrus about 200 years before he was born.
This is proof that God is God, and He moves Nations and kingdoms to do His will in fulfilling His Plan of the Ages; even kings and leaders of Nations who don't even recognize Him as the only Supreme God of the Universe! He sets up and puts down, and He causes these people to do what He planned out ahead of time, even when they think it's all their own idea.
And Cyrus did all these things, and succeeded just as God said He would.
God has not changed, or changed His tactics. He knows all things (He is omniscient) because He designed all of Creation and planned out the whole progression of Time from before the beginning to after the end. And He's laid it all out for us in the 66 books of the Bible, the written Word of God.
We think we're having all our own ideas and thoughts, and making all our own decisions and choices freely. And we do have choices. And we do make our decisions freely. Within His parameters. We are free to choose what we want to do, but we are not free to choose what consequences will result from our decisions.
We can choose to do what is according to His plan for others' benefit--or if we choose not to expose ourselves to what we think will be detrimental to ourselves, God will use someone else who chooses His way to benefit the others He wanted to bless. (See Esther 4:14.)
And He still has all the Nations' leaders--all the kings and prime ministers and presidents and dictators and sheiks--in His hand, and He directs them in whatever role He puts them in. He knows who will do good, and He knows who has rejected Him and will do evil against their people.
He is setting up the World system even now, to be prepared and ready for when Jesus returns. All according to how He has told us, in His Word. Everything He has said will happen, will happen. And everyone He calls to Salvation will hear and respond, until all His sheep will be gathered into one fold, as He said (John 10:16). Then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Focus
Nehemiah 6: 1-9, 15
When they had rebuilt the whole wall except for the gates, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of their enemies tried to lure Nehemiah out to kill him, but he didn't fall for it.
Then they made up some hog wash about them rebelling and making Nehemiah their king, but he replied, exposing their slander.
And they finished the whole wall in only 52 days!
In spite of all the problems and delays and attacks, they were totally focused on the work, and they got it done in record time!
God was with them. And He is also with me. I need to focus.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
When they had rebuilt the whole wall except for the gates, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of their enemies tried to lure Nehemiah out to kill him, but he didn't fall for it.
Then they made up some hog wash about them rebelling and making Nehemiah their king, but he replied, exposing their slander.
And they finished the whole wall in only 52 days!
In spite of all the problems and delays and attacks, they were totally focused on the work, and they got it done in record time!
God was with them. And He is also with me. I need to focus.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, August 6, 2018
The Lions' Den
Daniel 5: 31- 6: 28
Darius the Mede took over the kingdom in Babylon at the age of 62.
So now Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar are both gone, and a new king arises in this ancient land where the Jews are in exile.
Darius decided it would be good to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom.
This is a smart move, as one man wouldn't be able to manage this extensive realm by himself.
Over these satraps were three officials. Daniel was one of these officials. The satraps were to report to these three officials so that the king wouldn't be cheated.
These must have been three men who were either well-known to Darius or had impeccably high recommendation and reputation. It was up to them to make sure that these 120 governors were honest.
This man, Daniel, distinguished himself among the other officials and satraps because there was an extraordinary spirit in him. The king thought about putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.
Daniel had lived his entire adult life in this foreign land, and had served in the government virtually all that time, until he was retired after Nebuchadnezzar's reign, then was called upon again on Belshazzar's last night. Now this new king has recognized Daniel's integrity and skills, and is considering him for promotion.
So the other officials and satraps tried to find something to accuse Daniel of in his duties for the kingdom. But they couldn't find anything wrong because he was trustworthy. No error or fault could be found.
These other guys were envious of Daniel, and wanted to get rid of him to promote themselves. But he was honestly and meticulously doing everything he was supposed to be doing, and they couldn't find anything to accuse him of.
These men said, "We won't find anything to accuse this man, Daniel, unless we find it in his religious practices."
They knew that he worshiped only God, not any of the idols everyone else honored.
So these officials and satraps went to the king as a group. They said to him, "May King Darius live forever! All the officials, governors, satraps, advisors, and mayors agree that the king should make a statute and enforce a decree. The decree should state that for the next 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions' den. Your Majesty, issue this decree, and sign it. According to the law of the Medes and Persians no one could change it or repeal it."
So Darius signed the written decree.
This is honoring King Darius as a god, appealing to his ego.
When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.
This was his usual custom. He didn't change his daily routine even knowing about this new law.
One of those times the men came in as a group and found Daniel praying and pleading to his God.
They were stalking him, to catch him at prayer.
Then they went and spoke to the king about his decree.
Didn't you? ...
Yes, I did. ...
Well, this Daniel ... Na na na na na nah!
"Your Majesty, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, refuses to obey your order or the decree that you signed. He prays three times each day."
Ha! We got you now, you Jew!
The king was very displeased when he heard this. He tried every way he could think of to save Daniel. Until sundown he did everything he could to rescue him.
Then Daniel's accusers gathered in front of the king. They said to him, "Remember, your Majesty, the Medes and Persians have a law that no decree or statute the king makes can be changed."
They were forcing his hand.
So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought to him and thrown into the lions' den. The king told Daniel, "May your God, Whom you always worship, save you!"
Darius is recognizing that Daniel's trust in his God is real, but isn't really showing that Darius is trusting in God.
They closed the opening of the den with a stone, and sealed it with the king's ring, so he wouldn't be able to get out.
Then the king went to his palace and spent the night without any food or company, and he couldn't sleep, either. At the first light of dawn, the king got up quickly and went to the lions' den. As soon as he came near it, he called to Daniel with anguish in his voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, was God Whom you always worship, able to save you from the lions?"
Daniel said to the king, "Your Majesty, may you live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they couldn't hurt me. He did this because He considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven't committed any crime."
The king was overjoyed and had Daniel taken out of the den. When Daniel came out of the den, everyone saw that he was completely unharmed because he trusted his God.
The king ordered those men who brought charges against Daniel to be brought to him, and they suffered the fate they wished upon Daniel, and the lions ate them.
The king sure didn't appreciate these guys tricking him like that.
Then King Darius wrote to the people of every province, nation, and language all over the world:
"I wish you peace and prosperity.
I decree that in every part of my kingdom people should tremble with terror in front of Daniel's God, the living God Who continues forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His power lasts to the end of time. He saves, rescues, and does miraculous signs and amazing things in Heaven and on Earth. He saved Daniel from the lions."
This man, Daniel, prospered during the reign of Darius the Mede and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
So Daniel, even in his old age, continued to serve the different kings as they came and went, and was never fired or forced to resign as the administrations changed hands.
Daniel obviously got along well in this foreign society by obeying all the laws there, even helping to administer these alien ideas, but he never betrayed his trust in God. This takes wisdom and discretion.
And his witness and trust in God showed this whole succession of kings Who God is, and they all had opportunity to believe Him and trust Him, too.
This story also shows us the valid basis for civil disobedience. Only when the civil law forbids what God commands us to do, or decrees that we do what God forbids, can we ligitimately disobey, but we must do it with respect and humility. Only then will God take care of whatever consequences follow.
O Father, Lead me wherever You would have me go, and teach me Your ways, that I will be able to have wisdom and discretion to get along in other cultures with respect and humility. And may my life and my testimony also show others Who You are, as Daniel did so long ago.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Darius the Mede took over the kingdom in Babylon at the age of 62.
So now Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar are both gone, and a new king arises in this ancient land where the Jews are in exile.
Darius decided it would be good to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom.
This is a smart move, as one man wouldn't be able to manage this extensive realm by himself.
Over these satraps were three officials. Daniel was one of these officials. The satraps were to report to these three officials so that the king wouldn't be cheated.
These must have been three men who were either well-known to Darius or had impeccably high recommendation and reputation. It was up to them to make sure that these 120 governors were honest.
This man, Daniel, distinguished himself among the other officials and satraps because there was an extraordinary spirit in him. The king thought about putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.
Daniel had lived his entire adult life in this foreign land, and had served in the government virtually all that time, until he was retired after Nebuchadnezzar's reign, then was called upon again on Belshazzar's last night. Now this new king has recognized Daniel's integrity and skills, and is considering him for promotion.
So the other officials and satraps tried to find something to accuse Daniel of in his duties for the kingdom. But they couldn't find anything wrong because he was trustworthy. No error or fault could be found.
These other guys were envious of Daniel, and wanted to get rid of him to promote themselves. But he was honestly and meticulously doing everything he was supposed to be doing, and they couldn't find anything to accuse him of.
These men said, "We won't find anything to accuse this man, Daniel, unless we find it in his religious practices."
They knew that he worshiped only God, not any of the idols everyone else honored.
So these officials and satraps went to the king as a group. They said to him, "May King Darius live forever! All the officials, governors, satraps, advisors, and mayors agree that the king should make a statute and enforce a decree. The decree should state that for the next 30 days whoever asks for anything from any god or person except you, your Majesty, will be thrown into a lions' den. Your Majesty, issue this decree, and sign it. According to the law of the Medes and Persians no one could change it or repeal it."
So Darius signed the written decree.
This is honoring King Darius as a god, appealing to his ego.
When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.
This was his usual custom. He didn't change his daily routine even knowing about this new law.
One of those times the men came in as a group and found Daniel praying and pleading to his God.
They were stalking him, to catch him at prayer.
Then they went and spoke to the king about his decree.
Didn't you? ...
Yes, I did. ...
Well, this Daniel ... Na na na na na nah!
"Your Majesty, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, refuses to obey your order or the decree that you signed. He prays three times each day."
Ha! We got you now, you Jew!
The king was very displeased when he heard this. He tried every way he could think of to save Daniel. Until sundown he did everything he could to rescue him.
Then Daniel's accusers gathered in front of the king. They said to him, "Remember, your Majesty, the Medes and Persians have a law that no decree or statute the king makes can be changed."
They were forcing his hand.
So the king gave the order, and Daniel was brought to him and thrown into the lions' den. The king told Daniel, "May your God, Whom you always worship, save you!"
Darius is recognizing that Daniel's trust in his God is real, but isn't really showing that Darius is trusting in God.
They closed the opening of the den with a stone, and sealed it with the king's ring, so he wouldn't be able to get out.
Then the king went to his palace and spent the night without any food or company, and he couldn't sleep, either. At the first light of dawn, the king got up quickly and went to the lions' den. As soon as he came near it, he called to Daniel with anguish in his voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, was God Whom you always worship, able to save you from the lions?"
Daniel said to the king, "Your Majesty, may you live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they couldn't hurt me. He did this because He considered me innocent. Your Majesty, I haven't committed any crime."
The king was overjoyed and had Daniel taken out of the den. When Daniel came out of the den, everyone saw that he was completely unharmed because he trusted his God.
The king ordered those men who brought charges against Daniel to be brought to him, and they suffered the fate they wished upon Daniel, and the lions ate them.
The king sure didn't appreciate these guys tricking him like that.
Then King Darius wrote to the people of every province, nation, and language all over the world:
"I wish you peace and prosperity.
I decree that in every part of my kingdom people should tremble with terror in front of Daniel's God, the living God Who continues forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. His power lasts to the end of time. He saves, rescues, and does miraculous signs and amazing things in Heaven and on Earth. He saved Daniel from the lions."
This man, Daniel, prospered during the reign of Darius the Mede and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
So Daniel, even in his old age, continued to serve the different kings as they came and went, and was never fired or forced to resign as the administrations changed hands.
Daniel obviously got along well in this foreign society by obeying all the laws there, even helping to administer these alien ideas, but he never betrayed his trust in God. This takes wisdom and discretion.
And his witness and trust in God showed this whole succession of kings Who God is, and they all had opportunity to believe Him and trust Him, too.
This story also shows us the valid basis for civil disobedience. Only when the civil law forbids what God commands us to do, or decrees that we do what God forbids, can we ligitimately disobey, but we must do it with respect and humility. Only then will God take care of whatever consequences follow.
O Father, Lead me wherever You would have me go, and teach me Your ways, that I will be able to have wisdom and discretion to get along in other cultures with respect and humility. And may my life and my testimony also show others Who You are, as Daniel did so long ago.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, August 5, 2018
The Writing On The Wall
Daniel 5: 1-31
The Writing on the Wall:
King Belshazzar threw a large banquet for 1,000 nobles and drank wine with them. As they were tasting the wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver utensils which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought to him. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
So the servants brought them and they all drank from them, and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, or stone.
Suddenly the fingers of a person's hand appeared and wrote on the plaster wall opposite the lamp stand of the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote. Then he turned pale, and his thoughts frightened him. His hip joints became loose, and his knees knocked against each other.
The king screamed for the psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers to be brought to him. He told these wise advisors of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me its meaning will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on his neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.
Why the "third-highest"? Was Belshazzar the second-in-command? The acting king while his father is away? Hmm.
All the kings wise advisors came, but they couldn't read the writing or tell the king its meaning. King Belshazzar was terrified, and his face turned pale. His nobles didn't know what to do.
The discussion between the king and his nobles brought the Queen Mother herself into the banquet hall. The Queen Mother said, "Your Majesty, may you live forever! Don't let your thoughts frighten you, and don't turn pale. There's a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the Holy God. In the days of your grandfather, he was found to have insight, good judgment, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods.
"Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him head of the magicians, psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers. This Daniel (who was renamed Belteshazzar) was found to have knowledge, judgment, and an extraordinary spirit. He has the ability to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and untangle problems. Now call Daniel and he will tell you what it means."
So Daniel was taken (out of retirement) to the king. The king asked him, "Are you Daniel, one of the captives that my grandfather brought from Judah? I've heard that you have the spirit of the gods and that you have insight, good judgment, and extraordinary wisdom.
"The wise advisors and the psychics were brought to me to read this writing and tell me its meaning, but they couldn't. I've heard that you can interpret such things and untangle problems. If you can read the writing and tell me its meaning, you will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on your neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom."
Daniel told the king, "Keep your gifts, give your gifts and awards to someone else. I'll still read the writing for you and tell you its meaning.
"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory. People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power.
"Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote.
"But when he became so arrogant and conceited that he became overconfident, he was removed from the royal throne. His honor was taken away from him. He was chased away from people, and his mind was changed into an animal's mind. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body became wet with dew from the sky.
"This happened until he realized that the Most High God has power over human kingdoms. God puts whomever He wishes in charge of them.
"Belshazzar, you are one of Nebuchadnezzar's successors. You didn't remain humble, even though you knew all this. But you made yourself greater than the Lord of Heaven: You had the utensils from His Temple brought to you, and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, and you praised your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. These gods can't see, hear, or know anything.
"You didn't honor God, who has power (authority) over your life and everything you do. So He sent the hand to write this inscription. This is its meaning:
Mene, Mene,
Tekel,
Upharsin.
Mene means Numbered--God has numbered the days of your kingdom and will bring it to an end.
Tekel means Weighed--you have been weighed on a scale and found deficient.
Upharsin (and Peres) means Divided--your kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and the Persians."
Then Belshazzar ordered that Daniel be dressed in purple and wear a gold chain on his neck. He made him the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.
That night King Belshazzar of Babylon was killed, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.
Wow! God doesn't mess around. He is patient, but when people who know better go too far, He will step in and assert His authority.
Belshazzar knew his family history. He knew how God had dealt with his grandfather, yet he still refused to give God the honor due Him.
Darius was digging through the wall of the city as the king and all his nobles were getting drunk. In the middle of the night (when the party may have crashed in the party room) they broke through and murdered the reigning monarch and his nobles, but not Daniel.
God spared Daniel. He obviously left the party and went home to his own retirement apartment, wherever he was living by then, and wasn't found when they massacred the palace residents.
God still had a purpose for Daniel, even in his old age.
O my Father, thank You for showing us all these interesting stories of real people who lived so long ago. Thank You for all the ways You show Yourself to different people, because You made us all different, and we each respond to different kinds of promptings. Some of us only need a whisper. Others need a two-by-four up the side of the head!
And Jesus used different approaches with different people, also.
Father, You know each of us so intimately, and You love each one of us. I don't understand why You don't save everyone, or even the majority of people. But I don't need to understand, I trust that You know best for each of us, even those who steadfastly and stubbornly refuse Your love.
Your Plan of the Ages incorporates each of our personal stories, with all the choices we make, for good or ill. Even the things evil people do are fulfilling what You said would happen; and Your people are doing the things that promote Your Kingdom that we are living in now, inside us.
Father, I appreciate that You give warnings to give people a chance to make the right decisions. I pray for those people I know today who don't know You yet. I pray that the warnings You are giving them would be taken seriously, and that these people will recognize Your authority over their lives. That they will turn from their wicked ways and come to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Writing on the Wall:
King Belshazzar threw a large banquet for 1,000 nobles and drank wine with them. As they were tasting the wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver utensils which his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought to him. He wanted to drink from them with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
So the servants brought them and they all drank from them, and praised their gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, or stone.
Suddenly the fingers of a person's hand appeared and wrote on the plaster wall opposite the lamp stand of the royal palace. The king watched as the hand wrote. Then he turned pale, and his thoughts frightened him. His hip joints became loose, and his knees knocked against each other.
The king screamed for the psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers to be brought to him. He told these wise advisors of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing and tells me its meaning will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on his neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.
Why the "third-highest"? Was Belshazzar the second-in-command? The acting king while his father is away? Hmm.
All the kings wise advisors came, but they couldn't read the writing or tell the king its meaning. King Belshazzar was terrified, and his face turned pale. His nobles didn't know what to do.
The discussion between the king and his nobles brought the Queen Mother herself into the banquet hall. The Queen Mother said, "Your Majesty, may you live forever! Don't let your thoughts frighten you, and don't turn pale. There's a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the Holy God. In the days of your grandfather, he was found to have insight, good judgment, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods.
"Your grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him head of the magicians, psychics, astrologers, and fortunetellers. This Daniel (who was renamed Belteshazzar) was found to have knowledge, judgment, and an extraordinary spirit. He has the ability to interpret dreams, solve riddles, and untangle problems. Now call Daniel and he will tell you what it means."
So Daniel was taken (out of retirement) to the king. The king asked him, "Are you Daniel, one of the captives that my grandfather brought from Judah? I've heard that you have the spirit of the gods and that you have insight, good judgment, and extraordinary wisdom.
"The wise advisors and the psychics were brought to me to read this writing and tell me its meaning, but they couldn't. I've heard that you can interpret such things and untangle problems. If you can read the writing and tell me its meaning, you will be dressed in purple, wear a gold chain on your neck, and become the third-highest ruler in the kingdom."
Daniel told the king, "Keep your gifts, give your gifts and awards to someone else. I'll still read the writing for you and tell you its meaning.
"Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, might, honor, and glory. People from every province, nation, and language trembled and were terrified by him, because God gave him power.
"Nebuchadnezzar killed whomever he wanted to kill, and he kept alive whomever he wanted to keep alive. He promoted whomever he wanted to promote, and he demoted whomever he wanted to demote.
"But when he became so arrogant and conceited that he became overconfident, he was removed from the royal throne. His honor was taken away from him. He was chased away from people, and his mind was changed into an animal's mind. He lived with wild donkeys, ate grass like cattle, and his body became wet with dew from the sky.
"This happened until he realized that the Most High God has power over human kingdoms. God puts whomever He wishes in charge of them.
"Belshazzar, you are one of Nebuchadnezzar's successors. You didn't remain humble, even though you knew all this. But you made yourself greater than the Lord of Heaven: You had the utensils from His Temple brought to you, and your nobles, wives, and concubines drank wine from them, and you praised your gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone. These gods can't see, hear, or know anything.
"You didn't honor God, who has power (authority) over your life and everything you do. So He sent the hand to write this inscription. This is its meaning:
Mene, Mene,
Tekel,
Upharsin.
Mene means Numbered--God has numbered the days of your kingdom and will bring it to an end.
Tekel means Weighed--you have been weighed on a scale and found deficient.
Upharsin (and Peres) means Divided--your kingdom will be divided and given to the Medes and the Persians."
Then Belshazzar ordered that Daniel be dressed in purple and wear a gold chain on his neck. He made him the third-highest ruler in the kingdom.
That night King Belshazzar of Babylon was killed, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.
Wow! God doesn't mess around. He is patient, but when people who know better go too far, He will step in and assert His authority.
Belshazzar knew his family history. He knew how God had dealt with his grandfather, yet he still refused to give God the honor due Him.
Darius was digging through the wall of the city as the king and all his nobles were getting drunk. In the middle of the night (when the party may have crashed in the party room) they broke through and murdered the reigning monarch and his nobles, but not Daniel.
God spared Daniel. He obviously left the party and went home to his own retirement apartment, wherever he was living by then, and wasn't found when they massacred the palace residents.
God still had a purpose for Daniel, even in his old age.
O my Father, thank You for showing us all these interesting stories of real people who lived so long ago. Thank You for all the ways You show Yourself to different people, because You made us all different, and we each respond to different kinds of promptings. Some of us only need a whisper. Others need a two-by-four up the side of the head!
And Jesus used different approaches with different people, also.
Father, You know each of us so intimately, and You love each one of us. I don't understand why You don't save everyone, or even the majority of people. But I don't need to understand, I trust that You know best for each of us, even those who steadfastly and stubbornly refuse Your love.
Your Plan of the Ages incorporates each of our personal stories, with all the choices we make, for good or ill. Even the things evil people do are fulfilling what You said would happen; and Your people are doing the things that promote Your Kingdom that we are living in now, inside us.
Father, I appreciate that You give warnings to give people a chance to make the right decisions. I pray for those people I know today who don't know You yet. I pray that the warnings You are giving them would be taken seriously, and that these people will recognize Your authority over their lives. That they will turn from their wicked ways and come to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)