Daniel 5: 1-12
Nebuchadnezzar died in 563, succeeded by his son Evil-Merodach who released the captive Jewish king, Jehoichin, from prison and gave him an honorable place at the court (II Kings 25: 27-30). But two years later he was assassinated, and control eventually went to Nabonidus who married a daughter of Nebuchanezzar, which gave him claim to the throne.
But Nabonidus left his son, Belshazzar, in Babylon to keep order while he was off fighting elsewhere. Meanwhile, Darius was beseiging the city, which had previously proven impregnable because of its magnificent fortifications which could not be breached.
Since they had provisions laid up for many years, they made light of his attack. Little did they know of his surprise strategem.
(1) Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.
The time had come for offering toasts and pouring out libations to the gods of Babylon, as Belshazzar was holding a state banquet for a thousand of his nobles.
(2) When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his [grand]father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
When the king had gotten good and drunk, he decided to bring out the beautiful goblets from Solomon's Temple. After all, they had been fashioned for a defeated god called Yahweh. Might as well make use of them.
(3) Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the Temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them.
(4) They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
He then began to regale his guests by taunting Yahweh, praising all the Babylonian gods. Once again an arrogant Babylonian monarch defied the Lord God of Israel. The stage was set for the Most High God to intervene.
(5) Suddenly the fingers of a man's hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.
(6) Then the king's face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.
Suddenly the whole party stopped short, watching this disembodied hand. Very scary stuff, it scared this king to jelly.
(7) The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom,"
So the king called for all the men who he thought could solve this mystery, and offered them a rich reward. But the highest appointment he could give them was as third ruler in the kingdom, because he was second under his father.
(8) Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king.
(9) Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.
None of these guys had any idea, which scared him even more.
(10) The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale.
Now comes in the Queen Mother. She had not been at the party, but her quarters were probably nearby, as she heard the goings-on. This was probably a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, who had married Belshazzar's father, Nabonidus.
(11) "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your [grand]father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your [grand]father, your [grand]father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners.
She was there when her father had known Daniel, and how Daniel had helped him. He probably didn't come in with the rest of the "wise men" because he must have been in his eighties by then, and semi-retired.
(12) "This was because an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation."
Evidently Belshazzar's administration had set Daniel aside, though he lived in Babylon. Now his mother is urging him to call for him, because she knew that he would be able to solve this riddle.
I notice that Daniel is still going by his Hebrew name. I think this is significant. He never lost his identity in the total immersion into the sea of the world.
Daniel still kept close to the Lord God, so he was still able to do all that the queen mother told her son he did for her father. He was the only one who could.
God places us where we are when He has a purpose for us there, at that time. Daniel is now a very old man, and may not be in the best of health; yet he is still around, and available for God's use.
It doesn't matter if you are young or old, if you're here now, God has a purpose for you; He wants to use you to accomplish something for Him.
There is something that you are to do, that no one else is able to do. If you don't do it, it won't get done. God will get it accomplished in some other way, by someone else, but you will miss out on the reward.
O my Father, there is so much for us to learn, in all the parts of all the stories You have put in Your written Word. Every narrative is rich with meaning and practical applicability to our lives today. Your Word is timeless, because You do not change, and humanity is still human. We still need You, and You still seek us out.
O Father, use us to send out Your Word; to broadcast Your Good News to every nation; to tell every living person how much You love each one of us, and You want every one of us to turn to You. You are not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance and humility before You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Most High God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Friday, April 24, 2020
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Extreme Circumstances
Daniel 4: 28-37
We saw yesterday that Daniel advised the king to mend his ways, and maybe the Most High God would relent. So what did the king do?
(28) "All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.
(29) "Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.
It looks like a year has gone by, and he has just kind of forgotten about the pronouncement against him.
saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you,
(32) 'and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'
The same pronouncement he learned from Daniel a year ago is still in effect. This king still didn't realize that he is accountable to this Higher Power, the Most High God. So God made it clear to him, in his own lengthy experience.
(33) "Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled;
So what God said he would do, He did. And this is how it worked out:
and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of Heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
The medical term for this mental illness is "boanthropy." He became like the brute beast he imagined himself to be, reduced to a state of a grazing beast in a field. Through this seven years, his physical appearance became animal-like, his skin toughened into a hide through constant exposure to the elements, and the hair of his head and his body became matted and coarse, like eagle feathers, and his fingernails and toenails grew into claws like a bird. This was the wretchedness of his condition, demonstrating his sinking to a subhuman level.
This man's pride was so ingrained and had such a powerful hold on him, that it took this extreme condition for this extended time to drive it from him.
(34) "But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward Heaven and my reason returned to me,
After seven long years of this humiliation of dementia, he finally looked to Heaven, and this is what his reason let him realize:
and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;
"For His dominion is a lasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
(35) "All the inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of Heaven and among the inhabitants of Earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'
Nebuchadnezzar is telling the world that this Most High God really is God, and that His power exceeds all other power, and that His authority to rule goes on forever. Everyone who lives on the Earth is worth nothing compared to Him, even the most powerful king like himself. There is no one who has any standing at all to even question anything He decides to do, because He has the authority to do whatever He wants, and He will do what He wants to do.
We are all accountable to Him, but He is not accountable to any other. He is the Most High God, there is none other but Him.
(36) "At that time my reason returned to me.
When he was ready to humble himself before this Most High God, that is when he was healed of the condition he suffered for seven years.
And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
God, in His mercy, restored to Nebuchadnezzar all the glory and majesty and power he had lost in his illness, and even more. Because he was finally ready to submit to the authority the Most High God held over him, he ended up with more than he'd ever had before. This is the grace and generosity of our God.
(37) "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are true and His ways are just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride."
This is a stupendous admission from this proud despot of a king. This is the last thing we are told about this man, that he was humbled and gave God the credit and glory for His great majesty, and His power and authority to manipulate even a proud despot into humility before Him.
So was Nebuchadnezzar converted? Did he become a believer?
This is the last we hear of him. God had finished working in his mind and heart, and (apparently) drawn him into faith. So this is the end of his story here, with this happy ending. The next verse talks about the next king.
God had Daniel include this edict from this worldly king in his book because He wanted all of us to hear this admission from the king's own hand. First person witness and testimony. The strongest evidence in any court.
Our God will do whatever is necessary, everything possible and impossible, to draw to Himself those He chooses to be His own children in His family. Even bringing extreme circumstances upon those He is calling.
No matter how extreme you consider your circumstances to be, are they as all-encompassing as what He put upon this king? No? Then He is being gentle with you!
I am amazed at our God's graciousness and generosity to allow this ancient king to lose everything, his home, his reputation, his prosperity, his very mind! Then when he was willing to turn to Him and acknowledge his accountability to Him, God not only returned everything he had lost, but exponentially increased everything!
We also see that He doubled everything Job lost, when he was willing to humble himself before the Lord (Job 42: 12-13, compare 1: 2-3).
God has not changed. He will still bring extreme circumstances to draw people to Himself, and He has given John the final book in our Bible to explain some of the extreme things He will allow in this world and on this Earth before He sends His Son back to reign here.
When circumstances turn our lives upside-down, we can look at our Father's character and know that He allows everything that comes into our lives for our own good, and for His glory. We only need to draw closer to Him, learning to do His works that He planned before time for us to accomplish to grow His Kingdom. And whatever we lose in the process, we know that He will replenish beyond our expectations and imaginations!
That is our purpose for being here where we are, now when we are at this time. There are things we are to do and accomplish that no one else has been able to do until now. There is no one else who can do what each of us is to do, because we each have our own personalities and abilities. We are to work together, each one doing what someone else cannot, serving one another, so that everything will get done and be finished for our Lord Jesus when He returns to be our King!
O my Father, You are so good! You are so wise! You are always on time! Even when we are anxious for Your glory to be seen, grant us patience to carry on until the moment You appear!
Help us to continue to broadcast Your Good News throughout every nation in the whole world, so that every living person will be able to see and hear and understand how wonderful You are, to offer such a gracious and generous gift of Salvation to each one of us!
Father, fill Your great house will all of Your uncountable children, so that Your grand Banquet Table will be surrounded by Your Redeemed family, enjoying sweet fellowship with You and one another throughout all eternity!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Most High God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
We saw yesterday that Daniel advised the king to mend his ways, and maybe the Most High God would relent. So what did the king do?
(28) "All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.
(29) "Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.
(30) "The king reflected and said, 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'
He looks at all he has built and beautified in the whole royal city, and again his pride rears up, and he takes credit for himself for everything he's done.
(31) "While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from Heaven,
While he was still praising himself, he was interrupted!
saying, 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you,
(32) 'and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'
The same pronouncement he learned from Daniel a year ago is still in effect. This king still didn't realize that he is accountable to this Higher Power, the Most High God. So God made it clear to him, in his own lengthy experience.
(33) "Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled;
So what God said he would do, He did. And this is how it worked out:
and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of Heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
The medical term for this mental illness is "boanthropy." He became like the brute beast he imagined himself to be, reduced to a state of a grazing beast in a field. Through this seven years, his physical appearance became animal-like, his skin toughened into a hide through constant exposure to the elements, and the hair of his head and his body became matted and coarse, like eagle feathers, and his fingernails and toenails grew into claws like a bird. This was the wretchedness of his condition, demonstrating his sinking to a subhuman level.
This man's pride was so ingrained and had such a powerful hold on him, that it took this extreme condition for this extended time to drive it from him.
(34) "But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward Heaven and my reason returned to me,
After seven long years of this humiliation of dementia, he finally looked to Heaven, and this is what his reason let him realize:
and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;
"For His dominion is a lasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
(35) "All the inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of Heaven and among the inhabitants of Earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'
Nebuchadnezzar is telling the world that this Most High God really is God, and that His power exceeds all other power, and that His authority to rule goes on forever. Everyone who lives on the Earth is worth nothing compared to Him, even the most powerful king like himself. There is no one who has any standing at all to even question anything He decides to do, because He has the authority to do whatever He wants, and He will do what He wants to do.
We are all accountable to Him, but He is not accountable to any other. He is the Most High God, there is none other but Him.
(36) "At that time my reason returned to me.
When he was ready to humble himself before this Most High God, that is when he was healed of the condition he suffered for seven years.
And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
God, in His mercy, restored to Nebuchadnezzar all the glory and majesty and power he had lost in his illness, and even more. Because he was finally ready to submit to the authority the Most High God held over him, he ended up with more than he'd ever had before. This is the grace and generosity of our God.
(37) "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of Heaven, for all His works are true and His ways are just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride."
This is a stupendous admission from this proud despot of a king. This is the last thing we are told about this man, that he was humbled and gave God the credit and glory for His great majesty, and His power and authority to manipulate even a proud despot into humility before Him.
So was Nebuchadnezzar converted? Did he become a believer?
This is the last we hear of him. God had finished working in his mind and heart, and (apparently) drawn him into faith. So this is the end of his story here, with this happy ending. The next verse talks about the next king.
God had Daniel include this edict from this worldly king in his book because He wanted all of us to hear this admission from the king's own hand. First person witness and testimony. The strongest evidence in any court.
Our God will do whatever is necessary, everything possible and impossible, to draw to Himself those He chooses to be His own children in His family. Even bringing extreme circumstances upon those He is calling.
No matter how extreme you consider your circumstances to be, are they as all-encompassing as what He put upon this king? No? Then He is being gentle with you!
I am amazed at our God's graciousness and generosity to allow this ancient king to lose everything, his home, his reputation, his prosperity, his very mind! Then when he was willing to turn to Him and acknowledge his accountability to Him, God not only returned everything he had lost, but exponentially increased everything!
We also see that He doubled everything Job lost, when he was willing to humble himself before the Lord (Job 42: 12-13, compare 1: 2-3).
God has not changed. He will still bring extreme circumstances to draw people to Himself, and He has given John the final book in our Bible to explain some of the extreme things He will allow in this world and on this Earth before He sends His Son back to reign here.
When circumstances turn our lives upside-down, we can look at our Father's character and know that He allows everything that comes into our lives for our own good, and for His glory. We only need to draw closer to Him, learning to do His works that He planned before time for us to accomplish to grow His Kingdom. And whatever we lose in the process, we know that He will replenish beyond our expectations and imaginations!
That is our purpose for being here where we are, now when we are at this time. There are things we are to do and accomplish that no one else has been able to do until now. There is no one else who can do what each of us is to do, because we each have our own personalities and abilities. We are to work together, each one doing what someone else cannot, serving one another, so that everything will get done and be finished for our Lord Jesus when He returns to be our King!
O my Father, You are so good! You are so wise! You are always on time! Even when we are anxious for Your glory to be seen, grant us patience to carry on until the moment You appear!
Help us to continue to broadcast Your Good News throughout every nation in the whole world, so that every living person will be able to see and hear and understand how wonderful You are, to offer such a gracious and generous gift of Salvation to each one of us!
Father, fill Your great house will all of Your uncountable children, so that Your grand Banquet Table will be surrounded by Your Redeemed family, enjoying sweet fellowship with You and one another throughout all eternity!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Most High God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Now It's Up To The King
Daniel 4: 19-27
King Nebuchadnezzar is continuing to write his proclamation to go out to the nations of the whole world. He has told his dream to Daniel, and Daniel must give him the bad news.
(19) "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
Nebuchadnezzar is still calling Daniel by his Hebrew name, but in this official proclamation, he must also use his Babylonian name.
was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him.
Daniel is facing a dilemma here. Should he tell this unrighteous king that this awful thing is going to happen to him, and risk his wrath?
The king responded and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.'
The king realizes that it must not be a very good interpretation, so he assures Daniel that he really does want to know the truth, and not to worry about it.
Belteshazzar replied, 'My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!
So Daniel hedges his bets, and says that he doesn't want what he will tell him to happen to him. He wants to keep his head!
(20) 'The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all in the Earth
(21) 'and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged--
(22) 'it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the Earth.
He tells him that the beautiful, bountiful tree is none other but King Nebuchadnezzar himself, because he is the powerful, bountiful benefactor to people who live in all the nations of the world.
(23) 'In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from Heaven and saying, "chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of Heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,"
He reminds him that it is an angelic watcher, a holy one, who comes from Heaven, who is calling for the destruction of this beautiful, bountiful tree.
(24) 'this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
Daniel is only telling him what it means. It is the Most High God in Heaven who has decreed this upon my lord the king.
(25) 'that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.
He tells his liege how it will work out: that he will be like an animal for seven years, until he realizes that he is not king because of his own power or abilities, but because the Most High God in Heaven chose him, and He must receive the credit for what this king has accomplished.
(26) 'And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.
Daniel assures his king that his kingdom will be returned to him, when he just recognizes that he only rules under Heaven's authority, not his own.
(27) 'Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.'
So Daniel gives him good advice, to show humility toward Heaven by having mercy on his subjects, and not be so harsh with them; so that maybe all this won't have to happen after all.
Daniel loves and respects his king, even as he recognizes his king's failures and weaknesses in being overbearing with his subjects. As king, Nebuchadnezzar has the unlimited power of life and death over his people, and often goes too far in his edicts.
Daniel is advising him to take it easy, and recognize that he is accountable to a Higher Power over him; and not act like he is the be-all and end-all of everything. And then maybe the Most High God will relent.
This is good advice. What will this despot do with it? Will he humble himself? Will he just ignore it and go his merry way? Or will he punish Daniel for even suggesting that this could happen to him?
Daniel has done all he could. He took a chance, and told him what the Lord God was going to do to him, and advised him as to how he could possibly avoid this judgment. He put it in the most positive language he could; encouraging his king in praising him for all the good things he had accomplished, and giving him the warning from Heaven, and how to avoid it.
Now it's up to Nebuchadnezzar.
O my Father, You are good, and You are God. You wanted this pagan king to recognize You, so You revealed Yourself to him in ways that he could see past the culture he knew.
Father, You always reveal Yourself and Your ways so that we can understand who You are. You know each of us, and You draw to Yourself all who are willing to hear.
O Father, send out Your children! Send us out so that Your message will reach every living person in the whole world. My Father, use us. Use our efforts, strengthen our might and lengthen our reach, so that all will hear, all will understand how much You have loved us, and provided our salvation through Your own Son.
Father, draw to Yourself all of Your unborn children, to bring them to the birth into Your own family. And show Yourself to all who decide to rebel against Your goodness, and refuse Your gracious, generous gift. They will have no excuse.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
King Nebuchadnezzar is continuing to write his proclamation to go out to the nations of the whole world. He has told his dream to Daniel, and Daniel must give him the bad news.
(19) "Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
Nebuchadnezzar is still calling Daniel by his Hebrew name, but in this official proclamation, he must also use his Babylonian name.
was appalled for a while as his thoughts alarmed him.
Daniel is facing a dilemma here. Should he tell this unrighteous king that this awful thing is going to happen to him, and risk his wrath?
The king responded and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.'
The king realizes that it must not be a very good interpretation, so he assures Daniel that he really does want to know the truth, and not to worry about it.
Belteshazzar replied, 'My lord, if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries!
So Daniel hedges his bets, and says that he doesn't want what he will tell him to happen to him. He wants to keep his head!
(20) 'The tree that you saw, which became large and grew strong, whose height reached to the sky and was visible to all in the Earth
(21) 'and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged--
(22) 'it is you, O king; for you have become great and grown strong, and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the Earth.
He tells him that the beautiful, bountiful tree is none other but King Nebuchadnezzar himself, because he is the powerful, bountiful benefactor to people who live in all the nations of the world.
(23) 'In that the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from Heaven and saying, "chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of Heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him,"
He reminds him that it is an angelic watcher, a holy one, who comes from Heaven, who is calling for the destruction of this beautiful, bountiful tree.
(24) 'this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
Daniel is only telling him what it means. It is the Most High God in Heaven who has decreed this upon my lord the king.
(25) 'that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.
He tells his liege how it will work out: that he will be like an animal for seven years, until he realizes that he is not king because of his own power or abilities, but because the Most High God in Heaven chose him, and He must receive the credit for what this king has accomplished.
(26) 'And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.
Daniel assures his king that his kingdom will be returned to him, when he just recognizes that he only rules under Heaven's authority, not his own.
(27) 'Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.'
So Daniel gives him good advice, to show humility toward Heaven by having mercy on his subjects, and not be so harsh with them; so that maybe all this won't have to happen after all.
Daniel loves and respects his king, even as he recognizes his king's failures and weaknesses in being overbearing with his subjects. As king, Nebuchadnezzar has the unlimited power of life and death over his people, and often goes too far in his edicts.
Daniel is advising him to take it easy, and recognize that he is accountable to a Higher Power over him; and not act like he is the be-all and end-all of everything. And then maybe the Most High God will relent.
This is good advice. What will this despot do with it? Will he humble himself? Will he just ignore it and go his merry way? Or will he punish Daniel for even suggesting that this could happen to him?
Daniel has done all he could. He took a chance, and told him what the Lord God was going to do to him, and advised him as to how he could possibly avoid this judgment. He put it in the most positive language he could; encouraging his king in praising him for all the good things he had accomplished, and giving him the warning from Heaven, and how to avoid it.
Now it's up to Nebuchadnezzar.
O my Father, You are good, and You are God. You wanted this pagan king to recognize You, so You revealed Yourself to him in ways that he could see past the culture he knew.
Father, You always reveal Yourself and Your ways so that we can understand who You are. You know each of us, and You draw to Yourself all who are willing to hear.
O Father, send out Your children! Send us out so that Your message will reach every living person in the whole world. My Father, use us. Use our efforts, strengthen our might and lengthen our reach, so that all will hear, all will understand how much You have loved us, and provided our salvation through Your own Son.
Father, draw to Yourself all of Your unborn children, to bring them to the birth into Your own family. And show Yourself to all who decide to rebel against Your goodness, and refuse Your gracious, generous gift. They will have no excuse.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Daniel's Dilemma
Daniel 4: 10-18
Nebuchadnezzar is making a proclamation to the whole world of how great and mighty is the Most High God because he has received another dream of revelation and then experiences verifying the knowledge; and he is finally relating for us what this dream was.
(10) "Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the Earth and it's height was great.
The main focus of the whole dream was a tree.
(11) "The tree grew large and became strong and its height reached the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole Earth.
It grew so tall that people in the whole world could see it.
(12) "Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it.
It was so big, so healthy and beautiful, it was the source of nourishment and shelter for all the animals and birds. Everything was good, a very happy scene.
(13) "I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from Heaven.
Then something interrupted this happy scene, an angelic being called a "watcher" who seems to be a messenger sent to announce and execute God's judgmental decrees. The word used here does not appear anywhere else in Scripture, though it was found in the Genesis Apocryphon from Qumran Cave 1.
(14) "He shouted out and spoke as follows: 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
This angel is just ruining the whole scene, destroying all the beauty, usefulness and bounty of the tree, leaving all the animals and birds to scatter.
(15) 'Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field;
But the stump and roots are to be preserved by a strong metal band to maintain its life in the grassy field in a state of suspension.
and let him be drenched with the dew of Heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the Earth.
Now the identity of the tree is revealed as a "him" instead of an "it." And "he" is to live in the elements without shelter with the wild beasts.
(16) 'Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast's mind be given to him,
And he will no longer think like a human person, but be degraded to the state of an animal.
and let seven periods of time pass over him.
The duration of this bestial condition won't be permanent, only seven "appointed times" or "seasons," or seven years.
(17) 'This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones,
This looks like these holy ones or angelic watchers have authority under God to make decrees and commands that they then announce and carry out.
in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.'
Their purpose in these decisions are to make known to other creatures the authority of the Most High God over the whole realm of mankind, to determine who is to rule over other humans, and to elevate even the lowliest of men into positions of kingship and leadership.
(18)"This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen.
This is his whole dream, the good and the bad, that upset him so much.
Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you."
After all the wise men of his kingdom were not able to interpret this dream, or maybe didn't want to tell the king bad news, he turns to Daniel and tells him how much confidence he has in him, because he has previously seen evidence of divine inspiration in other instances, that he attributes to a spirit of the holy gods that resides in him.
This king at this point is not ready to acquiesce to a God who precludes all other gods that he has been worshiping.
He is getting uncomfortable ideas, that would upset his belief system upside down, but he isn't ready yet to admit it.
He must know what this dream is really about, though, and he trusts Daniel to tell him the truth, even if it means bad news for him.
Daniel has so far given him the encouragement of being the "golden head" of the statue in his other dream, but this is a different kind of dream.
What would be this pagan king's reaction if Daniel told him that this horrible thing he saw will happen to him? This despot with the power of life and death is not righteous, and he may in anger retaliate against him!
Tomorrow we will see what Daniel does about this.
O my Father, thank You for giving Daniel this dilemma, and for this king's confidence in Daniel's integrity to tell him the truth, even when it is uncomfortable. Thank You for putting all of this into Your written word for us to learn Your ways.
We know that You were with Daniel, and we know that You have not changed, You are also with us today in the dilemmas we face in our lives in this broken world.
Father, grant us the courage to face all the turmoils and disappointments and even betrayals that attack us daily. Help us to be strong in our dependence on You to fight our battles for us, and to only do what You have given us to do in accomplishing Your good works in promoting Your coming Kingdom on this Earth.
Let us broadcast Your good seed, Father, over all this world of men, that every living creature will hear Your Good News, how much You love every one of us, and is not willing that any would perish. Open eyes to see, open ears to hear, and open hearts to receive Your great Salvation, and be born into Your uncountable family. And no one who refuses Your gracious and generous gift will have any excuse for their rebellion.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue in every language will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Most High, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Nebuchadnezzar is making a proclamation to the whole world of how great and mighty is the Most High God because he has received another dream of revelation and then experiences verifying the knowledge; and he is finally relating for us what this dream was.
(10) "Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the Earth and it's height was great.
The main focus of the whole dream was a tree.
(11) "The tree grew large and became strong and its height reached the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole Earth.
It grew so tall that people in the whole world could see it.
(12) "Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it.
It was so big, so healthy and beautiful, it was the source of nourishment and shelter for all the animals and birds. Everything was good, a very happy scene.
(13) "I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from Heaven.
Then something interrupted this happy scene, an angelic being called a "watcher" who seems to be a messenger sent to announce and execute God's judgmental decrees. The word used here does not appear anywhere else in Scripture, though it was found in the Genesis Apocryphon from Qumran Cave 1.
(14) "He shouted out and spoke as follows: 'Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
This angel is just ruining the whole scene, destroying all the beauty, usefulness and bounty of the tree, leaving all the animals and birds to scatter.
(15) 'Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field;
But the stump and roots are to be preserved by a strong metal band to maintain its life in the grassy field in a state of suspension.
and let him be drenched with the dew of Heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the Earth.
Now the identity of the tree is revealed as a "him" instead of an "it." And "he" is to live in the elements without shelter with the wild beasts.
(16) 'Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast's mind be given to him,
And he will no longer think like a human person, but be degraded to the state of an animal.
and let seven periods of time pass over him.
The duration of this bestial condition won't be permanent, only seven "appointed times" or "seasons," or seven years.
(17) 'This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones,
This looks like these holy ones or angelic watchers have authority under God to make decrees and commands that they then announce and carry out.
in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.'
Their purpose in these decisions are to make known to other creatures the authority of the Most High God over the whole realm of mankind, to determine who is to rule over other humans, and to elevate even the lowliest of men into positions of kingship and leadership.
(18)"This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen.
This is his whole dream, the good and the bad, that upset him so much.
Now you, Belteshazzar, tell me its interpretation, inasmuch as none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you."
After all the wise men of his kingdom were not able to interpret this dream, or maybe didn't want to tell the king bad news, he turns to Daniel and tells him how much confidence he has in him, because he has previously seen evidence of divine inspiration in other instances, that he attributes to a spirit of the holy gods that resides in him.
This king at this point is not ready to acquiesce to a God who precludes all other gods that he has been worshiping.
He is getting uncomfortable ideas, that would upset his belief system upside down, but he isn't ready yet to admit it.
He must know what this dream is really about, though, and he trusts Daniel to tell him the truth, even if it means bad news for him.
Daniel has so far given him the encouragement of being the "golden head" of the statue in his other dream, but this is a different kind of dream.
What would be this pagan king's reaction if Daniel told him that this horrible thing he saw will happen to him? This despot with the power of life and death is not righteous, and he may in anger retaliate against him!
Tomorrow we will see what Daniel does about this.
O my Father, thank You for giving Daniel this dilemma, and for this king's confidence in Daniel's integrity to tell him the truth, even when it is uncomfortable. Thank You for putting all of this into Your written word for us to learn Your ways.
We know that You were with Daniel, and we know that You have not changed, You are also with us today in the dilemmas we face in our lives in this broken world.
Father, grant us the courage to face all the turmoils and disappointments and even betrayals that attack us daily. Help us to be strong in our dependence on You to fight our battles for us, and to only do what You have given us to do in accomplishing Your good works in promoting Your coming Kingdom on this Earth.
Let us broadcast Your good seed, Father, over all this world of men, that every living creature will hear Your Good News, how much You love every one of us, and is not willing that any would perish. Open eyes to see, open ears to hear, and open hearts to receive Your great Salvation, and be born into Your uncountable family. And no one who refuses Your gracious and generous gift will have any excuse for their rebellion.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue in every language will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Most High, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Monday, April 20, 2020
Nebo-Belteshazzar?
Daniel 4: 4-9
King Nebuchadnezzar has just given honor and praise to the Most High God over all the other gods they worshiped in Babylon, acknowledging that His power is over all nature and government, and will last forever.
Now we will see why he came to this paeon of praise for this mighty God.
(4) "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
He states that he was just minding his own business, on just another ordinary day.
(5) "I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me.
Then he had a dream out of nowhere, and it scared him out of his wits.
(6) "So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
So he called all the wise men in his realm to set his mind at ease about this scary dream, to tell him what it meant.
(7) "Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.
But even when he told them what the dream was, they had no idea how to figure out what it meant. He may have called them one or two at a time, to question them.
(8) "But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying,
(9) 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.'"
After all these other conjurers and magicians and diviners gave up on trying to figure out what it might mean, then Daniel was called in. The king called him by his Hebrew name, then mentioned that his official Babylonian court name honored the king's patron god, Nebo, suggesting that Belteshazzar (Protect His Life) might be an abbreviation of "Nebo-belteshazzar" (Nebo, Protect His Life), as the king's own name was "Nebu-chadnezzer.
The king knew that he was truly inspired with a spirit of the holy gods in him to show him what dreams meant, so I don't know why he didn't just call him first. At any rate, he will tell his dream again. And we will get to hear it, too. Tomorrow.
O my Father, thank You for this story of Daniel, showing us how You revealed Yourself to this pagan king little by little, and how he finally got that You are the Supreme God over all other gods and men.
And we also submit to Your authority over us as our Creator and our Father. You truly are magnificent in Your majesty and holiness. And You want us to know You. So You have revealed and manifested Yourself to us in Your Son and in Your written word. And in Your own Holy Spirit in us to teach us.
O Father, open our eyes to see, open our ears to hear, open our minds to understand how wonderful and powerful You are. And how much You Love us!
Father, send out Your children to broadcast to the whole world, to every nation, to every tribe, to every family, Your Good News. Let every living person see and hear and understand enough to be born into Your own family as Your children, or to have no excuse for rejecting Your generous and gracious offer.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
King Nebuchadnezzar has just given honor and praise to the Most High God over all the other gods they worshiped in Babylon, acknowledging that His power is over all nature and government, and will last forever.
Now we will see why he came to this paeon of praise for this mighty God.
(4) "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.
He states that he was just minding his own business, on just another ordinary day.
(5) "I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me.
Then he had a dream out of nowhere, and it scared him out of his wits.
(6) "So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
So he called all the wise men in his realm to set his mind at ease about this scary dream, to tell him what it meant.
(7) "Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners came in and I related the dream to them, but they could not make its interpretation known to me.
But even when he told them what the dream was, they had no idea how to figure out what it meant. He may have called them one or two at a time, to question them.
(8) "But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying,
(9) 'O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretation.'"
After all these other conjurers and magicians and diviners gave up on trying to figure out what it might mean, then Daniel was called in. The king called him by his Hebrew name, then mentioned that his official Babylonian court name honored the king's patron god, Nebo, suggesting that Belteshazzar (Protect His Life) might be an abbreviation of "Nebo-belteshazzar" (Nebo, Protect His Life), as the king's own name was "Nebu-chadnezzer.
The king knew that he was truly inspired with a spirit of the holy gods in him to show him what dreams meant, so I don't know why he didn't just call him first. At any rate, he will tell his dream again. And we will get to hear it, too. Tomorrow.
O my Father, thank You for this story of Daniel, showing us how You revealed Yourself to this pagan king little by little, and how he finally got that You are the Supreme God over all other gods and men.
And we also submit to Your authority over us as our Creator and our Father. You truly are magnificent in Your majesty and holiness. And You want us to know You. So You have revealed and manifested Yourself to us in Your Son and in Your written word. And in Your own Holy Spirit in us to teach us.
O Father, open our eyes to see, open our ears to hear, open our minds to understand how wonderful and powerful You are. And how much You Love us!
Father, send out Your children to broadcast to the whole world, to every nation, to every tribe, to every family, Your Good News. Let every living person see and hear and understand enough to be born into Your own family as Your children, or to have no excuse for rejecting Your generous and gracious offer.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Nebuchadnezzar's Realization
Daniel 4: 1-3
(1) Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the Earth. "May your peace abound!
The feature that makes this chapter unique in the whole Bible is that it is the only chapter that is composed under the authority of a pagan.
But from what he proclaims here for the world to hear, my question is whether this king actually put his faith in the Lord God of the Jews, and is no longer a pagan, but a believer.
(2) "It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
"It is my pleasure," he wants everyone everywhere to know about the wonderful things this Most High God is able to do, and has done, even for him.
The signs (ahoti) are "attesting miracles," natural phenomena that because of their magnitude or timing decisively give evidence of God's intervention.
The wonders (timhoti) are supernatural manifestations of divine intervention in the course of nature.
(3) "How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders!
His praise for the greatness of these signs, and the mightiness of these wonders, indicate that he is astounded and dumbfounded with the immensity of the revelation he has been given of who this Most High God is. He has finally realized that God alone is the source of power, in both nature and mankind, and that neither he as the king nor any other earthly ruler had any authority except by God's permission.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His dominion is from generation to generation.
And that, unlike human rulers, the unlimited authority of God as Sovereign over the universe goes on forever and ever, with no end.
Next we will see what it is that has capped this king's knowledge of this Almighty God, after all the other revelations we have seen Him give to him.
O my Father, You are not willing that any would perish, because You have made this whole race of humankind to be Your own family. And You are working in the life of this king in this pagan land to show him who You are, and he is finally getting the picture.
O Father, You are using this time at the beginning of Your chosen Israelites' period of slavery in this far country to lay the foundation for the working out of this nation's future king to allow them to return to their own nation after the 70 years that You have set them aside.
Father, You always do everything You want to do, and You have planned out the whole course of this human era on this Earth. Your great Plan of the Ages is working out before our eyes, when we just open our eyes to see!
Everything that is going on around us today in this time and place in history is playing out just as You have planned and told us about in Your written word, so we can expect it, and trust You through it all. We know that the wrath that You pour out on the world of men will not affect Your children. You have already poured out the wrath we deserve on Your Son Jesus on the cross in our place. There is no double -indemnity with You, what He paid for us is paid in full forever.
Even if there are thousands who fall by our side, and ten thousands at our right hand, it will not touch us; we will simply stand at ease and see the destruction of the wicked and evil around us (Psalm 91: 7-8). We need only to stand still and see how God is exalted as He judges the heathen in the Earth (Psalm 46: 10). Just as You told King Jehoshaphat, Father, we are also to realize that the battle is not ours but the Lord's and we do not need to fight it; we are simply to set ourselves, to stand still and fear not nor be worried; the Lord is with us, and He will win the war (II Chronicles 20: 17).
My Father, continue to use us Your children to broadcast Your Good News to the whole world, to draw all Your children to the birth into Your family, and let no rebel have any excuse for refusing Your generous and gracious provision.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting Glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, please come, Lord Jesus!
(1) Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the Earth. "May your peace abound!
The feature that makes this chapter unique in the whole Bible is that it is the only chapter that is composed under the authority of a pagan.
But from what he proclaims here for the world to hear, my question is whether this king actually put his faith in the Lord God of the Jews, and is no longer a pagan, but a believer.
(2) "It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.
"It is my pleasure," he wants everyone everywhere to know about the wonderful things this Most High God is able to do, and has done, even for him.
The signs (ahoti) are "attesting miracles," natural phenomena that because of their magnitude or timing decisively give evidence of God's intervention.
The wonders (timhoti) are supernatural manifestations of divine intervention in the course of nature.
(3) "How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders!
His praise for the greatness of these signs, and the mightiness of these wonders, indicate that he is astounded and dumbfounded with the immensity of the revelation he has been given of who this Most High God is. He has finally realized that God alone is the source of power, in both nature and mankind, and that neither he as the king nor any other earthly ruler had any authority except by God's permission.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His dominion is from generation to generation.
And that, unlike human rulers, the unlimited authority of God as Sovereign over the universe goes on forever and ever, with no end.
Next we will see what it is that has capped this king's knowledge of this Almighty God, after all the other revelations we have seen Him give to him.
O my Father, You are not willing that any would perish, because You have made this whole race of humankind to be Your own family. And You are working in the life of this king in this pagan land to show him who You are, and he is finally getting the picture.
O Father, You are using this time at the beginning of Your chosen Israelites' period of slavery in this far country to lay the foundation for the working out of this nation's future king to allow them to return to their own nation after the 70 years that You have set them aside.
Father, You always do everything You want to do, and You have planned out the whole course of this human era on this Earth. Your great Plan of the Ages is working out before our eyes, when we just open our eyes to see!
Everything that is going on around us today in this time and place in history is playing out just as You have planned and told us about in Your written word, so we can expect it, and trust You through it all. We know that the wrath that You pour out on the world of men will not affect Your children. You have already poured out the wrath we deserve on Your Son Jesus on the cross in our place. There is no double -indemnity with You, what He paid for us is paid in full forever.
Even if there are thousands who fall by our side, and ten thousands at our right hand, it will not touch us; we will simply stand at ease and see the destruction of the wicked and evil around us (Psalm 91: 7-8). We need only to stand still and see how God is exalted as He judges the heathen in the Earth (Psalm 46: 10). Just as You told King Jehoshaphat, Father, we are also to realize that the battle is not ours but the Lord's and we do not need to fight it; we are simply to set ourselves, to stand still and fear not nor be worried; the Lord is with us, and He will win the war (II Chronicles 20: 17).
My Father, continue to use us Your children to broadcast Your Good News to the whole world, to draw all Your children to the birth into Your family, and let no rebel have any excuse for refusing Your generous and gracious provision.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting Glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, please come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, April 18, 2020
The Three (Or Four) In The Fire
Daniel 3: 8-30
This pagan king had made a golden statue and invited all of his governmental employees to come worship it under pain of death, as a pledge of allegiance to him as their king. So everyone in the whole throng all bowed down, except for three men.
(8) For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.
These certain Chaldeans are not only "wise men" that the king depends on to advise him, but were nobles in the "master race" who despised these "lesser nation" people and are brown-nosing the king. They are only too glad to denounce these three who were still standing while the foreheads of everyone else were on the ground.
(9) They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: "O king, live forever!
(10) You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image.
(11) "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
They got the orders right, they were paying attention. Now they'll bring up the charges.
(12) "There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up."
They've accused them of being disloyal to the king, a treasonous offense.
Why was Daniel not also accused here? Where was he? There are several ideas put forth by theologians to account for his absence here. The main ones are: that he may have been out-of-town on the king's business; or that he may have been on the dais with the king instead of in the crowd; or that the "wise men" of whom he had been appointed head were not included in the list of leaders required to attend.
At any rate, I think that God wanted to show that the other three had their own strong faith and trust in God, and were not dependent on Daniel's leadership.
(13) Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; then these men were brought before the king.
How dare these men defy the orders of the king!
(14) Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?
(15) "Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"
In essence, the king was giving them another chance, to think about what they were doing, and to assess their actions in the light of his authority over life and death. And also, he didn't think any deity could overrule his power as king.
(16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.
This was not disrespectful to the king. The word order they used in the Aramaic places the emphasis on the pronoun "we," implying that it is the Lord Himself who will deal with this situation.
(17) "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
(18) "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
Then they politely let him know that the Lord God who they worship has authority even over this king who thinks he is sovereign; and they acknowledge that it is the Lord God's choice whether to save them or not. So they really were putting their lives on the line here.
(19) Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
(20) He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.
(21) Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
(22) For this reason, because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
(23) But these three men, Shadrach, Mechach, and Abed-Nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
This king was furious. He couldn't let these guys get away with this! He had to make them an example. So he super-heated the furnace and had them trussed up in all their clothes, so that they would be enveloped in flames immediately. Even the soldiers who tossed them in like logs were burned up by the great heat.
(24) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
The king had been seated on his dais overlooking the whole scenario, and as he looked down into this open furnace, he was flabbergasted! He would never have imagined to see the scene he witnessed. He knew, and got confirmation that there were only three men thrown into the furnace, and they were tied up!
(25) He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"
He could hardly believe his eyes. There were not three, but four men, and they weren't tied up, but walking around freely, and were not even hurt by the extreme heat of the flames! And the fourth person looked like deity!
(26) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came out of the midst of the fire.
So the king approached as close as he could and shouted above the roar of the furnace to come out, and the three climbed out of the fire. The fourth disappeared as mysteriously as he had appeared.
(27) The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
All the highest officials who had access gathered around these three to examine them, and found that neither the fire nor the heat had had any effect on them at all. Not a hair was singed, not even the smell of smoke was on their clothes, and only the ropes that had bound them had burned.
They were witnessing a bona-fide miracle!
(28) Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.
Nebuchadnezzar is learning more about this God. This Lord God is even more powerful than even his own sovereign authority over life and death in this whole world that he governs! And His worshipers trust Him so much that they are willing to give up their very lives to be loyal to Him and Him alone.
(29) "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."
Every law or rule must have a serious enough consequence to be obeyed. So he decrees that this God is so powerful that there must be serious consequences for speaking against Him, so no one will be permitted to disparage this God of these Jews. He realized that this God is more powerful than any of the other gods he has been worshiping, because none of them has enough power to rescue like this.
(30) Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
Then he honored Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and their God by giving them a raise in pay and authority in his kingdom. This was the most he was able to do.
This king is realizing more and more, a little at a time, who the Jews' Lord God is, but he has yet to come to a full realization of His power and authority over him.
O my Father, You go to extraordinary lengths to show people who You are. You did not write off this pagan king, but progressively worked to teach him who You are, and began to prepare this whole kingdom for the fulfillment of Your prophesy to release the Judean Jews from this captivity after 70 years of slavery (Jeremiah 25: 11-12; 29: 10).
Father, You always fulfill Your word, and You will do everything possible and impossible to draw people to yourself. You still are drawing people to Yourself, in every age and every day. Even today, You are bringing more people than ever into Your own family, even through the technology You have allowed us to devise.
Everything that happens and everything we do, You use for Your own purposes. You use every choice and decision we make to further Your plans, both Your plan for each of us, and Your great Plan of the Ages for all of us.
Just as You prepared the stage for the return of Your people Israel back to their own land, You are now preparing the world stage for the return of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the King. Everything that is happening now has been prophesied; and after it is done, we will be able to look back and say, "Yes, that happened just as You said it would!"
While we're in the middle of the mess, we can't see the whole picture; but we know that we can trust You, my Father, to work it all out for our benefit and Your glory.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
This pagan king had made a golden statue and invited all of his governmental employees to come worship it under pain of death, as a pledge of allegiance to him as their king. So everyone in the whole throng all bowed down, except for three men.
(8) For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and brought charges against the Jews.
These certain Chaldeans are not only "wise men" that the king depends on to advise him, but were nobles in the "master race" who despised these "lesser nation" people and are brown-nosing the king. They are only too glad to denounce these three who were still standing while the foreheads of everyone else were on the ground.
(9) They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: "O king, live forever!
(10) You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image.
(11) "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.
They got the orders right, they were paying attention. Now they'll bring up the charges.
(12) "There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up."
They've accused them of being disloyal to the king, a treasonous offense.
Why was Daniel not also accused here? Where was he? There are several ideas put forth by theologians to account for his absence here. The main ones are: that he may have been out-of-town on the king's business; or that he may have been on the dais with the king instead of in the crowd; or that the "wise men" of whom he had been appointed head were not included in the list of leaders required to attend.
At any rate, I think that God wanted to show that the other three had their own strong faith and trust in God, and were not dependent on Daniel's leadership.
(13) Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; then these men were brought before the king.
How dare these men defy the orders of the king!
(14) Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?
(15) "Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"
In essence, the king was giving them another chance, to think about what they were doing, and to assess their actions in the light of his authority over life and death. And also, he didn't think any deity could overrule his power as king.
(16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.
This was not disrespectful to the king. The word order they used in the Aramaic places the emphasis on the pronoun "we," implying that it is the Lord Himself who will deal with this situation.
(17) "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
(18) "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
Then they politely let him know that the Lord God who they worship has authority even over this king who thinks he is sovereign; and they acknowledge that it is the Lord God's choice whether to save them or not. So they really were putting their lives on the line here.
(19) Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
(20) He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.
(21) Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
(22) For this reason, because the king's command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
(23) But these three men, Shadrach, Mechach, and Abed-Nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
This king was furious. He couldn't let these guys get away with this! He had to make them an example. So he super-heated the furnace and had them trussed up in all their clothes, so that they would be enveloped in flames immediately. Even the soldiers who tossed them in like logs were burned up by the great heat.
(24) Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
The king had been seated on his dais overlooking the whole scenario, and as he looked down into this open furnace, he was flabbergasted! He would never have imagined to see the scene he witnessed. He knew, and got confirmation that there were only three men thrown into the furnace, and they were tied up!
(25) He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"
He could hardly believe his eyes. There were not three, but four men, and they weren't tied up, but walking around freely, and were not even hurt by the extreme heat of the flames! And the fourth person looked like deity!
(26) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came out of the midst of the fire.
So the king approached as close as he could and shouted above the roar of the furnace to come out, and the three climbed out of the fire. The fourth disappeared as mysteriously as he had appeared.
(27) The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
All the highest officials who had access gathered around these three to examine them, and found that neither the fire nor the heat had had any effect on them at all. Not a hair was singed, not even the smell of smoke was on their clothes, and only the ropes that had bound them had burned.
They were witnessing a bona-fide miracle!
(28) Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.
Nebuchadnezzar is learning more about this God. This Lord God is even more powerful than even his own sovereign authority over life and death in this whole world that he governs! And His worshipers trust Him so much that they are willing to give up their very lives to be loyal to Him and Him alone.
(29) "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way."
Every law or rule must have a serious enough consequence to be obeyed. So he decrees that this God is so powerful that there must be serious consequences for speaking against Him, so no one will be permitted to disparage this God of these Jews. He realized that this God is more powerful than any of the other gods he has been worshiping, because none of them has enough power to rescue like this.
(30) Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.
Then he honored Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and their God by giving them a raise in pay and authority in his kingdom. This was the most he was able to do.
This king is realizing more and more, a little at a time, who the Jews' Lord God is, but he has yet to come to a full realization of His power and authority over him.
O my Father, You go to extraordinary lengths to show people who You are. You did not write off this pagan king, but progressively worked to teach him who You are, and began to prepare this whole kingdom for the fulfillment of Your prophesy to release the Judean Jews from this captivity after 70 years of slavery (Jeremiah 25: 11-12; 29: 10).
Father, You always fulfill Your word, and You will do everything possible and impossible to draw people to yourself. You still are drawing people to Yourself, in every age and every day. Even today, You are bringing more people than ever into Your own family, even through the technology You have allowed us to devise.
Everything that happens and everything we do, You use for Your own purposes. You use every choice and decision we make to further Your plans, both Your plan for each of us, and Your great Plan of the Ages for all of us.
Just as You prepared the stage for the return of Your people Israel back to their own land, You are now preparing the world stage for the return of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the King. Everything that is happening now has been prophesied; and after it is done, we will be able to look back and say, "Yes, that happened just as You said it would!"
While we're in the middle of the mess, we can't see the whole picture; but we know that we can trust You, my Father, to work it all out for our benefit and Your glory.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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