As another year draws to a close, we celebrate Christmas once more. With all of the traditions, including the music, gift-giving, family gatherings and church services, it is so easy to become completely detached or to be completely caught up in the re-enactment of Christmases past. Perhaps it is no wonder that so many people find this to be the most depressing, the most lonely of any season all year long. Yet this year has served to drive a lesson home for me that is so obvious and yet had escaped me for years.
In Matthew 1:23, the Scriptures say that a virgin will give birth to a child who shall be called Immanuel, a name that means literally, “God is with us.” A lot of time is spent traditionally on several aspects of Christ’s birth, not the least of which is his birth by and to a virgin. But perhaps we often overlook the name given to Jesus in this passage, and the interpretation or the meaning of this name. Immanuel. God with us.
The name is not one which we are accustomed to using any more and so we may overlook it or even look right past it as though it were not there. Even the meaning, God with us, is often dismissed or overlooked. After all, perhaps we can concede that He was with us about 2000 years ago but that’s all ancient history now. Further, if we take the “us” in that phrase to mean all of the population of the entire world, it becomes very impersonal at best. So, what difference does this name, and its meaning, really make?
Having served as a police officer for a number of years, I have become keenly aware of what it means to respond to a call having someone with me. Responding to any call alone causes you to think in very defensive terms. But when you have someone that you know and trust responding to the call along side you, it frees you to think more strategically and perhaps even proactively. Having someone respond with you is invaluable in producing excellent results in situations that can otherwise be extremely dangerous.
Of course there are many other situations in life which are made better by the mere presence of someone else with us. If you are lost in the woods, it is less frightening and more survivable if you have someone with you. If you should happen to be in a strange land, it is less foreboding if someone you know is accompanying you. It is a known part of human nature that we like to have someone with us in many situations in our lives. If we are cold and alone, we instantly feel better when we meet the gaze of a friendly face and perhaps a warm embrace from this same friend or family member. Whether children or adults, young or old, we do not like to be alone.
When the angel of the Lord (some would interpret this to be the Holy Spirit Himself) appeared to Joseph in a dream and explained to him that he should go forward with his plans to marry Mary, He told Joseph that the babe that Mary was pregnant with would be called Immanuel and he explained that this name meant, God with us. He was making a very important statement about the role that Jesus was to play in the lives of human beings all over the world. He was to be with us so that we would no longer be alone, lonely, cold, unloved, uncared for.
When we speak of Jesus and of Salvation, we often speak of sin and of our need for someone to pay our sin debt on our behalf. While this is true and is no small matter, it is important to realize that God was providing a means of bringing us back into fellowship, intimate friendship with Him. When He came walking in the Garden of Eden to speak with Adam and Eve and found that they were hiding from Him because they had disobeyed Him, He also felt the separation and was hurt by it. He had created us out of love and of a desire to have a friendly relationship and now the relationship had been ended. For about 4,000 years, God looked forward to the day when the relationship would be mended and Christ was the means to that end.
When Jesus came to earth, He came as the physical representation, the very physical presence of God with us. God gave His son to get us back to Him, to renew and revitalize our relationship with Him.
Thought: When God created us, it was not His intention that we should go through life on our own. He did not intend that we should fail, especially failure due to being overpowered or outnumbered. He intended to be there with us through every day and every situation. It was us who broke that relationship when we entered into sin, rebellion against Him. He would not allow even this to defeat us or to make the broken relationship inevitable.
Jesus came to be God with us here on earth. This is why it was so important for Him to send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, when He returned to God the Father to let Him know that the objective had been met, that the goal had been accomplished. Having God with us, having our Creator with us, causes us to be triumphant over all our enemies through His strength. We are the winners when we allow Him to get the victory in and through us. Hallelujah for Immanuel and for His presence with us in every situation. We are no longer alone!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Daniel 2: Faithfulness and rewards.
Where is our discernment? I mean, we have been duped on several occasions over the decades. In fact, I might characterize the church (generic) as being rather gullible. We hear someone say that they are “born again”, they sing songs that COULD refer to Jesus and heaven, or they use language that we expect only true Christians to know and use and we immediately conclude that these people are also true Christians. I dare say that there are people in the church today that would conclude after Daniel chapter 2 that Nebuchadnezzar had been converted. However, chapter 3 gives a somewhat different view of the king.
Obviously, based on the things that God said about Nebuchadnezzar in the dream and its interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar was an ambitious person. He had high aspirations and perhaps this is why his kingdom was the head of gold and represented so much earthly glory. His ambition is evident in the opening of chapter 3 as he erects a statue of his own (as compared to the one in his dream). This one is all of gold and it is about 90 feet tall. This piece of art was pretty impressive by any standards. However, it wasn’t simply a piece of art. Remember that Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king in a pagan country and although he had recognized the God of Israel as being special and unusually powerful compared to his own gods, he was still a pagan at heart.
So when the statue was completed, he gathered together all of the leaders that were under his command. He invited them to come and participate in the dedication of this new work that he had made (v. 3). When he had gathered everyone together, he had an announcement made to all who were there. The announcement was that everyone was to bow down and worship this statue when they heard the music begin to play. Sounds a little like church, doesn’t it. After all, we play and sing music when we “worship” god, don’t we. A lesser man than Daniel and his friends might have seen this sight and thought, “What could be the harm in this? After all, it isn’t like this statue is alive or anything.”
Daniel and his friends new that God had commanded that His people should not worship anyone (or anything) except Him. After all, it logically follows that we should not elevate the art above the artist or the music above the musician or the creation above the Creator. What would we (or should we) expect for a reaction from our mother if she cooks a wonderful meal for us to enjoy and we begin to give all our praise and thanks to the food itself instead of to her, after she has prepared it intentionally for us?
If bowing before this image could be viewed as “not a big thing”, then there would likely be little or no consequence to failing to bow. But the king commanded and the herald declared that anyone who did not bow to the image would be thrown into a fiery furnace. This may not have been such an unusual thing as some pagan cultures practiced human sacrifice and this was the type of ceremony where such a thing would have been likely to take place. Also, burning human sacrifices in a furnace was not an uncommon method of performing this type of sacrifice. In any event, by placing this level of punishment on anyone who refused to bow the king made it clear how important this (forced) idol-worship was to him.
Thought: The Scriptures urge us repeatedly to be discerning. Solomon used words like wisdom and discernment over and over in the Book of Proverbs. Also, Jesus said that we would know people by the “fruit” of their lives. We need to be more careful in our examination of people to know for certain what they believe, not just take their word for it. Words can be very deceiving and we often do not interpret words in the same way as others based on the context in which they are used.
Let us determine in our hearts to be more discerning, to exhibit the wisdom of God in our daily interactions with others. After all, we cannot pray for the salvation of a lost person if we falsely believe them to be saved and we cannot encourage the believer if we do not know that they are in the family.
By His grace, there is more to come….
Obviously, based on the things that God said about Nebuchadnezzar in the dream and its interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar was an ambitious person. He had high aspirations and perhaps this is why his kingdom was the head of gold and represented so much earthly glory. His ambition is evident in the opening of chapter 3 as he erects a statue of his own (as compared to the one in his dream). This one is all of gold and it is about 90 feet tall. This piece of art was pretty impressive by any standards. However, it wasn’t simply a piece of art. Remember that Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king in a pagan country and although he had recognized the God of Israel as being special and unusually powerful compared to his own gods, he was still a pagan at heart.
So when the statue was completed, he gathered together all of the leaders that were under his command. He invited them to come and participate in the dedication of this new work that he had made (v. 3). When he had gathered everyone together, he had an announcement made to all who were there. The announcement was that everyone was to bow down and worship this statue when they heard the music begin to play. Sounds a little like church, doesn’t it. After all, we play and sing music when we “worship” god, don’t we. A lesser man than Daniel and his friends might have seen this sight and thought, “What could be the harm in this? After all, it isn’t like this statue is alive or anything.”
Daniel and his friends new that God had commanded that His people should not worship anyone (or anything) except Him. After all, it logically follows that we should not elevate the art above the artist or the music above the musician or the creation above the Creator. What would we (or should we) expect for a reaction from our mother if she cooks a wonderful meal for us to enjoy and we begin to give all our praise and thanks to the food itself instead of to her, after she has prepared it intentionally for us?
If bowing before this image could be viewed as “not a big thing”, then there would likely be little or no consequence to failing to bow. But the king commanded and the herald declared that anyone who did not bow to the image would be thrown into a fiery furnace. This may not have been such an unusual thing as some pagan cultures practiced human sacrifice and this was the type of ceremony where such a thing would have been likely to take place. Also, burning human sacrifices in a furnace was not an uncommon method of performing this type of sacrifice. In any event, by placing this level of punishment on anyone who refused to bow the king made it clear how important this (forced) idol-worship was to him.
Thought: The Scriptures urge us repeatedly to be discerning. Solomon used words like wisdom and discernment over and over in the Book of Proverbs. Also, Jesus said that we would know people by the “fruit” of their lives. We need to be more careful in our examination of people to know for certain what they believe, not just take their word for it. Words can be very deceiving and we often do not interpret words in the same way as others based on the context in which they are used.
Let us determine in our hearts to be more discerning, to exhibit the wisdom of God in our daily interactions with others. After all, we cannot pray for the salvation of a lost person if we falsely believe them to be saved and we cannot encourage the believer if we do not know that they are in the family.
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Daniel 2: Faithfulness and rewards.
As we finish our study of Daniel 2, let’s not skip over a couple of very significant verses right at the end of the chapter, verses 48 and 49. These verses are particularly significant in light of the title and purpose of our study (“It’s All About Him”). Although verse 48 begins with “Then the King…”, this is clearly an act of God. Don’t make the mistake of equating the king with God but understand that nothing happens without God’s direct intervention, or at least with His approval. So, when the king gives Daniel and high position in the government and then appoints Daniel’s three friends to similar positions right under him, this is really an act of Almighty God.
Recall that just a few verses earlier the king is laboring under a false assumption perpetrated by the king’s other wise men. They had asserted that God is too big to be interested in the affairs of men or the things of this earth. Daniel had to set him straight on this matter, letting the king know that God is very interested in the things of this earth and that He is never too big or too busy to communicate with men.
So now, the king acts as a servant of the very God that he knew little or nothing about just a short time before. He exalts Daniel and his friends to positions of great prominence, influence, and authority in the kingdom. This would not be the ordinary, expected response of a pagan leader. By taking this action, he was officially acknowledging that the God of Daniel, the God of Heaven, and the God of Creation is and was a true God. He was acknowledging the personal yet powerful nature of an almighty, Creator God.
In Hebrews 11:6, the author writes that God is “a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (KJV) This is representative of a theme that runs through all of Scripture. God likes to give rewards to people. In the closing verses of Daniel 2 we see a practical example of how God rewards those who seek Him, those who are faithful to Him. In this case, He exalted Daniel and his three friends to these prominent positions. If that is not a reward, especially after all that they had been through, then I can’t imagine what would be a reward. It reminds me a little of the stories I read as a child where the king would offer the hero anything he wanted “up to half of (my) kingdom”.
Thought: We tend to complain frequently about how God treats us. We even look at all of the evil in this world and begin to doubt that a loving God can exist. However, perhaps we would be better to examine ourselves, our motives, and our behaviors to see whether we are in a position of faithfulness to Him. If we have not been faithful, if we have not been loyal to Him, how can we legitimately expect Him to do anything for us?
Mark 8:38 says, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.” (NIV)
Daniel and his friends were not ashamed of who they were or of the God that they worshipped. In return, God rewarded them for their faithfulness. What will God have to say to you when you finally stand before Him? Will it be, “Well done.”? Will you also be rewarded?
By His grace, there is more to come….
Recall that just a few verses earlier the king is laboring under a false assumption perpetrated by the king’s other wise men. They had asserted that God is too big to be interested in the affairs of men or the things of this earth. Daniel had to set him straight on this matter, letting the king know that God is very interested in the things of this earth and that He is never too big or too busy to communicate with men.
So now, the king acts as a servant of the very God that he knew little or nothing about just a short time before. He exalts Daniel and his friends to positions of great prominence, influence, and authority in the kingdom. This would not be the ordinary, expected response of a pagan leader. By taking this action, he was officially acknowledging that the God of Daniel, the God of Heaven, and the God of Creation is and was a true God. He was acknowledging the personal yet powerful nature of an almighty, Creator God.
In Hebrews 11:6, the author writes that God is “a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (KJV) This is representative of a theme that runs through all of Scripture. God likes to give rewards to people. In the closing verses of Daniel 2 we see a practical example of how God rewards those who seek Him, those who are faithful to Him. In this case, He exalted Daniel and his three friends to these prominent positions. If that is not a reward, especially after all that they had been through, then I can’t imagine what would be a reward. It reminds me a little of the stories I read as a child where the king would offer the hero anything he wanted “up to half of (my) kingdom”.
Thought: We tend to complain frequently about how God treats us. We even look at all of the evil in this world and begin to doubt that a loving God can exist. However, perhaps we would be better to examine ourselves, our motives, and our behaviors to see whether we are in a position of faithfulness to Him. If we have not been faithful, if we have not been loyal to Him, how can we legitimately expect Him to do anything for us?
Mark 8:38 says, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels.” (NIV)
Daniel and his friends were not ashamed of who they were or of the God that they worshipped. In return, God rewarded them for their faithfulness. What will God have to say to you when you finally stand before Him? Will it be, “Well done.”? Will you also be rewarded?
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Daniel 2: The Rest of the Story (sort of).
I’ve already promised that I will not attempt to give an interpretation of this prophetic portion of Scripture, largely because so many who are more qualified than I have done so already. I will keep that promise but I want to point out just a couple of very significant elements that are included in the dream and its interpretation.
First, Daniel plainly states that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the head of gold. You can read the entire portion that includes the dream and Daniel’s interpretation in Daniel 2:29-45. In verses 36-38, Daniel declares that God used the gold head to signify Nebuchadnezzar’s reign because of his greatness as a ruler of men. He even refers to the king as “the king of kings” (v. 36), meaning a king among kings, or one whom other kings would look up to (or bow down to). This was a compliment of the highest order, especially since the compliment came directly from God.
Lest Nebuchadnezzar become puffed up with pride at this description of his kingdom, Daniel goes on to show that this description is very much relative. He describes the nations, kingdoms, or empires that would come in the future and how they relate to other portions of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.
The last portion of the statue was the feet and it was described as being a mixture of clay and iron. Although I have not heard any Biblical scholars espouse this position, I find it very interesting (coincidental, perhaps) that the United States of America is becoming every day more and more like this “empire” or “kingdom” that is described as being a mixture of iron and clay. In verse 42 this entity is described as being both strong and brittle. It goes on to describe the people of this land as being a mixture that “will not remain united.” (v. 43) This may not be a good interpretation of the intent of God; however, the feet of clay and iron represent a final world power before Christ returns. We do know unequivocally that the time of Christ’s return is very near.
When the interpretation of the dream was complete, it is very significant that Nebuchadnezzar did not get caught up in the details of the dream or its interpretation. He did not dwell on his position in the lineup. Rather, he immediately recognized Daniel’s integrity and the awesome power and wisdom of Daniel’s God. Whereas he had been ready to kill of the wise men for the error of the pagan wise men, he was now prepared to recognize and reward those who had remained faithful to God. This was true even though he was a pagan king.
Thought: Whether the USA is seen symbolically in this statue dream or not is not really the important thing. The most significant thing to note from this dream is that nearly all has been fulfilled and we are definitely close to Christ’s return. We must therefore be prepared.
Secondly, we see again in Nebuchadnezzar’s response to Daniels interpretation that our response, our reaction to the circumstances God puts us in is very important. We must remember to put God first, to bring our praise to Him alone as the source of all wisdom and power. He may choose to use men and women in the process of communicating with us but we are obligated to remember and acknowledge the true message sender.
As we now move from Thanksgiving into the Christmas season, let’s remember to give thanks continually for the grace and goodness of God in our lives. Let’s put Him in His proper place and be prepared to humble ourselves before Him. After all, we cannot be too big to bow before Him when He was not too big to hang on a cross for us.
By His grace, there is more to come….
First, Daniel plainly states that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the head of gold. You can read the entire portion that includes the dream and Daniel’s interpretation in Daniel 2:29-45. In verses 36-38, Daniel declares that God used the gold head to signify Nebuchadnezzar’s reign because of his greatness as a ruler of men. He even refers to the king as “the king of kings” (v. 36), meaning a king among kings, or one whom other kings would look up to (or bow down to). This was a compliment of the highest order, especially since the compliment came directly from God.
Lest Nebuchadnezzar become puffed up with pride at this description of his kingdom, Daniel goes on to show that this description is very much relative. He describes the nations, kingdoms, or empires that would come in the future and how they relate to other portions of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.
The last portion of the statue was the feet and it was described as being a mixture of clay and iron. Although I have not heard any Biblical scholars espouse this position, I find it very interesting (coincidental, perhaps) that the United States of America is becoming every day more and more like this “empire” or “kingdom” that is described as being a mixture of iron and clay. In verse 42 this entity is described as being both strong and brittle. It goes on to describe the people of this land as being a mixture that “will not remain united.” (v. 43) This may not be a good interpretation of the intent of God; however, the feet of clay and iron represent a final world power before Christ returns. We do know unequivocally that the time of Christ’s return is very near.
When the interpretation of the dream was complete, it is very significant that Nebuchadnezzar did not get caught up in the details of the dream or its interpretation. He did not dwell on his position in the lineup. Rather, he immediately recognized Daniel’s integrity and the awesome power and wisdom of Daniel’s God. Whereas he had been ready to kill of the wise men for the error of the pagan wise men, he was now prepared to recognize and reward those who had remained faithful to God. This was true even though he was a pagan king.
Thought: Whether the USA is seen symbolically in this statue dream or not is not really the important thing. The most significant thing to note from this dream is that nearly all has been fulfilled and we are definitely close to Christ’s return. We must therefore be prepared.
Secondly, we see again in Nebuchadnezzar’s response to Daniels interpretation that our response, our reaction to the circumstances God puts us in is very important. We must remember to put God first, to bring our praise to Him alone as the source of all wisdom and power. He may choose to use men and women in the process of communicating with us but we are obligated to remember and acknowledge the true message sender.
As we now move from Thanksgiving into the Christmas season, let’s remember to give thanks continually for the grace and goodness of God in our lives. Let’s put Him in His proper place and be prepared to humble ourselves before Him. After all, we cannot be too big to bow before Him when He was not too big to hang on a cross for us.
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Daniel 2 (continued): Significance and Perspective...
Let’s face it. Sometimes we need a little reminder of how significant (or IN-significant) we actually are. For example, when was the last time that you read an article in the newspaper or saw a TV news piece done on King Nebuchadnezzar? You may laugh at this thought but consider for a moment that he was one of the most important, most influential people of his time.
King Nebuchadnezzar definitely thought that he was important and when his advisors came to him and advised him to declare a “National Day of Prayer” in which all of his subjects were to bow down in prayer to him (I know that I’m getting just a little bit ahead of myself here), he agreed! HE must have thought that this was a worthy idea or he would certainly have taken decisive action against his advisors. He has plainly shown in the last couple of weeks’ study that he was capable and did not hesitate to think about and threaten such an action. Yet, his name is rarely uttered anymore except in a Sunday School class or a college Bible class and occasionally in a sermon.
We all know people who think of themselves as being exceedingly important to the ongoing world in which we live. We may even be one of those people, if we are completely honest with ourselves. Perhaps we should stop for a moment and ask ourselves how significant we will be in another 100 or 200 years? Or, how about 500 years after our death? But, why this question?
God took the time to reveal his plan for the future of the world, in a dream. He gave the interpretation of the dream through one of His faithful servants. He completed this task in the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule and revealed it to Nebuchadnezzar. You would think, if only considered through the light of this historical account, that Nebuchadnezzar was an important person. You might even conclude that God “waited” for Nebuchadnezzar to come on the scene and take his position of prominence before revealing his long-term plans. But, maybe there is a better explanation.
Nebuchadnezzar was not the first person who held a prominent position in history. He is also not the last one to do so. So, why did God choose Nebuchadnezzar? Or, was it even important that it was this pagan king? Could it just as easily have been some other pagan king near to his time? Perhaps. Except for the fact that Nebuchadnezzar was the king over one of the empires mentioned in the dream and at a time of that empire’s greatest prominence, Nebuchadnezzar might actually not have been of much significance at all. What we DO know from this passage is that God was revealing His plan, not the king’s plan. Also, God was revealing something of His character by detailing what was to come, and even by making this revelation through the particular means that He used.
I will not attempt to interpret the prophetic nature of this passage as there are many who are much more qualified who have already done an excellent job. What I do want to point out is how significant or insignificant we are in the events of our lives when compared to the overall plan that God has set in motion. He has graciously permitted us to be a part of this plan and we should make our emphasis one of gratitude to Him for permitting us to serve Him in the midst of it all.
Thought: As we move through this life that God has given us, let us do so with a proper perspective on our significance. We are objects, wrought by God, who have been made with a purpose. But this purpose for which we are made is up to God to decide, not us. We should not think of ourselves more highly than is fitting, since we are the creation and He is the Creator.
It is appropriate in fact, at this special time of year that has been dedicated, set aside, for the purpose of giving thanks to God for all of His goodness and grace, that we re-evaluate our level of importance. We ought to put ourselves and our lives in perspective. Jesus didn’t elevate Himself above the place that His Father had for Him during His time here on earth. Rather, according to John 3, He submitted to the Father’s will and obeyed the Father’s command. He laid down His life for us. There is true significance. Maybe that is why we still see Jesus mentioned in the news, even in our day and time!
By His grace, there is more to come….
King Nebuchadnezzar definitely thought that he was important and when his advisors came to him and advised him to declare a “National Day of Prayer” in which all of his subjects were to bow down in prayer to him (I know that I’m getting just a little bit ahead of myself here), he agreed! HE must have thought that this was a worthy idea or he would certainly have taken decisive action against his advisors. He has plainly shown in the last couple of weeks’ study that he was capable and did not hesitate to think about and threaten such an action. Yet, his name is rarely uttered anymore except in a Sunday School class or a college Bible class and occasionally in a sermon.
We all know people who think of themselves as being exceedingly important to the ongoing world in which we live. We may even be one of those people, if we are completely honest with ourselves. Perhaps we should stop for a moment and ask ourselves how significant we will be in another 100 or 200 years? Or, how about 500 years after our death? But, why this question?
God took the time to reveal his plan for the future of the world, in a dream. He gave the interpretation of the dream through one of His faithful servants. He completed this task in the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule and revealed it to Nebuchadnezzar. You would think, if only considered through the light of this historical account, that Nebuchadnezzar was an important person. You might even conclude that God “waited” for Nebuchadnezzar to come on the scene and take his position of prominence before revealing his long-term plans. But, maybe there is a better explanation.
Nebuchadnezzar was not the first person who held a prominent position in history. He is also not the last one to do so. So, why did God choose Nebuchadnezzar? Or, was it even important that it was this pagan king? Could it just as easily have been some other pagan king near to his time? Perhaps. Except for the fact that Nebuchadnezzar was the king over one of the empires mentioned in the dream and at a time of that empire’s greatest prominence, Nebuchadnezzar might actually not have been of much significance at all. What we DO know from this passage is that God was revealing His plan, not the king’s plan. Also, God was revealing something of His character by detailing what was to come, and even by making this revelation through the particular means that He used.
I will not attempt to interpret the prophetic nature of this passage as there are many who are much more qualified who have already done an excellent job. What I do want to point out is how significant or insignificant we are in the events of our lives when compared to the overall plan that God has set in motion. He has graciously permitted us to be a part of this plan and we should make our emphasis one of gratitude to Him for permitting us to serve Him in the midst of it all.
Thought: As we move through this life that God has given us, let us do so with a proper perspective on our significance. We are objects, wrought by God, who have been made with a purpose. But this purpose for which we are made is up to God to decide, not us. We should not think of ourselves more highly than is fitting, since we are the creation and He is the Creator.
It is appropriate in fact, at this special time of year that has been dedicated, set aside, for the purpose of giving thanks to God for all of His goodness and grace, that we re-evaluate our level of importance. We ought to put ourselves and our lives in perspective. Jesus didn’t elevate Himself above the place that His Father had for Him during His time here on earth. Rather, according to John 3, He submitted to the Father’s will and obeyed the Father’s command. He laid down His life for us. There is true significance. Maybe that is why we still see Jesus mentioned in the news, even in our day and time!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Daniel 2: Getting the right perspective.
Before we go on, let’s make one thing perfectly clear. Before God can do the things that He desires to do, He has to be certain that we are in the right frame of mind. He has to make sure that we are listening. He ensures that the message He is sending will be perfectly clear (except for messages like parables, and Jesus addressed that issues in the Gospels).
This incident is just one more time that God had to make sure that “we” were listening. You see, God wanted to make sure that we could understand the difference between the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God. He wanted us to know the difference between the voice of men and the voice of God. The “wise men” of Babylon weighed in on the dream subject at the beginning of Chapter 2 and concluded that no man could do what the king asked and no God would be interested enough to stoop to earth and get involved. Daniel then steps in, after all that we’ve considered the past couple of weeks, and makes a very different statement. He says in Daniel 2:27 and following that no man is capable of fulfilling the king’s request but that the God he served, the Creator of all that is, was very interested and had actually been the source of the “wisdom” he was about to share with the king. Not only was he giving credit where credit was due, he was making a very important statement about the God that we encounter in the pages of the Bible.
The statement he was making about God says that God is personal, intimate, and very interested in the details of our lives. This is not only true, it is a fundamental element of our Faith. If God were not all of these things (and so much more) then He would not have been interested in our plight and might have destroyed us all and started over (as many people suggest He should have.) It is precisely because He IS interested in us as individuals, in a very intimate way, that He provided a Savior that is sufficient to meet every detail of our needy souls.
But what does Daniel’s statement say about Daniel and how should we see his behavior in light of our own circumstances and culture? Turn for a moment to I Peter 2:9. The King James Version says it this way: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”. When I was a lot younger, I remember hearing people talk about what it meant to be peculiar. I remember thinking (as an impressionable teen who wanted desperately to belong) that we shouldn’t try to be different just for the sake of being different. In fact, it was exactly the “being different” that I was worried about. It’s is nearly impossible to fit in as a teen when you are very different from those that you want to be accepted by.
Now I realize that God has not called us to be peculiar for the sake of peculiarity; rather, He has called us to be peculiar because we will stand out as being very different if we just faithfully follow Him where He has called us to go. So, it is not for the sake of peculiarity but for the sake of Jesus Himself. Isn’t that the very focus of our study? Aren’t we seeking how to make it, “All About Him?”
In Daniel’s case, he was different. That was not the issue. The real issue was whether he would embrace the difference and the relationship with God which made him different, and BE different for God without apology. He stood tall before the king and explained, without apology, how and why he was different. More importantly, he explained to the Babylonian king how his God was different than all other gods and how He was interested even in the intimate details of our lives, even if those details were “just” a dream.
Thought: Jesus said that He would be ashamed of us before the Father if we were ashamed of Him (here on earth). Daniel certainly was not ashamed. He declared his purpose, his place, and his God with great boldness, even when his audience was the enemy king that had taken him captive and removed him from his home and family. I submit to you that this is the very essence of faithfulness. This is the kind of person, the kind of character, the kind of strength of will that God is looking for in us.
Daniel really did not more for God than we would expect our best friends to do for us if we found ourselves in a tight spot. If we are to be the true friends of God, we should not be surprised that He expects as much from us!
By His grace, there is more to come….
This incident is just one more time that God had to make sure that “we” were listening. You see, God wanted to make sure that we could understand the difference between the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God. He wanted us to know the difference between the voice of men and the voice of God. The “wise men” of Babylon weighed in on the dream subject at the beginning of Chapter 2 and concluded that no man could do what the king asked and no God would be interested enough to stoop to earth and get involved. Daniel then steps in, after all that we’ve considered the past couple of weeks, and makes a very different statement. He says in Daniel 2:27 and following that no man is capable of fulfilling the king’s request but that the God he served, the Creator of all that is, was very interested and had actually been the source of the “wisdom” he was about to share with the king. Not only was he giving credit where credit was due, he was making a very important statement about the God that we encounter in the pages of the Bible.
The statement he was making about God says that God is personal, intimate, and very interested in the details of our lives. This is not only true, it is a fundamental element of our Faith. If God were not all of these things (and so much more) then He would not have been interested in our plight and might have destroyed us all and started over (as many people suggest He should have.) It is precisely because He IS interested in us as individuals, in a very intimate way, that He provided a Savior that is sufficient to meet every detail of our needy souls.
But what does Daniel’s statement say about Daniel and how should we see his behavior in light of our own circumstances and culture? Turn for a moment to I Peter 2:9. The King James Version says it this way: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”. When I was a lot younger, I remember hearing people talk about what it meant to be peculiar. I remember thinking (as an impressionable teen who wanted desperately to belong) that we shouldn’t try to be different just for the sake of being different. In fact, it was exactly the “being different” that I was worried about. It’s is nearly impossible to fit in as a teen when you are very different from those that you want to be accepted by.
Now I realize that God has not called us to be peculiar for the sake of peculiarity; rather, He has called us to be peculiar because we will stand out as being very different if we just faithfully follow Him where He has called us to go. So, it is not for the sake of peculiarity but for the sake of Jesus Himself. Isn’t that the very focus of our study? Aren’t we seeking how to make it, “All About Him?”
In Daniel’s case, he was different. That was not the issue. The real issue was whether he would embrace the difference and the relationship with God which made him different, and BE different for God without apology. He stood tall before the king and explained, without apology, how and why he was different. More importantly, he explained to the Babylonian king how his God was different than all other gods and how He was interested even in the intimate details of our lives, even if those details were “just” a dream.
Thought: Jesus said that He would be ashamed of us before the Father if we were ashamed of Him (here on earth). Daniel certainly was not ashamed. He declared his purpose, his place, and his God with great boldness, even when his audience was the enemy king that had taken him captive and removed him from his home and family. I submit to you that this is the very essence of faithfulness. This is the kind of person, the kind of character, the kind of strength of will that God is looking for in us.
Daniel really did not more for God than we would expect our best friends to do for us if we found ourselves in a tight spot. If we are to be the true friends of God, we should not be surprised that He expects as much from us!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Daniel 2: The right worship attitude.
We human beings are truly amazing creatures. We rarely agree on the right thing to do or even the best approach to take when solving a problem. Then, when the problem is solved, we fight over who gets the credit. This is often the case in situations when we actually are doing no more or less than was required of us.
How would you have approached Arioch with news that you could tell the King’s dream and its interpretation? Would you have cleverly found a way to imply that you had the answer because of how wise you were? Would you have failed to credit God with the wisdom He has provided you? Would you use the situation to get something more from the King (more money, more power, more recognition, etc.)? Since our flesh is much weaker than our spirits often are, many of us would use the circumstances to our advantage, or at least try to do so. This is not so with Daniel.
Once again we see that Daniel is different. He is not like the other wise men and magicians. He is more like his Jewish peers than his Babylonian peers but still stands out as a unique individual. Daniel makes no pretense of being any wiser even than his Babylonian peers who were very wise and knowledgeable. He makes no special appeal for extra benefits or special treatment.
We could assume that God chose to use Daniel specifically because he was so different from everyone else. However, it would certainly be more accurate to say that Daniel was different specifically because he wanted to be useable in the hands of God. He understood the Old Testament scriptures and he knew that God requires his chosen people to be holy, set apart from all the others, pure, clean, obedient, and uniquely sold out to God and His purposes. Because he knew these things about God, He gave all of his effort and attention to being exactly what God required of His people.
His humility of spirit made him stand out from any of his Babylonian peers and it undoubtedly endeared him to the King. His candor, even in the face of the King’s anger, was seen for the courage and integrity that it truly was. His unpretentious attitude made him trustworthy, even to an angry king. This is the kind of honest worship that God desires of us, that He demands of us.
Thought: Too many of us, even in fundamental churches, bring behaviors before God that we hope will persuade Him to do things our way or to give us what we want. This is not what God desires and it is not what He demands. He asks that we worship him in spirit and in truth. This means that we are honest with ourselves and with others about who we are and about whom God is. It also means that we do not even attempt to elevate ourselves beyond the position that God has graciously given us.
If our worship is actually to be “all about Him” as the Scriptures teach, let’s examine ourselves as we come before His throne. Whether we are coming with the rest of the local body on a Sunday morning or whether we are coming alone in prayer, let’s be certain that we are allowing Him to be God and we are reserving humble positions of servitude for ourselves. The Scripture is very plain that God will lift up (to positions of greater prominence) whomever He chooses. It is not for us to exalt ourselves as the enemy of our souls has already done.
Here we see Daniel keeping God in His rightful place and submitting himself to Him. Let’s remember this attitude of humility in our worship: It really is all about Him!
By His grace, there is more to come….
How would you have approached Arioch with news that you could tell the King’s dream and its interpretation? Would you have cleverly found a way to imply that you had the answer because of how wise you were? Would you have failed to credit God with the wisdom He has provided you? Would you use the situation to get something more from the King (more money, more power, more recognition, etc.)? Since our flesh is much weaker than our spirits often are, many of us would use the circumstances to our advantage, or at least try to do so. This is not so with Daniel.
Once again we see that Daniel is different. He is not like the other wise men and magicians. He is more like his Jewish peers than his Babylonian peers but still stands out as a unique individual. Daniel makes no pretense of being any wiser even than his Babylonian peers who were very wise and knowledgeable. He makes no special appeal for extra benefits or special treatment.
We could assume that God chose to use Daniel specifically because he was so different from everyone else. However, it would certainly be more accurate to say that Daniel was different specifically because he wanted to be useable in the hands of God. He understood the Old Testament scriptures and he knew that God requires his chosen people to be holy, set apart from all the others, pure, clean, obedient, and uniquely sold out to God and His purposes. Because he knew these things about God, He gave all of his effort and attention to being exactly what God required of His people.
His humility of spirit made him stand out from any of his Babylonian peers and it undoubtedly endeared him to the King. His candor, even in the face of the King’s anger, was seen for the courage and integrity that it truly was. His unpretentious attitude made him trustworthy, even to an angry king. This is the kind of honest worship that God desires of us, that He demands of us.
Thought: Too many of us, even in fundamental churches, bring behaviors before God that we hope will persuade Him to do things our way or to give us what we want. This is not what God desires and it is not what He demands. He asks that we worship him in spirit and in truth. This means that we are honest with ourselves and with others about who we are and about whom God is. It also means that we do not even attempt to elevate ourselves beyond the position that God has graciously given us.
If our worship is actually to be “all about Him” as the Scriptures teach, let’s examine ourselves as we come before His throne. Whether we are coming with the rest of the local body on a Sunday morning or whether we are coming alone in prayer, let’s be certain that we are allowing Him to be God and we are reserving humble positions of servitude for ourselves. The Scripture is very plain that God will lift up (to positions of greater prominence) whomever He chooses. It is not for us to exalt ourselves as the enemy of our souls has already done.
Here we see Daniel keeping God in His rightful place and submitting himself to Him. Let’s remember this attitude of humility in our worship: It really is all about Him!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Daniel 2: Keeping your perspective…
While we do not learn from Daniel chapter 2 whether any of the king’s wise men were executed, we do know that the Commander of the king’s guard was on his way to carry out the king’s orders. This is when Daniel finally learned of the predicament that they all were in and he did an amazing and a courageous thing. Most of us, faced with this kind of a situation, would have deserved the indictment that the king served on his top advisors. He accused them of trying to “buy time”.
Most of us would undoubtedly try to talk our way out of the situation or otherwise try to convince the king that we were not really a part of his problem Daniel was different. Daniel, with all of his God-given wisdom and with great tact (see 2:14), immediately asked about the source of the king’s anger. Arioch explained the situation to him and here is where Daniel’s reaction is so remarkable. He went directly to the king. The king had ordered his death, in anger, and he daringly went directly to the one man who had the authority, and apparently the inclination, to order and carry out his execution.
The king must have already had a taste of Daniel’s wisdom and tact because he actually listened to Daniel’s appeal. He gave him additional time to interpret the dream. Some would say that the king was just being fair, or that his curiosity had got the best of him. Considering that our source is the Scripture, the Word of God, we might reasonably conclude that there is more involved in the king’s forbearance. Perhaps he was merely curious to see and hear what the God of the Jews would have to say. After all, they were his prisoners and so, he may have thought, was their God.
Having had his life extended by a few hours, Daniel might have begun planning a means to escape. He might have worked on a scheme with his friends or even with his pagan peers. He might have gone to Arioch, since he obviously had a great deal of trust in him, and pleaded for his life. However, he did none of these things. One thing we need to remember about Daniel is that he was unlike any of his peers and very unlike the people of our culture today. He was fiercely loyal and consummately faithful to his God.
What Daniel did do was to hold a prayer meeting with his friends. He briefly told them the nature of the problem and asked them to go to God and ask Him for wisdom and insight equal to this task. This is particularly poignant when we consider that his pagan peers had already declared this assignment to be outside the capability of any man and beyond the interest of “the gods”.
In verse 19, Daniel has the mystery revealed to him by God in a vision, during the night. His reaction to this miracle is also amazing when compared to what we might do or expect others to do. The next several verses reveal that Daniel’s reaction was to praise God, to give Him thanks! Of all of the things he might have done at this point, he stops to thank God for what He has done. There is no earthly reason to be certain, at this point, that the king won’t make good on his threat to kill him and his friends, even if he does interpret the dream. But he takes time to thank God for answering his prayer.
Thought: At the very least, Daniel’s faithfulness to and confidence in his God in the face of grave danger bought some additional time for the other wise men. At best, his actions and the faithfulness of his God saved their lives. Like Daniel, we should never waver in our commitment to the One who has done so much for us. Even when our self-confidence disintegrates or disappears, our God-confidence should remain strong. He is always faithful. (If He were not always faithful, He could not be God.)
As we face the challenges that God has designed for us this week, let’s have great confidence that He will never do us harm that will not ultimately improve us. He will never lead us down a path that He is not familiar with, and He will accompany us. He will not ask us to do anything that He is not prepared to assist us with and for which he is not prepared to supply all that we need. Sometimes the best word for faithfulness is endurance. Finally, in the light of all the rest, don’t forget to give thanks to Him, regardless of the circumstances. He deserves it!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Most of us would undoubtedly try to talk our way out of the situation or otherwise try to convince the king that we were not really a part of his problem Daniel was different. Daniel, with all of his God-given wisdom and with great tact (see 2:14), immediately asked about the source of the king’s anger. Arioch explained the situation to him and here is where Daniel’s reaction is so remarkable. He went directly to the king. The king had ordered his death, in anger, and he daringly went directly to the one man who had the authority, and apparently the inclination, to order and carry out his execution.
The king must have already had a taste of Daniel’s wisdom and tact because he actually listened to Daniel’s appeal. He gave him additional time to interpret the dream. Some would say that the king was just being fair, or that his curiosity had got the best of him. Considering that our source is the Scripture, the Word of God, we might reasonably conclude that there is more involved in the king’s forbearance. Perhaps he was merely curious to see and hear what the God of the Jews would have to say. After all, they were his prisoners and so, he may have thought, was their God.
Having had his life extended by a few hours, Daniel might have begun planning a means to escape. He might have worked on a scheme with his friends or even with his pagan peers. He might have gone to Arioch, since he obviously had a great deal of trust in him, and pleaded for his life. However, he did none of these things. One thing we need to remember about Daniel is that he was unlike any of his peers and very unlike the people of our culture today. He was fiercely loyal and consummately faithful to his God.
What Daniel did do was to hold a prayer meeting with his friends. He briefly told them the nature of the problem and asked them to go to God and ask Him for wisdom and insight equal to this task. This is particularly poignant when we consider that his pagan peers had already declared this assignment to be outside the capability of any man and beyond the interest of “the gods”.
In verse 19, Daniel has the mystery revealed to him by God in a vision, during the night. His reaction to this miracle is also amazing when compared to what we might do or expect others to do. The next several verses reveal that Daniel’s reaction was to praise God, to give Him thanks! Of all of the things he might have done at this point, he stops to thank God for what He has done. There is no earthly reason to be certain, at this point, that the king won’t make good on his threat to kill him and his friends, even if he does interpret the dream. But he takes time to thank God for answering his prayer.
Thought: At the very least, Daniel’s faithfulness to and confidence in his God in the face of grave danger bought some additional time for the other wise men. At best, his actions and the faithfulness of his God saved their lives. Like Daniel, we should never waver in our commitment to the One who has done so much for us. Even when our self-confidence disintegrates or disappears, our God-confidence should remain strong. He is always faithful. (If He were not always faithful, He could not be God.)
As we face the challenges that God has designed for us this week, let’s have great confidence that He will never do us harm that will not ultimately improve us. He will never lead us down a path that He is not familiar with, and He will accompany us. He will not ask us to do anything that He is not prepared to assist us with and for which he is not prepared to supply all that we need. Sometimes the best word for faithfulness is endurance. Finally, in the light of all the rest, don’t forget to give thanks to Him, regardless of the circumstances. He deserves it!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Daniel 2: Out on a Limb? Don’t cut it off!
Have you ever been so far out on a limb that even the sight of your enemy brought a sense of hope and the possibility of deliverance? That is exactly where King Nebuchadnezzar had his “wise men”. This was not a normal Day. It was not “business as usual” for them. They had developed a level of expectation in the king that gave them a sense of comfort in their own positions. Now, the king had set them on their heels. He had pushed them so far out on their own limb that they were nearly ready to cut it off themselves.
If you don’t really understand how far out on the limb they were; if you don’t comprehend the terror that they were feeling; look at verse 11 of Daniel 2. They finally admitted to the king that they were mere mortals, in spite of the expectation that they had created in him of something more. Now that he was expecting more than they were able to provide to him, they said, “What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.” (Daniel 2:11, NIV)
We really need to understand why the king pushed his famous band of advisors to such a point of desperation. It is because this story comes from the Bible; and, since it comes from the Bible it is really not a story about Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel or his friends. This is a story about the God of Creation, the God of the Bible. He claims, in the pages of Scripture, to be a sovereign God who is in control of all things and for whom all things are done. In that light, God was orchestrating this situation, through the will and wisdom of the king, to bring to light the true nature of God and His wisdom. He had already put Daniel and his friends in place because He knew that they would be faithful to Him and take no glory or other recognition for themselves.
When the pagan “wise men” said that the gods do not live among men, they were implying that the gods do not even affect things on earth. However, the God of the Bible wanted Nebuchadnezzar, wants us, to know that He is intimately involved in the everyday affairs of men. Therefore, in steps Daniel. He has confidence in the God that he serves, unlike the other “wise men” and their pagan gods.
If you’ve followed the story to this point, and you read ahead just a few more verses, you know that Daniel had been left out of the situation so far. This doesn’t mean that he was any less liable for the fate that the king had commanded but he didn’t know that the king needed anything or that his peers had failed to meet his requirements. He also didn’t know that they had declared the gods to be unreachable. When the soldiers came to take him away, he asked, “Why?” and was told the whole story.
So we come to the part of the story where the king’s wise men are up in the tree, out on the limb, the limb is bending and cracking and threatening to break when Daniel appears under the tree and says, “Hey! What’s up?” Next week we’ll find out how and why this greeting from a young Jewish upstart brought a sense of relief and hope to these godless pagan men.
Thought: We are often caught in situations that seem hopeless and we are tempted to despair. We ought to breathe deeply of the strength and comfort of our God in these times because He may have brought us here for the deliverance of those who don’t know Him, to bring hope to the hopeless and faith to the faithless. Our God is great so our confidence in Him ought to be great as well. Have confidence in Him today!
By His grace, there is more to come….
If you don’t really understand how far out on the limb they were; if you don’t comprehend the terror that they were feeling; look at verse 11 of Daniel 2. They finally admitted to the king that they were mere mortals, in spite of the expectation that they had created in him of something more. Now that he was expecting more than they were able to provide to him, they said, “What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men.” (Daniel 2:11, NIV)
We really need to understand why the king pushed his famous band of advisors to such a point of desperation. It is because this story comes from the Bible; and, since it comes from the Bible it is really not a story about Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel or his friends. This is a story about the God of Creation, the God of the Bible. He claims, in the pages of Scripture, to be a sovereign God who is in control of all things and for whom all things are done. In that light, God was orchestrating this situation, through the will and wisdom of the king, to bring to light the true nature of God and His wisdom. He had already put Daniel and his friends in place because He knew that they would be faithful to Him and take no glory or other recognition for themselves.
When the pagan “wise men” said that the gods do not live among men, they were implying that the gods do not even affect things on earth. However, the God of the Bible wanted Nebuchadnezzar, wants us, to know that He is intimately involved in the everyday affairs of men. Therefore, in steps Daniel. He has confidence in the God that he serves, unlike the other “wise men” and their pagan gods.
If you’ve followed the story to this point, and you read ahead just a few more verses, you know that Daniel had been left out of the situation so far. This doesn’t mean that he was any less liable for the fate that the king had commanded but he didn’t know that the king needed anything or that his peers had failed to meet his requirements. He also didn’t know that they had declared the gods to be unreachable. When the soldiers came to take him away, he asked, “Why?” and was told the whole story.
So we come to the part of the story where the king’s wise men are up in the tree, out on the limb, the limb is bending and cracking and threatening to break when Daniel appears under the tree and says, “Hey! What’s up?” Next week we’ll find out how and why this greeting from a young Jewish upstart brought a sense of relief and hope to these godless pagan men.
Thought: We are often caught in situations that seem hopeless and we are tempted to despair. We ought to breathe deeply of the strength and comfort of our God in these times because He may have brought us here for the deliverance of those who don’t know Him, to bring hope to the hopeless and faith to the faithless. Our God is great so our confidence in Him ought to be great as well. Have confidence in Him today!
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Daniel 2: Not Stupid – Just a healthy dose of skepticism!
At first glance, King Nebuchadnezzar seems like he’s lost his mind. It’s a tall order to ask someone to give you an accurate interpretation of a dream that you may have had. To ask that they first tell you the dream (for verification) and THEN to give its interpretation seems like a set-up. This goes way beyond mind-reading, doesn’t it?
In this case, the king was so adamant about his command that he started out telling his “wise” men what the penalty for failure would be. It was no small thing, since the king promised that they would die and even their houses would be destroyed. Wow! How terrible is this, and the only way to avoid it was to first tell the king what he dreamed and then to give an accurate interpretation. It is almost as though the king had got tired of hearing silly things from his supposed “wise” men, as though he had received poor advice one too many times. He told them that he had already made up his mind, that there was no avoiding what he had already determined.
Apparently, the “wise” men didn’t quite “get it.” They really thought that this was going to be business as usual. They must have thought that this was one of the king’s jokes because they certainly did not take him seriously. Instead, the merely asked him a second time to tell them the dream and offered to give an interpretation of whatever dream he laid out before them. But this made the king angry. I think maybe he was becoming tired of being taken for granted by some of his top advisors. So, when they asked him the second time, he replied by accusing them of trying to buy additional time.
What kind of a man (because the king was first a man and only second was he a king) asks ANYONE to reveal out loud what he only knew from the recesses of his mind, and then in a dream while he was sleeping? What kind of a man makes this kind of a demand of his most faithful, his most trusted and closest advisors? What kind of a man uses this demand as a set-up, already believing that these men were in their positions more for their own good than for his?
This was not a righteous man, but he exhibited some of the qualities that God calls His people to have. In this case, the king exhibited a gift of discernment in that he was skeptical about the motivations and even the wisdom or abilities of the “wise” men who had been called to serve him and he was not about to put them in a place of power and then just take whatever they might dish out. He was going to make them accountable, in a verifiable sort of way, for their actions. In the end, the king’s skepticism served to work the will of the Lord God of Heaven, as he revealed both the dream and its interpretation through Daniel.
Thought: As professing Christians, we should be more careful to “test” the things that we hear. If even pagans can benefit from discernment and God uses it in their lives, how much more should we be discerning if only as an act of honor and obedience to Him? Will He not also bless and benefit us if we heed His word and cultivate an attitude and habits of discernment?
I challenge you, this week, to challenge the things that you hear, not merely to be a skeptic but to practice discernment as all godly people are instructed to do. And remember to be always on your guard. Nebuchadnezzar listened to his advisors later when he should have been more discerning. Daniel ended up sleeping with lions.
By His grace, there is more to come….
In this case, the king was so adamant about his command that he started out telling his “wise” men what the penalty for failure would be. It was no small thing, since the king promised that they would die and even their houses would be destroyed. Wow! How terrible is this, and the only way to avoid it was to first tell the king what he dreamed and then to give an accurate interpretation. It is almost as though the king had got tired of hearing silly things from his supposed “wise” men, as though he had received poor advice one too many times. He told them that he had already made up his mind, that there was no avoiding what he had already determined.
Apparently, the “wise” men didn’t quite “get it.” They really thought that this was going to be business as usual. They must have thought that this was one of the king’s jokes because they certainly did not take him seriously. Instead, the merely asked him a second time to tell them the dream and offered to give an interpretation of whatever dream he laid out before them. But this made the king angry. I think maybe he was becoming tired of being taken for granted by some of his top advisors. So, when they asked him the second time, he replied by accusing them of trying to buy additional time.
What kind of a man (because the king was first a man and only second was he a king) asks ANYONE to reveal out loud what he only knew from the recesses of his mind, and then in a dream while he was sleeping? What kind of a man makes this kind of a demand of his most faithful, his most trusted and closest advisors? What kind of a man uses this demand as a set-up, already believing that these men were in their positions more for their own good than for his?
This was not a righteous man, but he exhibited some of the qualities that God calls His people to have. In this case, the king exhibited a gift of discernment in that he was skeptical about the motivations and even the wisdom or abilities of the “wise” men who had been called to serve him and he was not about to put them in a place of power and then just take whatever they might dish out. He was going to make them accountable, in a verifiable sort of way, for their actions. In the end, the king’s skepticism served to work the will of the Lord God of Heaven, as he revealed both the dream and its interpretation through Daniel.
Thought: As professing Christians, we should be more careful to “test” the things that we hear. If even pagans can benefit from discernment and God uses it in their lives, how much more should we be discerning if only as an act of honor and obedience to Him? Will He not also bless and benefit us if we heed His word and cultivate an attitude and habits of discernment?
I challenge you, this week, to challenge the things that you hear, not merely to be a skeptic but to practice discernment as all godly people are instructed to do. And remember to be always on your guard. Nebuchadnezzar listened to his advisors later when he should have been more discerning. Daniel ended up sleeping with lions.
By His grace, there is more to come….
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Daniel 1: Part 3 of 3
Sometimes we look at the characters of the Bible as though they were old and out of touch with reality, especially out of touch with the reality of our day. However, I wonder how many of us today would find ourselves fitting in comfortably with the conditions we read of in Scripture. Lion’s dens do not sound like comfortable overnight accommodations and fiery furnaces do not sound like the saunas of our time.
The characters that are presented for our consideration in Daniel are extraordinary human beings. We are even amazed at the decisions and actions of some of the pagans who came in contact with Daniel and his friends. Think for a moment of the incredible impression Daniel and his friends must have made on the guard that the king had assigned to their care as well as their security. He did not “do his job” without regard for the lives entrusted to his care. He apparently watched them and got to know their characters because he responded with both fear and trust when Daniel asked him to ignore the king’s orders in favor of their own proposal.
This guy could easily have put the king’s food in front of them and forced them to either eat or go hungry. That would certainly have been a different story, but God apparently moved the heart of this guard to listen to the pleas and proposals of Daniel and his friends. There is no indication that Daniel or his friends begged, pleaded, cajoled, or manipulated their way into getting the food that they requested, the food that was approved by the God of Heaven. They merely laid out a plan which they knew would honor God, a plan which God could honor in and through them. This plan did not involve ignoring the king’s commands altogether because they did not advocate or insist on a hunger strike. They did not try to anger the king whom they were now honor-bound to serve as though he were their own king.
What if God had not responded to this gesture of faith? What if He had not blessed them with the tremendous health that he gave Daniel and his friends? They had agreed to eat the food provided by the king if God did not favor them in this plan. Would not God have been honored just as much by their message of faith and their obedient service to the new king without insisting on their adherence to dietary laws?
God softened the heart of the guard toward these young men of Israel. He made it possible for them to remain faithful to Him and obedient to His commands while still obtaining the king's favor. This reminds us of Luke 2:52 where it says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (KJV) The Lord then favored them with better health than could be provided by the best nutritionists and dietitians at the king’s disposal, better health than the others who were attending the University and eating from the King's table. He not only blessed them with health but He also gifted them in extraordinary ways so that they could do incredible things (interpret dreams, etc.), further setting them apart from the king’s other experts. In this way, they proved that their service to the king would be most effective and most desirable if they remained faithful in their service to God first (see Daniel 1:17-20).
Thought: When God gave the commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, the first commandment that He gave was an instruction to put Him first. He said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, KJV) Since that time, the enemy of our souls has tried to tempt us in many ways to ignore God’s commands and put our own needs or desires in front of His. So this is nothing new and yet we fall prey to the tactic on a daily basis. Jesus’ own response to such temptations was to quote Scripture and to stand firm in the face of the temptation and its consequences.
We often speak and sing of victory in Christ as we gather for worship. However, I wonder how often we are actually experiencing the kind of victory that Daniel and his friends experienced, victory over temptation and victory over sin by not yielding? Are you yielding to temptation today or are you standing firm. To stand fast, you may need to quote the Scripture to the enemy of your soul. I encourage you today to stand fast by knowing God, knowing the Scripture, and committing yourself to being true to your Saviour, regardless of the temptations that assail you.
By His grace, there is more to come…
The characters that are presented for our consideration in Daniel are extraordinary human beings. We are even amazed at the decisions and actions of some of the pagans who came in contact with Daniel and his friends. Think for a moment of the incredible impression Daniel and his friends must have made on the guard that the king had assigned to their care as well as their security. He did not “do his job” without regard for the lives entrusted to his care. He apparently watched them and got to know their characters because he responded with both fear and trust when Daniel asked him to ignore the king’s orders in favor of their own proposal.
This guy could easily have put the king’s food in front of them and forced them to either eat or go hungry. That would certainly have been a different story, but God apparently moved the heart of this guard to listen to the pleas and proposals of Daniel and his friends. There is no indication that Daniel or his friends begged, pleaded, cajoled, or manipulated their way into getting the food that they requested, the food that was approved by the God of Heaven. They merely laid out a plan which they knew would honor God, a plan which God could honor in and through them. This plan did not involve ignoring the king’s commands altogether because they did not advocate or insist on a hunger strike. They did not try to anger the king whom they were now honor-bound to serve as though he were their own king.
What if God had not responded to this gesture of faith? What if He had not blessed them with the tremendous health that he gave Daniel and his friends? They had agreed to eat the food provided by the king if God did not favor them in this plan. Would not God have been honored just as much by their message of faith and their obedient service to the new king without insisting on their adherence to dietary laws?
God softened the heart of the guard toward these young men of Israel. He made it possible for them to remain faithful to Him and obedient to His commands while still obtaining the king's favor. This reminds us of Luke 2:52 where it says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (KJV) The Lord then favored them with better health than could be provided by the best nutritionists and dietitians at the king’s disposal, better health than the others who were attending the University and eating from the King's table. He not only blessed them with health but He also gifted them in extraordinary ways so that they could do incredible things (interpret dreams, etc.), further setting them apart from the king’s other experts. In this way, they proved that their service to the king would be most effective and most desirable if they remained faithful in their service to God first (see Daniel 1:17-20).
Thought: When God gave the commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, the first commandment that He gave was an instruction to put Him first. He said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, KJV) Since that time, the enemy of our souls has tried to tempt us in many ways to ignore God’s commands and put our own needs or desires in front of His. So this is nothing new and yet we fall prey to the tactic on a daily basis. Jesus’ own response to such temptations was to quote Scripture and to stand firm in the face of the temptation and its consequences.
We often speak and sing of victory in Christ as we gather for worship. However, I wonder how often we are actually experiencing the kind of victory that Daniel and his friends experienced, victory over temptation and victory over sin by not yielding? Are you yielding to temptation today or are you standing firm. To stand fast, you may need to quote the Scripture to the enemy of your soul. I encourage you today to stand fast by knowing God, knowing the Scripture, and committing yourself to being true to your Saviour, regardless of the temptations that assail you.
By His grace, there is more to come…
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Daniel 1 (continued)
Isn’t it odd that Nebuchadnezzar picks from among his captives, his new slaves, to send some to “Nebuchadnezzar University of Babylon” (so to speak)? There is no indication that any tuition would charged of them. However, he did not pick just any slaves for this assignment. He had his men pick from among the Israelites the best of the very best. These were men who were young both in mind and body. This would ordinarily mean that they would be impressionable and quick learners. Those qualities would seem quite desirable for a King who was about to send his enemies back to school. Further, it was his stated intention, from the beginning, that these young men would be trained so that they would eventually be qualified to serve him, in his palace.
In today’s world, this would be looked on as a great privilege indeed. Most Americans today, especially in our current economic condition, would immediately accept an offer like this and would be willing to abandon all that they have and, in many cases, all that they believe so that they could succeed in their new position. After all, they would be in a position of tremendous influence in an empire that was already very influential for its day and time. This is an opportunity for power as well as for great wealth!
The king, being accustomed to having nothing but the best, especially at his table, made arrangements for these young men to eat food prepared for him. This would have been some of the best cuisine of the day, prepared by some of the best chefs of the day. It would have been an envious position indeed for any young man just beginning his career. We’re not talking cafeteria food but haute cuisine! Wow!
They turned it down. That’s right. It would have violated the dietary laws set down for them by God if they had eaten the food the king had selected. Surely, God wouldn’t argue about eating whatever was set before them would He? Is He such a difficult task master that He would regulate the daily ration while in captivity?
In this case, that is not the issue. God might very well have forgiven them for eating what the king set before them. Rather, this is an issue of a deliberate decision to be faithful, obedient to the God whose they were. They did not make excuses or ask for permission (of God) to deviate from His prescribed plan. It might have made more sense (and would certainly have been more desirable) to just go along with the plan set forth by their captors but these were no ordinary men. If they had been, they would not have been selected for these positions (see vv 3-4).
Thought: Over the past several years, I have frequently heard the sentiment, “It is easier to ask forgiveness than permission.” While the factual truth of this statement may seem obvious on the surface, our actions always have consequences and we need to think about those consequences before taking any action. In Psalm 106:15 it says, “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” (KJV) We sometimes make better choices when we know in advance what the price of our actions will be.
The question we must ask ourselves in the abundant activity of daily life is whether we are being true to His calling on our lives. If He has not called you to a vocation, you can be assured through Scripture that He has called you to holiness. As we examine our lives to determine where we stand with Him, we ought to ask ourselves whether our thoughts and actions bring Him honor. If they do not seem to be immoral but they fail to honor the One who gave His all for us, we give Him less than our best and much less than He deserves.
By His grace, there is more to come…
In today’s world, this would be looked on as a great privilege indeed. Most Americans today, especially in our current economic condition, would immediately accept an offer like this and would be willing to abandon all that they have and, in many cases, all that they believe so that they could succeed in their new position. After all, they would be in a position of tremendous influence in an empire that was already very influential for its day and time. This is an opportunity for power as well as for great wealth!
The king, being accustomed to having nothing but the best, especially at his table, made arrangements for these young men to eat food prepared for him. This would have been some of the best cuisine of the day, prepared by some of the best chefs of the day. It would have been an envious position indeed for any young man just beginning his career. We’re not talking cafeteria food but haute cuisine! Wow!
They turned it down. That’s right. It would have violated the dietary laws set down for them by God if they had eaten the food the king had selected. Surely, God wouldn’t argue about eating whatever was set before them would He? Is He such a difficult task master that He would regulate the daily ration while in captivity?
In this case, that is not the issue. God might very well have forgiven them for eating what the king set before them. Rather, this is an issue of a deliberate decision to be faithful, obedient to the God whose they were. They did not make excuses or ask for permission (of God) to deviate from His prescribed plan. It might have made more sense (and would certainly have been more desirable) to just go along with the plan set forth by their captors but these were no ordinary men. If they had been, they would not have been selected for these positions (see vv 3-4).
Thought: Over the past several years, I have frequently heard the sentiment, “It is easier to ask forgiveness than permission.” While the factual truth of this statement may seem obvious on the surface, our actions always have consequences and we need to think about those consequences before taking any action. In Psalm 106:15 it says, “And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” (KJV) We sometimes make better choices when we know in advance what the price of our actions will be.
The question we must ask ourselves in the abundant activity of daily life is whether we are being true to His calling on our lives. If He has not called you to a vocation, you can be assured through Scripture that He has called you to holiness. As we examine our lives to determine where we stand with Him, we ought to ask ourselves whether our thoughts and actions bring Him honor. If they do not seem to be immoral but they fail to honor the One who gave His all for us, we give Him less than our best and much less than He deserves.
By His grace, there is more to come…
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Beginning a study...
Daniel 1
We often ask ourselves the unrelenting question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” And we just as often walk away from the question knowing no more than we did when we asked it. We become perplexed and anxious, even doubting, because surely this is a question that the Lord would want us to have an answer to. Isn’t it?
In the opening words of Daniel Chapter 1 we have a similar and equally perplexing situation unfolding. We know and accept that God has chosen a people for Himself and these people are the Jewish nation or race. At the time of Daniel 1, the Jewish nation was divided into two kingdoms, north and south, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and God gives His people into the hands of a conquering (enemy) king. That’s right, in verse 2 the Scriptures say that “the Lord delivered [them] into his hand…”
If such a thing occurred today, we would immediately ask whether God does indeed love us at all. After all, if He chose us and made us His own, why would he not defend and protect us from all our enemies? But here, the question does not appear to have been asked and the answer certainly was not given. In fact, the insult went further and apparently with God’s permission. Some of the articles from God’s temple were also allowed to be taken back to Babylon by their king and his men. When he got home with these articles, he immediately put them “in the treasure house of his god.” What an offense to God and His people; and yet, God permitted it without so much as an argument with or from His chosen people.
Having set the tone for this fascinating book, we might expect that the story can’t get any worse. Stick with me because it certainly does at times. And while we are looking for answers to our everyday problems and issues, we may not find that God is ready to reveal them to us. After all, are we better than His chosen people?
Thought: God always does what is best. He does whatever serves his purposes best. He does not ask our permission nor does He need to. He permits us to bring our requests to Him but that is more than we deserve. We certainly have no innate right to expect that he will give us what we ask. It is all about Him, and not about us at all.
Whatever our circumstances may be today, let’s remember to give Him thanks, as He has commanded. Let us not question His authority, His judgment, or His wisdom. Rather, in a humble spirit of thanksgiving, let’s meekly follow Him with a heart full of gratitude for His faithfulness and His gracious gifts of love and mercy to us.
By His grace, there is more to come…
We often ask ourselves the unrelenting question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” And we just as often walk away from the question knowing no more than we did when we asked it. We become perplexed and anxious, even doubting, because surely this is a question that the Lord would want us to have an answer to. Isn’t it?
In the opening words of Daniel Chapter 1 we have a similar and equally perplexing situation unfolding. We know and accept that God has chosen a people for Himself and these people are the Jewish nation or race. At the time of Daniel 1, the Jewish nation was divided into two kingdoms, north and south, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and God gives His people into the hands of a conquering (enemy) king. That’s right, in verse 2 the Scriptures say that “the Lord delivered [them] into his hand…”
If such a thing occurred today, we would immediately ask whether God does indeed love us at all. After all, if He chose us and made us His own, why would he not defend and protect us from all our enemies? But here, the question does not appear to have been asked and the answer certainly was not given. In fact, the insult went further and apparently with God’s permission. Some of the articles from God’s temple were also allowed to be taken back to Babylon by their king and his men. When he got home with these articles, he immediately put them “in the treasure house of his god.” What an offense to God and His people; and yet, God permitted it without so much as an argument with or from His chosen people.
Having set the tone for this fascinating book, we might expect that the story can’t get any worse. Stick with me because it certainly does at times. And while we are looking for answers to our everyday problems and issues, we may not find that God is ready to reveal them to us. After all, are we better than His chosen people?
Thought: God always does what is best. He does whatever serves his purposes best. He does not ask our permission nor does He need to. He permits us to bring our requests to Him but that is more than we deserve. We certainly have no innate right to expect that he will give us what we ask. It is all about Him, and not about us at all.
Whatever our circumstances may be today, let’s remember to give Him thanks, as He has commanded. Let us not question His authority, His judgment, or His wisdom. Rather, in a humble spirit of thanksgiving, let’s meekly follow Him with a heart full of gratitude for His faithfulness and His gracious gifts of love and mercy to us.
By His grace, there is more to come…
Friday, September 11, 2009
Are we all basically good?
Brought up the son of an Evangelical Pastor, I heard and learned the words of Romans 3:23 from a very early age ("For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." - KJV) I believed, as the passage speaks, that all people fall short of God’s glory, fall short of the lofty goals that He has for us, and concluded that this was not only true of one small segment of society but of the entire human race. However, I was faced with an alternative thought pattern as I progressed through life, one that I had a difficult time discerning and an even more difficult time refuting. The statement that sets forth this thought pattern and philosophy is the idea that all humans are basically good, even from birth (those innocent little babies), along with its counterpart: Humans are not really sinners.
It is an attractive notion indeed that all human beings are basically good. The proponents of this position often illustrate their perspective in a very “Christian” way by claiming that we are all made in the image of God and He doesn’t make any junk. This makes the idea seem much more scripturally appealing and less offensive than the more exclusive, more radical approach of describing us all as sinners. Thus, I fell into the spell of this anti-Biblical philosophy while thinking that I was remaining true to the character and nature of God.
Sin is such an ugly word! Such is the nature of that which is false by reason of being something other than the truth, without necessarily being an obvious falsehood on its face. In other words, this is a logical falsehood. A statement which is logically false is a statement that fails the logic test. In this case, it is logically improbable that one who is basically good would do any evil, yet there is obviously evil in the world. Also, one who is basically good should not need a Savior to deliver him from himself. If this were true, then Jesus died in vain.
One of the problems with this approach to defining the nature and character of man is that it sets man up for failure. A person who believes that he starts out as a basically good individual must ask honestly why Christ would have died. It is this view of man that necessitates either that Jesus’ death for all was unnecessary or that His death was only for some, not for all. Jesus said it best when he said that He did not “come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9:12-13; KJV) This arose out of His statement to the Pharisees about those who are well not having any need for a doctor. If some need a Savior and some need a Deliverer, then some may not need either; they may be good enough on their own.
I did not truly find freedom in Christ until I dealt with this reality in my own life. I could not know liberty or have true peace until I grappled with the truth of Jeremiah’s statement that “the heart (of man) is deceitful, and desperately wicked. Who can understand it?” He did not limit this condition to some men; nor did he limit it to men, leaving the women in some more advanced spiritual condition. Nor did he assign this condition to the adults, leaving the children to some glorious fate (which they must lose when they attain to some level of age or maturity). He included all of us, from the beginning of creation until the end, male and female, all colors, cultures, and ages, in this most terrible of conditions. Calvin referred to this idea as “Total Depravity”, a term which offends many of us. It sounds too much like we couldn’t possibly be worse than we are. A better understanding of the concept is that we could not be more deserving of God’s wrath than we are; because, we are totally worthy of his condemnation and totally unworthy of his mercy.
It was only when I began to understand this truth about the human condition and the simultaneous truth that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that I found how to be truly free and to have the peace that passes understanding. It is only when realized that I bring nothing to the table, am able to do nothing and offer nothing for my atonement, that Jesus' death on Calvary truly takes on the miraculous side of the God who made us, the God who loves us, the God who made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. (Ephesians 2:8,9) It was at this point that I found it necessary to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ and acknowledge that it truly is all about Him and not about me at all. Praise His holy name, He saved me!
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Lost time, lost opportunity, or God's gracious timing?
To think that I could have written so much, especially in light of the many months that have passed since I last penned an entry.
The reader might assume, given that I have written nothing, that nothing has happened in my life or that God has ceased to be in control during that time (since His control is what I seek to assert here). Neither is true.
God has permitted some wonderful things to take place in my life in this past year. I have found a new place to live, made new friends, enjoyed warm sunshine more than most years in my life, and renewed my friendship with the most wonderful woman that God ever created. What an awesome year; and, what an awesome way for God to show clearly that He truly is in control!
Although there is much about the past year which I could elaborate on, I will finish this entry by simply stating that I am thankful to my Lord and my God for His faithfulness and for His goodness.
I will take on other issues at a later date, by his grace and according to His will.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
