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….
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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….
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