2003-12-19
Good Morning Cherished Ones,
Last week, I began writing about some of the lessons about the coming glory that are found in the book of Daniel. You’ll remember that I was led to write about how King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon thought he was responsible for Babylon’s greatness at the time in DN 4. Through the prophetic dream he had about the giant tree, which God’s angels cut down, and about how he would lose his mind, living like an animal for seven years, the king was allowed to see what actually did happen to him beforehand. When he refused to believe in the Lord’s ultimate sovereignty in this matter, it came to pass. Only after the king’s mind and his kingdom were restored to him did Nebuchadnezzar become humbled and acknowledge God’s superiority over all. Then and only then, did the king understand Who was responsible for Babylonia being what it was at the time.
One of the clearest prophesies of the coming glory occurs in Daniel’s explanation of another dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. It was the dream in DN 2 about the giant statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and which had feet of iron and clay mixed. DN 2: 34-35, “While you were looking at it, a great stone broke loose from a cliff without anyone touching it, struck the iron and clay feet of the statue and shattered them. At once the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold crumbled and became like the dust on a threshing place in summer. The wind carried it all away, leaving not a trace. But the stone grew to be a mountain that covered the whole earth.” We must remember that God esteemed Daniel and trusted him with the ability to prophesy the future accurately through both interpretation of the king’s dreams and also visions discussed in the latter part of his book. The various metals in the statue represented human kingdoms [gold-Babylonia; silver-Medo-Persia; bronze-Greece; iron-Rome; iron and clay mixed-the Revised Roman empire in our future]. The huge boulder represents God’s kingdom, which will replace all the transient human ones with one that is eternal. Verses like GN 18:14 and JER 32: 27, which essentially reveal the nothing is too difficult for God, and like JOB 42: 2, which tells us God can do all things, were known by Daniel. He understood that God possess all power and that His purpose cannot be thwarted. Important principles are said by Daniel in his interpretation of this dream in DN 2: 20-21, “God is wise and powerful! Praise Him forever and ever. He controls the times and the seasons; He makes and unmakes kings; it is He Who gives wisdom and understanding.” These are lessons for us today, despite the fact that Nebuchadnezzar had his dream as far back as 603 BC.
The theme verse for the entire book of Daniel is DN 4: 17. “This is the decision of the alert and watchful angels. So then, let all people everywhere know that the Supreme God has power over human kingdoms and that He can give them to anyone He chooses-even to the least important of men.” Think of the implications of that as it applies to us. Today, there are attempts to eradicate the words “under God” from our Pledge of Allegiance and a petition to make it illegal to broadcast the Gospel on the radio in our own country of America. These trends have nothing to do with God’s will, and those who support them do not understand the ultimate sovereignty of our Deity. It is the reason that the devil is so angry. REV 12: 12, “And so be glad you heavens and all you that live there! But how terrible for the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, and he is filled with rage, because he knows that he has only a little time left.” Who determines the devil’s time? Why God, of course! As for the ultimate King, He appeared on earth as a lowly carpenter from a poor family in Nazareth. And yet, He is Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, our Rock and our Redeemer!
We might ask: why does God allow such evil regimes as the Nazis, for example, to come into power? I certainly don’t presume to have all the answers, but I would like to think that there is a larger lesson God wants to teach mankind about the value of righteousness and peace-one He teaches us by the temporary loss of them. Whatever the lesson, it is essential that we learn and learn well through the Scriptures what God’s attributes are, including His righteousness, His ultimate power and authority over His creation, and His sovereignty and justice. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar finally learned and acknowledged this. The question that I leave you with today is: Do we?
PRAYER: O Lord, we come before You today awed by the many examples of Your righteous use of the ultimate and supreme power that You have. As we examine our lives, we can’t help but see Your impact on them. You teach us to endure in faith, just as Daniel did. You describe heaven in such as way as to make us desire nothing more than to spend eternity with You there. You exercised Your righteous authority by showing people like Joseph and Daniel how to interpret the lessons You have for the pharaoh and the Babylonian king respectively. You grant us through Your grace the gift of the Holy Spirit. Your Spirit enables us to understand the importance of these lessons too. It was by Your supreme authority that You decided to send Your very own Son to die on the cross and be resurrected, so that we could be saved by faith in Him [JN 3: 16]. Only You are omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. We know this from the following Scriptures: PS 139: 1-6, “Lord, You have examined me and You know me. You know everything I do; from far away You understand all my thoughts. You see me, whether I am working or resting; You know all my actions. Even before I speak, You already know what I will say. You are all around me on every side; You protect me with Your power. Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.” PS 135: 6, “He [God] does whatever He wishes in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in the depths below.” JER 23: 23-24, “I am a God Who is everywhere and not in one place only. No one can hide where I cannot see him. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?” Dearest Abba, if we acknowledge Your attributes as we attempt to do today, we know You will grant us understanding of how we might apply these truths to our lives righteously. We particularly ask You to give us the power to apply our understanding and appreciation of You to service the spiritual needs of others in our lives. While it is only the Holy Spirit Who can bring people to faith or strengthen weak faith, we ask You for direction on how to bring Your message of salvation and peace to others to this end. Just as Daniel helped to bring King Nebuchadnezzar to it, we hope You will use us this way too. We are sinners who confess our sins. We are anxious to present ourselves with spiritual vessels emptied, so that You will fill them with Your Holy Spirit. It is He Who will move us forward to serve You with distinction and humble obedience in our own lives and for the lives of others. We praise and thank You for being the awesome, unparalleled, and grace-filled God that You are. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Next week, I am led to write more about who will actually inherit the Kingdom. At one time in my own life, I was arrogant, feeling powerful, and thinking I could do it all. The truth is the opposite of that. Christ’s words from MT 5: 3 keep repeating themselves to me. “Blessed are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them.” Our Lord has taught me some pretty severe but necessary lessons in the last five years-things like losing one’s material wealth, losing one’s health temporarily, and coming close to losing one’s spouse. That is what it has taken for me to finally fully acknowledge Who is really the Leader of my life and Who really has the power, love, and willingness to protect me. Now that these things have happened to me, I can rejoice that He has finally broken my foolish attitude. I can be glad that He loves me enough to keep me in His flock, those sheep who can look forward to an eternal life of bliss with Him. While I certainly don’t deserve any of these blessings, our loving God still wants to shower them upon me. Dear Ones, He wants to shower them upon each of you too. Hallelujah!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn