Saturday 11 December – Daniel 5
God Has Numbered The Days
King Nebuchadnezzar’s throne had now passed to Belshazzar, who had set himself up against the Lord of heaven (v.23). When Jerusalem was destroyed, some of the articles from the temple had been brought to the temple of the Babylonian gods. The new king called for these gold and silver goblets to be brought to his banquet so that he and his guests could drink from them. These were precious objects in the sight of the Lord, for they had been dedicated to Him for use in His holy temple (1 Kings 7-8). As the king used these very same objects to raise a toast to the pagan gods made of metal, wood or stone (v.4), he was suddenly startled out of his drunken stupor by the sight of a disembodied hand moving across the plaster of the wall and writing in an unknown language (vv.5,8). No wonder he fell down out of sheer fright (v.6)!
Daniel had remained in the high office given him by King Nebuchadnezzar (4:9, 5:11), and, although it would appear that Belshazzar had no knowledge of him, the queen mother recalled Daniel’s ability to interpret dreams and explain riddles (vv.10-12). So Daniel was brought before the king and promised lavish wealth and power in return for interpreting the writing on the wall. But Daniel was not interested in such worldly rewards. Instead he preached to the king concerning his wickedness (vv.17-23), reminding him how the previous king had been humbled, “until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone He wishes,” (v.21, NIV). Belshazzar had not acted in ignorance, for he knew all that had happened (v.22) but he had deliberately chosen to insult the Most High God. Just as had happened earlier, all that was predicted came to pass. The reign of the Babylonian kings was over, and the rule of the Medes and Persians had begun (see 2:36-45)!
Meanwhile, Daniel was promoted again to become the third highest ruler in the kingdom (v.29). He had become a man of excellence both in character and ability; a triumph of God’s grace at work in his life. That same power and grace is at work in us today and, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil.1:6).
Prayer:
* Give thanks to God for His grace at work in your life.
* Take time to yield yourself afresh to the Holy Spirit, offering again all your heart, all your soul and all your strength.
* Pray for the other members of your cell – that they may become men and women of excellence, to the glory of God.
However, the judgement could not be averted, for the purpose of it was to bring the king to the knowledge of the true God. Through repentance, the time of the king’s prosperity might be lengthened (vv.25-27) but, alas, “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov.16:18, NIV). Within a year, just as the king was congratulating himself on all that he had achieved by his mighty power, and taking the glory, the judgement fell just as predicted (vv.28-33). And, as God had said, at the end of the predicted time, the king’s reason returned to him and now, from a humble heart of faith, he praised the one, true and living God (vv.34-37).
As you read these four chapters did you notice that, despite every attempt to bring them down or destroy them, God had raised up these four young men to high positions of power and influence (2:48, 3:30)? He was working out His purposes through men who were living according to His ways, submitted to His will even to the point of being willing to lay down their lives for Him. You may not see how your life can be of any great significance, but God has a plan to do great things through you. The key is humility. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).
Prayer:
* If you are aware of any pride in your heart, come to God in repentance and ask His help to remain humble.
* Pray for those in positions of leadership in the church, that God would help them to resist pride and remain humble, obedient vessels that He can use for His glory.
However, the judgement could not be averted, for the purpose of it was to bring the king to the knowledge of the true God. Through repentance, the time of the king’s prosperity might be lengthened (vv.25-27) but, alas, “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov.16:18, NIV). Within a year, just as the king was congratulating himself on all that he had achieved by his mighty power, and taking the glory, the judgement fell just as predicted (vv.28-33). And, as God had said, at the end of the predicted time, the king’s reason returned to him and now, from a humble heart of faith, he praised the one, true and living God (vv.34-37).
As you read these four chapters did you notice that, despite every attempt to bring them down or destroy them, God had raised up these four young men to high positions of power and influence (2:48, 3:30)? He was working out His purposes through men who were living according to His ways, submitted to His will even to the point of being willing to lay down their lives for Him. You may not see how your life can be of any great significance, but God has a plan to do great things through you. The key is humility. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).
Prayer:
* If you are aware of any pride in your heart, come to God in repentance and ask His help to remain humble.
* Pray for those in positions of leadership in the church, that God would help them to resist pride and remain humble, obedient vessels that He can use for His glory.
Friday 10 December – Daniel 4
The Problem of Pride
God was still working out His purposes in King Nebuchadnezzar’s life. All glory, honour and praise belongs to Him, and Him alone, for He is the sovereign God. It is He who brings one down and exalts another (Ps. 75:7), and it is He who fulfils the destinies of both individuals and nations. King Nebuchadnezzar had been experiencing a time of contentment and prosperity until, once again, he became deeply distressed by visions and images in his mind. You would have thought that the first person he would go to was Daniel, after his previous experiences! Could it have been that he realised that this dream had to do with humiliation which he would suffer at the hands of Daniel’s God? Did he want nothing to do with this God until driven to Him by extreme necessity? Eventually Daniel was summoned and, on hearing the content of the dream, was perplexed because he discerned that the dream contained the announcement of a judgement upon the king from God – a message that he did not want to pass on to the king (v.19).
However, the judgement could not be averted, for the purpose of it was to bring the king to the knowledge of the true God. Through repentance, the time of the king’s prosperity might be lengthened (vv.25-27) but, alas, “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov.16:18, NIV). Within a year, just as the king was congratulating himself on all that he had achieved by his mighty power, and taking the glory, the judgement fell just as predicted (vv.28-33). And, as God had said, at the end of the predicted time, the king’s reason returned to him and now, from a humble heart of faith, he praised the one, true and living God (vv.34-37).
As you read these four chapters did you notice that, despite every attempt to bring them down or destroy them, God had raised up these four young men to high positions of power and influence (2:48, 3:30)? He was working out His purposes through men who were living according to His ways, submitted to His will even to the point of being willing to lay down their lives for Him. You may not see how your life can be of any great significance, but God has a plan to do great things through you. The key is humility. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).
Prayer:
* If you are aware of any pride in your heart, come to God in repentance and ask His help to remain humble.
* Pray for those in positions of leadership in the church, that God would help them to resist pride and remain humble, obedient vessels that He can use for His glory.
However, the judgement could not be averted, for the purpose of it was to bring the king to the knowledge of the true God. Through repentance, the time of the king’s prosperity might be lengthened (vv.25-27) but, alas, “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov.16:18, NIV). Within a year, just as the king was congratulating himself on all that he had achieved by his mighty power, and taking the glory, the judgement fell just as predicted (vv.28-33). And, as God had said, at the end of the predicted time, the king’s reason returned to him and now, from a humble heart of faith, he praised the one, true and living God (vv.34-37).
As you read these four chapters did you notice that, despite every attempt to bring them down or destroy them, God had raised up these four young men to high positions of power and influence (2:48, 3:30)? He was working out His purposes through men who were living according to His ways, submitted to His will even to the point of being willing to lay down their lives for Him. You may not see how your life can be of any great significance, but God has a plan to do great things through you. The key is humility. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10).
Prayer:
* If you are aware of any pride in your heart, come to God in repentance and ask His help to remain humble.
* Pray for those in positions of leadership in the church, that God would help them to resist pride and remain humble, obedient vessels that He can use for His glory.
Thursday 9 December – Daniel 3
No Other God Can Save
Despite all that had been revealed to him by God through Daniel, the king now erected an enormous gold statue, which he commanded all the people of his empire to worship (vv.4-5). Failure to comply would incur the death penalty (v.6)! It is likely that this statue represented the king himself, a custom common among pagan rulers, and indeed the interpretation of his puzzling dream revealed him to be the head made of pure gold (2:32,38). Perhaps pride and vanity could not help but be flattered by such a revelation!
This time it was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who found themselves in the firing line – at odds with the king’s commands – for they served a jealous God whose command was that they should not bow down to any idol, nor have other gods before Him (Deut. 5:7-8). Envious rivals questioned their loyalty to the king (after all they were foreigners!) and their gratitude for the way in which the king had honoured them (v.12). Unjust and malicious as the charges against them were, these three young men did not hesitate to stand for the truth. Rather than defend themselves, they left their case in the hands of God. Having offered them an opportunity to save themselves (v.15), King Nebuchadnezzar was incensed at their stubborn refusal to bow to his will.
Can you imagine his utter astonishment when, in addition to the three young men he had condemned to the fiery furnace, he saw another, who appeared “like a son of the gods” (v.25, NIV) walking around in the fire? He may not have known the true identity of the One before him, but he could recognise the presence of a supernatural being. What god could perform such a mighty miracle of deliverance as this? Not even a hair of their heads was singed! So the king praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, decreeing that no-one must speak against Him (vv.28-29, NIV). However, although he acknowledged God’s almighty power to deliver, it will become clear that the king had not yet spoken from a heart of true faith.
Intellectually accepting that God is who He says He is can never be enough. We need to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives, submitting our wills to His. Nebuchadnezzar had not understood that yet!
Prayer:
* Acknowledge Jesus as Lord of your life as well as Saviour, and submit your will to His today.
* Pray for anyone you know who accepts the existence of God but who has not yet given their life to Him.
This time it was Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who found themselves in the firing line – at odds with the king’s commands – for they served a jealous God whose command was that they should not bow down to any idol, nor have other gods before Him (Deut. 5:7-8). Envious rivals questioned their loyalty to the king (after all they were foreigners!) and their gratitude for the way in which the king had honoured them (v.12). Unjust and malicious as the charges against them were, these three young men did not hesitate to stand for the truth. Rather than defend themselves, they left their case in the hands of God. Having offered them an opportunity to save themselves (v.15), King Nebuchadnezzar was incensed at their stubborn refusal to bow to his will.
Can you imagine his utter astonishment when, in addition to the three young men he had condemned to the fiery furnace, he saw another, who appeared “like a son of the gods” (v.25, NIV) walking around in the fire? He may not have known the true identity of the One before him, but he could recognise the presence of a supernatural being. What god could perform such a mighty miracle of deliverance as this? Not even a hair of their heads was singed! So the king praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, decreeing that no-one must speak against Him (vv.28-29, NIV). However, although he acknowledged God’s almighty power to deliver, it will become clear that the king had not yet spoken from a heart of true faith.
Intellectually accepting that God is who He says He is can never be enough. We need to acknowledge Him as Lord of our lives, submitting our wills to His. Nebuchadnezzar had not understood that yet!
Prayer:
* Acknowledge Jesus as Lord of your life as well as Saviour, and submit your will to His today.
* Pray for anyone you know who accepts the existence of God but who has not yet given their life to Him.
Wednesday 8 December – Daniel 2
God Of Gods And Lord Of Kings
Our four young men have entered the king’s service and have found great favour. “In every matter of wisdom and understanding … he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” (1:20, NIV). King Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful, cruel man, who threatened unspeakable punishments for those who did not please him and incredible rewards for those who did (vv.5-6). He was ruler over all! Yet he could not understand his dreams. He did not want a misleading interpretation given by servile flatterers, but he wanted the truth (vv.7-11).
Now was Daniel’s moment. He could not work out himself how to solve this problem; indeed, he didn’t know what the problem was, as the king had refused to disclose what his dream had been about (vv.5, 9). So the four men turned to God, trusting in Him for the revelation they needed. To God belongs wisdom – He is all-knowing and all-wise – and might – for He governs all things (v.20). The course of history lies in God’s hands; it is He who changes times and seasons, and the destinies of rulers are at His disposal (v.21). He reveals deep and hidden things, namely His wondrous salvation plan (v.22). The purpose of the dream was to reveal exactly this to the king. When Daniel appeared before the king he made it very plain that he had not come to the interpretation of the dream in his own power, but gave the glory to God (vv.27-30).
The dream had to do with the latter days, in other words with the Messianic age (see Acts 2:17 and Heb.1:1-2). The head of the colossus that the king saw was identified with Nebuchadnezzar himself as a representative of the Babylonian Empire. The other parts of the image stood for other kingdoms, almost certainly the Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires (vv.36-43). The rock cut out not by human hands (v.34) represented Jesus and the growth of his eternal and divine kingdom, which will stand in contrast with the human and temporal empires represented by the colossus (vv.44-45). As we will see over the next few chapters of this book, although King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that the God of Daniel is, “the God of gods and the Lord of kings” (v.47, NIV), he had some way to go before he finally recognised that He is the one, true and living God, to be worshipped and adored! God has not finished with him yet.
Prayer:
* Give thanks and praise to God that He is in control of the earth and no plan of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2).
* Thank God that He is the One who gives wisdom, and ask for wisdom for the situations you are facing (James 1:5).
Now was Daniel’s moment. He could not work out himself how to solve this problem; indeed, he didn’t know what the problem was, as the king had refused to disclose what his dream had been about (vv.5, 9). So the four men turned to God, trusting in Him for the revelation they needed. To God belongs wisdom – He is all-knowing and all-wise – and might – for He governs all things (v.20). The course of history lies in God’s hands; it is He who changes times and seasons, and the destinies of rulers are at His disposal (v.21). He reveals deep and hidden things, namely His wondrous salvation plan (v.22). The purpose of the dream was to reveal exactly this to the king. When Daniel appeared before the king he made it very plain that he had not come to the interpretation of the dream in his own power, but gave the glory to God (vv.27-30).
The dream had to do with the latter days, in other words with the Messianic age (see Acts 2:17 and Heb.1:1-2). The head of the colossus that the king saw was identified with Nebuchadnezzar himself as a representative of the Babylonian Empire. The other parts of the image stood for other kingdoms, almost certainly the Medo-Persian, Greek and Roman empires (vv.36-43). The rock cut out not by human hands (v.34) represented Jesus and the growth of his eternal and divine kingdom, which will stand in contrast with the human and temporal empires represented by the colossus (vv.44-45). As we will see over the next few chapters of this book, although King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that the God of Daniel is, “the God of gods and the Lord of kings” (v.47, NIV), he had some way to go before he finally recognised that He is the one, true and living God, to be worshipped and adored! God has not finished with him yet.
Prayer:
* Give thanks and praise to God that He is in control of the earth and no plan of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2).
* Thank God that He is the One who gives wisdom, and ask for wisdom for the situations you are facing (James 1:5).
Sunday 12 December – Daniel 6
He Rescues And He Saves
Darius, the Mede, had now taken over the Babylonian Empire and had appointed 120 kingdom-protectors (satraps) to care for the newly conquered lands under the authority of three administrators, one of whom was Daniel (vv.1-2). Daniel had so distinguished himself that the king intended to set him over all the other administrators and satraps. But jealousy is a powerful and destructive emotion and, when unchecked, will stop at nothing to destroy the person who has aroused it. So Daniel became the centre of an intrigue amongst his fellow administrators designed to destroy him. Unable to find fault with him in his managing of the king’s affairs, they turned to his religion to find a basis for a charge against him These were clever men – they knew how to flatter the king (v.7) and how to use the laws of the Medes and Persians, which could never be revoked (v.8).
Even so, on learning about the publication of this decree Daniel quietly and faithfully went about his business as before, retiring to his own room to pray and give thanks to God and to seek His help as he had always done (vv.10-11). This was just what his enemies expected him to do, for they knew his integrity. In our democratic society it’s hard to imagine a governmental system which allows for a ruler to issue decrees that cannot be changed, but this king had no choice but to give the order for Daniel to face the death penalty, even though he desperately tried to save him (vv.14-16). The conspirators must have been smugly ecstatic – their plot had succeeded, and Daniel was thrown into the den of the lions.
But God does not abandon His children; His hand is mighty to save (Ps.37:39-40). Because he had trusted in God, Daniel remained unharmed (v.23), much to the king’s delight. Daniel was vindicated, and the conspirators reaped what they had sown – destruction. Daniel prospered, and the Lord received the glory and honour due to His Name.
In Isaiah 54:17 God declares, “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from Me.” (NIV). We have seen through the life of Daniel that God is always true to His word. This is your heritage, too!
Prayer:
* Declare the promise of Isaiah 54:7 over your own life and the church.
* Pray for those who govern our nation, particularly for any who are Christians.
Monday 13 December – Daniel 7
The Hope Of Glory
This chapter describes the first of several visions given to Daniel. It is not easy to follow, but the following notes may help you to understand the symbolism.
The four winds (v.2) represent winds from every direction. The Great Sea probably refers to the Mediterranean Sea and is used figuratively to represent the nations of the world. The four beasts (v.3) stand for four kings and their kingdoms. The First Beast (v.4) part Lion (King of the Beasts) and part Eagle (King of the Birds) represented Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire. The Second Beast like a Bear (v.5) was Babylon’s successor, the Medo-Persian Empire, raised up on one side because the Persians were more powerful than the Medes. The 3 ribs between its teeth were the three kingdoms of Babylon, Lydia and Egypt, which they destroyed. The Third Beast (v.6) which was a four-winged Leopard, because of its universality and astonishing speed and power represented Greece under Alexander the Great. The Four Heads of this beast speak of the fact that after the death of Alexander his kingdom was divided among his generals into four parts – Macedonia, Egypt, Syria, and Thrace. The Fourth Beast (v.7, see also Rev.13:1-10) was dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong and probably speaks of the Roman Empire. The 10 Horns represent rulers.
Verse 8 describes the little horn which began small and became the greatest of them all. This is the enemy of the saints, which for a time will have dominion over them and persecute them. His dominion will be taken away once he is submitted to the court of the Lord (v.10, 26). After this, the Kingdom of God, governed by His saints – that’s us!!! – will rule the whole earth.
Reading this chapter really made me think about where I am now in history, what is gone and what is to come. My hope is built on the knowledge that God will completely consume and destroy satan forever and we will reign with Him, F O R E V E R ! ! !
Prayer:
* Give God the glory for the victory He has already won over satan.
* Ask God to teach you how to live in the hope of the Kingdom we belong to, and not in the hopelessness of satan’s kingdom that we see around us.
* Ask God to help you to live each day to the full with Him. Allow Him to lead and guide you so that each day will hold no regrets.
Tuesday 14 December – Daniel 8
We Lay Down Our Crowns
First some notes on the symbolism of this vision of a ram and a goat. The Ram with two Horns (v.3) represents the Kings of Media and Persia. King Cyrus and his successors conquered Westward – Babylon, Syria, Asia Minor, Northward – Armenia, Caspian Sea region and Southward – Egypt and Ethiopia. The Goat of v.5 is the Kingdom of Greece and its horn is its first king, Alexander the Great (301 BC). The breaking of the horn (v.8) speaks of the death of the king. Four grew is speaking of his four successors who were not as strong (v.22). The Little Horn of v.9 was Antiochus IV Epiphanes, King of Syria (175-164 BC), who conquered South – Egypt – and East – Parthia – and towards the Glorious Land – Palestine. The Host of Heaven and Stars are God’s People and the Prince of the Host is God Himself.
Verse 25 really jumped out at me in this chapter as I was thinking about the king who exalted himself in his heart. This king had a lust for power and wanted to be like God. Satan also wanted to be like God, and we all know his end. Verse 24 indicates that this king’s power was not his own, but was satan’s. However, he had all this power, and he did in fact die without human intervention of a painful disease (v. 23).
I realise that many of my frustrations come from me wanting recognition for the job I am doing, or me wanting my ideas implemented, or me wanting things done my way because “my way is best”, or me wanting to be fruitful but for my own glory. This is not pleasant to face. God is mighty and wants to do many mighty things through us, but for His glory. We are urged to grow and to have the character of God. This does not mean we are to become God, but to become like God. I was challenged to think again about whether I am doing all that I do for God, or in order to build my own kingdom. Where is my humility? Am I looking for a crown of glory that will not perish (1 Pet. 5:4, 1 Cor. 9:25)) or am I looking for a crown of this world that is perishable? Am I looking for recognition from God for being obedient to Him, or am I looking for recognition from man? Who am I trying to please here?
Prayer:
* Praise God that He is in control of the whole of history and is working out His purposes for humankind.
* Pray that God would give His church understanding of the times we are in, so that we keep an eternal perspective and are able to reach this lost world effectively with the gospel.
* Continue to pray that God would expose pride in your life and help you to deal with it.
Wednesday 15 December – Daniel 9
Knowing God
From the beginning of this chapter it is clear that Daniel was a man who knew the Word of God and who prayed according to that Word. We know from earlier chapters that he had spent many hours reading, meditating and listening to God. Now we are privileged to get a glimpse of how he was able to pray powerfully and effectively, in line with God’s will.
When I look at the prayer that Daniel prayed in vv. 4-19 I see not only that He knew God’s plan but that he understood God’s grace. Israel strayed constantly from God and His laws, but always in His mind was a plan to restore them. In v.18, Daniel acknowledges that the people come before God, not because of what they did, but because of God’s mercy. We serve the same God today. We come before God because of who He is and not because of what we have or haven’t done. This is a great statement of God’s grace; we cannot earn His favour or work for His blessing, we have it in its entirety already. Yet this grace deserves a response from us.
As I read on I see that as Daniel prayed God responded. He sent Gabriel to bring greater revelation and understanding to this mighty man of God (v.22). This was not because Daniel was special in any way, but simply because he had the discipline and determination to spend time with God and the humility to recognise that without God he could not do anything of value. We have seen the high value Daniel put on his relationship with God as we have read this book. It defined who he was and how he responded to every situation.
I find this man Daniel very challenging. I would like to be used mightily by God as he was, but I baulk at the cost. I want the excitement of seeing God do great things through me, but I don’t want to face hungry lions, or even to have to get out of my nice warm bed earlier in the morning so that I can devote more time to prayer and Bible study. I guess I am not the only one to feel that way? Yet the truth is, we cannot have the one without the other. I pray that God will help me to desire Him more and be willing to do all that it takes to get to a place where I am useful to Him. Will you dare to pray that prayer too?
Prayer:
* Praise and thank God for His amazing grace.
* As Christmas approaches ask God to help you take advantage of every opportunity to share the message of God’s grace.
* Pray that God would help you pay the price to go deeper in prayer.
Tuesday 7 December – Daniel 1
Daniel – Introduction
This book was written by Daniel (see 7:2), who, as a young Israelite lad of high birth, was deported from Judah after it fell to the Babylonian army. The book was written about 536 BC, both to other captives in Babylon and to all of God’s people, wherever they were scattered.
Chapters 1-6 are in the form of a historical narrative. They give us a detailed account of Daniel’s character and the challenges he faced as he sought to live as a true Jew in a pagan culture. Chapters 7-12 are apocalyptic in style (like the Book of Revelation), and describe visions God gave to Daniel about His plans for human history. They provide an overview of the rise and fall of earthly Kingdoms. They showed that the God of Israel was sovereign over the powerful nations that surrounded His people. They even give a direct prediction of the coming of the Messiah.
Apocalyptic Literature is not always easy to interpret but it is useful to understand that much of it is symbolic. It was always written to people who were going through suffering, and contains hidden meanings to encourage them in the face of opposition. For example, the numbers in the writing are used to express concepts, not statistics. What these numbers represented was well known and understood by the original readers.
It is also helpful to understand that the book of Daniel is not written chronologically. In 7:1 it says, “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon….” In 5:30, Belshazzar’s death is recorded. See also 9:1 and 11:1.
Chronology
Chapter 1 In the third year of Jehoiakim… 605 BC
Chapter 2 In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar… 603 BC
Chapter 7 In the first year of Belshazzar… 550 BC
Chapter 8 In the third year of Belshazzar… 547 BC
Chapter 9 In the first year of Darius… 539 BC
Chapter 11 Also in the first year of Darius… 539 BC
Chapter 10 In the third year of Cyrus… 536 BC
Timeline
612 BC Nineveh falls to the Medes and Babylonians
605 BC Nebuchadnezzar takes Daniel captive
603 BC Daniel interprets the King’s dream.
586 BC The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem
550 BC Belshazzar assumes the throne
539 BC Belshazzar’s Kingdom falls to Cyrus of Persia
538 BC The Jews are allowed to return to Israel
C.537 BC Daniel is thrown into the Lions’ den
I Am The Lord Your God
God’s chosen people were meant to be a holy nation, a light to the Gentiles, who would bear the saving knowledge of the true God to all people. But they were unfaithful and eventually became so wicked that God announced His intention to destroy them. He used first the Assyrians and then the Babylonians to take them into captivity for a period of exile.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (the latter three are better known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were four young Jewish noblemen who were taken to serve at the Babylonian court (vv.3-4). Probably no more than lads when they were captured, they were being re-educated as Babylonians. They had to speak the Babylonian language, and were given Babylonian names to remove their Jewish identity (vv.4-7). However, what was in their hearts could not be changed, and Daniel resolved to remain faithful to His God. He refused to defile himself by eating the food assigned to him from the king’s own table (v.8), which, no doubt, had been consecrated in some heathen religious ceremony. To do so would, in Daniel’s opinion, make him guilty of idol-worship (Deut.5:8).
This obedience to God’s ways put Daniel in a dangerous position; it could seriously have displeased ruthless King Nebuchadnezzar. But God was working out his purposes – He had chosen these young men to be the means by which He revealed to this proud and arrogant king that it was He, God, who was sovereign over the kingdoms of men. So God caused the young men to find favour amongst the officials (v.9), and He nourished and sustained them on their restricted diet of vegetables and water to the point where they excelled over all the other young men in appearance (v.15). He also gave them supernatural knowledge and understanding so that they were able to discern between the false and true in their instruction and, to Daniel, an ability to interpret visions and dreams (v.17). Thus God prepared them to find favour in the king’s eyes and to enter into his service.
Obedience is the way of blessing (Deut.11:27). Although it may often seem a high risk decision to walk in obedience to God rather than submit to the ways of men, it truly is the safest place you could ever be; for, “He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands” (Deut. 7:9 NIV).
Prayer:
* Come before the Lord with a repentant heart, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal those areas in your life where you are not being obedient.
* Take time to remember how Jesus, in obedience to His Father’s will, went to the cross
Thursday 16 December – Daniel 10
We’re In The Army Now!
The events of this chapter took place in 536 BC, the third year that Cyrus was governor over Babylon. Daniel had spent three weeks observing the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread when he was given this vision of Christ. Verse 13 refers to the Prince of Persia who cannot be a human figure, because the reference to Michael the archangel shows clearly that the battle took place in the heavenly realm. The Prince of Persia is a satanic figure who supervised the affairs of Persia, inspiring its religious, social and political structures for works of evil. The tussle between the angel and the demon lasted 21 days – the same length as Daniel’s fast. The Prince of Greece referred to in v.20 is another demon who has been assigned by satan to supervise the affairs of Greece.
I don’t know about you, but I often forget that I am engaged in a spiritual battle. I spend a lot of energy fighting the spiritual battle only in the physical, forgetting to use my spiritual weapons of warfare for this battle. We are engaged in a spiritual war, and what we do here has ramifications in the heavenlies and vice versa. The “man” that visited Daniel came to give him more revelation from God, and the Prince of Persia sought to detain this angelic being in order to prevent revelation being passed on to Daniel. Furthermore, when he had overcome the Prince of Persia, the Prince of Greece was waiting to do battle with him.
What does this mean for us today? Paul’s description of rulers, principalities and authorities over nations in Ephesians 6:12 is real. Over the nations there are demonic powers whose primary mission is to influence the religious, social, and political structures for evil. In England today, we can definitely see the results of their evil.
What can I do about it? Pray, intercede and confront evil wherever I am. God has already won this battle! We know the outcome – satan is defeated for eternity. We must stand up for righteousness in every sphere of society where we have influence, and we will see God’s power begin to sweep this land.
Prayer:
* Pray that God would help you to grow in your understanding of spiritual warfare as you continue to go deeper in prayer.
* Pray for our nation, that the spiritual tide would turn and the works of satan in our religious, social and political structures would start to be undone.