Penitent Prayer for Mercy and Grace

Daniel 9:1-19 

1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.

8 "O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.

13 "As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!

16 "O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord's sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name."

Daniel was given understanding of the seventy years that Jerusalem would be abandoned in desolation with God’s people in Babylonian captivity, just as Ezekiel had spoken God’s word and inscribed it to be read and reflected on.  Therefore, Daniel prayed and fasted while looking toward the holy city in rubble.  He was penitently making intercession for himself and his people for their sin of walking away from adherence to His word and righteous ways which they had been called to in covenant with Him.  Having broken that covenant of works time and again, they had been carried off in bondage to the godless Babylon where idols were plentiful and which were reminders of their own idolatry and immortality.  He confesses their sins of leaving Him who had chosen them and praised the great and awesome God who is faithful when they were not and shows great mercy to those who truly love Him.  He confessed their wicked ways of leaving His word to live by and their cosmic rebellion in turning a deaf ear to Him speaking through the prophets who were the mouthpiece messengers of the LORD, calling them to holiness through repentance and faith to follow Him.  Yes, he confessed their shame in the face of His righteousness and admitted their unfaithfulness which led to their banishment from His presence and bondage to their sin under foreign godless masters.  They had reaped what was sown in unrighteousness and unbelief as they worshipped lifeless gods and lived unholy lives in spite of Him and His word of life, choosing death instead according to the terms of His covenant with them.  Such judgment and destruction of Jerusalem was truly worse than ever seen before, leaving shock and awe to all onlookers.  Yet he also confessed that it was their leaving God which brought this judgment on themselves as it was written by Moses (Leviticus 26:14-17, Jeremiah 44:2-3) because they had not turned in repentance and prayer to understand the truth of these things and live righteous lives again in obedient response to all He said.  He admitted that they deserved their consequences of judgment for their sin as divine justice and shamed His name after bringing them out of the bondage of Egypt which they seemed to have forgotten or disregarded.  Then he prayed for mercy according to His righteousness that God’s wrath on their sin might be turned away just as it is forever in Christ who interceded for all His chosen people now.  He prayed for light to shine on the sanctuary for worship to resume in the place chosen to honor His name as holy through atonement of the sacrifice, pointing to the atoning sacrifice of Christ to come which completely covers all our sin forever.  Daniel cried out for this mercy and forgiveness to reconcile the people of God to Him because of His great mercy alone and not according to any works they had done or could ever do.  He prayed in this grace for God to hear, forgive, and act quickly to save those who were called by His name.  We also now pray for this reconciling grace of merciful forgiveness to bring the chosen children back from sin to Him in faith and repentance by grace.  This is our penitent prayer for mercy and grace for all God’s people in Christ Jesus our Lord.  God forgives because He shows mercy.  Even when we were still lost in our sin and living by lies, He gave us truth and called us to understand His grace and mercy.  We suffer under the curse of our sin until we believe this truth fulfilled in Jesus Christ alone.  Only then can we be changed and then find the way to live as He tells us and listen His truth with understanding for life both now and into forever with Him.  God's nature never changes; He still can be called upon and pleaded with as our broken and contrite hearts lead us to the throne of mercy and grace to find help for our ever-needy souls.  For His glory we cry out, leaning on His great mercies.  We are called out by Him and so for Him, and prayer keeps us focused on and following Christ in us, the Hope of glory.  O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Amen. 

Certainty in Uncertain Times

Daniel 8:1-27 

1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.

5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.

8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?"

14 And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed."

15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, "Gabriel, make this man understand the vision." 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end."

18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, "Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.

23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.

24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 "Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.

26 "And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future."

27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king's business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.

Daniel had a vision of a Ram and a Goat, of daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, and the sanctuary and the host to be trampled.  After seeing many confusing things concerning what would unfold into history, Gabriel came to him and interpreted the waking dream to Daniel in yet more veiled language.  These things were not to be all comprehended at that time, just like in the final book of the Bible, but unveiled as certain nations and leaders (horns) arose and fell according to God’s sovereign purposes along His predetermined timeline.  The ram arose to conquer unopposed, the goat rushed in and felled him by trampling the horns of the ram so none could deliver from the goat’s hand of might.  This goat had one horn break off and exalted himself to heaven, and “it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.”  This symbolism points at satan in his arrogant self-exalting pride (Isaiah 14:13) taking a third of heaven’s angels down at his fall from that place (Revelation 12:4).  The daily sacrifices were stopped (as when Rome leveled the temple in 70 AD) and truth was thrown down to the ground to be stomped away in his rage against the LORD and His Anointed to come (Psalm 2:1-2, Acts 4:25-27), who is Christ Jesus at the hands of Herod and Pontius Pilate.  Such evil seems to prosper in the history of the world, but we hold to the promise of the eternal kingdom to come and rest in the sovereign omnipotence of the King of kings and Lord of all lords who will defeat each of these in their appointed times.  Our God is lord of history and all in it, both in heaven and on earth.  Yes, we can attempt to count days and construct timelines by our limited understanding or we can instead hold on to the Lord who has all times (Psalm 31:15) in His hands.  There is nothing and no one to fear in all of history, past or present or future, besides the one who alone has the power of eternal judgment or deliverance (Luke 12:5) for all who trust in that Anointed One in whose hands we sit firmly (John 10:28-29) forever.  Gabriel gave comfort to Daniel by explaining that these things were to take place at the time end of the end, the judgment day at the appointed time when God holds all created beings accountable.  He described some of the kings and nations, but not all, such as the mighty unnamed king who will rise up and conquer with sinister schemes according to the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11) and destroy even the holy people of God.  Cunning and deception will be his weapons as he rises against the Prince of peace Himself, yet that one will be sovereignty dealt with by God Himself.  This vision was sealed up for us to consider when the end comes, not to be embroiled in the details and miss the mark of the gospel message by battling our own understanding of what God unveils as and when He wills.  Like Daniel, we can become sick and weak trying to comprehend it all and fear the wrong things by focusing on the end times events instead of the One in complete control of mall these things to come.  He promises to preserve and keep us in His grace no matter what tribulation we go through because we have that certain hope after death which no enemy or circumstance can remove or alter.  We above all people have certainty in uncertain times! 

The Saints will Inherit an Eternal Kingdom

Daniel 7:15-28 

15 "I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 'Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'

19 "Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

21 "I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

23 "Thus he said:

'The fourth beast shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.

24 The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.

25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.

26 'But the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.

27 Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.'

28 "This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart."

The main point of this vision which God interpreted for Daniel was that the saints of the LORD would inherit the eternal kingdom after the tribulations of the world’s kingdoms fail to succeed against them.  The four main kingdoms are described and explained to a point that we might understand they are either distinct kings or types of them, with the fourth one most likely being a specific one which we can imagine is the Antichrist or his ruling government set against God’s chosen children who have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17).  As Daniel had been deeply troubled by the visions, this explanation of the truth helped him have some peace but still left him troubled, so he kept this to himself for a while before writing it down for us.  Likewise, knowing enough of the truth of these times at the end help us to trust in God and rely on His sovereign keeping by grace through these pressing times if we are the generation to live through them.  Our escape plan is not therefore to be taken out of those times, but through them for His glory and eternal keeping.  The four beasts are to be encountered along history’s path, but the hope we stand firmly upon is that we will certainly receive the kingdom of the Most High God and possess or absolutely forevermore, never to be taken from us or us out of it because we are held firm in the omnipotent grasp of His hand of grace in Christ (Isaiah 43:13, John 10:28-29)!  The fourth beast is the one Daniel was most concerned about because of it power to kill and destroy as its master (John 10:10) has since the fall of mankind.  He speaks pompously proud blasphemy and with the horn of his power granted to him for a time as he wages war against God’s chosen made holy in Christ until the final judgment and resulting rule of those saints in the everlasting kingdom to come as the will of God is done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).  All will serve and obey Him in the end, both those surrendering to the gospel and those opposing the Lord and His reconciliation by grace in Christ Jesus.  Every knee will bow to His authority (Isaiah 45:23-24, Philippians 2:10-11) by believing God as His work earning our deliverance (John 6:29), while those rejecting that word and work who refuse to believe and receive Him (John 1:12) will not enter into the kingdom, but face certain eternal punishment.  We the saints made holy in Christ will see the kingdoms of this world fail and fall and will inherit the eternal kingdom of God in He who is our temple (Revelation 21:22) to worship forevermore!  Why then be troubled by tribulations or be consumed in working out the details of the end times when we have the outcome set securely before us? 

Four Beasts from the Sea and the Ancient of Days

Daniel 7:1-14

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.

2 Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

5 "And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'

6 "After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

9 "I watched till thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a burning fire;

10 A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened.

11 "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

13 "I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.

14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

This vision of terrible judgment and of the LORD ruling in awe as the Ancient of Days over all the world controlling each beast throughout history was shown to Daniel and we still wrestle with the exact meaning of these revelations to this present day.  Many symbolic aspects make it impossible to understand before events unfold before our eyes even with further explanations to Daniel, but some general things can be surmised about the times.  The certainties revolve more around the picture of the LORD as the Ancient of Days, eternal in the heavens and sovereign over all times, kingdoms, people, and places.  The vision of the four beasts called out of the sea were a winged lion with a man’s heart, a terrifying devouring bear, a bird-winged leopard with four heads which ruled, and a terrifying iron-toothed beast with ten horns (and a later smaller one) often symbolic of powers or ruling authority of nations.  This fourth creature was more destructive and ferocious than the other three before him and the small horn with eyes arose spoke pompously with great prideful boasting.  Before the interpretation was given in the second half of this chapter, we have an encouraging interlude to describe the Eternal LORD of all creation who always existed and forever will keep existing, the Ancient of Days as we reckon time and the Sovereign ruler over the worst of these beasts and their plans.  They all fall under His absolute control and can venture no further than what He has planned.  We are therefore to fear Him who can cast into Hell and not tremble for these ominous ones (Matthew 10:28) or what terror they unleash on the world.  The Glorious One is described as clothed in the pure white (Revelation 1:14) of absolute holiness and was seated on a fiery throne with the wheels described by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:15, 10:9).  Fire (Isaiah 66:15-16) came from Him in judgment as a multitude stood before Him in service (Revelation 5:11-12) as the judge opened the books (Revelation 20:12-13) to hold all accountable.  The pompous horn was judged and sentenced to the fire (Revelation 19:20, 20:10).  The Son of Man then came in the clouds from heaven to rule over all peoples, nations, and languages as we read of Christ in Revelation 7:9-10 (Revelation 5:9-10 also) whose citizens come from all over the world to serve in that kingdom to come.  His rule is everlasting and the kingdom indestructible.  We can therefore not focus on the end times and their terrors of tribulations, but on the One who rules in absolute sovereignty with grace for His chosen plucked from the fire by the work of Jesus Christ our Lord.  The beasts and their mayhem are no match for God’s absolute control over all history and circumstances to come.  May we then serve Him acceptably (Hebrews 12:28-29) in His unshakable kingdom.  We must consider what and Who matters in all these things.

Honoring God brings Deliverance

Daniel 6:18-28 

18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."

23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

24 And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.

25 Then King Darius wrote:

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.

26 I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.

27 He delivers and rescues,
And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel was delivered from the lions because he honored God and His holy name, refusing to bow to worship any other.  His salvation was God’s work to stop the roaring lion from killing him when imprisoned with a death sentence as part of the unjust punishment.  We also are saved from the roaring lion (Psalm 22:13, 1 Peter 5:8) who prowls about with a mindset to devour the children of God in Christ for our testimony to the grace of His deliverance through the gospel (Revelation 12:17).  We are kept by the Lord from the eternal destruction reserved for the adversary who targets us because we are in Christ and hold firm to that testimony of grace against all evil haters of Him who would see us bow to their idols to smear God’s name and dishonor Him with lies and accusations and unjust laws passed solely to this end.  When Daniel was thrown to the lions, he trusted God as did the ruler Darius who was tricked into passing such an unbreakable and blasphemous law.  He reassured Daniel that (Daniel 6:16) He would deliver him from the ravenous mouth of the lion because the man was of God and served Him rather than man.  How great the joy of Darius the king after a sleepless night when he found Daniel still alive and completely unharmed!  With a lament in his voice he cried out for an answer and heard how the LORD had kept the man of continuous faith from death.  He heard of Daniel’s innocence and that he had done no wrong to the king by refusing to worship anyone other than the living God.  Darius set things straight according to the law to hold the slanderers and workers of iniquity accountable by throwing them and their entire families to the lions for destruction as a picture of His vengeance on those who attack His children who are in Christ and cry out for justice (Revelation 6:10).  They also will be held eternally responsible and accountable.  King Darius therefore made a public proclamation equivalent to law that all should fear God and tremble before His righteous power to save or punish.  He acknowledged that God alone is living and eternal, firmly enduring forever as sovereign and whose kingdom cannot be taken or shaken from Him or His children.  He alone saves from the roaring lion and works wondrous things (Psalm 72:18, 86:10, Job 5:8-9) for those who worship Him alone by faith.  After these things, faithful Daniel prospered under 5e rule of this king and the one following.  We also prosper in faith until we abide forever under the King of kings in the kingdom to come, even as we face the roaring lion and perilous times for the gospel’s sake.  We remember that honoring God brings deliverance.

Thrown to the Lions for God

Daniel 6:1-17 

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"

The king answered and said, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."

13 So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."

14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed."

16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.

Daniel was above board, excellent of spirit and righteous in all his dealings, and so was promoted to a high position and considered for one above all others but the king as Joseph was.  But here the other leaders grew exceedingly jealous and could find no dirt to dredge up on Daniel, so they found a way to trap him in his faith’s practice.  They drew up a law much as our own judicial system and had it signed by the ruler who did not fully consider the ramifications for those of faith like Daniel.  This law demanded worship of another god who was the king himself, much as the later Caesar enacted and enforced to a point.  Here the force of this blasphemous legislation was to be cast into a den of lions, which they also were members who wrote and pushed through this law with evil intent against those who worship God in heaven and which was written to target Daniel specifically to take the power from him to rule in his place over others.  This law was not breakable according to the laws of that nation of the Medes and Persians, and so even king Darius would not be able to nullify it after it had been passed by him, knowingly or unwittingly.  The trap was cunningly set to throw the godly man to the lions.  Daniel’s commitment to daily devotion times of prayer were not stopped even when he heard this decree and knew the consequences; he continued to pray three times a day.  He opened the window and looked towards the holy Jerusalem where God met with man for confession and atoning sacrifices of worship and where he and his people had been taken from into captivity.  He did not forget or compromise his LORD, no matter the law or plot to attack and sentence him to death for worshiping Him alone.  Daniel trusted God’s sovereign authority and providence over the laws of the land and did not fight the decrees of evil men.  Instead, he looked out his window and prayed as always even when he knew the enemy would be looking to catch and accuse and sentence him to death.  That is our example of faith.  We are not to overthrow our leaders to gain our ends while godly people suffer, but entrust our souls to our Lord’s sovereign will (1 Peter 4:19) and trust in His goodness and mercy because He is faithful.  Even king Darius knew when he had been deceived into writing this law and the sentence put Daniel into the lion’s den, even then he committing the man of God into His hands by faith to deliver him saying, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."  Our God will deliver us at times in this world from evil men who draw up laws to persecute those who worship Him and refuse to bow to their idols, but even if He does not, we have been and will be delivered from so great a death (2 Corinthians 1:9-10), eternal in the den of burning fire.  The roaring lion who is our enemy because of Christ Jesus seeks to trap us in that den with him by keeping us from knowing the Lord through the gospel and serving Him in worship once we are Christ’s.  We trust and worship no matter what laws that lion works against us and continue to worship all day long because we trust Him who delivers from the lion’s den of iniquity when we are thrown to the lions for God.  The weapons of our warfare are not worldly legal wrangling or violent protests, but absolute entrusting of our souls to God in doing good.  May all those who name the name of Christ live in faith like this (2 Timothy 2:19).  Amen.

The Writing is on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31 

1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. 2 While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

5 In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. 6 Then the king's countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." 8 Now all the king's wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.

10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke, saying, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation."

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. 16 And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

17 Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. 21 Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.

22 "But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written.

25 "And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

26 This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; 27 TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.   

The descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, king Belshazzar of the Chaldeans, had a feast with a thousand of his princes, a huge affair with many witnesses to what God was about to show him.  He mocked the LORD of Israel by using the gold and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem to get drunk with instead of their holy consecrated use (1 Kings 7:51, Daniel 1:2).  They further praised idol gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone with these items made for the living God alone.  This blasphemous act was not to be tolerated by the LORD.  A hand appeared out of nowhere and wrote on the wall in the sight of drunken Belshazzar as a warning of judgement which he could not decipher the meaning.  His his knees actually knocked together in great fear as he cried out for someone to read and interpret this ominous omen written by an otherworldly hand before all present to see.  He offered a great reward which included a third part of the kingdom to anyone who could read and give the meaning of this glaring supernatural message written seemingly just for him.  The wise men had no solution, bit the queen remembered and told him, “There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God.”  She spoke of Daniel who could understand and interpret such things as he did for Nebuchadnezzar, the father of king Belshazzar.  She told of how “light and understanding and excellent wisdom” were found in this man of God, and Daniel was hurriedly summoned to the king to read and give understanding to this enigma.  Daniel refused the gifts as a reward and first told the story of his father who had been given his kingdom and majesty, glory and honor by God’s hand, but whose pride had taken it from him for a time, “till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses” in humility and attributed all he had to the hand of God writing it and putting all in the king’s hand.  Now this hand from God came to Belshazzar because of his unrepentant pride in judgment.  He knew his father’s story and still refused to submit to God’s sovereign authority.  He did not honor or respect God and misused the holy cups of God’s temple to worship dead idols instead.  Judgment had come and with it the fingers of the hand were sent from God to write this message, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.  A coin, half coin, and the Persians.  The coin repeated first was the measure of the kingdom of Belshazzar, a half of that then showed he was wanting (fallen short of God’s measure), and the last showed he lost his kingdom to others (Medes and Persians) because of his unrepentant pride.  Daniel was honored for the interpretation in spite of the bad news, and king Belshazzar was killed that night.  Darius the Mede took over as prophesied.  The writing was on the wall.  This lesson demonstrates the importance of repentance and consequences of unrepentant pride.  May we always acknowledge and say that God is the sovereign authority over all, blessed be His name when He gives and takes away (Job 1:21)! 

From Pride’s Fall to Rising Praise

Daniel 4:28-37

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.

34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, "What have You done?"

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Nebuchadnezzar allowed his pride to attribute the great kingdom he ruled over to his own efforts instead of as he was told had been given to him by the Most High God.  A year after Daniel was used to call the king to humble righteousness through repentance from his pride, he spoke out loud to contradict God.  He looked around and said that he had built Babylon for himself by his mighty power instead of that of the Almighty and for his honor and majesty instead of for the honor of God who alone is the sovereign over all kings and people.  He ignored (Daniel 4:25) the consequences and faced the judgment by refusing to humble himself (Daniel 4:27) through repentance and pursuing righteousness.  The LORD sent a heavenly messenger to tell him the kingdom had been taken away and he would be made as a wild animal licking dew from the grass instead of elegant banquets in his palace.  This was to teach him that God alone reigns as Sovereign over all worldly kingdoms and He alone entrusts the rule of them to those He chooses to sit on their thrones for only as long as He allows.  Nebuchadnezzar therefore ran wild and hairy as a beast of the fields until the allotted time had passed.  He finally looked up to heaven where the Almighty God reigned and understood these things.  He praised God as he was humbled and repented by honoring and blessing His holy name.  His speech rang out as a song of praise to confess that God’s heavenly eternal kingdom ruled over all others in complete sovereignty.  All men, including all kings and emperors, are as nothing compared to the King of kings and Lord of lords!  God does according to His will and not as others will, for nobody can hold back the hand of His sovereign omnipotence or question what he chooses to do.  As a result, God returned the earthly kingdom of Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar as promised (Daniel 4:26) along with his former glory, honor, and splendor he had lost.  Not only did his counselors and nobles of the court come back, the king had even more majesty added to his former standing.  His final recorded words were to praise and lift the name of God high and honor Him above all others, including himself.  His pride had been submitted in repentance according to the truths revealed to him in this difficult lesson.  He admitted God was just to do this and He knocks the pride out of those who exalt themselves by humbling them for his glory.  What a lesson in pride and humility which leads us from pride’s fall of self-importance to our rising praise in humbly submitting to the Lord Almighty by accepting His grace in whatever He entrusts to us as stewards and not earners as self-made men of all we possess or seem to control.  All praise, glory, and honor to Him!

A Call to Humble Righteousness

Daniel 4:19-27

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you."

Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!

20 "The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.

23 "And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him'; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.

26 "And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."

Nebuchadnezzar's dream was a call from God to repentance and righteousness.  Daniel was so astonished and troubled by the dream revealed by God to him that he took a while to sit and sift through it before finding a way to explain it to the king.  The king assured him and told him not to be upset but simply say plainly what it meant.  Of course, Daniel was hesitant and wanted Nebuchadnezzar to know it was nothing personal from him.  He then explained how the immense tree overshadowing the land was his kingdom with authority over all around him and was a great and strong dominion that had been given to him and grown even more by his hand.  Like the Tower of Babel, however, the king and kingdom had grown in pride as it reached to heaven while reaching out over the earth.  A holy watcher, and angel of God, was therefore sent to confuse the kingdom by confusing the king instead of the languages.  He would be stripped of his dignity and have his sense confused for a time to learn that God alone is sovereign over all in power and majesty.  He would be driven mad and graze upon grass with the dumb animals as a beast himself to learn this lesson that the great kingdoms men rule over are all given by God and not earned.  It is the Most High alone who controls who rules on earth and for how long; mortal wisdom and might of political or military strength do not gain or keep what nobody deserves.  It is all God’s grace.  There was hope in the night vision, however.  Nebuchadnezzar would find a stump of his kingdom waiting for his return after he came to understand and confess these truths that heaven alone rules.  Daniel’s counsel of sound godly advice was for the king to repent, pursue righteousness, and show mercy to the poor instead of taking advantage of others for gain.  That was the only hope of continued prosperity, through repentance and change of heart with living that reflected that humbling.  This is a picture of the gospel with repentance and faith with a converted life lived in humble righteousness as a result of that grace of God, whether as a ruler of nations or the lowest servant.  May we all give glory to the Lord in heaven and heed the call to righteous obedience through repentance by faith, especially to those given a political or other ruling position over others for their good (Romans 13:1, 4-6, Colossians 1:16).  Trust the Lord and give Him all the glory as we acknowledge all authority and power and honor is His alone.  We do not earn or deserve what we have been given by our flowery speeches or mighty deeds.  This is a call to humble righteousness with a resulting life of obedience in thankful grace.  

Sovereign Understanding of Providence

Daniel 4:1-18

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.

2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.

3 How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

10 "These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.

11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.

12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.

13 "I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud and said thus:
Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven times pass over him.

17 'This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.'

18 "This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you."

Here is the second dream of Nebuchadnezzar the king of the Chaldeans of Babylon.  He began the narrative by praising the LORD God who had revealed his first dream of his present mighty kingdom and those to follow him as interpreted through Daniel the man of God.  Therefore, because Daniel had been able to tell him the hidden dream and its interpretation as no mortal man should be able to do, the king extolled God’s mighty signs and wonders worked for him to hear and see.  This is as when Jesus Christ opens our eyes by His Spirit to behold such wonderful things from His written word when we are regenerated by that same power of revelation in our souls (1 Corinthians 2:10, Ephesians 3:3-5).  He who loves in us now is our interpreter to understand such mighty works of God and their meaning from the beginning in Genesis describing our fall to need redemption all the way to the consummation of redemption in Revelation 22:20-21 assuring His return and grace until that glorious day!  Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the sovereign power and dominion of the King of kings and His eternal kingdom that never ends as a foreshadowing of the kingdom of heaven in us now and into the forevermore of the New Jerusalem, the Celestial City brought to earth where we will worship Him always.  If only that king could see the things revealed to us now in Christ!  His second dream instead troubled the king, this time telling it to hear an interpretation instead of demanding it to be as if read from his minds like the first one.  After the charlatans had no answers, Daniel came at last to hear the dream and who the king now acknowledged, “in him is the Spirit of the Holy God.”  He explained the entire vision to the man of God, describing a towering tree of strength reaching out over the whole earth, strong and bearing much fruit, providing food no shelter to all around.  Suddenly an angel from heaven, described as a holy watcher, came down and commanded the tree to be felled, stripped of branches, fruit, and leaves along with all who were fed and sheltered by it.  The stump with its roots was left, bound and watered by dew from heaven while he grazed like an animal in the field.  His heart was made mad like a beast of the wild, left to mindlessly graze for a set time.  This was the decree made in the vision dream as a sentence of the holy ones watching on.  The reason for all this was for all to know that the Most High alone rules among the visible temporary kingdoms on earth, which rule He entrusts and takes away at His will in His time of sovereign providence.  No kingdom or nation rises or falls in its own might or wisdom or goodness; the LORD of heaven alone (John 19:11, Romans 13:1) gives rule and takes it away, not based on a man’s power or greatness of any kind, just as king David was a small ordinary shepherd chosen to lead God’s people.  After king Nebuchadnezzar had shared this dream with  Daniel, he awaited its interpretation by the LORD of heaven, knowing he was “able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”  He acknowledged God alone has the future in His hands along with us all.  Our trust and reliance on truth is likewise found in His word as interpreted by the Holy One living in us as our watcher and helper to lead and guide for His name’ sake.  We look for His sovereign understanding of providence in all history - past, present, and future. 

Delivered from the Fire to Praise

Daniel 3:19-30

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"

They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."

25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.

How Daniel trusted the deliverance of God!  He risked all to honor the LORD by refusing to bow to the king’s idol or worship false, serving dead gods which are not gods (Jeremiah 16:20, Galatians 4:8) at the threat of certain death in the fire.  When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow, king Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered the fiery furnace of death to be superheated to eradicate these godly men who would not worship another god.  They were tied up and thrown into that inferno, killing those henchmen who cast them into what was supposed to be their instant death.  God had other plans.  He joined the three in their midst of the intense fire as their Deliverer, appearing in form as the Son of God to the king.  He had freed the three of their bounds and kept them from burning to death in that incinerator as He joined them there!  Nebuchadnezzar was in awe as he now recognized them as servants of the Most High God who delivered them from the fire and to praise this Almighty One whom he tried to usurp with his powerless idols as empty objects of worship.  He beckoned the three to come out of the furnace of death which could not take the life given them and preserved by the Son of God.  He gave praises and glory to the only one who delivers and is to be worshiped when he witnessed the great saving work from the fire of judgment.  Such is the awe people still have when God snatches us from the fire of eternal judgment (2 Peter 3:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10, Revelation 20:10, 15).  The Son of God came to earth to walk around with us that we might trust His power and ability to deliver us from His wrath on our sin that we may follow Him out of the fiery judgment which we all face as the inevitable to come.  Our enemy would have us worship false dead gods instead of the Almighty and serve our own imaginations instead of having unshakable faith in the Deliverer of our souls.  Nebuchadnezzar realized his error and praised this only God when he witnessed the faith of the three who staked their lives on eternity by refusing to worship other gods or bow to his idols.  The king changed the law from punishment of death for those not worshiping his idols to punishment for those not worshiping or even speaking against this Almighty One who alone can deliver in such a way from the much more intense fire than Nebuchadnezzar’s to come (Jude 1:23, Zechariah 3:2).  God honored these three who stood firm in their faith and even promoted them on earth as they awaited their eternal promotion to glory.  This is an example for us to stand fast and firm in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13, Philippians 3:20-21, 4:1) as we await His return, knowing we who trust Him will never burn.  Such is the promise to all who trust completely in the Son of God who walked among us in the threatening fire of judgment.  We have been delivered from that fire to praise and serve the Son of God!  God will deliver or allow hardship and even death.  In all things He is sovereign and honors those who honor Him.  This is why we endure suffering and do not yield to worshipping other so-called gods or dishonor God by following the world opposed by sin to Him.  The Son of God walks among and in us.

Not Going to Bow to Your Idol

Daniel 3:1-18 

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."

7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up."

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?"

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon made an image of gold and set it in a prominent place with a command that all must worship that work of men’s hands in direct defiance of the first commandment (Exodus 20:3-5) of the living God.  This towering and overbearing idol was dedicated in front of all the leaders of the country with the command to bow and worship when certain music was played by that pied piper, leading the rats away from God.  Those who refused to bow down and worship that idol were promised to be cast into a burning fiery furnace at once.  There are even those today as in North Korea who must bow to idols of dead rulers or face similarly harsh punishment.  The enemy is insistent on leading people away from worship of the one true and living God by substituting dead images towering over them with threats to comply or die, if not just being ostracized or jailed.  The certain Jews, Daniel's and his friends, disobeyed the King and were reported by “certain Chaldeans,” (who also called them out as those in high positions in the government) most likely citizens who hated God and His people and who sought favor with the king or even positions in his government when the troublemakers were gone.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were accused of not paying due regard to the king because they did not serve his gods or worship the gold idol (Revelation 9:20) which the king personally had set up.  Such is the ongoing atheist’s attack on government officials who worship God to bring them down to stop God’s word and witness which is evident more each day.  The trio of God worshippers were brought before the king to be questioned if they really refused to worship his dead gods or the lifeless idol he erected.  They answered with no need to defend their actions because they trusted God who was able to deliver them from the burning fire of his judgment.  But they also told him plainly that even if they were not delivered (Job 13:15) they would still trust Him to the death and not bow to his idol in defiance of God’s word.  They did not serve his gods nor worship the gold idol setup to lead others astray.  God meant more than life itself and He alone deserves all glory, honor, and praise.  They would worship nothing and no one else.  That was their firm and valiant stand for the truth.  Are we willing to stand against idols of this world and risk the burning consequences that we might likewise worship God without compromise?  The alternative for these deceivers is to face the flames of the lake of fire in God’s judgment or find deliverance through Jesus Christ to worship God alone.  This account is a testimony to God’s grace to deliver and our resolve to put Him above all others.  We then choose to say that we are not going to bow to the idols of the world.

A Dream Revealed by God

Daniel 2:24-49 

24 Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: "Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation."

25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, "I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation."

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?"

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

31 "You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 "This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37 You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; 38 and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret." 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

The dream of Nebuchadnezzar was revealed to Daniel and now he explained what God showed him to the bewildered king.  Much has been said and many interpretations of this prophetic vision and its explanation have been ventured.  Like other such passages, it has meaning of the immediate future of that time while indicating more to come much later.  These far reaching meanings are less certain than the immediate of this king of Babylon and his empire which play out in the history of this book.  Daniel learned the necessary meaning from God and approached the executioner of the failed wisemen and asked to be taken to the king because he could provide the answers that were impossible for mortal men to give.  The king asked Daniel if he truly could make known the dream which he had seen and its interpretation.  Daniel answered truthfully that there is a God in heaven who alone is able to reveal secrets, and He is the one who has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days of his reign.  It was not Daniel or Belteshazzar as he was renamed, nor was it any other conjuror or ungodly wise man who seemed to practice divination with false gods.  No, only the true and living God Almighty had this wisdom and power to uncover and explain secrets such as those in dreams.  Daniel made it abundantly clear that he was not shown this secret due to his own wisdom but so that the king would know and understand what God had been telling him to prepare them all for the rise and fall of kingdoms.  The vision shown to Daniel described as a statue, “This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.” and, “You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.”  Daniel then gave the meaning to the king.  God had given Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, power, strength, and glory to rule them well and wisely, but that kingdom would eventually be overtaken by four others.  They also would not last.  However, eventually a kingdom would come which would never be destroyed.  That kingdom would break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it stand forever.  Clearly this points to God’s kingdom to come which Jesus Christ and His apostles spoke of in the scriptures.  God through Nebuchadnezzar was showing us all what kingdoms would come and fall away as well as the eternal kingdom surpassing all those of mortal men.  As Daniel said, “The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”. God’s word and predetermined plan of history has been established from the beginning and He chooses to show us the parts and in the details we need to know.  When Daniel revealed the dream and its implications, the king honored him and his friends by promoting them in his temporal kingdom while giving the glory to the God who alone can reveal these things to men.  It is God who rules the kingdoms of this world and beyond and who honors those who tell others these things according to His word.  May we also be so faithful to reveal the mystery of Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) and His kingdom we pray to come (Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2) and indeed is within us already (Luke 17:21).  Let us not bog ourselves down in pursuing prophetic history not revealed with speculative teachings, but speak of and live for that which has been given us to know and teach and to pursue what is certain and its interpretation sure that we may be consumed by Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:1-2).