Ok. This next passage comes at a time when the king had troubling dreams. His wise counsellors could not comfort him and he was so troubled that he ordered the death of all the wise men in Babylon.
That alone is telling. Maybe we have all gotten to a place of frustration where we have said, 'There are no answers to my dilemma. All of you people who say you know something can take a hike.'
The thing is... God had a man in Babylon.
"And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said:
'Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king's matter.' " - Daniel 2:16-23 ESV
God raise up people and He puts them down. That says so much to me. Is every leader or person 'raised up' by God? No, Some get raised up by birth, influence or ability but God does raise people up and God does put people down.
Daniel was wise and compassionate. He asked for prayer. Prayer is a mechanism God seems to use. We pray and God restores order. The fall brought entropy into our lives. Things tend to move into a state of disorder but life is complex and ordered.
This is what happened after Daniel spoke to the king.
"Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, 'Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.' Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court." - Daniel 2:46-49 ESV
God used Daniel to comfort this king who could be comforted no other way. The king's confusion was turned to joy and satisfaction.
Jesus is my Daniel. Daniel was a 'type' of Christ. Jesus can comfort a person that no one else can reach. Answers sometimes are not the answer. God raises up a person to reveal Jesus and the confusion that seemed to have no remedy is replaced by the joy of eternal perspective.
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Showing posts with label Daniel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel. Show all posts
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Recognizing The Child
"Daniel answered the king and said, 'No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries... The king answered and said to Daniel, 'Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.' Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon." - Daniel 2:27-28a, 47-48 ESV
"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'... When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." - Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11 ESV
How did the wise men know to look for this star? Maybe someday we will find out. We do know that God raised up Daniel in Babylon and he brought what God gave him to the table as chef prefect over the wise men of Babylon.
In Ezra we see a return of Hebrew people to Israel after a 70 year Captivity but only a fraction of them went back.
"The whole assembly together was 42,360," - Ezra 2:64 ESV
This isn't the whole number. More returned over time after the temple and city walls were restored but most lived where they were taken and were scattered among the nations of the world.
Daniel's God Is the God who reveals mysteries. The God of the Hebrew Is the Father of the Messiah.
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" - Romans 8:29-32 ESV
This Messiah is the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.
Those who believe have seen a star hover of the person of the Messiah. Jesus isn't just another man to us. He Is the Savior of the World. We go where He Is to worship Him and say, 'This One is special.'
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
'Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.'
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
'Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel...' " - Luke 2:25-34a ESV
Yes. He Is.
The glory of God hovers over the Gospel of Grace. It is not like other messages. It doesn't tell us how to please God. It tells us how God was pleased with His Son and that we also can come into that pleasure just by believing in what Jesus has done.
That is the star I follow all year long. It brings me to the person of Christ. It brings me into the embrace of the one who has loved me before time began.
Follow the Star home this Christmas. Maybe God will also give us a few who will come with us.
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"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'... When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." - Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11 ESV
How did the wise men know to look for this star? Maybe someday we will find out. We do know that God raised up Daniel in Babylon and he brought what God gave him to the table as chef prefect over the wise men of Babylon.
In Ezra we see a return of Hebrew people to Israel after a 70 year Captivity but only a fraction of them went back.
"The whole assembly together was 42,360," - Ezra 2:64 ESV
This isn't the whole number. More returned over time after the temple and city walls were restored but most lived where they were taken and were scattered among the nations of the world.
Daniel's God Is the God who reveals mysteries. The God of the Hebrew Is the Father of the Messiah.
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" - Romans 8:29-32 ESV
This Messiah is the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.
Those who believe have seen a star hover of the person of the Messiah. Jesus isn't just another man to us. He Is the Savior of the World. We go where He Is to worship Him and say, 'This One is special.'
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
'Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.'
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
'Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel...' " - Luke 2:25-34a ESV
Yes. He Is.
The glory of God hovers over the Gospel of Grace. It is not like other messages. It doesn't tell us how to please God. It tells us how God was pleased with His Son and that we also can come into that pleasure just by believing in what Jesus has done.
That is the star I follow all year long. It brings me to the person of Christ. It brings me into the embrace of the one who has loved me before time began.
Follow the Star home this Christmas. Maybe God will also give us a few who will come with us.
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