March 6, 2010 (Daniel 4-6)

I'm reading only three chapters today, because there is so much in here I want to capture. If I could just live my life by these three chapters, what a difference it would make.

These chapters start off with King Nebuchadnezzar wanting Daniel to interpret a dream he has had. Here is part of his dream:

^{Daniel 4:17} For this has been decreed by the messengers;
it is commanded by the holy ones,
so that everyone may know
that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world.
He gives them to anyone he chooses—
even to the lowliest of people.”

Nebuchadnezzar became proud because of his kingdom. Even after Daniel interpreted his dream and told him that he would be driven from society and become like a wild animal from his pride, he paid no attention. Verse 3o later says that he was walking on his roof, overlooking the great city of Babylon that he said outloud: ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’
³¹ “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom.

God instantly removed him from power and he was driven from human society for 'seven periods of time' (it's not clear if it was seven years, or seven seasons of three months, etc.). But verse 34 states the result of this humbling by God:

³⁴ “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting,
and his kingdom is eternal.
³⁵ All the people of the earth
are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
among the angels of heaven
and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

³⁶ “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before.
³⁷ “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

There is no room for pride in anyone's life, but most specifically, the Christian life. Everything we have is from God, and He could take it all away at any time He chooses.

Chapter 5 tells of the next king, and his arrogance as well. Here are a couple of verses that stood out from this chapter:

^{(Spoken by Daniel) 18} Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ He made him so great that people of all races and nations and languages trembled before him in fear. He killed those he wanted to kill and spared those he wanted to spare. He honored those he wanted to honor and disgraced those he wanted to disgrace. ²⁰ But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. ²¹ He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them. ²² “You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. ²³ .... But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny!

So that very night, God took the life of Belshazzar and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.

Now, Chapter 6 is the most encouraging/convicting. This is the story of "Daniel in the Lion's Den". Daniel, once again, stands out to King Darius. What are his character traits?

³ Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.⁴ Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. ⁵ So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

Those character traits are what made Daniel stand out to others from the very beginning. But they came to him as a result of his relationship with God. He was faithful to God, and God developed and matured those traits within him. How do I know this? Others knew of his faithfulness to God, and they knew that was the only way to possibly 'trip him up'. But instead of tripping him up, they just gave him an opportunity to show how great the God he served really is.

⁷ We are all in agreement that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. ⁹ So King Darius signed the law.

¹⁰ But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. ¹¹ Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.

So the official 'ratted him out' and the king had no option but to do what he had invoked, and that was to throw Daniel into the den of lions. But this caused him great angst.

¹⁶ So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.

(Side note: When we are concerned about something, do we go to this extreme? Do we turn off the TV and seek God? Do we wrestle with God over issues in our lives? The king, at this point, was an unbeliever, and although there is no mention of prayer, he was consumed with this situation. How much more should we be consumed with seeking God during moments such as this?)

¹⁹ Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

²¹ Daniel answered, “Long live the king! ²² My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.

Daniel was quite the servant of God. He did not use his 'religion' and throw it in the face of the king. He just humbly submitted to the king's decree, the authority over him, and trusted God for the results. And what was the outcome? King Darius became a believer:

²⁵ Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:

“Peace and prosperity to you!
²⁶ “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,
and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and his rule will never end.
²⁷ He rescues and saves his people;
he performs miraculous signs and wonders
in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”

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

What about us? Do others say to us, "Has the God whom you have served so faithfully delivered you?" Or do we give credit to "chance"? Or do we not serve God faithfully so that the question would never even be asked? Do we continually pray and seek God's guidance? Do we have the character of a Daniel? Does our life bring others to Christ?