based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w5d5
Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 10:5-19 (11-12)
Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words – Daniel 10:11-12 NET
Daniel’s prayers had seemed to go unheard or, at the very least, unanswered – but that was not the case, and the Lord made sure that Daniel knew it. The truth is God always hears the prayers of His people who humble themselves before Him to pray. (Hebrews 4:16 and Matthew 7:7)
As can be imagined, Daniel’s vision was alarming both in content and delivery and challenging to understand. He describes his strength as being drained and his vigor as disappearing – to the point that he was without energy. Bibleref.com gives a little perspective to help us understand the effect the vision(s) have had on Daniel.
So, What does Daniel 10:19 mean?
In an earlier encounter, an angelic messenger referred to Daniel as “greatly loved” (Daniel 9:23). That assurance was repeated by Daniel’s current visitor (Daniel 10:11) and is echoed here, as well. Daniel’s experiences have been overwhelming (Daniel 10:1–2, 9, 15). Yet they are not meant to cause him fear, or to make him despair. Instead, Daniel is being given the awesome responsibility of seeing and recording these experiences. Bolstered by the angel’s help, Daniel wanted to hear the message. His desire to hear what the angel would say is reminiscent of the boy Samuel’s words, “Speak, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10).
Believers can be encouraged knowing the Lord greatly loves them. The apostle John writes in 1 John 3:1, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” The angel also wishes Daniel peace. Knowing that God is in control of every situation gives believers a peaceful mind and a peaceful heart (Philippians 4:6–7; 1 Peter 5:7). Just as the Lord had told Joshua to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9), so the angel tells Daniel to be brave. – Bibleref.com
Prayer of response to today’s Journey
Father, we don’t always know exactly what Your Word means, but we do know it is truth and wisdom. It can fill us with peace and guard us in all our ways. Thank You for loving us and for faithfully working in our lives—point blank and/or behind the scenes. Thank You for the encouragement that you love, value, and listen to my/our prayers. We are forever grateful and in Your debt. Help us now to heed the angel’s words and not be afraid but to remember that we are very precious to You, our God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong! – In Jesus’ Name – Amen💜
Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. Daniel 9:9 NET
Wow! I know I’ve said it before but it is worth saying again – I am loving this study of Daniel and the various Scriptures from others like Jeremiah and Peter where we get to see the interwoven tapestry of God’s fingerprints and hear His voice in both the Old and New Testaments.
I also love that Daniel is seen chasing ‘Scripture squirrels” as I do. We see it today in verse two of chapter nine, where Daniel describes how he came to understand from “the sacred books” that the number of years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem, would be 70 years. Please excuse me for overusing the word “love” in this post but I simply love his response to the realization that the “end time” wasn’t far off. Oddly enough, his first response wasn’t shouting praises but rather what seems to have been somber, rather gut-wrenching prayer. It was a serious, sackcloth and ashes and fasting prayer. It was a fervent from the-heart prayer of praise, petition, and confession- not just for himself but for the Nation of Israel.
Daniel acknowledged God’s greatness and faithfulness. He confessed the rebellion of the people, who were unfaithful, wicked sinners who had sinned against the Lord God—the great and awesome God. Then, he cites what I call a “But GOD” moment, writing, “YET the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving—even though we have rebelled against Him.“
Over and over, Daniel cries out to God on behalf of His people, Israel. – As I read it, I could hear the depth of his sorrow over the depth of their guilt. Listen to Daniel’s confession: “We have sinned against You! … We have rebelled against You by turning away from Your commandments and standards … We have done what is wrong and wicked … We have behaved unfaithfully toward You … we have not obeyed, we have ignored the messages of the prophets, we have not turned away from our sins … We have not obeyed the LORD our Godby living according to His laws that He set before us through His servants the prophets … All Israel has broken Your law and turned away by not obeying You.” Three more times he says “we have not obeyed … we have sinned and behaved wickedly.”
If you have ever heard or asked the question, “So what is sin anyway?” Daniel makes it clear in his prayer that sin is disobedience to, or breaking, the law of God. Ignoring and rebelling against the teaching of God is sin. All of this, Daniel confesses, is worthy of the calamity and humiliation that came upon Israel by God’s own doing. – Jeremiah’s words in Jeremiah 25:3-12 verify the reality that while God allowed the captivity of His people, it was because they had not listened to what God had said through the prophet, which angered the Lord their God. “Thus,” the LORD said to them, “you have brought harm on yourselves.”
Disobeying God is to “break His law,” and this is sin.Sin is deserving of God’s wrath and worthy of exile, but our hope is in this truth that Daniel proclaimed in his prayer: “The Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.” 🦋
Encouragement from the LGG Journal entry, quotes from p163 –
We all struggle with certain sins we wish we could be done with once and for all. We feel bad asking God for forgiveness for the same thing yet again. God is patient, compassionate, and merciful. There can be a sin that you struggle to forgive yourself, and you think, “There is no way God can forgive me for this!” That is a lie. Don’t allow a lie to keep you from turning to Him to ask for forgiveness and receive it. – When you are praying over a sin, keep remembering that ‘the Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5;11B).
Daniel’s desire was for God’s people to worship Him in the temple and throughout the land. His desire was for God to be honored, praised, and glorified. God’s purpose for sending His people into exile was to discipline, cleanse, and restore them in order for them to renew their relationship with Him. So they’d no longer be adulterous seeking after other gods.
God’s intention for both Old Testament and New Testament believers is that they would be a faithful light to the nations, drawing others to Him.
Prayer, Our Response to the Journey
Heavenly Father, You are full of compassion, Your mercies are new every morning, and Your faithfulness is great. Thank You that through Jesus, we can know Your forgiveness for our sins. Thank You for setting us free from captivity to sin and from the law of sin and death. May we learn from the wayward ways of Your people before us and the prayer of Daniel – that we are meant to obey You – we are not to ignore You or stay in our sin. Instead, we are to love You with all of our being – and Your Word says if we love You, we will obey You. Remove any love of sinning that we might have and replace it with an unfaltering love for You, which seeks to bring You honor and glory. – Amen
The More We Know
Be sure and visit today’s LGG Blog- for more insight.
17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. –
2 Peter 3:17-18
Observations and Applications
As I soaped the passage in my journal, I underlined and highlighted, drew arrows, and chased down some Scripture squirrels (all of which can be seen below). As I looked back at my journal entry for today, I was reminded of how it feels when you enter Disney World and try to take in the iconic castle and all of the other sights and sounds that vie for your attention. It’s a bit overwhelming, to say the least. You can only truly appreciate its fullness when you slow down, take a breath, put down your camera, and allow your mind/heart to digest the scene one attraction at a time.
WARNING: Today’s journey through the Word is wonderful but may also be overwhelming. There is much to read and try to tie together. We take in another of Daniel’s visions and its explanation, but we also visit the book of 2 Peter, where we find a warning to be alert, information on the timing and specific expectations of “the day of the Lord,” and encouragement/instructions on how to live as we wait on the Lord’s return. – Much like my experience at Disney, I had to make myself resist skipping ahead and instead slow down and take it all in one verse/detail at a time. Of course, you can do it either way, but to see and appreciate the beauty of how all of Scripture fits together and to better understand not only what Daniel/Israel was dealing with and waiting on then but what we, as New Testament believers, are living through and waiting for now.
I am going to zero in on Peter’s information, instructions, and encouragement, but I hope you will visit the ‘the more you know’ section below and explore the details of Daniel’s vision of the ram and goat.1 While it deals with what will happen at the end of Israel’s persecution, the prophecy and its first fulfillment foreshadow events that will occur during “the end times,” mentioned/detailed in the New Testament.
This same prediction appears to have dual fulfillment. Interpreters see similarity to depictions of the end times: the final era of earth’s history. During that time, a figure known as “the Antichrist” will echo the depravity of Epiphanies. He will be empowered by Satan (Revelation 13:1–4) and only stopped by the return of Christ (Revelation 19:11–16).
Bibleref.com / Daniel chapter 8 overview
I have been known to frequent this passage in 2 Peter, chapter three – specifically for the reminder that the Lord has neither forgotten His promise to return nor is He slow to do so. I find it helpful to recall that His timing is not only perfect but purposeful. It accentuates His patience toward us and His deep love and desire that none would perish but that all would repent and be saved.
Peter gives explicit instructions on how true followers of Christ are to live until that day comes. We must be careful not to believe the twisted versions of God’s Word thrown about by the “ignorant and unstable.” We are to “be on guard,” holding tightly to the truth of God and depending on His Spirit to teach us and remind us of those truths. However, we are not to be idle in our waiting; instead, we are always to be growing in our understanding of the grace2 of Jesus and our knowledge/relationship with Him.
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:26 NLT
Friends, this is just one piece of our journey from today, but it is the piece that I believe will be most helpful in accomplishing the stated goal of our study and of God’s plan for us in Christ Jesus – which is to live faithfully in this faithless land. May we stay true to this call upon our lives, and may we share the truth in word and deed with those around us – as we wait with hope on Jesus’ imminent return.
Prayer Response to the Journey
Father, You are holy and good—righteous in all Your ways. Help us, as we wait on You, to live lives that shine as lights of holiness and godliness in this dark and faithless land. As Peter encourages us, may we be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when we come into Your Holy Presence. Help us to know the Truth and hold tightly to it so that we do not fall prey to the false teachings of the world. Please, instead of the world leading us astray – raise up an army of Your followers that will lead the world to You – and let us be numbered among the army. – In Jesus’ name!
My two-year-old grandson loves to play the drums (and really, any other instrument) and sing, and more often than not, the song he chooses is an age-old childhood favorite of mine, “I’m in the Lord’s Army.” I couldn’t help but think of the song as I was praying. Oh, may we march faithfully in His army – with the excited exuberance of my grandson but with the full understanding of who we serve and the grace He has poured out on us. May we serve at His pleasure and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior – Jesus, to whom belongs all glory both now and forever! 💜❤️
I may never march in the infantry, ride in the calvary, shoot the artillery – I may never zoom or the enemy – but I’m in the Lord’s army! Yes Sir! I’m in the Lord’s army …
Lyrics from “I’m in the Lord’s Army” / children’s song
based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land
Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 7:9-18 (14)
I realize that some people love to read the end-time visions of Daniel and others, like John from the book of Revelation, but my mind struggles to comprehend them. So, when I read today’s opening paragraph in the Love God Greatly Journal entry, I was honestly relieved to read that: “We will go faster through the rest of the book of Daniel, which now shifts to recording the apocalyptic visions Daniel received from God.” I was further relieved to read these encouraging words, “don’t worry if you don’t completely understand some of the visions. Daniel didn’t either!”
The visions emphasize the main themes of the book, which are:
God has all authority and power.
He is working out His purposes through the seasons of history – and
He will humble the arrogant.
I will say that “soaping,1 the passage did help me, though I depended heavily on the bibleref.com commentary and some ‘Scripture squirrels’ I chased along the way.
The vision opens with our Creator God, or as Daniel sees Him in this vision, the Ancient of Days, taking His seat on His majestic throne and being ministered to by an overwhelming number of spiritual beings. We read of four different beasts; one is killed, its body destroyed, and thrown into the fire; the other three are allowed to go on living for a period of time, but they no longer have any authority. As Daniel kept watching the vision unfold, he was allowed to see “one like the Son of Man2,” to whom the Ancient of Days gave “ruling authority and supreme power over “ALL.” As He has been worthily called by many- Jesus, (the “Son of Man),” was revealed as the undisputed champion. Not only does He have all power and authority, but His Kingdom will never end.
I am not sure if Daniel could have fully understood or appreciated the magnitude of what he was being shown. Nor do I believe we can fully grasp just how encouraging the reality of this vision is for us. The simple albeit profound truth is – the vision is further confirmation that JESUS IS COMING AGAIN – and of His Kingdom, there will be NO END!
Daniel didn’t have the full canon of Scripture as we do, so you can imagine how he must have felt. In his own words, he was “distressed and alarmed,3” undoubtedly desperate to understand the meaning of the vision. So, he records, “I asked one who was standing beside the throne what it all meant.” “The divine interpreter gives Daniel good news to go with the prior bad news. These earthly human kingdoms will not last forever. Yet true believers in God will be given an eternal kingdom.4“
“These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth. 18 But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”
Daniel 7:17-18. NLT
Friends, I want to share one more quote from the LGG Journal, as an encouragement to all believers – “We live in the time between Jesus’ first and second coming. During this time, the devil has already been defeated. Yet, God has allowed him to remain for a season until his ultimate demise at the end of time. While the devil has power, it is limited. Jesus gives us the power to resist the devil. We know that ultimately good will triumph.
Prayer Response to the Journey /borrowed from the LGG Journal, p151
Lord God, You are the Alpha and Omega. I long for Jesus’ return when there will be no more sin or death, and Your kingdom comes in all its glory. Lord, I pray for the church, Your people across the world. Strengthen us. Help us to resist the devil and encourage us to live faithfully. Amen
based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d5
Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:19-28 (26-27)
“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.”
Daniel 6:26-27
Observations and Applications
Rescued by God
Yesterday’s journey left us hanging as Daniel was thrown into the Lion’s den. We pick up today with the king getting up early and hurrying out to the lions’ den. 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?”What a beautiful picture we are given of the King’s concern for Daniel’s fate with the Lions and the hope that he placed in the power of Daniel’s God, which is evident in the king’s question. However, I’m sure the king’s call to Daniel paled in comparison to Daniel’s reply to the king: “My God sent his angel and closed the lions’ mouths so that they have not harmed me –
The king was so relieved and happy that he decreed throughout his kingdom that everyone should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. The words the king used to describe God were evidence of the impact Daniel and his God had made on the King. Read them again. Do they ring true in your heart? Is this how you see your God? If asked, would people you spend time with or neighbors in your community know you as a follower of Jesus, or would they be surprised to hear that you are a Christian?
For he is the living God and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. 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.”
Daniel 6:26-27
Friends, God’s faithfulness isn’t in question – but ours is. In all the heartaches, struggles, and mountaintops of this life, our faith is to be on display. Paul said that we are to live as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever we say or do.1 We are His witnesses not only in what we do and say but, as today’s journal entry points out: “in what we don’t do or say. -Our lives can point people to the living God or just blend in with the world around us.”2
Friends, God’s faithfulness isn’t in question – but ours is. In all the heartaches, struggles, and mountaintops of this life, our faith is to be on display. 🦋
Daniel’s faith wasn’t made strong overnight. It grew firm layer upon layer from incidents demanding he trust God. I’m sure we haven’t been told about every difficult situation he faced, the trials he endured, or the heartaches he experienced, but we know from what has been revealed that with each situation, he turned to his God and encouraged others to do the same. I can’t help but think of the words of James, who encouraged believers to consider their troubles as opportunities for great joy. He reminded them that when their faith was tested, their endurance would have a chance to grow, and when their endurance was fully developed, they would be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4) Our faith is built up, strengthened – layer upon layer of life – growing firmer and firmer in Christ, the object of our faith … so that when we stand at the entrance of a Lion’s Den or fiery furnace, we do not cave to the world – but instead we can answer – yes, my God is able.
Prayer Response to the Journey
God in heaven, You who rescued Daniel from the power of the lions have rescued those who believe in Your Son from the power of the grave and the cunning ways of the enemy. You have used the cancer of my daughter, the crippled feet of my younger daughter, a life-threatening tubal pregnancy, the hurts of friendships, a husband walking away, the loss of my brothers and father, and the dementia of my mother – and so many other troubles and sorrows – to grow my faith stronger day by day, every pit you’ve pulled me from, every valley you’ve walked through with me, and every hill You’ve strengthened me to climb. Through it all, I continue to learn that there’s always going to be an uphill battle, but of this, I am sure – You will always be there to see me through, and I will be stronger on the other side of the ‘battle.’ – Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow – and for this I give will continually give You all of my praise, glory, and honor! – Amen
based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d4
Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 6:10-18 (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. Daniel 6:16. NLT
Observations and Applications
Have you ever doubted the importance of your testimony as a believer? If so, this passage certainly validates the value of living out our faith in this faithless land. Perhaps Darius, a pagan king, had heard about the fiery furnace ordeal and what had happened to Belshazzar; Scripture doesn’t say he did, but what it does say is that because he had witnessed Daniel’s consistent living and active faith, when he realized that he could not rescue Daniel himself, he indicated that, at least in this, he would have to depend on the power of Daniel’s God.
No one should doubt the impact a believer’s consistent testimony can have on an unbeliever, even one hardened against faith (James 5:10; 1 Peter 3:16).
Bibleref.com
Oh, how I love Darius’ words of encouragement to Daniel and the hint of his belief, at least in the power of Daniel’s God. I also took great delight in knowing that the king wasn’t upset when Daniel continued to pray despite the edict but that the edict put Daniel in danger. – Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” 14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. (Daniel 6:13-14)
Prayer of Response to the Journey
Father, Thank You for the reminder that Your people’s testimonies are tools in Your hands. They can impact a pagan king, encourage a struggling believer, and change neighborhoods and families. We may never know how our faith affects others, but we do know that we are meant to be salt and light in this dark and faithless land. So help us to be careful how we live, to remember that the world is watching, to remember that we were created for Your glory, and to live as such – not shrinking back but confidently and boldly pressing on to the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. – In His name, I pray and trust – Amen💜
The More We Know About the Journey
More about the Lion’s Den: This form of execution probably used a closed cave or manmade enclosure holding lions captured for this very purpose. The structure might have had multiple doors, including one on the top so that victims could be literally “thrown” in without the lions escaping or attacking the executioners (Daniel 6:17, 24). – Bibleref.com
based on the LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w4d2
Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Daniel 5:17-30 (23b)
For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! – Daniel 5:22-23
Observations and Applications
Every day, we make choices. I’m not talking about what’s for dinner choices, though I guess that could be a critical decision for some, but I’m referring more to this would be right vs this would be wrong decision. Decisions like, should we do this, go there, say that, watch this, hang out with them … or not? We have a 2-year-old in the family now, the ripe age of testing boundaries, which means we are often teaching him right and wrong and encouraging him to obey. Recently, at preschool, he did something that he had been told not to do. When his teacher told him he shouldn’t have done it – he replied, “I know.” So she asked him why he did it, and he answered, “I just wanted to.” It was tempting to snicker at this, but its cuteness fades when we remember the reality of today’s story about Belshazzar’s costly decision to live like he wanted rather than how he knew he should.
In our previous day’s journey, the king of Babylon’s party was suddenly interrupted by the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace. Daniel is summoned to tell the king what it means and does so, neither sugar-coating nor cajoling the king. He boldly relates what the message said, what the king could expect, and why. Yet, before the meaning was given- Daniel, in what I would call righteous indignation, courageously scolded the king with what some have described as a “scathing indictment”. He gives him a history lesson of sorts, telling him nothing new, for as a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar, the king would have already known these things. Instead, Daniel said it all as a reminder that Belshazzar should have known better and chosen the way of Nebuchadnezzar. Instead, he had used the things of God for idolatrous purposes and would now, along with all of Babylon, pay for the drunken, blasphemous actions.
Babylon had conquered Jerusalem and taken Daniel and others captive, but God moved Belshazzar to honor one of those captives, and very soon He would use the Persians to conquer Babylon. God works in wondrous ways to accomplish His will.
Bibleref.com
Important and helpful commentary for understanding/appreciating this part of our journey through Daniel –
After reminding the king about the experience of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:28–33; 5:18–21), Daniel now addresses the event which God’s supernatural sign interrupted (Daniel 5:1–5).
Belshazzar’s inebriated, blasphemous actions are described as direct rebellion against “the Lord of heaven.” Though he knew about Nebuchadnezzar’s encounter with the God of Israel, Belshazzar still chose to use Jewish holy objects (Daniel 5:1–2) as toys for drinking, and tools for idolatry. Failure to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s example was one thing, but to actively desecrate the name of Israel’s God and use His objects (Exodus 30:22–29) to worship idols was even worse.
A deep contrast can be seen in the reaction of New Testament converts in Thessalonica. When they heard the gospel, they “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). Belshazzar’s refusal to see what God made clear (Romans 1:18–20; John 5:39–40) displayed his arrogance. Only when that brutally direct rebuke has been made does Daniel explain why it inspired God to send a sign, and what that sign means (Daniel 5:24–28).
Scripture does not record how Belshazzar took this news. It simply notes that the king made good on his promise. Daniel is immediately dressed in finery and proclaimed the “third ruler.” Scholars believe this is because Belshazzar was acting as a regent—second-in-command—while his father, Nabonidus, the “first ruler” and true king, was away. It is remarkable that a pagan Gentile ruler would elevate Daniel, a Hebrew and captive exile (Daniel 1:3–7), to such a prominent position. However, God was working in the situation to make this happen. It’s possible the king was trying to appeal to Daniel for forgiveness. He may have thought he could appease the Lord…but it was too late. As the next verse notes, Belshazzar met his death that very night (Daniel 5:30).
Babylon had conquered Jerusalem and taken Daniel and others captive, but God moved Belshazzar to honor one of those captives, and very soon He would use the Persians to conquer Babylon. God works in wondrous ways to accomplish His will.
Prayer of Response to our Journey
Father, we have Your word and the history of others before us who, like Daniel and the Apostle Paul, have faithfully followed after You despite the challenges and dangers. Likewise, we have those who have gone before us or are around us today who have chosen the way of the world and their own desires- Please help us to learn from the message Daniel gave to Belshazzar, who, through the life of Nebuchadnezzar, knew that he should humble himself before God but instead chose to exalt himself against the Lord of heaven. Help us to remember that the choices we make always affect others and to make them in light of Your Word and Will rather than our desires or feelings at the moment. Help us to stay sober and alert, as our enemy, the devil, is always on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Thank You for the reminder that You are sovereign, ruling from Heaven, working in wondrous ways to accomplish Your will. – In the name of Jesus – Amen!
Reflection for the Journey
So, what’s your criteria when making decisions? Is it based on what feels/looks/seems good to you, or is it based on what you know is right/wrong in God’s eyes?
The More We Know About the Journey
For further reading: Luke 12:15-21
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Even when you are old, I will take care of you, even when you have gray hair, I will carry you. I made you and I will support you; I will carry you and rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4. NLT
Some commentaries differ on whether Daniel was 70 or 80 when he was called before King Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar. Regardless of his age, we again witness Daniel’s bold and faith-filled courage as he stands before the King of Babylon. I don’t know about you, but this gives me hope that despite the situations and demands of this faithless land, God will grace me with the strength to remain faithful for as long as I live.
Did you read today’s passage from Daniel 5:1-17? Did you read the part where Belshazzar called for the gold and silver cups that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem? Did it appall you that he did this so that he and the others partying with him could drink from them? Vessels once used in the Temple of our God were now being used by a pagan king, his nobles, wives, and concubines! I found myself heartbroken by this but somewhat delighted as I kept reading to find out that God interrupted the party with some handwriting on the wall. I also took great delight in the reaction of the king. Scripture says that his “face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear, and his legs gave way beneath him.”
they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, – The king himself saw the hand as it wrote,
Daniel 5:5
This time, Daniel is not commanded to interpret a dream but rather the handwriting on a wall. Still as confident as he was as a young man before Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel agrees to do as Belshazzar has asked but tells the king that he does not want the gifts that had been offered for his success. Remember, while it may impress us that Daniel was not looking to profit from the gift God had given him, we must remember that the king, his officials, and anyone watching would have most likely considered this a great offense. Oh, that we might live so boldly today.
Prayer of Response to the Journey
Teach us Your ways, Lord, and help us to walk in them faithfully and to share them with others, regardless of our age. Help us talk about you when we rise up, when we lie down, and when we go throughout our day. Thank You for Your promise never to leave us or forsake us, to help us, regardless of our age or place in life, to carry out Your call on our lives, and to stay faithful in this faithless land. Thank You for making this possible through Christ in us. – Amen
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude 1:24-25. NLT
The More We Know about the Journey
Did you notice how much Belshazzar resembles the young and very proud Nebuchadnezzar? Were you surprised that Belshazzar did not seem to know about Daniel or his gift of interpretation? – May these be lessons for us as parents or grandparents to share with the younger generation what God has done or is doing in our lives. May we introduce them to our God and teach them to follow Him faithfully so that they might not disregard the things of God but love and serve Him faithfully.
“May all your dreams come true” would not have been a phrase King Nebuchadnezzar would have wanted to hear. Scripture doesn’t make it clear whether he was living in fear of the dream coming true or had dismissed it from his mind, given nothing had happened in the twelve months since Daniel’s interpretation. So, it is very possible that the king could have forgotten or assumed he was safe. However, while he was looking over his beloved Babylon, his pride, clearly in full bloom as he proclaimed the greatness of himself and what he had built – the dream began to unfold just as Daniel had foretold.
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
PRoverbs 16:18
While the king was still speaking these words: “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”, he lost everything – his kingdom, his place in society, and his mental faculties. As Daniel predicted, the once mighty and reversed Nebuchadnezzar now lived as a wild animal—that is, until the day he looked up toward heaven and praised and glorified God, exalting God as both greater than himself and ruler over all.
His pride brought him down, but oh, the beauty of his humility and the restoration we hear and see – which, to paraphrase the Bibleref.com commentary, was the purpose of the Lord’s judgment on his life. The judgment brought hard lessons that ultimately taught the king that the one true God is “infinitely more exalted and powerful than him or any ruler-.” His pride was wiped out, and in its place, there was “an awe of the LORD.”
Prayer of Response to the Journey
Father, I have experienced the destruction of pride in my own life – sadly, more than once. It is not an easy thing to admit, but it is a joyful thing to know Your loving discipline and the beauty and strength of Your grace-filled restoration. Without You I am weak and utterly helpless, but through You = I can do all things. To You alone belong all glory and power and honor. Your Kingdom alone will last forever! Wherever You lead me and whatever You call me to do – may I do it al to and for Your glory – Amen!
The More We know about the journey
For more insight, be sure to read today’s LGG Blog
They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven rules. Daniel 4:26
Can you imagine being in Daniel’s position and having to explain to the king that not only was he going to be insane for a period of time—living like a wild animal—but he also had to convey to the king that he was merely a man? Nebuchadnezzar must understand that God, or as Daniel phrases it, “Heaven” rules.
Daniel makes it clear to the king that his kingdom will be restored only when Nebuchadnezzar truly understands that the God of Heaven rules over all powers and dominions.
True power is not found in Babylon, but in Heaven. The supreme Lord is not Nebuchaadnezzar, but the Lord God.
bibleref.com/Daniel 4:26
I love the commentary found in the journal for today’s portion of our journey –
“We can easily read this and think that God is being cruel, but He is not. Instead, He is more like a loving father who is warning his child, “unless your attitude changes, I am going to have to take away the thing you love for a while until you understand.” King Nebuchadnezzar would be humbled. It would take him the full seven years to realize that it is actually God who rules and who has given him wealth and power.” – LGG Journal / Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, p109
Of course, we are not kings or rulers, but we must still live with the understanding that God in Heaven rules.
Prayer of Response for the Jurney / borrowed from p109 of the Journal
Heavenly Father, Creator of the universe and ruler of all. You give, and you take away. All of my days are in your hands. Lord, I thank you for the many blessings and gifts you have given me. I confess there are times when I am foolishly proud when I should be humble and acknowledge Your provision. Transform my proud ways that I may bring glory to You. Amen.
The More We Know About the Journey
Friends, I hope you will check out one of my favorite books, HEAVEN RULES. Two words are sometimes all it takes to upset and overwhelm us. Words like: treatment options, work layoffs, election season, pandemic spikes, family trouble, car repairs. They take up so little room, just two little words, and yet they can fill the whole day, the whole house, our whole lives with anxiety and fear.
Heaven Rules is the two-word answer for every two-word worry. The promise we need for every wave of trouble, every assault on our peace of mind. Heaven’s rule is God’s rule: His rule over nations and nature. His rule over renegade viruses, cancer, and concerns about your marriage, your kids, your job, and everything else. The Bible says God is personally, purposefully involved in all that’s taking place here on earth. He’s reigning over each tear and scar and crisis and conflict. Heaven is ruling, always ruling. That doesn’t mean we won’t experience distress, but it does mean we can find a refuge by looking upward and letting His peace rule in our hearts.
Using the timeless book and example of Daniel as a guide, author Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth reveals how seeing our lives and world through the lens of Heaven’s rule can shield us from panic and give us renewed hope and perspective.
Job worries. Deadline pressures. Deep regrets. Culture wars. There will always be alarms screeching. But two simple words can quiet them, calm our fears, comfort our hearts, and give us courage to press on: Heaven Rules! I encourage you to check it out HERE
Me From the Inside Out 