Hello
Friends!
Welcome
back
to our Encouraging Concepts Bible
study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book
of Daniel painted as a panoramic
landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in
ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago…
“The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT
& FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST,
PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 2: Verses 14-23)
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the
captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of
Babylon: 15 He answered and said to
Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then
Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. 16 Then Daniel went in, and
desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the
king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing
known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That
they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that
Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of
Babylon. 19 Then
was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the
God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God
for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the
times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth
wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He
revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and
the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise
thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made
known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us
the king's matter – Daniel
2:14-23
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: In these poignant
passages of “scripture” we find that “Daniel” now steps to
the FRONT fold as he is “brought” before the “king” himself and PROMISES to mindfully “make” him to KNOW the majestic “meaning” of that daring
“dream” of which so TROUBLED him. This “wise counsel” was a RIGHTEOUS result of full “faith” and CONFIDENCE in our “God” All Mighty. And “Daniel” rightly KNEW that the very SAME joyous “Jehovah” who had gladly GIVEN unto the captive “Joseph” sent down to “Egypt” this SAME wonderful “wisdom” that he too so DESPERATELY needed, was also – HIS God TOO!
COMPOSURE for CRISIS!
A unique USEFULNESS to our
great “God” in a serious CRISIS was
absolutely tantamount to the life of “Daniel” and his ministry
mandate. There are many people of whom are USEFUL to “God” when
there is NO crass CRISIS taking
place or stalwart STORM blowing.
But when the cantankerous CRISIS hits, it separates
the folks with REAL commitment
from those who are MARGINAL in mind.
And when such a critical CRUX entailing
an angry
maniacal “monarch” of whom is about to slaughter every
one of the “wise men” on his staff, it will take “God’s” seriously
STRATEGIC man of whom personally possesses
deep CHARACTER qualities to stalwartly STAND fully face
to face with this “king” in kind. Thus, “Daniel” himself
is the
CHOSEN vessel filled calm “counsel” and willful “wisdom” of mind – COMPOSURE for CRISIS!
To
begin with, the elected EXECUTIONER
named “Arioch” of whom is the carnal
“captain” of the “King Nebuchadnezzar’s” hired staff of hurried
henchman
has avidly arrived on the SORDID
scene. And “Daniel”
discusses with him the DIRE directive of DOOM dictated in an EVIL
effort to swiftly “slay”
absolutely ALL of the so-called “wise men” within the “providence” of besieging “Babylon” abroad:
Then
Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's
guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon – Daniel 2:14
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Every one of these waning “wise men” found
throughout “Babylon”
was fully frazzled from the “king”
on down. They were ALL in a fallen frenzied state of fierce frustration
and fickle fear from within. EVERYONE
was frightfully fatigued to the extreme EXCEPT for the young lad “Daniel”
himself. He was coolly CALM and clearly COMPOSED even though his very “life”
itself was ALSO found openly on the line! In fact, it appears
that he NEVER even partially panicked. WHY? Because he had a committed CONFIDENCE in
his great “God” the caring “Creator” of “heaven”
and “earth” itself. And he keenly KNEW that
his personal destiny RESTED in the grand goodness of his “God’s” wonderful Sovereign
will. And although “Daniel” was confronted
by maniacal “men” of whom sought to savagely
“slay” him, there is
absolute COMPOSURE of mind. And
the “people” of this glorious “God” of whom rightly RESPOND in this mindful manner during a catastrophic CRISIS are
actually already prepared well BEFORE hand. WHY?
Because they happily – HOLD it in HEART!
Therefore,
“Daniel” speaks WISELY
unto “Arioch” as he aptly “answered” him with ALL consistent
“counsel and wisdom”
as they eagerly engage in a wonderfully candid CONVERSATION in
kind:
He
answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from
the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel – Daniel 2:15
In
other words, “Daniel” questions “Arioch” as such: “What is
the hurried haste here, Arioch? And why is this “decree” from the king so dire?”
We find here that “Daniel” had the amazing ability
in the midst of pure PANIC to put EVERYONE around him at ease of mind. Therefore, “Arioch” essentially “made the thing known” as he rightly
replies
to the young “Daniel” in kind: “Yes, I will indeed tell you all about this insensible tirade!”
Incidentally, this man “Arioch”
and his “hasty”
heart is carefully – CONTROLLED by God!
COURAGEOUS in CRISIS!
Next
“Daniel” had willfully “went in” person before the “king” himself, as apparently “Arioch” may have arranged a private
audience with him. And instead of EXECUTING this young man “Daniel”
on the spot, he rather receives a poignant PASS to soundly “shew”
the deeply “troubled” tyrant for an
allotted “time”
that which he so DESPERATELY desired to “know” all about:
Then
Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that
he would shew the king the interpretation – Daniel 2:16
Here
“Daniel” meets with “Nebuchadnezzar”
one-on-one who at this time is no doubt quite FURIOUS
and wants everyone dead! And here comes this young upstart
from among his waning “wise men”
of whom is nothing more than an avid apprentice desiring more “time” from the “king”
to provide the “interpretation”
in kind. And WHAT was
the ONE thing that the other so-called “wise men” asked for? TIME! And WHAT was the ONE thing the “king”
would NOT give them? TIME! And WHAT
is the ONE thing “Daniel” had rightly REQUESTED and readily RECEIVED from the “king”
himself? TIME! But, WHY
was this so? Perhaps it was a difference in his approach
of sorts. However, there was indeed something quite COURAGEOUS about
him and is almost audacious in his approach. Just WHO does
he – THINK he IS?
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Remember… It was “God” of Whom “gave” this young lad
“Daniel” unheard of “understanding”
along with the amazing ABILITY to rightly “reveal”
these so very vivid “visions and
dreams” provided through HIM as such:
As for these four children, God
gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had
understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days that the
king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought
them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; and among them
all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood
they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the
king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians
and astrologers that were in all his realm – Daniel
1:17-20
Therefore,
“Daniel” and “Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah”
were indeed “found” to be “ten times better” than ALL the “king’s” phony “magicians
and astrologers” on his SORRY
staff of charlatan counsel. Not to mention, “Daniel” had a strong and confident
total TRUST and full – FAITH in GOD!
The Prayer Meeting in Babylon!
“Then” there
was a powerful purposed PRAYER meeting proposed
within “Babylon” proper! All the while as the CONDEMNED waning “wise men” of brandish “Babylon” and her astounded “astrologers” along with the misled “magicians” tragically trembled in furious FEAR for their looming lives,
“Daniel” and his “companions” named “Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah” through personal PRAYER rightly requested
that the "mercies of the God of heaven
concerning this secret"
graciously “given” unto “King Nebuchadnezzar” would be rightly REVEALED unto “them”
lest they “perish with the rest of the wise men” in kind:
Then
Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, his companions: That they would
desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his
fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon – Daniel 2:17-18
Thus,
“Daniel” willingly “went” back to his “house” and essentially said: “Hey guys, you’ve got to hear this... The king is going to
give me some more TIME to work on this problem. Let’s have COMMUNION
with our Great God for HIS answer!” Incidentally, “Daniel” did NOT expect to rightly RECEIVE what he needed from this Sovereign solemn “secret” without such SPECIFIC purposeful PRAYER pleas. And he did NOT simply believe that he somehow DESERVED it
as being someone special as such. NO WAY!
Rather, it would have to be received DIRECTLY from the mighty “mercies
of the God” seated eternally – IN Heaven!
What
a stark CONTRAST to the “Babylonian” rank religion of which worshipped
the sleek “stars of heaven” above. How IRONIC! They
sordidly studied all about the “heavens”
themselves. However, they did NOT at all really “know”
the great “God of heaven” Himself.
Conversely, “Daniel”
along with “Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah” laid hold of their glorious
“God” in poignant PRAYER
and were aptly ANSWERED by Him. And in
the middle of the “night” time, this demanding
“dream” of the “king”
was magnificently – Made CLEAR!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: And the purposeful PRAYER powerfully proclaimed in the
solemn seeking of this specific “secret” was speedily “revealed
unto Daniel”
through a spontaneous “night vision” sent to him BY his great “God”
from on high…
Then was
the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God
of heaven – Daniel 2:19
As a result, “Daniel” ornately offers the grand “God” of his “fathers” an “answered” proclamation via this constant COMMENDATION of purposed PRAISE erupting from deep
within his THANKFUL heart:
Daniel
answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and
might are his – Daniel 2:20
That
PRAISE represents
a powerful PSALM and honest HYMN as this young lad “Daniel” proclaims: “Blessed be the name of God for ever and
ever” for this “wisdom”
and “might”
are fully sent – FROM
Him!
And he
changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he
giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding – Daniel 2:21
That
PRAISE represents
the awesome OMNIPOTENCE of the “wisdom”
and “knowledge”
given ONLY unto “them”
that keenly “know”
of the ultimate “understanding”
being sent – FOR
Him!
He
revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and
the light dwelleth with him – Daniel
2:22
This
PRAISE represents
the amazing OMNISCIENCE of the “deep”
and “secret”
details embedded in utter “darkness”
along with the “light”
that “dwelleth”
deeply – IN Him!
And
apparently, “Daniel” had shared
this PRAISE with
his three “companions” as well. WHY? Because he says “we”
and “us” along with the personal
pronoun “me” designation of “thanks” in kind:
I thank
thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and
might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast
now made known unto us the king's matter – Daniel 2:23
Indeed
“Daniel” was NOT solely stuck
with “Babylonian” fickle fatalism
as such. Rather, he was THANKFUL for his Sovereign
wonderfully “wise” all-knowing AND all-powerful “God
in heaven” above! Thus, when “God”
had hardily “heard” his practical personal
poignant PRAYER as such, “Daniel”
gratefully gave his grandiose “God”
the thorough “thanks” as a mighty model
for powerful – PSALMS
of PRAISE!
Beloved,
the “Christian” man or woman wrought in a CRISIS is
calmly composed, cautiously courageous and in
constant communion with our great “God
in heaven” Divine. And in “hearing”
answered PRAYER will cordially commend forever – His HOLY Name!
More to
follow… STAY tuned!
In
closing:
REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding
of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to
the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited
physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:
And in the days
of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever – Daniel 2:44
And
our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will
rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD
some 2,600 years ago could
possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
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