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 6: Verses 25-28)
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my
kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living
God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth
and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath
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
6:25-28
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: Beginning back in chapter 1 we found that “Daniel” and his THREE honorable
“Hebrew” caring “companions” named “Mishael, Azariah, and Hananiah” were NOT willing
to “eat” the “king’s meat” nor “drink” the “king’s
wine” nor would they DO the terrible “things”
that were DONE within “Babylon”
proper. And as a RIGHTEOUS result, “King
Nebuchadnezzar” is completely confounded by
these humble “Hebrew” lads. WHY? Because as he confronts
them, questions them and diligently directs
them, he finally “finds” that
they WERE indeed “ten times” the “better” than absolutely ANYONE else in his caustic “kingdom” realm. Therefore, In terms of
their integrity, their intelligence
and their education these GODLY guys were fully “found
to be” wonderfully way BEYOND the wanting “wisdom”
of the wayward wicked “world”
abroad. Rather, “they” were EACH greatly “given” over unto – GOD’S Wisdom!
Next
in chapter 2 we found that “Daniel” is greatly “given” the right RESPONSIBILITY of
soundly solving an incredible problem. The maniacal “Nebuchadnezzar” had been “given” a sensational SERIES of
daunting “dreams” of which NO one “knew” nor could ANYONE insightfully
“interpret” as such. However,
young “Daniel” indeed COULD and
definitely DID do so! And as a right result, the “King Nebuchadnezzar” was absolutely awestruck
by the amazing capability of this “Daniel” to verify “visions” and determine “dreams” to thus rightly “interpret” them in kind. And all this “time” our great “God in heaven” was driving a willful WEDGE into
the meandering – MIND of Nebuchadnezzar!
Then
in chapter 3 the dire “decree” dictated by the “King Nebuchadnezzar” woefully “went out” of which DEMANDED that
absolutely EVERYONE belligerently “bow
down” to his idiotic IDOL of incessant “idolatry”
in heart. However (with the ABSENCE of daring “Daniel”
as the Prime Minister promoted), “Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego” chose respectfully
to NOT obey the corrupt “king”
and were thus IMMEDIATELY thrown into the “burning
fiery furnace” as a result! And there APPEARED along
with them ONE as was “like the
Son of God” in kind. Finally, as they promptly emerged
from the “fiery” flames, there
was NO brandish burning nor even the smell
of such “smoke” found to be “upon” them. Thus, “King Nebuchadnezzar” had once AGAIN experienced
the glorious “God in heaven”
wonderfully – @ WORK!
And
in chapter 4 we carefully “considered” the concluding
culminating CLIMAX of a nebulous “Nebuchadnezzar’s”
Biblical biography as he EXCLAIMS this expression:
Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all
people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be
multiplied unto you… – Daniel 4:1
With
this wonderful doxology, “King Nebuchadnezzar”
had seemingly arrived unto a full FAITH in
the Sovereignly eternal – ONE God!
The DECREE of Darius!
Similar
to his predecessor’s “father”
the ruling “seventy year”
monarch “King Nebuchadnezzar”
in kind, the conquering “king
Darius” offers this powerful PROCLAMATION poised
in the FIRST person sense as he sweetly sends
his bountiful BLESSING of purposeful “Peace”
to be “multiplied” unto absolutely
ALL of the appointed “people, nations, and languages” throughout
“all the earth” under his
Divinely determined domain:
Then king
Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the
earth; Peace be multiplied unto you – Daniel
6:25
And
“king Darius”
continues as he majestically proceeds to “make a decree” unto his ENTIRE encompassing
empire:
I make a
decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the
God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom
that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end – Daniel
6:26
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Here AGAIN we find that in every dictated
“dominion”
of this eager emperor’s accumulated “kingdom” that all “men” be
mindfully MADE to personally “tremble and fear” fully BEFORE the
glorious “living God of
Daniel” absolutely ALONE in His lone –
Sound FAMILIAR?
Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and
said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his
angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the
king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship
any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people,
nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a
dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then
the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon –
Daniel 3:28-30
And at the end of the days I
Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned
unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that
liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is
from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed
as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among
the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou? – Daniel 4:34-35
It
doesn’t take a LOT of people, it just takes the RIGHT kind.
WHO? One gracious GODLY man
named “Daniel”
had literally influenced the ENTIRE empire!
The whole “Medo-Persian”
monarchy now has fallen under the “decree” of a Sovereignly sound
“steadfast”
dominating “dominion”
that “shall not be destroyed”
by the heinous – Hand of SINFUL Man!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: In fact, although he is a PAGAN ruler
himself, “king Darius”
sure sounds reminiscent of the Psalmist writer:
I will extol thee, my God, O
king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee;
and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his
greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another,
and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy
majesty, and of thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of thy
terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter
the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.
The Lord is gracious,
and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender
mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.
They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make
known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his
kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth
throughout all generations – Psalm 145:1-13
Our
great “God” has indeed deeply
“decreed” many very convincing
demonstrations of His “everlasting
dominion” dictates all throughout
Holy Writ. The “nations” of
maniacal “men” historically COME and
they GO precisely as Biblical PROPHCY promises.
Whether they be boisterous “Babylon”
or the mighty “Medo-Persia” in
kind, when the Almighty “God of heaven”
Himself puts HIS mindful “man”
in the RIGHT place, His majestic message WILL indeed
– Get THROUGH!
And
once AGAIN as always, WHO
is it that gets ALL the grand “glory”
here?
He
delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in
earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions – Daniel
6:27
Does
this sound FAMILIAR as well?
– YES!
I thought it good to shew the signs
and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me… – Daniel 4:2
And
these Sovereignly shown “signs and
wonders” are used frequently together THROUGHOUT the
heralded “Hebrew” language of
the Old Testament to indicate mighty “miracles”
manifested abroad…
And I will
harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply
my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt – Exodus 7:3
Or hath God
assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation,
by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by
war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out
arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your
God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? – Deuteronomy 4:34
And shewedst signs and wonders upon
Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of
his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou
get thee a name, as it is this day – Nehemiah
9:10
How he had
wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in
the field of Zoan – Psalm 78:43
They shewed
his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham – Psalm 105:27
Behold,
I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are
for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of
hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion – Isaiah
8:18
Which hast
set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this
day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast
made thee a name, as at this day; And hast brought forth thy people Israel
out of the land of Egypt
with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong
hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror – Jeremiah 32:20-21
He brought them
out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land
of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty
years – Acts 7:36
But,
was it “Daniel” of whom should
receive the GLORY
unto himself? NO! Rather,
absolutely ALL of the grandiose “glory”
manifested “in heaven and in
earth” goes completely to our
glorious “God” alone. If we
find ONE thread throughout this
beautiful book, it is NOT the external exaltation of the
man “Daniel” himself. It is
the MAJESTY of our Mighty “God”
of Whom stands AGAINST the nigh “nations” of the wicked “world” system UPHOLDING His – Sweet Sovereignty!
God’s PROPHETIC Purposes!
So this
Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian – Daniel 6:28
Those wonderful words sweetly summarize the
whole of “Daniel’s” lauded LIFE and
magnificent MINISTRY mandated: “Daniel prospered” within the ruling
domain of “Darius” alongside
the conquering “king” named “Cyrus of Persia” of whom
was to PROPHETICALLY come along in history…
And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end – Luke 1:33
PROPHETIC PROMISE: In the Old
Testament book of Ezra
all the “people” of jaundice “Judah” were going back
to the city “Jerusalem” from
their PROPHESIED caustic “captivity”
and guess WHO is boldly behind that godly
migration? The man “Daniel”
himself! HOW? His great “God” had greatly GIVEN him
great influence that no doubt DICTATED the
direct “decree of Cyrus king of Persia”
to willfully “let” these
horded “Hebrews” rightly RETURN unto “their” own home “land of Israel” proper along “with” all the taken “vessels of the house of the Lord”
to boldly “build the house of the Lord God” in kind:
Now in the first year of Cyrus
king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by
the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia,
that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in
writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me
all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at
Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God
be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the
house of the Lord God of
Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem… Also
Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had
put them in the house of his gods; Even those did Cyrus
king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and
numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. And this is the number of
them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty
knives, Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a
second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand. All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four
hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that
were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem – Ezra 1:1-3 & 7-11
That
same godly Influence can also be found in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah with the right REBUILDING of
the worn “wall” that was
boldly “broken down” by the
crass “King Nebuchadnezzar”
under the lay leadership of yet another mighty
man of “God” named Nehemiah in kind:
So I came to Jerusalem, and was
there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither
told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was
there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by
night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung
port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates
thereof were consumed with fire… So built we the
wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the
people had a mind to work – Nehemiah 2:11-13 & 4:6
Here
HISTORY has been wonderfully “written”
with ardent ADVANCED notice BY
the Holy Hand of the loving “Lord God of
Israel” Himself – PROPHETIC Promises!
PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES: Beloved, as we conclude this challenging
chapter, the EXCEPTIONAL life of “Daniel”
has further EXPRESSED his complete commitment to “God” above. Back in chapter 1 and chapter
2 the virtue of this young “Hebrew” man was cataloged quite succinctly
in the CONSTITUTION of a godly man. Now here we are
some “seventy years” later and
WHAT do
we discern in the life of “Daniel”
yet again? And WHAT makes a RIGHTEOUS man as this able to POSITIVELY affect an ENTIRE nation
itself? – GREAT Questions!
This
magnificent “man of God”
manifested the EXCELLENT elements of character to which
“we” too must aspire
for our own lives TODAY in our waning “world”
as well. The man “Daniel”
tactfully transcends history. He lives a CONSISTENT life
from his youth through unto his old
age, making for great USEFULNESS unto our great “God
in heaven” above! Practical PRINCIPLES manifest within this HISORICAL narrative of which demonstrate the
vibrant VIRTUOUS life of a mighty
“man of God” unfurled. May OUR glorious “God” also APPLY this
to OUR own hope filled hearts – To HIS Glory!
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"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.