July 22, 2014 Conclusion . . . Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries (Daniel 2:47). Immediately thereafter, the king fell prostrate before Daniel. He honored him and ordered that an offering along with some incense be brought to Daniel. Then the king said, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery” (Daniel 2:47). Once again, Daniel was faced with having to refuse any glory or honor for himself. Instead, he pointed to the LORD, who alone provided the answers. In the process, Daniel saved not only his life and that of his three friends, but also the lives of all the wise men in the kingdom. When examining the king’s response, one question jumps out at us, just begging to be asked. If a pagan king can recognize the reality of the one true God, why is it so difficult for many today to come to that same recognition? Could the answer have something to do with pride? Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court (Daniel 2:48-49). Why did Daniel allow the king to honor him like that? Why did he request that his friends be given such high positions? Was he capitalizing on the situation for his own gain, instead of humbly bowing out of the circumstances? Although one might feel justified in building a case that Daniel finally succumbed to the temptations that wealth offered, and the power that went along with it, Scripture offers no substantive support for that conclusion. Based on the surrounding text, and verses in subsequent chapters, it’s quite likely Daniel sensed the LORD wanting him to occupy a position of authority and power among men. Furthermore, since God knows the beginning from the end, it’s quite likely He elevated Daniel and his comrades so that they would carry out His will, and thereby magnify the Holy One of Israel before Nebuchadnezzar, and his constituency. In other words, Daniel and his three friends were born for such as time as this, being conceived at the exact moment time required so that God could use them to speak into the lives of others to affect His will in accordance with His direction. Likewise with us, each of us has been born for the expressed purpose God has planned for our life. And if we will cooperate with Him, then we too will fulfill the destiny to which we have been called by Him, in Jesus Christ. Because Daniel and his friends made a conscious decision to follow the LORD, and because Daniel had an established relationship with the Holy One of Israel, he was able to hear from God in his (meaning Daniel’s) time of need. Should we not go and do likewise? Visit/Like/Follow me on Facebook @ https://facebook/waltermanningauthor https://facebook/walter.manning
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:57:10 +0000
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