Spiritual Atrophy.

Haggai 1

“This is what the Lord of Heavens Armies says: The people are saying, 'The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.'" – Haggai 1:2 NLT

The rebuilding of the Temple had begun in 538 B.C. with the return of the exiles from Babylon. But due to opposition from the people who had moved into the land while the people of God were away, the Temple had never been completed. Fifteen years had gone by with no work taking place. The people had become apathetic to the project and spiritual apathy had set in. They had started out well, but had somehow lost their momentum. Other things occupied their minds. They had a different set of priorities other than completing the assignment God had given them. It's clear to see from the passage that they were busy planting crops, vineyards, building houses, and making a living. But because they had let these things take the place of God's call on their lives, all their efforts were proving fruitless and in vain. "You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!" (Haggai 1:6 NLT). The picture is one of futility and frustration. They were working their tails off, but getting nowhere. Their attempt to make their own agenda a higher priority than God's was not working out too well. God clearly tells them that He is the one behind their less-than-perfect circumstances. He wants to know why they can leave His house unfinished while they busy themselves with building find houses for themselves. They were learning the painful, but valuable lesson that a life of self-centeredness does not produce satisfaction.

But God reminds them that He is with them. His presence has not left them. Part of their spiritual apathy was because they had faced opposition as soon as they arrived on the scene. Things had not been easy. Doing the will of God never is easy. It is difficult and requires diligence and determination. When things get tough we are tempted to take our eyes off of God and focus on our circumstances. We lose our focus. We get distracted. We decide there are other things that are more important than that which God has called us to. But God wants us to know that He is with us and still expects us to do our part. "I am with you, says the Lord!" (Haggai 1:13 NLT). There was no reason to fear the opposition. But there was also no excuse for them to set new priorities and make their own plans more important than God. He still expected them to do what He had sent them their to do. Paul reminds us of this very same thing. "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago" (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). God saved us, not so that we could spend our time building houses, careers, portfolios, or our reputations. He has work for us to do -- work associated with His Kingdom purposes. He has left us here for a purpose. Are we doing it? Or are we suffering from the same spiritual apathy and atrophy as the people of God in Haggai's day? Self-centeredness still does not produce satisfaction. Let's remember that the Lord is with us, and get busy about His business.

Father, it is so easy to get distracted by all that is going on around me. I can lose sight of why I am here and begin to think that life on this planet is all about me and what I want. But You saved me for a purpose. You redeemed me and made Your own so that I might accomplish Your will, not mine. We have work to do. Help us keep our eyes focused on You and Your will, not our own. Amen

No Longer Set Apart.

Ezra 9-10

“For the men of Israel have married women from these people and have taken them as wives for their sons. So the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage." – Ezra 9:2 NLT

When Ezra began his survey of the spiritual condition of the people living in Judah, he was shocked at what he found. Conditions were worse than he probably expected. He was told by the Jewish leaders, "Many of the people of Israel, and even some of the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the other peoples living in the land. They have taken up the detestable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites" (Ezra 9:1 NLT). The Hebrew word for "separate" means to be distinguished or set apart. The people of God were no longer distinct. They had broken the law of God and intermarried with the people living in the land and, as a result, had begun worshiping their false gods. They were no longer worshiping God alone, blatantly breaking the first of the Ten Commandments. The very action that had resulted in their exile to begin with was still going on after they returned to the land. Ezra receives the appalling news that "the holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages" (Ezra 9:2 NLT). The Hebrew word for "holy" means set-apartness or separateness. Instead of living set apart and distinctly different than the nations around them, the Jews had "polluted" themselves by intermarrying with non-Hebrews. They had lost their distinctiveness.

Ezra is shocked by what he saw. He didn't take it in stride or excuse it as understandable under the conditions. No, he was an expert in the law of God and knew that they were blatant disobedience. As a result, Ezra mourns and prays. He asks God for wisdom in how to handle this situation. In his prayer recorded in verses 6-9, Ezra includes himself in the sins of the people. He knew this was a corporate issue. He confesses on behalf of all the people, acknowledging their guilt and asking God's forgiveness. He appeals to God's mercy. Ezra knew what they deserved from God for their actions, and he knew that God would be just in whatever punishment he meted out. "O Lord, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence" (Ezra 9:15 NLT). As Ezra prayed, weeping and lying face down in front of the Temple, a huge crowd gathered and listened to his words. They became convicted and began to confess their sins before God. They appeal to Ezra to get up and do his job. They beg him to help them make this right. They want to do whatever they have to do to restore their relationship with God and avoid His righteous indignation. After another night of prayer and fasting, Ezra calls a sacred assembly in Jerusalem, requiring every Israelite to be in attendance or face permanent expulsion from the land. As they stood trembling in the rain, Ezra addresses the people and commands them to confess and repent, but then he gives them the most difficult step of all. They must separate themselves from the women they had married. This is the same Hebrew word used earlier. They were to do what they should have been doing all along, set themselves apart and live distinctively different from the world around them. To do so, they were going to have to make some painful decisions and take some difficult steps. Not only were they going to have to separate themselves from their pagan wives, they were going to have to walk away from the children they had fathered with them. We read this and are appalled at the unfairness of it all. We are shocked that a loving God would require such a harsh treatment of these women and their children. But we have to remember that sin always has consequences. And OUR sins always impact the lives of others. Sin is never committed in a vacuum. The men who had chosen to rebel against God and marry foreign women were endangering the lives of those they purportedly loved. To make things right, they were going to have to go through the painful process of cleaning house and purging their lives of the vestiges of their sin. Now, we have to be careful here that we don't try and build a biblical case for a man divorcing his non-Christian wife. That is not what this passage is teaching. It is simply a reminder that God has called us to live lives that are set apart and separate from the world. We are not to "fall in love" with the things of this world and allow them to draw us away from God. Ezra knew that as long as these men kept their pagan wives, their faithfulness to God would be compromised and the nation would suffer as a result.

The real difficulty of this passage is having to consider what we have "married" ourselves to in our day that is drawing us away from God and compromising our worship of Him. What have we fallen in love with and allowed to replace our devotion to Him? Are we willing to confess it and then take the painful step of removing it? Does our sin bother us enough to cause us to repent, but then also remove what is offensive to God? Spiritual renewal and revival would not come until the people of God repented and took steps to remove the things that were offensive to God from their lives. How badly do we want revival in our land?

Father, we live in a constant state of spiritual compromise, loving the things of this world and having ongoing relationships with those things that You have called us out of and away from. Too often we live lives that are no longer separate and set apart. We have become polluted by the world. Open our eyes and convict us of our sin. Lead us to repentance and give us the strength to remove from our lives whatever is offensive to You so that we might live holy and set apart unto You. Amen

The Missing Ingredient.

Ezra 7-8

Ezra … arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. – Ezra 7:9-10 NLT

God had miraculously arranged for the people to be given a royal decree, not only allowing them to return to Jerusalem to rebuilt the Temple and restore Jerusalem, but He had made sure they had the resources necessary to complete the task. They had all the material needed to build, the people to do the work, and God had take care of the constant harrassment of their enemies. But one thing was missing. They had plenty of people, gold, silver, wood, and hours in the day to accomplish the work. But God knew that without His Law, they would end up right back in the same condition that resulted in their captivity in the first place. So God raised up Ezra, "a scribe who was well-versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel" (Ezra 7:6 NLT). As a Scribe, Ezra was intimately familiar with the Law of Moses, given by God to the people of Israel back on Mount Sinai. A span of 58 years will take place after the events recorded in chapter six end and Ezra arrives in Jerusalem from Babylon in chapter seven. It has been 80 years since the first wave of exiles returned. God has been watching and waiting. He has been raising up the right man to bring the one ingredient the nation needed most. Ezra would not have even been born with the first exiles returned. Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron, the high priest. He had a spiritual heritage and a godly upbringing that made him perfect for the job for which God assigned him.

The Persian king, Artaxerxes, issued a royal decree commissioning Ezra to go to Jerusalem and conduct an official inquiry into the situation there "based on your God's law, which is in your hand" (Ezra 7:14 NLT). This pagan king officially ordered Ezra "to use the wisdom your God has given you to appoint magistrates and judges who know your God's laws to given all the people of in the province west of the Euphrates River. Teach the law to anyone who does not know it. Anyone who refuses to obey the law of your God and the law of the king will be punished immediately, either by death, banishment, confiscation or goods, or imprisonment" (Ezra 7:26 NLT). Once again, God had sovereignly ordained His will to be done through the power and position of an ungodly king. This monarch effectively gave Ezra the authority to conduct a spiritual revival in the land of Israel.

Knowing he was being sent by God didn't prevent Ezra from praying for God's hand of mercy and protection as they made the journey home. He called a fast and ordered the people to humble themselves before God, praying for safe journey and protection along the way. They were carrying large amounts of gold and silver, and were traveling a very long distance through potentially dangerous conditions accompanied by women and children. Ezra had refused to request an armed escort from the king, but had chosen to trust God instead. So after prayerful preparation, they set off. It would be four months before they arrived in Jerusalem. But they arrived unharmed with every ounce of silver and gold accounted for. Ezra acknowledged that it was God who had protected them along the way, saving them from their enemies and bandits along the way. They celebrated their safe arrival with sacrifices. Then the real work began. The law of God had to be given and the applied. It was not going to be easy. But it was necessary.

Father, how often we leave out the key ingredient for our own success. We take on all kinds of responsibilities and tackle all kinds of task without consulting Your Word and asking about Your will in the matter. The people of God were doing the will of God, but had neglected the law of God. As a result, they were doing God-ordained tasks all the while they were living in open disobedience to Your revealed will. Forgive us for doing the same thing today. Never let us neglect Your Word and attempt to do Your will our way. Amen

God Is Watching.

Ezra 5-6

But because their God was watching over them, the leaders of the Jews were not prevented from building until a report was sent to Darius and he returned his decision. – Ezra 5:5 NLT

There are times in life when it appears as if God is not around. Because of our circumstances, we assume that He must be busy someplace else or is simply unaware of what is going on in our life at the moment. But that is not the God of the Bible. He is never distracted, disinterested or distant. He is always there, always watching, and always complete aware of what is going on -- every single moment of every single day. The people of God who had returned to build the Temple and restore Jerusalem were going to learn that. Things did not go well for them upon their return. They faced opposition and constant threats from the various people groups who had moved into the land when it was vacated after the Jews had been exiled to Babylon. At one point they had had to halt construction because of a royal edict. But when they started back up again, their enemies were quick to stir up trouble again. It would have been easy for them to assume that God was not there or that He was unaware of their situation. But nothing could have been further from the truth. We cannot judge the faithfulness or nearness of God based on our circumstances. We read in verse five that "their God was watching over them." He had not taken His eyes or His hands off of them, even though it may have appeared that way from their perspective. He was there and He cared. He was still in control. And in spite of all the attempts of their enemies to stir up trouble, God had other plans. When letters were written to King Darius back in Persia, asking him to put an official stop to the construction once and for all, they were expecting another royal decree to be issued commanding the Jews to cease and desist in their rebuilding efforts. But to their shock and surprise, the message they received from Darius contained an official edict to "let the Temple be rebuilt" (Ezra 6:3). Not only that, the very men who had attempted to thwart the efforts of the Jews to rebuild the Temple and reconstruct the walls of Jerusalem, were commanded to HELP. "Moreover, I hereby decree that you are to help these elders of the Jews as they rebuild this Temple of God. You must pay the full construction costs, without delay, from my taxes collected in the province west of the Euphrates River so that the word will not be interrupted" (Ezra 6:8 NLT).

What a God we serve. He not only was fully aware of what was going on, but He had a plan to use the plans of these enemies of Israel to accomplish His will. He turned what they meant for evil into good. The Jews received funding they never would have dreamed of from a source they never could have imagined -- the very people who had been trying to put a stop to their efforts. It would have natural for them to take a look at their circumstances and assume that God had abandoned them, or that He was somehow punishing them. But they would have been wrong. God was working behind the scenes in ways they could never have imagined. Assuming God's absence or indifference is a dangerous thing to do. It is no less than doubting the faithfulness of God and rejecting the promises found in the Word of God. God is constantly faithful. He is ever-present. His faithful love endures forever. We must judge God based on His Word and His character, not our circumstances. What is visible is not always an accurate indicator of what is going on. God 's efforts are not always visible to our eyes or apparent to our senses, but that does not mean He is silent or still. Our God is always watching out for us and working on behalf of us, whether we see it or believe it. He is there.

Father, thanks for reminding me yet again of Your faithfulness and dependability. I confess that I too often judge You based only on what I can see happening around me. I sometimes let my circumstances dictate Your presence and limit Your power. But You are always there, working behind the scenes in ways that I can't see. Never let me forget that. Amen

Distraction. Discouragement. Delay.

Ezra 4

When this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their colleagues, they hurried to Jerusalem. Then, with a show of strength, they forced the Jews to stop building. – Ezra 4:23 NLT

The people were being faithful. They were offering sacrifices to God and had already rebuilt the foundation of the Temple. So why in the world would God allow them to undergo the constant harassment they endured at the hands of their enemies? From the moment they arrived in the land, they were under a daily barrage of verbal attacks. They were libeled, slandered, and falsely accused by their enemies. And who were these enemies? When the Assyrians had taken the northern kingdom of Israel captive, they had encouraged their own people to move to the land and settle there. In time these people had intermarried with the remaining Jews. They worshiped Assyrian gods, but also worshiped Yahweh, because they viewed Him as the God of the land. This mixed race of people became known as the Samaritans, a group that was still despised by the people of Israel at the time of Christ. The Jews viewed them as half-breeds and traitors. And here they were causing daily consternation for the people of God as they attempted to follow the will of God by rebuilding the Temple.

After a letter-writing campaign to King Artaxerxes, the enemies of the Jews finally got their wish. They convinced the king that the Jews were a threat to his kingdom and if he let them continue rebuilding the city of Jerusalem, the Jews would rebel against him. So Artaxerxes gave them the royal authority to force the Jews to stop building. Work would not continue in earnest for another 16 years. So why the delay? Why were the Jews seemingly thwarted in their attempt to remain faithful to God? It is easy to sit on this side of the story and question why the people did not persevere and simply continue to build in the face of opposition. But they were greatly outnumbered and ill-equipped to stand against their enemies. This was a time of great discouragement and disillusionment. The people of God had to feel confused by the events surrounding them. They had to question whether God was in control. They had to wonder whether they should have ever returned. Setbacks and standstills are common in our spiritual journeys. We should not be surprised by them, but instead, we need to learn to expect them and push through them. God was not done yet, and because He is sovereign and all-knowing, He was fully aware of the opposition and the pressure put on the Jews to give up on their God-given task. We will face opposition as well. We will be tempted to throw in the towel when the going gets tough. But we have to remember that God is with us. He will not leave us or forsake us. The rebuilding did begin again. After a delay, the people once again took up the task of completing God's Temple. God was still in control. Distraction, discouragement and delays are inevitable. But in the end, God's will always wins out.

Father, You are there even when things look bleak. You are there even when the opposition seems too strong for us. When we face delays in our spiritual journey, it is easy for us to lose hope and give up. But never let us lose sight of Your constant presence. Never let us be surprised when we face opposition. It is part of the process. It is par for the course. But You never stop working. You never get distracted or discouraged. You are always there, behind the scenes, fulfilling Your will in Your way, and in Your perfect timing. Amen

Godly Living Is Not The Easy Life.

Ezra 3

Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old sight. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the Lord each morning and evening."– Ezra 3:3 NLT

Living godly in a godless world is not easy. Attempting to conduct your life according to God's will while surrounded by those who oppose you is guaranteed to be difficult and, sometimes, impossible. The people of God had been allowed to return to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the Temple. When they arrived they found their land occupied by foreigners, people who had been relocated to Israel when the Assyrians conquered the Israelites and took them captive. These people had migrated down into the south and taken up residence in Judah while the people were in exile in Babylon. So when the people of God returned to Jerusalem, they found themselves surrounded by enemies who were opposed to their presence and would do anything to prevent their relocation and rebuilding attempts from being successful.

But the first thing the people of God did was build an altar on which to offer sacrifices to Him. In the face of their enemies and in spite of their own fears, the people proved to be obedient, building the altar and reinstituting the sacrificial system Moses had established years before. They also brought back the feasts and festivals, as well as the daily sacrifices. Only then did they begin to build the Temple. They knew they had to get their hearts right before they went about building God's house. And they knew they had to build the Temple before they began constructing on the wall or any other structures. He had to come first. Getting their spiritual lives in order was paramount. They knew a rebuilt city with strong walls was useless without the presence and power of God to protect them. They had learned that painful lesson from experience. So they built and when the foundation was laid, they celebrated. Some rejoiced at the accomplishment. Others wept because they knew that the new Temple would never match the glory of the old one. But they were faithful to do what God had called them to do. They faced their fears, stood up against their enemies, and they built. It would take them four years to finish the Temple, and they also had to rebuild the city walls and the city itself. This was a gargantuan task, and they did it all under constant pressure and attack from the opposition. God never told them it would be easy. But they were going to find that God was in the midst of their efforts. He was there and He cared. Godly living is not easy. It never was meant to be. It takes effort, courage, obedience, and faith. The presence of opposition is not an indication of God's absence, but a reminder that we need His power. Our weakness is a great opportunity for Him to reveal His strength. We just need to be faithful and do our part. He will do His.

Father, forgive me for always wanting my life to be easy. Forgive me for getting angry when things get difficult or trials come my way. Keep me focused on You in the midst of it all. Help me to remain faithful in the face of opposition. You have always been there for me and You always will be. Thank You. Amen

A Remnant Returns.

Ezra 2

So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, in addition to 7,337 servants and 200 singers, both men and women. – Ezra 2:4-5 NLT

God has spoken, a decree has been issued, the leaders have been chosen, and the people selected. Now the return to the Land of Promise can begin. Under the leadership of Sheshbazzar and his nephew, Zerubbabel, the grandson of King Jehoiachin, a relatively tiny remnant of Jews begin their journey back to Judah all the way from Babylon where they have lived in God-imposed exile for 70 years. Few, if any of these would have been a part of the original group who were captured and taken prisoner to Babylon. Those individuals could have still been alive, but like Daniel, they would have been advanced in years and unlikely able to endure the rigors of the long, arduous trip back to Judah. So there were descendants of the original Jews who were take captive by Nebuchadnezzar. They had lived all their lives in a foreign land, but now they were going to be allowed to return to the Promised Land. In spite of the sins of their fathers, God was going to restore them to the land He had given the people of Israel all those years ago. This would have been a rag-tag group, made up of all kinds of people. Some were commoners, some the descendants of priests or Levites, some were the sons and grandsons of servants who worked in the Temple or who served Solomon. And the only thing they had in common was that they could prove their Jewish ancestry. The only thing that deemed them worthy to return to the land was that they were part of the people who had been chosen by God. It's interesting that God did allow some who could not prove their Jewish ancestry. There was a small group of individuals who were given the right to return to the land even though they couldn't prove they were descendants of Israel. What a reminder that many of us, in fact, all of us who are non-Jews, have been allowed entry into God's kingdom through the mercy and grace of God.

Obviously, there were tens of thousands of Jews who chose to remain in Babylon. We'll never know their reasons for staying, but we can only guess that some feared the trip, while others refused to leave the comforts of life in Babylon. There were probably many who had grown accustomed to life in captivity. The thought of traveling all those miles back to Judah only to live in abject poverty was less than appealing. The number who chose to return was relatively small. When you consider that they were tasked with the job of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem and the Temple itself, it seems impossible. How can this small, rag-tag group of individuals accomplish something so great and against such huge odds? There strength lie not on their numbers, but on their God. It was He who would make their impossible task possible. Jeremiah had expressed this reality in a prayer, "O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!" (Jeremiah 32:17 NLT). And God had confirmed it. "I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27 NLT). God was going to use this remnant to accomplish His will. He was going to use the weak to reveal His power. He was going to accomplish the impossible through the improbable. And He is still doing the same today. Our success lies not in our strength, but in our God. It is He who accomplishes the task and wins the battles, not us. God doesn't need great numbers to do great things. He just needs a few. Jesus only needed a few loaves and fishes to feed a huge crowd. He takes our insufficiencies and accomplishes the impossible and improbable.

"Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God." – 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT

Father, nothing is impossible for You. You are always taking a remnant and doing the impossible and improbable through them. You take what is weak and reveal Your strength through them. That way we can never boast that we did it. We can never grab the glory. Raise up a remnant today Father who would be willing to watch You work through them to accomplish great things in our day. Amen

Restoration.

Ezra 1

This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: "The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah." – Ezra 1:2 NLT

The year is 538 BC. The people of Israel have been in exile in Babylon for 70 long years. But God is about to lift His hand of judgment and restore the people to the land and back into His favor. The amazing thing is how God chooses to bring this all about. When He punished the people 70 years earlier, He had used Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to accomplish His will. This Babylonian king was like a puppet in the hand of Almighty God – accomplishing His will and fulfilling His plans for the people of Judah. Now, 70 years later, Cyrus, the king of the Medo-Persian Empire which had defeated Babylon, becomes the next pawn in the hands of God. This powerful leader has his heart stirred by the Spirit of God and issues a decree allowing the Jews to return to the land of Israel. Not only that, recognizes that God has appointed him with the responsibility of rebuilding the Temple at Jerusalem.

God used Babylon to defeat Judah, demolish Jerusalem and destroy the Temple. Now He was going to use Persia to return the people to the land, restore Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. What an amazing God. This powerful pagan king becomes an instrument in the hands of God to accomplish His will and fulfill His promises to the people of God. What a wonderful reminder that God is in control.

So Cyrus issues his decree, commanding those who chose not to return to financially support the remnant who would be making the trip back to Jerusalem. Cyrus also returns to the people of God all the items that had been plundered from the Temple during the days of Nebuchnezzar. Thousands of bowls, basins, incense burners, and other articles are placed into the hands of God's people, so that they might be restored to their original purpose, the worship of God. All of these items had at one time been set apart – made holy – and dedicated to the worship of God through the sacrificial system. Now they were going to be restored to their original intent. They had been set aside for a time due to the sins of the people, but now they were being restored. The same thing could be said of the people of God. They had one time been set apart for the glory of God, but sin led to their being set aside. They were God's chosen people, His instruments, dedicated to His use and designed to bring Him glory among the other nations of the world. But they had been set aside for 70 long years. Now they were being restored. They were being given a second chance by God. What incredible grace. What amazing love. What an unforgettable reminder of how much God loves us and desires to restore us to fellowship with Him when we stray. God had told the people that if they failed to serve Him faithfully, He would be forced to punish them, and He did. But He had also promised to restore them, and now He was. Just as He said He would.

In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the Lord your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions. If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you. Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. The Lord your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again. Then he will make you even more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors! – Deuteronomy 30:1-5 NLT

Father, what a wonderful reminder of Your unfailing love. You are the covenant-keeping God who never fails to keep His word or fulfill He promises. Thank You for choosing me and for never giving up on me. Thank You for constantly calling me back to You when I stray, for restoring me when I fall. May I never take Your grace for granted. Amen

You Will Rise Again.

Daniel 12

As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you. – Daniel 12:13 NLT

This is it – the final chapter in this amazing book – and it closes with a glimpse into the distant future. God gives Daniel a view of what is yet to come. While much of what He revealed to Daniel in chapter 11 had to do with Antiochus Epiphanes and events that have already taken place, chapter 12 contains details about events that have yet to take place – even in our day. They most likely refer to the like seven year period – part of God's 70 sevens (chapter 9). God is revealing to Daniel the final phase of history before Christ returns to the earth. He refers to it as a period of unparalleled persecution of the people of God – the Jews. "Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence" (Daniel 12:1 NLT). "When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened" (Daniel 12:7 NLT). This all seems to be pointing to the Tribulation, the seven year period of time right before the Second Coming of the Lord. It will be marked by intense persecution of the Jews because of the rise of the Antichrist – a powerful political figure who will make the exploits of Antiochus Epiphanes pale in comparison.

Daniel is given some shocking news that would have been difficult for even him to understand. He has watched his people suffer through exile for almost 70 years and now he is told that their persecution will last until the end of time. It will not get any better. While they were returning to the land of Israel even as Daniel was receiving this final prophecy, they would still end up scattered all across the planet in the years to come. Wars, persecutions, and countless attempts to exterminate the Jews over the centuries have left them a shell of what they once were. And while the occupy part of the original Promised Land today, they remain under constant attack, with other nations intent on their annihilation. But God is not done. He is not finished with His people. Their suffering will continue, but there is a day coming when He will restore them. There is one last great tribulation, but then His Son will return. There is hope. There is a happy ending to this story, because God has written it and He will fulfill it. So the angel tells Daniel to "go your way until the end." He gives Daniel an incredible assurance that all will work out, including Daniel's own resurrection to new life in Christ's future kingdom. Daniel will die, but he will rise again, so that he can spend eternity with the God in whom he had placed his hope and trust all those years living in captivity in Babylon. Daniel could rest knowing that God was going to faithfully complete what He had promised to do. And we can rest in that same promise.

Father, we tend to look at time in short segments, forgetting that You exist outside of time. You are not limited by time. You are eternal and so to You, past, present and future are all one and the same. To you, the life of Daniel is not ancient history, but as vivid as if it was happening right now. You can see the future like it is taking place at this very moment. I don't fully understand it all, but I am so glad that the future is not a mystery to You. It is as clear as the last 60 seconds is to me. You know what is going to happen and it is all within Your divine plan. You hold the future of mankind in Your hands. You hold my future in Your hands. And I can rest in the knowledge that You are not anxious, worried, or ignorant of what is going to happen tomorrow or a thousand years from now. Amen

The People Who Know Their God.

Daniel 11

But the people who know their God will be strong and resist him. – Daniel 11:32 NLT

The divine messenger sent to Daniel continues to give him news of the future – disturbing news that outlines the various wars and conflicts to take place in the years ahead. He tells him of the coming of Alexander the Great, the various kings over Egypt, and ultimately, the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king who was so wicked that he foreshadows the coming of the Antichrist. The amazing thing about this message is its unbelievable accuracy. But then, we shouldn't be amazed, because it is a prediction from the mouth of God. He knew down to the smallest detail what was going to happen, long before it happened. He knew all about the coming wars between the Syrians and Egyptians. He knew who would win and who would lose. And while these great leaders could think that they were in control of their own destinies, in the end, their futures were in the hands of God. Throughout this chapter we read such phases as "the end will come at the appointed time,"  "then at the appointed time,"and "the appointed time is still to come." The rise and fall of nations is under the sovereign hand of Almighty God. He is in complete control. Daniel is reminded, "For what has been determined will surely take place" (Daniel 11:36 NLT).

This entire chapter sets up the rise to power of Antiochus Epiphanes, a conniving, flattering, and powerful king who seemed to have a special hatred for the people of Israel. His actions against them foreshadow the events of the end times, when the Antichrist will target the people of God and persecute them as they have never been persecuted before. At one point, Antiochus Epiphanes, frustrated over a battle lost to the Egyptians, orders his general, Apollonius, and a contingent of 22,000 soldiers to attack Jerusalem on a Sabbath, taking many Jewish women and children captive, plundering the temple, and burning the city. His goal was to completely exterminate Judaism and to Hellenize Palestine. He would forbid the Jews to follow the Mosaic Law or practice the Jewish sacrifices, festivals, and circumcision. He would even installan image of the Greek god Zeus in the Temple and offer sacrifices to him on an altar he had built there – even sacrificing a pig, an unclean animal to the Jews.

Yet, in spite of all these dire predictions, Daniel is told, "But the people who know their God will be strong and resist him" (Daniel 11:32 NLT). The people of God will always be there. There will always be a remnant of God-fearing, God-believing, God-empowered saints to stand against the greatest of enemies. God was calling Daniel and the people of God to remain strong in the midst of coming persecution, because He is strong and in complete control. We must remain strong as well. We should not be shocked at what we see taking place around us. There is a spiritual battle taking place that manifests itself in the material world. Wars and violence should not shock or scare us. They are to be expected and simply part of living in a fallen world that is at war with God. But we can rest in the knowledge that our God is great and He is in full control of the situation. But we must truly know Him and learn to trust in Him. We must continually seek to grow in our knowledge of God and our understanding of His character. Paul even prayed for the believers in his day that God would, "give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better" (1 Colossians 1:9-10 NLT).

May you and I grow in our knowledge and understanding of God so that we might be strong and resist the enemy in our day. As we grow in our knowledge of God, we will come to love and trust Him more – no matter what comes our way.

Father, help me to be one who knows You well. I want to be strong and resist the enemy, but to do so, I must know You. Give me a growing awareness of Your character, so that I will rest in the knowledge of who You really are. Amen

Be Encouraged. Be Strong.

Daniel 10

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” – Daniel 10:19 NLT

The year is 536 B.C. and Daniel is an old man – well in to his 80s. He has spent nearly his whole life living in exile in the land of Babylon. Cyrus is the king and had issued a decree back in 538 B.C. allowing the Jews to return to their land in order to rebuild the Temple under Zerubbabel's leadership. Ezra tells us that by 537 B.C they had reinstituted the sacrificial system and by 536 B.C., they had begun work on the Temple. Yet Daniel remained in Babylon, perhaps too old to make the long trip back to the Promised Land. He was in retirement by now, having served as an official under the various kings who ruled over Babylon during his lifetime. But even in his old age and in spite of the fact that the real action was taking place back in the Promised Land, Daniel was still hearing from his God. Advancing years and decreasing activity did not keep God from giving His servant additional insights into future events concerning Israel. God sent Daniel a special messenger – "a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people" (Daniel 10:5-6 NLT).

Daniel had been in mourning for three weeks when this vision came to him. He was apparently in mourning over the opposition the returning Jews were experiencing back in Jerusalem. Things were not going easily for them. They were under spiritual and physical attack from their enemies, and Daniel was more than likely interceding for them, lifting them up in prayer. It was during this period of prayer and fasting that Daniel received his "visit" from God's messenger. When Daniel encountered this divine messenger, he reacted with fear. When he heard him speak, he fainted. But twice, this one sent from God assured Daniel that he was "very precious to God." This designation refers not just to Daniel's status as a Jew – one of God's chosen people – but to the fact that God had been precious to Daniel. Daniel had faithfully served God all the years he had lived in Babylon and remained obedient to God's will and glory. God encourages Daniel to take courage and be strong because what He is about to tell him is going to be difficult to hear. God lets Daniel know that there is a great spiritual war going on, unseen by men, and impacting the world in which Daniel lives. He also tells Daniel that things are going to get worse before they get better. There will continue to be conflicts on earth and in the heavens until God decides it is time to bring it all to an end. God is going to reveal to Daniel events that are going to happen in the future. These events will be disturbing and not encouraging. But God tells Daniel to be encouraged and to be strong. Why? Because God is in control. These things are all "written in the Book of Truth" (Daniel 10:21 NLT). These things must happen because God has ordained them to happen. They are all part of His divine plan. There is nothing that has happened or has yet to happen that God has not been fully aware of and is outside of His divine will. So we can be encouraged and remain strong even in the face of coming struggles. There is a spiritual war taking place that should not surprise or scare us. It is inevitable. But our God is all-powerful. He is in full control. Like Daniel, we have been given a glimpse into how things will turn out. We have been given a view into the future and we know how the story ends. We know that things will get worse before it gets better. We know the enemy will fight until the end. But we also know that God wins in the end. His will will be accomplished. His plan will be fulfilled. So there is no need to be afraid. We are precious to God. He has chosen us and He will protect us. We can take courage. We can be strong.

Father, I am precious to You. That is an amazing thing to consider. You love me and have my best interest at heart. Never let me forget that. Give me the courage to stand strong in the fact of adversity. Give me the strength to remain faithful even when things appear difficult and the future looks bleak. You are in complete control and I can trust You. Your will will be done. Your plan will be accomplished. Amen

Our Merciful God.

Daniel 9

O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. – Daniel 9:18 NLT

By now we have established the fact that Daniel was a man of God. He lived his life for God – even in the midst of a pagan nation where the temptation to compromise was ever present. But Daniel remained faithful. And one of the reasons was that Daniel stayed in touch with his God. He was obviously a man of prayer. But he was also a man of the Word. We see in this chapter that Daniel is reading from the writings of Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah had prophesied that the people of Israel would remain in captivity for a period of 70 years then they would be restored to the land. At the time he is reading this, the people have been in captivity about 67 years. So Daniel knows that the time is short. But rather than sit back and wait for God to fulfill His promise, Daniel prays. He reads Gods Word, then he prays to God. What prompted this reaction was what he found written in Jeremiah's prophesy:

This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land." – Jeremiah 29:10-14 NLT

He probably read Jeremiah's prayer where he appealed to God regarding the land God had commanded him to purchase. "O Sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy the field – paying good money for it before these witnesses – even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians" (Jeremiah 32:25 NLT). Jeremiah had done what the Lord commanded based on his understanding of God's unfailing love and promise to restore them to the land one day. Jeremiah's investment was based on the integrity of God. Daniel read the words of Jeremiah and his response was one of prayer and fasting. His prayer was full of repentance on behalf of the people, and he included himself in their guilt. He appealed to God's mercy. He praised God for His unfailing love and unwavering commitment to keep His promises. He acknowledged that their restoration would have nothing to do with their own merit, but for God's own sake and the honor of His name. In spite of their rebellion and sin, God would forgive and restore. It reminds me of the words of God spoken at the dedication of Solomon's Temple. He told them that if they failed to be faithful, He would bring punishment. But if they repented, He would restore them. "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT).

As a result of Daniel's prayer, God responded. He sent His angel, Gabriel, to provide Daniel with "insight and understanding." Gabriel told Daniel, "The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision" (Daniel 9:23 NLT). Then Gabriel proceeded to give Daniel an understanding of things to come. This passage is the central text for understanding the end times. It gives a chronological framework regarding the coming Messiah that runs from the time of Daniel all the way to the establishment of the kingdom on earth. Not only will God restore Israel to the land at the end of their 70 years of captivity, He will restore peace and righteousness to the world when His Son returns at the end of the age. The same God of mercy, grace, and forgiveness to whom Daniel prayed is the one who will fulfill all His promises regarding the end of the age and the coming of the kingdom of His Son. Our response should be that of Daniel's – prayer, fasting, repentance and confession – calling out to God to honor His name by fulfilling what He said He would do. Our appeal should be based on the character and integrity of God. Our hope should be based on who He is, not who we are or what we can do to earn His favor. He is good to us, not because we are good to Him, but because He is good. As we read about His goodness and faithfulness, it should drive us to our knees in thanksgiving and recognition of our own sinfulness.

Father, You are a merciful, loving, compassionate and promise-keeping God. You will bring about all that You have said, not based on anything we have done or will ever do to deserve it, but simply because You have promised it. You are faithful. But never let me rest in the certainty of what will happen. May I turn to You in prayer and repentance BECAUSE You will do what You have promised. Your mercy and grace should cause me to confess, repent and return. Amen

A Taste of Things to Come.

Daniel 8

Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, "How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven’s army be trampled on?" The other replied, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again.” – Daniel 8:13-14 NLT

Daniel lived in a spiritually tumultuous time. The land of Israel had been raped and pillaged and its people taken captive to foreign lands. Daniel was one of thousands of individuals who found themselves living in exile in Babylon, and they had been there for decades at this point. Their homeland is miles away. Their Temple, the dwelling place of their God, is destroyed. It is a period of spiritual darkness filled with questions about the future. What is God going to do with His people? Is He going to restore them to the land once again, in keeping with His promises? In chapter seven, God gives Daniel a look into the distant future, at the end of the age. He lets Daniel know what is going to happen long after Daniel is gone. But that does not answer a lot of Daniel's more immediate concerns. Then he has his vision of chapter eight.

In this vision, Daniel is given a little bit closer look at what is going to happen in the future. There are similarities and parallels. But the focus seems to be on the period of time between when Daniel lived and the second coming of Christ. Daniel is living within the Medo-Persian Empire. He is still in Babylon, but it has become part of the Medo-Persian Empire and Belshazzar is the king. His vision takes him to Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire, located about 200 miles east of Babylon. This is where Daniel's vision takes place. In his vision he sees a goat and a ram. The ram was the guardian spirit of the Persian Empire. The goat represents Greece, and its single, prominent horn represented Alexander the Great, who would sweep into that area of the world and wipe of the Medo-Persian Empire. Alexander the Great would die in his thirties and his kingdom would divide into four parts led by four different generals. Out of one of these would come Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), who would wage a relentless attack on the people of Israel, overthrowing the High Priest, looting the Temple and replacing the worship of God with a form of Greek worship. The daily sacrifices would come to a halt after he desecrates the Temple. And Daniel is told that this would go on for seven years.

Each and every one of these things came about just as Daniel saw them in his vision. This speaks of God omniscience, His all-knowing nature. He doesn't just watch the future unfold helplessly like the rest of us. He knows it before it even happens. God was able to show Daniel events that had yet taken place – in amazing detail. And these events are foreshadowings of what Daniel had seen in chapter eight. But they will come about with the same degree of accuracy. In the month of December, 168 B.C., Antiochus returned from a defeat at the hands of the Romans and, in frustration, sent 20,000 of his troops to seize Jerusalem on the Sabbath. He erected an idol of Zeus and desecrated the altar of the Temple by sacrificing swine on it. This idol became known to the Jews as "the abomination of desolation." All of this is a precursor to events that will take place in the end times. At that time, the Antichrist will erect an image of himself and command that everyone, including Jews, worship it. As bad as that time will be, it will also be a kind of alarm clock, telling mankind that the second coming of Christ is eminent. "Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 NLT). But those events will be the preface for an even greater and more significant one – the coming of Christ. He is going to return just as He said. And as the events of Daniel's vision took place with painstaking accuracy, so will the events associated with the end times. The tribulation will come. The Antichrist will come to power. But Jesus Christ will come again and bring about a great victory, setting up His kingdom once and for all.

Father, these dreams and visions are difficult to understand. But help me to grasp that You know the future and You will bring about everything You have said will happen. It is a certainty. Just as Alexander the Great came to power, so will Christ. But unlike Alexander, Christ's kingdom will have no end. Amen

The Son of Man.

Daniel 7

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 NLT

It seems that Daniel not only interprets dreams, he has them. And the dream he has in chapter seven is a doozy. It is full of bizarre beasts, big horns and little, violent wars, and other disturbing imagery. And even with his interpretative skills, Daniel is unable to figure this one out. So in the midst of his dream he approaches the throne of God and is given an explanation. He is given a vision of the future. His dream includes the not-so-distant future and a time that has yet to happen even in our day. Ultimately, his dream is about the end times. He is given a glimpse of the time of the tribulation and the coming of the Antichrist. But more importantly, Daniel is given a view of the coming of the Son of Man – the return of Christ to rule and to reign on the earth. The term "Son of Man" was Jesus' favorite designation for Himself. He preferred it over the more common term "Messiah," because to most Jews that simply indicated a human deliverer sent by God. By referring to Himself as the Son of Man, He was claiming the role of the one predicted in Daniel's dream. He was the coming God-man. He would one day be "given authority, honor and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him" (Daniel 7:14 NLT). His coming kingdom would be an earthly, not just spiritual, kingdom. And it would last forever.

Of all the beings revealed in this dream of Daniels, the most significant one is that of the Son of Man. He is not described in detail. We do not get a good idea of what He looks like. The other beasts are described in frightening detail. But with the Son of Man, the emphasis is more on what He will do than on what He looks like. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, will destroy the Antichrist and all the nations he will have gathered to rebel against God Almighty. He will use His God-given authority to destroy the enemies of God and usher in a new age of perfect peace. "Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords" (Revelation 19:11-16 NLT).

We may not be able to fully understand just who the other beasts represents. But we do know that the Son of Man is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. And He is going to return to the earth one day to finish His work and establish His kingdom once and for all. His rule will be eternal – it will never end. And unlike the nations represented in Daniel's dream, the Son of Man's kingdom will never be destroyed.

Father, in the midst of all the chaos that surrounds the end times, we can rest in the knowledge that Your Son will come onto the scene and set all things right. He is the Son of Man, the Savior who has come and will come again. He is not finished saving this world. His work is not yet done. Help us keep our eyes focused on the one character in Daniel's dream that truly makes a difference – Jesus Christ, Your Son and our Savior. Amen

Can Your God Save?

Daniel 6

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 6:27 NLT

This is what I call a "Sunday School story." It is one of those stories from the Bible that we are told in Sunday School as children when we are growing up. When I was a kid, it was told with the use of Flannel-Graphs, those colorful fabric pieces that were cut-out pictures of the characters that stuck to a piece of flannel. As the teacher told the story of Daniel and the lion's den, we kids would take turns placing the figures of Daniel and the lions on the flannel-covered board. We were amazed at the bravery of Daniel. As a matter of fact, this whole story was about Daniel – thus the name, Daniel and the lion's den. It was all about the faith of Daniel, the bravery of Daniel, the courage of Daniel, and the prayerfulness of Daniel. And it is still easy to read this chapter and think that this is a story about a man, a very brave, courageous, prayerful man. But the hero of the story is God. He is the one who ensures that there is a happy ending. He is the one in whom Daniel believed, to whom Daniel prayed, and to whom Daniel owed his life.

Even Darius the Mede recognized that God was going to have to be the one to save Daniel from his predicament, because even as king, he was unable to rescue Daniel from a certain death in the lion's den. "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) Darius knew that it was Daniel's God that would make the difference – not Daniel. And Daniel himself knew that it was God who was going to have to get him out of this mess. When he heard about the new law, Daniel did what he always did, he prayed to God. This time he had something new to pray about, and he did. "Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help" (Daniel 6:11 NLT). Faced with a difficult situation, Daniel turned to God for help. And the amazing thing is, God didn't answer Daniel's prayer the way I would have expected. He didn't miraculously change the law. He didn't give Darius a disturbing dream and cause him to revoke his decree. He didn't cause a strange new disease to break out among the lions, wiping them out and thus, sparing Daniel's life. No, Daniel was arrested and had to face his punishment. Where was God? What was He doing? What was He thinking? The last words Darius had for Daniel were, "May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you" (Daniel 6:16 NLT). Even Darius knew it was all up to God now. Only He could prevent tragedy from striking Daniel. And He did.

The next morning, Daniel was found alive and unharmed. There wasn't a scratch on him. And Daniel knew why. "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" (Daniel 6:22 NLT). Daniel had trusted in God, and God had come through. Why? Because, "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 6:27 NLT). This story is about our God, not Daniel. Sure, Daniel was a man of faith, but the whole point of the story is the ONE in whom Daniel had faith. Yes, Daniel was a man of prayer, but the moral of the story is that it is GOD ALONE who answers prayer. We are sometimes guilty of making the Bible about men. We read stories about the men and women of the Bible and we determine that we either should emulate or avoid their examples. We are told to "dare to be a Daniel." We are encouraged to "fight the good fight" like Paul. We are encouraged to be a "man after God's own heart" like David. And while modeling our lives after other saints isn't necessarily wrong, we would be better off focusing our attention on the God in whom they believed. He is the real moral to the story. God saves. He rescues. There is not predicament too big for Him to handle. He is the living God.

Father, forgive us for making it all about us. Our pride is so great. We sometimes think You exist for us. We seem to believe that the story is all about us. And we lose sight of the reality that without You, there is no story. There would have been no creation. Mankind would never have existed. None of us would have taken our first breath. And not a single one of us would have the slightest chance of making it through this life unscathed without You. You alone are God. You are the star of the play. You alone deserve glory and honor. Not Daniel. Not Moses. Not Paul. And not us. Amen

Sixty Years Later…

Daniel 5

You are his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. 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 NLT

Daniel is still in Babylon, and a new king sits on the throne. There has been a succession of rulers over Babylon since Daniel was elevated to his high position after having successfully interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. Now Belshazzar rules over the Babylonian empire. One night he decides to throw a huge party for 1,000 of his nobles. As a symbol of his power, he commands that the gold and silver cups that were once used in the Temple in Jerusalem be brought for he and his guests to drink from and to toast their false gods. These are the same cups that King Solomon had made when he built the Temple. They had been dedicated to God and were intended for His house and His glory. But King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them when he pillaged Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple.

Now Belshazzar, in his pride and arrogance, decides to use what was dedicated to God for his own personal use. It was a slap in the face of God and an affront to His holiness. And while Belshazzar was well aware of what had happened to his ancestor Nebuchadnezzar when he let pride get the best of him, it didn't seem to faze him. Until he saw the handwriting on the wall. God crashed Belshazzar's party and gave him a message – one that neither he or his magicians could understand or interpret. But when Daniel was summoned, he was able to tell the king its message – your days are numbered, you don't measure up, and your kingdom is going to be divided. That very night, Belshazzar would be murdered and his kingdom taken over by Darius the Mede.

All the way back when Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem, along with all its contents – including the gold and silver cups – he seemed to understand that there was a day coming when God's people would fail to worship Him faithfully. He prayed, "If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to their land far away or near" (1 Kings 8:46 NLT). He went on to plead with God, "Forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all the offenses they have committed against you. Make their captors merciful to them, for they are your people—your special possession—whom you brought out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt" (1 Kings 8:50-51 NLT). Now here they were, all these years later, captives in Babylon. God had not left them or forsaken them. He was still watching over them. And He was protecting the holiness of His name. He was not going to allow Belshazzar or anyone else to desecrate His Holy possessions – whether it was gold or silver cups or His chosen people. Both were in exile. Both were in the possession of the enemy. But they still belonged to God and God had not forgotten that they were His. They were still His people – His special possession – and He was not done with them yet. Belshazzar, like Nebuchadnezzar, was just a pawn in the hands of the sovereign God. The cups were not his to use as he saw fit. Neither were the people of Israel. They were Gods and He had a plan for them.

Father, we are Your possession. We belong to You. And while this world tries to take us captive and use us for its own purposes, we have to constantly be reminded that we do not belong to this world. We are no longer slaves to sin or this world. We are Your holy possessions. We belong to You and while we find ourselves living in a foreign land, You have not forgotten us and You will not forsake us. Help us to remain pure and undefiled while we live in this world. For our own good and Your glory. Amen

Nebuchadnezzar's Pride.

Daniel 4

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. – Daniel 4:37 NLT

What would cause the pagan king of one of the most powerful nations on earth to sing the praises of the God of Israel – the nation he had just defeated and whose people he had taken captive? Why would this man praise, glorify and honor the King of heaven. The answer is pretty simple. God had humbled him. Nebuchadnezzar had learned the power and prominence of God the hard way. A year earlier, God had given Nebuchadnezzar a dream in which He revealed to him what was going to happen in the not-too-distant future. It took Daniel to interpret the dream, but the meaning was clear. Because of Nebuchadnezzar's pride, God was going to have to humble him. The king refused to acknowledge that it was God who put kings on their thrones and not themselves. After King Nebuchadnezzar had conquered virtually every nation in the region, he took a look at all his accomplishments and the trappings of his success and began to feel a bit proud of his accomplishments. He had a powerful army, a beautiful palace, and enjoyed a life of ease and prosperity. He had it all. Power, possessions, prosperity, and prominence. He had everything he needed. Or so he thought.

Nebuchadnezzar had overlooked one important factor. It was God who had given him his throne and the ability to conquer all the surrounding nations. God had raised up Babylon for his own divine purposes. Nebuchadnezzar was simply a tool in the hands of God. So God took this pride-filled pagan king and humbled him. Daniel advised the king to take the dream seriously and to, "stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper" (Daniel 4:27 NLT). But Nebuchadnezzar refused to listen. So a year later, as he was walking around the roof of his majestic palace proudly surveying the domain he had built, tragedy struck. He lost his mind. He went crazy. He ended up living in the fields like an animal. He went from parading around the palace, strutting like a proud peacock in his royal robes to living like a wild animal. But when he finally "looked up to heaven," his sanity returned. God restored his mind and his kingdom. But the key was a change in his heart. He had gone from worshiping self to worshiping God. He went from praising self to praising God. Through his tragedy he had come to understand what each and every one of us as God's creation need to know. "His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. 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?’" (Daniel 4:34-35 NLT).

Pride is a powerful force in the hands of the enemy. He uses it to take our eyes off of God. Satan is not so much concerned that we worship him as he is that we worship ANYTHING other than God. And the worship of self is the ultimate form of idolatry. When we begin to believe our own press clippings and start to think we have made ourselves what we are, that is when we are in real danger. Self-exaltation is ultimately self-destructive. It can be bad for your health. Because God does not share His glory with anyone. The Scriptures remind us, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 NIV). The lesson Nebuchadnezzar had to learn was regarding God's sovereignty. He had to understand that God is ruler over ALL the kingdoms of the earth, including his own. He had to learn that God was the only true King, not him. He had to learn that God was the consummate conqueror, not him. Nebuchadnezzar had learned the lesson that James simple reiterated: "All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud" (Daniel 4:37 NLT).

Father, we are a proud people. Even as believers we can begin to believe that we are self-made men and women. We have made ourselves what we are. Our accomplishments and achievements are the work of our hands. But in this passage You remind us that the only thing that separates us from the wild beasts in the field is Your divine, sovereign hand. You can lift us up and You can bring us down. You will not tolerate self-worship. You will not put up with self-exaltation. Keep our eyes focused on You and You alone. May we acknowledge your power and sovereignty without having to learn to do so the hard way. Amen

Daniel's God.

Daniel 2-3

No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people. – Daniel 2:10-11 NLT

King Nebuchadnezzar has had a series of disturbing dreams. He gathers all his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers and demands that they tell him what his dreams mean. Not only that, they have to tell him WHAT he dreamed. Their reaction? Panic. In spite of their illustrious titles, they know that none of them can do what the king is demanding. It would be impossible for them to know what the king dreamed, unless he told them. But King Nebuchadnezzar sticks to his original plan, threatening to kill them if they don't do what he says. When they finally admit that his request is something only a god could do, and gods don't live among men, he explodes and sentences them all to death. This death sentence would include Daniel and his friends, because by this time they were considered to be on a par with the rest of the king's retinue of wise men.

When David gets wind of the king's plan to have them all put to death, he asks for more time, then calls his three friends to a time of prayer. Theyask God to intervene and show them mercy by revealing the dream and its interpretation. Keep in mind, Daniel has never interpreted dreams before, so this is an amazing request. While the king's magicians saw it as impossible, Daniel viewed it as highly possible because of what he knew about the nature and character of his God. This was all new territory for Daniel, but not for God. It may be that Daniel knew the story of Joseph and how God gave him the ability to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh all those years ago in Egypt. But Daniel prays and God responds. He gives Daniel the dream and its meaning. Daniel's reaction is one of praise and thanksgiving at the wisdom, power, and omniscience of God. While the gods of the Babylonians did "not live here among people," the God of Daniel did. He heard Daniel's prayer and did the impossible. Daniel knew what Jesus Himself would later express, "What is impossible for people is possible with God" (Luke 18:27 NLT).

The next day Daniel goes to the king and tells him, "There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future" (Daniel 2:27-28 NLT). Then Daniel proceeds to tell King Nebuchadnezzar his dream and its meaning. Through the dream, God is giving Nebuchadnezzar a glimpse of what is to come. In his dream the king had seen a great statue made of gold, silver, brass, and a mix of iron and clay. Thefour different materials represent four kingdoms that will exist in the not-too-distant future. The head of gold is Babylon. The breast and arms of silver are Persian (currently a Babylonian vassal state). The belly and thighs of brass represent Greece (at this point just a band of warring tribes). And the legs of iron and feet of clay and iron represent Rome (at this point nothing more than a village on the Tiber River). God is revealing to Nebuchadnezzar the future history of the world, all the way up to the Tribulation. Some of these kingdoms came to power and have already fulfilled the prophecy. But the final Gentile power (Rome), which came to power and no longer exists will be revived in the last days. It will be a confederation of 10 nations which will bind themselves together in order to solidify and strengthen their power. But they will prove weak and unstable (iron and clay). At the end of the Great Tribulation, Christ will return to earth and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem. His kingdom "will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever" (Daniel 2:44 NLT). .

The God of Daniel is a great God who not only knows the meaning of dreams, but holds the future of mankind in His hands. His words concerning Babylon, Persia, Greece and ancient Rome all came true. So why should we doubt that what He had to say about the end times will not also come about just like He said? As Daniel said, our God "has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings" (Daniel 2:20-21 NLT). Daniel could count on Him for providing an answer to prayer regarding an impossible request. But He could also count on Godfor not only the future of his own life, but that of the entire world as well. We serve a great God who has a firm grasp on this world. We can trust Him and rest in the knowledge that He is in control.

Father, thank You that the God of Daniel is my God as well. You are the same today as You were then. You are no less powerful, knowledgeable, capable, or approachable. You hear and answer prayers. You still do the impossible and hold the future in Your hands just as surely as You did in Daniel's day. Thanks for the reminder. Amen

Standing On Our Convictions.

Daniel 1

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. – Daniel 1:8 NLT

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has invaded Judah, plundered the Temple in Jerusalem, and taken thousands of its citizens captive. Among those transported to Babylon against their wills are four young Hebrew boys from the tribe of Judah – Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Most of them end up in a refugee camp by the Kebar River, the same camp where Ezekiel received his vision from God. Daniel and Ezekiel are contemporaries, but will find themselves living two radically different lifestyles, and being used by God in extremely different ways. Daniel and the three other young men are among a hand-picked group to be trained as servants for the king's palace. They are chosen for their looks, intelligence, physical prowess, and good judgment. After receiving their new Babylonian names, they begin a three-year intensive training program.

Immediately, Daniel and his friends find themselves faced with a difficult situation. They are Hebrews living in a foreign land, populated by pagans who worship false gods. These found young men are obviously devout followers and Yahweh and know that the food they are being given to eat by the King is not proper for them to eat as Hebrews. If they do eat it, it will make them ceremonially unclean. Sure, it is rich, delicious and there is plenty of it, but it is not what God has commanded them to eat. So they must make a decision. They must take a stand and hold to their convictions – a dangerous thing to do considering their circumstances. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself. He made up his mind to stand by his convictions and honor his commitment to God, even if it meant risking his life. Daniel supplied the conviction and God supplied the protection. When Daniel appealed to his superior and expressed his request to refrain from eating the royal food, he found him resistant to the idea. But Daniel came up with an alternative idea and presented it to him, and his overseer agreed. Why? Because "God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel" (Daniel 1:6 NLT). God had prepared the way. Daniel made up his mind to honor God and God made sure the king's chief of staff was predisposed to Daniel.

Daniel and his friends prospered on a diet of vegetables and water. Not because of the food, but because of their conviction to honor God. God was with them. He gave them "an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom" (Daniel 1:17 NLT). Their ability to learn came from God. Their health and vitality were from God. Daniel's unique ability to interpret dreams came from God. They supplied the conviction and God did the rest. And they stood out from the crowd. We are not told this, but it would appear that the other Hebrew young men who were conscripted with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah did not stand by their convictions. They ate the King's food. They compromised. But when the three years of training were over, King Nebuchadnezzar found Daniel and his friends to be ten times more capable than their peers. They had stood firm and now they stood out. They had remained faithful to God and He had been faithful to them.

Father, we could use a lot more Daniels today. I need to be more like Daniel – a man of conviction who refuses to compromise in the face of the pressures this world places on us as believers. We are regularly tempted to defile ourselves by compromising our convictions and caving in to the world's demands. Give me the strength to stand firm even in the face of adversity. Amen

From Devastation to Restoration.

Joel 3

But Judah will be filled with people forever, and Jerusalem will endure through all generations. I will pardon my people's crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the Lord, will make my home in Jerusalem with my people. – Joel 3:20-21 NLT

The book of Joel starts with an image of devastating destruction. But it ends with a promise of forgiveness and restoration. As with all the other prophetic books of Scripture, the message of Joel is one of repentance and warning of coming judgment for their sin and rebellion against God. He warns them that they must return to the Lord in humility and turn from their pursuit of other gods. God promises to restore and forgive them if they do. But should they refuse, He will be forced to judge them according to their sin. The sad reality is that the people of Judah never did repent and they ended up in captivity in Babylon. Many of those left in Judah who the Babylonians didn't bother to take captive – the poor, the weak, and the elderly – ended up being taken captive by the surrounding nations and sold into slavery. The once great nation of Israel and the majestic Temple in Jerusalem would be no longer.

But the real message of Joel and that of the Bible is the redemptive work of God. Despite the unfaithfulness of His chosen people and their unwillingness to return to Him, He would remain faithful to His name and fulfill every promise He had made to them. He is the covenant-keeping God who never goes back on His Word. He can be counted on even when those He has chosen can't be. The message of the Bible is that God is the one who redeems and restores. He is the one who brings people back to Himself. In our sins, we are incapable of returning to Him. We are dead in our trespasses and sins, unwilling and unable to walk away from our love affair with the world and our addiction to sin. But God calls us to Himself. He redeems us out of slavery to sin and restores us to a right relationship with Him. He does for us what we could never do for ourselves. He extends to us mercy and grace. He graciously saves us. It is the story of His Son, the one who took on human flesh so that He might live the life we were called to live – but without sin and in full obedience to His Father. He then suffered the death we deserved do die – in our place. He became the sin substitute, the spotless lamb who gave His life to satisfy the just demands of a righteous and holy God. Sin required a payment and only the shedding of blood would satisfy the debt. Jesus' death paid that price in full and made possible the forgiveness of our sins and the restoration of our souls to God. The story of the Bible is one of restoration. God will one day restore the people of Israel to a perfect relationship with Himself. He will do for them what they could not do for themselves. Because He is faithful. He keeps His promises.

Father, You are the covenant-keeping God. Thank You that in this world where little or nothing can be relied upon, You can be. I can trust You to keep Your promises and to fulfill every one of Your covenant agreements. What a comfort that is in this world of trial and suffering. Amen