The Kingdom of Our Lord and of His Christ
Looking Toward the End and the Beginning
Daniel 6:15-16 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, “Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
ONE amazing display of God’s grace comes when persecutors become praying believers. In many accounts of people jailed and tortured for their faith, their devout stand for Christ will be an example to their persecutors. The extraordinary faith stories of lives transformed from murderous intent against God’s people to merciful love for others are told throughout the world. To minister to your enemies is faithful discipleship. Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount, “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:44-45) He reminds and commands us to consider God is love. We are to live in his love to even pray for and love our enemies, so they will witness God’s personal love in their own dark lives. Darius had witnessed Daniel’s continual love and service to God. He had watched Daniel’s obedience of God’s law transfer to everyday life to help Daniel be the best administrator in the extensive Persian empire. Darius understood this Hebrew man had a special gift of faith to love and obey God’s laws and to do good in the world. As a result, Darius could trust Daniel. As Daniel was faithful to God’s authority, he would be faithful to the king. In contrast, Darius has learned he cannot trust the other administrators who have plotted to kill Daniel. Surely he is suspicious of their intent as he succumbs to their evil plot. Daniel’s life is no longer in Darius’ hands. In response, the pagan king does what a faithful Christian is to do when we encounter fearful danger. Darius prays, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” The suddenly powerless king calls on God’s sovereign protection for his favored servant. Remarkable, isn’t it? John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Daniel 6:10-11 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
DANIEL has a life pattern of prayer. We saw in Daniel 2 how he prayed to God the impossible. He asked the Lord of Heaven to reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its meaning. God revealed the dream. His power became known in Babylon. The Persian authorities attacked Daniel through his faithful and persistent prayer life. They knew he prayed three times a day because he opened his windows to the direction of Jerusalem. Daniel continued his daily prayers in full view of his opposition. Jesus’ faithful followers learn here we do not keep their faith private. What did he pray? Daniel purposefully and obediently prayed God’s prayer command from Jeremiah 29:12-14 “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Daniel and others called on God. They prayed God’s will to deliver them. They sought God with all their heart. And God responded to these faithful prayers. Darius would permit the Jews’ return. God fulfills his Word. This the Lord’s prayer, isn’t it? As we pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) we submit our lives to God. We know God’s will because he tells us in his Scriptures. God’s will is to accomplish his promises to his people – his church – in his time. But what happens? We are prone, aren’t we, to easily stop praying if there is no quick response from heaven. But consider that Daniel prayed nearly 70 years for the Jews’ return. As we look to the needs of our family, church, nation and world, let’s first seek what the Bible says. The prayer in agreement with God’s Word. Be of patient, persistent prayer, trusting God. Remember the Lord teaches us to pray, so we will faithfully proclaim our trust in his will for all things. Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the church. Daniel 6:6-9 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered — in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
AS the officials considered how to discredit Daniel’s faithful worship of God, isn’t it fascinating they used prayer as a weapon against him? This is a powerful testimony to Daniel’s prayer life. He not only prayed regularly, he prayed openly. As some in the church will say, “I have a quiet faith.” (To God, this is a very little faith.) it is apparent Daniel had a loud, open faith. His prayer life shouted, “I believe in God.” throughout Persia. The scheming authorities also knew of the first three commandments in God’s law: Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5a You shall not bow down to them or worship them.” Brilliant in its scope, evil in its intent, the jealous Persian authorities spoke deadly advice to Darius. They knew Daniel would be trapped, condemned to the lions’ den because he obeyed God’s commands and steadfastly prayed. This type of persecution continues today. There is an amazing book called “The Insanity of God” by Nick Ripken that tells story after story of such men and women across the globe and throughout all cultures. These disciples’ faithful prayer lives and obedience to God’s commands were the reasons authorities imprisoned, tortured and sometimes killed them. These inspiring faith stories stir all hearts who love the Lord. How it stirs one’s heart to know the kind of faith that rejects all God-opposing earthly authority. Many of us have much to learn about taking up our cross against such cruelty. Why, do you think, God allows such obedient and faithful people to suffer so much? Perhaps, as in Daniel’s story, it is to inspire us. Does your heart not come to attention to ask, “What would I do in that circumstance? Do I love God that much? Is my relationship with the Lord so strong?” Also, these stories always tell of the ways God uses such faith to increase his kingdom. Daniel’s faith story will inspire the Jews to remain strong and trust God to lead them home. Persecuted Christians’ stories today will inspire each of us to trust the omnipotent God to overcome all evil to his glory. Acts 8:1b On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria…4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. Daniel 6:5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
ONE of the most well-known stories of Jesus’ forgiveness comes in John 8:4-6a “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6a They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. Centuries before the ruling Jews tried to use God’s law to discredit Jesus, Persian administrators would attempt to use God’s law to condemn Daniel. Daniel’s and Jesus’ lives were each such a strong testimony of faithful living, even their accusers’ sin-laden minds knew they would not depart from God’s law. This challenge for Christians is very real in our world today. I know in the U.S. and Canada – and perhaps other parts of the world – the Bible’s teachings, for example, against homosexuality, fornication and abortion are considered “hate speech”. Faithful Christians speaking their faith are deemed terrible, ignorant people. Their faithful views are deliberately used against them, preventing them from promotions in their work, keeping them from being hired or doing business as Christians. In his book, “The Benedict Option” author, Ron Dener warns about these plots against God’s faithful: “Everyone working for a major corporation will be shuffled through ‘diversity and inclusion’ training and will face pressure not simply to tolerate Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) co-workers but to affirm their sexuality and gender identity. Plus, companies that don’t abide by state and federal antidiscrimination statutes covering LGBTs will not be able to receive government contracts. In fact, according to one religious liberty litigator, the only thing standing between an employer or employee and a court action is the imagination of LGBT plaintiffs and their lawyers.” In other words, any sinner can plot against someone who speaks against him. He can point a finger and say, “Your obedience to the Bible is hateful to me.” And because too many are ignorant of sin and its deadly consequences, they will have their way. What are we to do? We know what Jesus did, and we will see what Daniel did. The Bible teaches us to stay firmly in God’s laws. Those laws include what is wrong and what is right. We speak against sin, and we speak forgiveness. We stand on truth against all opposition. We trust God will protect us as we put his Word above all things – even above death. We offer grace, and we teach salvation. We live in faith, and we live by faith. We pray for those who oppose us. And we pray for God’s strength to stand in his wisdom, honor and glory. Study God’s Word and know that his will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Luke 12:11-12 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” Daniel 6:1-4 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
YOU could see the administrators’ opposition to Daniel as a political battle. One always attacks the person at the top in the hope he will fall. Others are eager to assume the privileged position. But this is more than politics. It is evil attempting to overthrow good. Satan always works to destroy God’s goodness. We have seen in the previous five chapters that Daniel’s excellence comes from his daily fellowship with God. His faithfulness to righteous living affects the daily function of a pagan culture. He is a light in the darkness, displaying God’s good deeds. (Matthew 5:16) As we’ve mentioned earlier, Daniel’s submission to these ungodly authorities allows him to work to glorify God. He is not a troublemaker with a rebellious nature. Daniel accepts his destiny as God’s design for his life. He is a faithful steward of God’s Word in the darkness. We live in an unbelieving culture, too. God’s light shines into the pagan world when you are trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. You demonstrate to the world, to the church, to your families and to your neighbors how good life is when one walks in the light. Yes, opposition may point to us and ridicule us. But let us remember there is, as one minister has recently said, “only an audience of one”. Our LORD God is the only one we must please as we consider life’s choices. To his faithful in an opposing world, he speaks to us: Acts 26:17-18 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Daniel 5:25-31 “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN 26 “This is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. 28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 29 Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.
THE first thing Daniel did to interpret the words on the wall was to read them. You might say, “That’s obvious.” But it wasn’t to the wise men, astrologers, etc. They had not been able to read the words. The Lord’s message to Belshazzar would come only from God’s prophet. “MENE” is to number, to hold to account. “TEKEL” refers to a shekel, which is “to weigh”. “PARSIN” is to divide, break in two. The king is accountable to God. His days are numbered; his life and reign have been weighed. He is found wanting, lacking in moral and spiritual character, and his kingdom will be divided. Humble, obedient Hannah prayed for humble, wise leaders: 1 Samuel 2:3 “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.” Also consider Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Your life is in the balance before God. Will he account you as saved in your faith? It is somewhat surprising Belshazzar was good to his word to honor Daniel. Such condemnation would seem to cause the king to erupt in rage. But could it be the king was awakened to his sins? Did he perhaps hope to escape condemnation by honoring Daniel? But, of course, God’s judgment time had been set. There is no escape when the wrath of God judges sinners. Belshazzar is an example. In God’s providence, the Medes and the Persians conquer Babylon that night. God’s judgment is also protecting his people and fulfilling his prophecies. This is the destruction of Babylon from Isaiah 47:5 “Sit in silence, go into darkness, Daughter of the Babylonians; no more will you be called queen of kingdoms. This is the silver, the next nation, in the chest of the statue of Daniel 2. Babylon is finished, never to rise again. The time is coming for the exiles’ return to rebuild Jerusalem, as God continues his plan to send the Messiah. Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Daniel 5:22-24 “But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.”
DANIEL rebukes Belshazzar. To rebuke is to scold, to reprimand. The servant scolds Belshazzar, listing the king’s sins of unbelief, idolatry and immoral life. Belshazzar had no regard for God, even rejecting the evidence of God’s work in Nebuchadnezzar’s life. These words are another sign of Daniel’s unwavering faith. At the risk of his life, Daniel calls the king to account because he is accountable to God. How do you feel about rebuking someone for their neglect of God? We have been taught in the modern church that to rebuke someone’s sin is unloving and judgmental. It is, in effect, not Christian. After all, God loves everyone. We each have our sins, but God will forgive us, right? Love one another! But wait a minute. Jesus rebuked the disciples he loved in one of the most critical moments of their relationship with him: Mark 16:14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Jesus scolded his disciples. They did not believe the testimonies of Mary and others who had seen him risen from the grave! Not only that, Jesus had repeatedly told his disciples he would die and rise. Jesus’ closest disciples are similar to Belshazzar. They had heard and seen the Lord God work wondrous signs and miracles. Still, they sinned. The difference is, though, the disciples repented and began to live in faith. Belshazzar did not. He died in sin. Know then, that to rebuke is a means of protecting the church. Paul instructs in 1 Timothy 5:20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning. And Peter writes we are to rebuke those who have wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. (2 Peter 2:16) Read Matthew 23:13-29, and you will understand Jesus’ great rebuke to the Pharisees, who had pridefully rejected God’s true Word for their lives and ministry to the Jews. Good parents find it necessary to rebuke a disobedient child. Our Father in heaven knows we sinners need a good scolding at times to awaken us onto his true pathway. If our Lord allowed us to remain in our sin, we could not say, “God loves everyone.” Failing to rebuke someone’s obvious sin neglect, not love for them. Even worse, you become part of the sin if you neglect to correct it. Daniel faithfully speaks to Belshazzar. The result of his words is in God’s hands. Leviticus 19:17 “Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” Daniel 5:18-21 “O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.”
DANIEL has agreed to interpret the writing on the banquet hall wall. But first he testifies to God’s power and work. This is a good lesson in evangelism. God has opened the door for his faithful servant to testify to God’s remarkable salvation. The LORD has brought distress to the king. Belshazzar’s ears are open, so Daniel faithfully testifies of God. Daniel first informs Belshazzar he serves the Most High God. Daniel does not compromise God’s authority, power or personal involvement in his life. All who hear Daniel speak plainly will clearly know God is the Almighty Lord of all the heavens and earth. To prove his point, Daniel testifies to Belshazzar of Nebuchadnezzar’s life. Perhaps the king knew of his grandfather’s humbling lesson. Whether he had heard or not, Belshazzar had not paid attention. That story was for someone else, right? But now the story of God’s power is for Belshazzar. He has neglected the truth as spoken to him. But now he is afraid, powerless to confront what has come to him. He is ready to hear how he may be saved from this terror. Daniel is a good evangelist. He identifies God as Most High. He testifies how God transformed Nebuchadnezzar’s life. He teaches the unbelieving Belshazzar “the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.” Christ followers today must do as Daniel. Be prepared to claim God has the ultimate authority over all life. Testify to how he has personally transformed your life or that of another you know well. Teach Jesus has come to declare “the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believe.” (Romans 1:16b) The Holy Spirit opens many hearts each day to hear of God’s salvation. Are you prepared to testify? Jude 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Daniel 5:13-17 So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. 15 The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. 16 Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” 17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.”
JESUS and the New Testament writers teach us to submit to earthly authorities as well as our Father in heaven. Matthew 22:21Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God's.” And Paul writes in Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Daniel fulfilled this command long before it was spoken. He was a prophet who lived under God’s knowledge, obedient to his Lord. That is why Daniel says, "You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.” He could have refused this pagan king. As one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah, Daniel could have been bitter and disobedient in his ongoing captivity. But he, like Joseph long before him, put God’s purposes above his own desires. He was a humble servant of the Most High God. Belshazzar believed Daniel had the spirit of the gods. But he didn’t know Daniel had the Spirt of Most High God in his heart, mind and soul. The Spirit formed Daniel into a true wise man who closely followed the LORD God. Physical reward meant nothing to Daniel. His reward was in a personal, humble obedience to God. This is a true model for our lives. God gives us skills and talents to serve our communities, even if we disagree with our leaders. This also must be even more so in the church. Our work is to use those skills to God’s glory, knowing our true reward is in heaven. Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. Daniel 5:10-12 The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. “O king, live forever!” she said. “Don't be alarmed! Don't look so pale! 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar your father — your father the king, I say — appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. 12 This man Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.”
THE queen is not Belshazzar’s wife. Historical and biblical evidence indicates a queen was often the mother of a king. See for example, 1 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 11:1-3; 24:12; Jeremiah 13:18. Many feel she was Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter; and thus, she would have personally witnessed Daniel’s role in helping her father come to know the omnipotent, omniscient God. The queen has not been part of the evening’s drinking party. Perhaps she knew a more devout life. With her experience and wisdom, this good mother comes to help her son. You wonder, don’t you, what has happened to Daniel. Why did Belshazzar not know him? What had happened to Daniel’s influence over the king and his leadership of the wise men? I think, though, we do know the answer. We watch a new president take office, and no advisors remain from the previous president. A new generation comes into power, and the previous leaders are considered irrelevant. New leaders want new people around them. Fresh ideas are necessary for change! Or are they? Perhaps the new generation should hold onto the good lessons learned. Do you wonder how different Belshazzar’s life would have been had he sought and followed Daniel’s counsel? Might Babylon have thrived many more years as its leaders worshiped God only? What about the church? Do our leaders learn from past lessons on the good ways to follow God’s truth? Or do they believe more in their own “better” way? How about your own life? What do you do with lessons from those who have lived before you? How do you treat Scripture’s teaching? Are you seeing how God you can open your life to God’s purpose for you? Are you learning what is good from good leaders? Do you understand the power of Jesus’ true way into a full life? Or might you think there’s a better way? Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. |
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November 2024
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