An End and A Beginning!

Here it is, the final day of Daniel! This will be a quick recap and then I'll tell you more about what's coming up next week!

We've been through captivity, lion's dens, crazy and power hungry leaders, dream interpretations, vision, fiery furnaces, prophecy, and faith!

Our study through Daniel has proven to be quite an adventure! I hope that you have learned much from God as we have studied Daniel together. I do every time I look through this wonderful book!

Above all: Stay humbled to Him, be strong in His strength, stand up with your testimony, and do not fear what is to come!

Our God is an awesome God and He proved it all through this study!

COMING UP!!!

We won't be going through a Book for this next study. This one will be topical and not exegetical. Blah, blah, blah, college words.......

Anyhoo!

I want you to begin thinking about what you would pack for a big trip. I'm no camper, but picture things that you would take on a camping trip and how much stuff it takes to go.

What kinds of bags.
What sizes and shapes.
What's needed for food and shelter.
How are you going to get there?

Next week we'll "unpack" everything we take on our different trips!

That's all I'm saying. Now, go invite a friend for the beginning of

"PACK LIGHT 'CAUSE THIS TRIP IS SHORT!"

Wrap It Up and Put a Bow On It

Well, we made it! We're wrapping up chapter 12 right now! Tomorrow, I'll do the final recap and give you a taste of what's coming up next week!

Open either your real Bible or your Cyber Bible to the last Chapter in Daniel. Here is where it turns for Daniel in this wacky, yet powerful vision, but he gets a much needed breather from it all!

As I always say, take time to read this last chapter and see the beautiful prophetic word given to Daniel.

Daniel's first breather comes in verse numero uno:

"...But at that time your people - everywhere whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered."

"Written in the book" What Book? Ah, the best book ever written in the history of everything! THE book, the one where all who have given their lives to Jesus have their name written there. You can find it mentioned also in Revelation 20:12 as well as 21:27. There it's called the Book of Life! Our Life! His Life! Life given back to those under the curse of death. What a wonderful promise to all of us. If you are a follower of Jesus, your name is written in the Lamb's book of Life. That oughta make you want to stand up a holla!

Right after that in verse 2 it says, they "will be delivered." This was good news in two fold! Daniel knew it meant a coming deliverance of his own people and also a prophetic promise of all peoples! You, me, anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered! I have lots of exclamation points today!

Verse 3 offers another beautiful breather. More like a gasp at the sight of something wonderful.

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."

Jesus was saying that we who seek wisdom and lead others to Him will shine like stars! Go ahead. Call yourself a superstar. You have every Biblical right to it. Brad and Angelina have nothing on you and me!

Philippians 2:14-16 says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generations, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life..."

Another word for "hold out" could also be "hold on to." We can hold on to Christ, hold out His word and we will shine. Notice that it's He who makes us shine...not us! Whew! We can relax a little bit.

Verse 4 Daniel is told to close up and seal the word of the scroll until the time of the end. Then he says something kinda out of place. "Many will go here and there to increase in knowledge." I think that it was a description of what mankind will do for ages. We'll come and go looking for knowledge, increasing in it and still we will not know what is to come.

But, we can be a people who seek knowledge, wisdom and truth. Truth to hold on and to hold out to this world in love.

Breather #3. Verse 5. Daniel looks and sees 2 others over the river. One on each side. One asks the Man, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?"

Verse 7, "It will be for a time, times and half a time." Wha?

The deal-e-o is that Daniel didn't get a direct answer. But, he did get promises:

Verse 10 - purification, redemption, refining, wisdom and understanding.

Just because we don't get an answer doesn't mean we can't have understanding. Here are some passages for you to chew on.

Philippians 1:9 "And this is my prayer; that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight..."

Colossians 2:2-3 "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

one more

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Back to Daniel

Verse 11- This stuff is fulfilled.

Verse 13 "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."

This is a good word for us to. We have a host of things to thing about other than wondering when it all ends. We must heed the advice given to Daniel. We must go our ways, live out the testimony of Christ and look forward to our final rest to receive our inheritance!

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" Romans 8:17

Go your way!

Lots of Dudes

We will take the day to do all of chapter 11. It's stuffed with history that has already come to pass and then finishes up with some characteristics of the antichrist.

I would like for you to read chapter 11 on your own soon to keep the feel of the context of the whole book.

Here are the highlights:

11:3 "mighty king" refers to Alexander the Great. I think it so cool that the historical figures we hear about every where else were first prophesied in the Old Testament.

His kingdom does it's thang and over time it's no more but handed to his descendants.

11:5 "the King of the South" is a guy named Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt who lost his power to Seleucus I Nicator (these names are amazing!)

11:6 "the daughter of the king of the South" Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt. She married a guy names Antiochus II Theos. But it didn't last because they were killed. Bummer.

And people did away with people and this guy became ruler over that guy and so on and so forth. I don't mean to sound blah-zay about this, but it really is history that you can do a quick search on and get the rest of it.

Verse 35 is where this changes just a bit. Daniel begins to see further down the time line and sees what will yet come to pass.

From verse 36 to the end of the chapter are details that do not fit what is known of Antiochus Epiphanes who came and gave what-for to the people of God. So, much is assumed about what is to come concerning these verses.

At the risk of sounding like I'm trying to wimp out, let me tell you this....I'm wimping out. There is SOOOOO much written about the final verses of chapter 11 that I cannot begin to take the time here to teach on it. What I want to do is leave you with a resource concerning end times la-te-dah stuff.

One book I HIGHLY suggest, and I mean HIGHLY is "The Apocalypse Code: Find out what the Bible really says about the end times and why it matters today" by Hank Hanegraaff. He is the antithesis of the LaHay doctrine. Please read his stuff. It's informative, Biblical, and sound. Also, he as a fantastic radio show. Here in OKC it's on AM 800 at 5 pm.

That's what I have today people. I'm pointing you to those who know a heck of a lot more than I do and can do a heck of a better job teaching you than I can.

Okay, tomorrow we finish the BOOK! I'll wrap it up on Friday and tell you what to look forward to for next week! You might want to invite some friends...we're going on a trip!

A Touch on the Lips

We're going to devote this entire day to chapter 10. I want to wrap up this book by Friday and then I can tell you what to look forward to starting next week. Something entirely different!

Now, I really need you to take the time to read through Chapter 10. Just go right over there to YouVersion, type in Daniel 10 and it will take you right to the YouVersion web site, then type in the passage at the top right and clickity-click you're there! Actually, read through 11:1 because that's where it really ends. I'm not sure why the dudes that put verse breaks in these book decided that was a good spot for one, but hey, I'm no Bible scholar.

Here we go.

Daniel has had a revelation concerning a war. We won't get into the revelation until tomorrow, but I have a few things to point out concerning his chat with the angel...or was it?

In verse 2 we see that Daniel didn't handle the news of a great war very well. I doubt I would either. He mourned for THREE WEEKS. He didn't eat, drink, or basically shower either. So, by the time he was through, I'm thinking he didn't look or smell too great.

Then he as a vision. Starting in verse four, here are some of the things he saw:

He was on the bank of the great river, Tigris.
A man dressed in linen with a belt of finest gold.
His body was like chrysolite (not sure what that is, but I'm assuming it's awesome!)
His face like lightning
His eyes like flaming torches
His arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze
and His voice like the sound of a multitude.

In other words, this man was spectacular to behold!

Flip your cyber-Bible over to Revelation 19:12-13

"His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the Word of God."

I'm thinkin' Daniel had a chat with Jesus himself! It's not strange then that what happened to Daniel was a whirlwind of physical ups and downs!

"...I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless...I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground...a hand set me trembling on my hands and knees...I stood up trembling...I bowed my face toward the ground and was speechless."

Daniel reaction to Who he was talking to shows us that to be touched by Jesus Himself in all His glory is more than we can handle. Thankfully, Jesus knew that!

"Then one who looked like a man touched my lips and I opened my mouth and began to speak. 'I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless...My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.' Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.' Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,' he said. 'Peace! Be strong
now; be strong."

Only the touch by the Almighty can give us strength when we have none. Only the touch by God can get us up on our feet and open our mouths when we feel we can do no such thing. It is only in His presence that we can be all He calls us. It is only by His grace and Power that we can rise up and walk in what He has told us.

Let us not be afraid, but stand in His strength. No matter what you are facing. No matter what challenges will come. We must believe in His strength and power over our own.

Read what Daniel said about his touch, "When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, 'Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.'"

Jesus still speaks to us. His Word is the Living and Active Word that will speak to us in any situation, in any event, at any time. We are told in Ephesians 3:15 to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. Also, Jesus said in John 15 that when we let His Word dwell and remain in us we can ask Him for anything and He will do it. Now, don't go asking for someone to die or nothin', keep your head about you. This asking is to bear fruit in our lives because of His Word. It is to His glory that we bear fruit. Fruit that shows we are His disciples.

Remain in Him. Feel His touch lift you up and give you strength. When He speaks His Words are true and right. They will not fail you!

Do not be afraid, o highly esteemed. Peace! Be strong now; be strong.

(Tomorrow we'll talk more about what they actually talked about)

Seventy Sevens and What Not

Ok, I had more time this weekend to look again at the last four chapters of Daniel. This week we'll be finishing them up and moving on to something NEW!

Let's wrap up Chapter 9 today.

Take time to read the final verses. I'll give you a quick, brief overview of what's going on. If you want more intensive studies on the end times and prophecy, you can e-mail me and I can point you in the right direction.

Daniel is still praying and confessing the sin of his nation. Gabriel came back to him and tells him God has heard his prayer and he is there to give Daniel the answer. Remember, God hears us too!

Now, we're on to verse 24 to the end.

Here is where all the seventy sevens and weeks comes from in much of the end times talk. Let me give you some facts first and then we can talk about the interpretations of this text.

(Honestly? I'm taking some of this right out of my Bible because there are greater and smarter people than me to get this explained really well)

"Sevens- probably seven-year periods of time, making a total of 490 years, but the numbers may be symbolic." Okay this is where there are 2 major differences in what plays out in the last "seven."

1. The last seven has yet to be fulfilled. The first ones have already come to pass over time and may refer to the restoration of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. The final "seven" mentioned in verse 27 after the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by "the people of the ruler who will come". Therefore, many believe this final seven will come upon us in war and destruction. This is typically the end-times belief that the tribulation period when the Anti-Christ comes and messes everything up is yet to pass. This is what the Left Behind series teaches. (which by the way is bad theology and Biblical teaching) (there, I said it)

2. The other option for the last "seven" is that it was fulfilled with the death and resurrection of Jesus. That the one who came to set up the "abomination that causes desolation" was setup in 168 BC by Antiochus Epiphanes and prefigureing the similar abomination that Jesus predicted would be erected in Matthew 24:15 which could be, according to some, 2 fulfillments. 1.when the destruction of Jerusalem hit in 70 AD and 2. the setting up of an image of the antichrist in Jerusalem in the future.

What this means is that the last "seven" or "week" as it is also called can play out like this:

1. It is when the time of tribulation comes and we're left behind to conquer evil and live with the (capital A) Antichrist until Jesus comes back to whoop butt and we rule with him for 1,000 years.

or

2. We are in the final "seven," the final "week," and we face many antichrists, and when Jesus comes back the whole darn thing will be over. We'll go straight to the par-tay in heaven. The thousand years is not literal but meaning forever or a long time.

3. There will be a tribulation period but for those who follow Christ, we'll never see it.

Couple of things:

1. Don't freak out about all the end times talk. It's been going on since Christ went up to heaven.
2. Heed some of the New Testament teachers.

• I John 2:18ff, "...this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come." I want to make a note that anti means "against." This can be anyone, and may not refer to one particular person.
• I John 2:22 "Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist-he denies the Father and the Son."
• Matthew 24 JESUS SAID, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, then the end will come."

Remember, He was talking to His disciples right then. He gave prophetic insight to the end days and was talking to them like they would SEE the abomination that causes desolation. My guess is it was the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The point is that we have work to do. We can't be all holed up and worried about things that God said would happen. There are nations yet to hear the gospel and Jesus is holding off for whatever reason until those nations hear this message. I believe He waits because of His great mercy and love. He is in the business of salvation and wants all men to have a chance to hear.

We are in a prime position to complete this calling. We live in an age where the gospel can reach millions by the click of a mouse. Let us not fix our eyes on what we cannot control nor predict. We are in the last days. This is it. What are we going to do? What can you do to bring all nations to Christ so that we can get the heck out of here and enjoy a new heaven and a new earth!

Remember, when this gig is over and Jesus restores all things this will be what we enjoy:

"Now the dwelling of God is with men and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" Revelation 21:3-4

Now, that's a end time worth looking forward to!

Highly Esteemed

Continuing on in Chapter 9, we'll read verses 20-23.

Daniel had been praying for his country, his people and their freedom. In that prayer he offers up confession for the nation. I think it interesting that such a man of integrity and honor takes on the sin of a nation and asks forgiveness for all of them.

I have done that for my own nation. Not saying I'm as cool as Daniel, but I've confessed to God the sins of my nation and have prayed that He would not lift His hand over us. I truly believe that God has left His hand upon us because of the prayer of the righteous. Daniel's prayer did not fall on silent ears.

An angel came to Daniel, one that he had met earlier, named Gabriel. I want you to read what he says to Daniel and then we'll make some application.

"Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed."

Before we continue, you may have seen Gabriel appear in another story.

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph...the virgins name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'"

This guy must be somebody in the heavenlies to deliver such news!

Did you see what he said to both of them? "You are highly esteemed." and "You who are highly favored."

These regular people, who served the Lord got His attention for no other reason than they believed Him and were faithful. I'm thinking we're not too far from being called such things. In fact...

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God..." 1 Peter 1:9

"...he has made us accepted in the beloved." Ephesians 1:6 KJV

We too are in the beloved of God. We too are those who are now highly favored because Christ lives in us. Our prayer will reach the ear of God and He will stop and listen to the voices of those He loves. No sooner do our prayers leave our lips than God sends as answer. Maybe it doesn't come right away, but you can be sure of this: God does answer.

He turns His ear to those He loves.

"I sought the Lord and He answered me; he delivered me from all my fears....The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles...A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34

Do not think that your Lord does not listen. If you wonder if there is something cramping your relationship, first start like Daniel did and make confession. Then your soul is cleansed and ready for the Holy Spirit to completely fill you, making you more able to hear His word and answer.

Hear His Spirit say to you "As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed."

Take time today to soak in His love for you.

By His Great Mercy

Welcome back! I hope you had a great weekend! We did because I got to buy stuff. That's always fun!

So, here we go. I hope that you are finding this to be a nice little stop for some study time. I hope that it has been a place that refreshes you and isn't too "heavy" or time consuming. Let me know what y'all think!

Okay, still in Chapter 9.

We started this chapter with the first four verses. Daniel's prayer was our topic and we looked at what he did in time of crises. He went to the Lord!

Now, we'll look a little bit further in. Read the prayer that Daniel prayed when he understood how long they were to be in captivity. It's 9:4-19. It's worth the time it takes to read it.

Done?

Good.

I want us to look at the very end at verse 18, "We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy."

Daniel knew to whom he prayed. He knew that the God whose righteousness they had disobeyed had led them into captivity would bring them out with His arm of mercy. He knew that it was for God's Name and His Name alone that they would be delivered.

He also knew that God would deliver them just as He did Daniel's ancestors from Egypt because the bore His Name.

We too bear the Name of God. He will deliver us from all that holds us captive, not because we make great requests or because we are righteous. We know darn well we are not righteous!
But, because of His great mercy.
His great mercy sent His son to die for my sin.
His great mercy holds back the hand of judgement upon nations.
His great mercy lifts your face and kisses the kiss of eternal life over you.
His great mercy calls you by name and causes you to walk with your head held high.
His great mercy gives you purpose.
His great mercy puts worship on your lips.
His great mercy will be the arms that wrap around us when we see Him face to face.
And there, we will fall on our knees and bow the Name above all Names.

It it by His great mercy we are saved.

May His Name be The Name on our lips.

Praise you Jesus. We praise you.

Get Down and Pray Hard. Oh, and put on a sackcloth...a wha?

We're in Chapter 9! Can you believe we only have 3 chapters left? I hope you have enjoyed it. It's been so great "teaching" all of you. You may not comment, except for Robin :), but I know you're out there, and I thank you for coming back everyday.

I want you to just read the first four verses of Chapter 9 today. There is great significance in what we are about to see Daniel do and we will learn much from peeking in at what he considers to be most important in tragic and difficult times.

Let's pull the history curtain back one more time and feel what Daniel may have felt as he watched his people live in captivity.

Just because I'm nice, I'll type out the verses for us!

"In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes a Mede by descent, who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom - in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord God and confessed."

Daniel pretty much knew that the captivity of Jerusalem would last his entire lifetime. His heart broke at the realization of this tragedy, but he made an important decision that was completely in character for Daniel. He went straight to the Lord in behalf of his country and his people.

Let's break that down just a bit:

"I understood from Scripture..." He knew the WORD!

"I turned to the Lord..." He stopped what he was doing to get down to praying

"...and pleaded with him in prayer and petition..." He didn't hold anything back

"...in fasting..." This we'll come right back to

"...in sackcloth and ashes..." Not something we do anymore, but it was a sign of mourning. I guess like wearing black now-a-days.

We can know the Word so well that we'll know how and when to pray and for what or for whom. (Is that when you use "whom"?) :)

Not only that, we should be able to stop at any moment and pray for anything, even if we are pleading! I've begged God for many things. I've sat on just about every floor in this house and brought him something in tears and desperation. And even if I didn't get the answer I wanted, I know was free to ask/beg/plead to Him. He has always proven Himself faithful to my transparent heart.

Daniel's prayer was more than just kneeling down by his bed to say a little prayer for Jerusalem. This turned into an all out prayer event. Fasting included.

There is a mystery to fasting. I've done it and it is by no means easy, especially when I'm at home all day with my kids! I really have to rely on the Spirit when I fast! But Daniel was fasting for someone else. He had a purpose. He had a broken heart. He was so intent of praying for Jerusalem that we went without eating to make his case before God.

He was fasting as described in Isaiah 58:6, "Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke...?"

Daniel fasted for the freedom of his people. He was desperate for the freedom of a nation that he gave of himself to bring mercy from God.

Have you ever fasted? Is there anything that you need to see real breakthrough in? Are you in bondage to anything? Fasting might prove to be the freedom moment you have been waiting for. If nothing else has worked, try the fast chosen by God to be free! He will rescue you from what ever holds you captive. It is a false prison. You are held in by deception and fasting might bring forth the clarity you need to see your Rescuer giving you His hand!

Maybe you need to fast for a loved one who does not yet know Jesus. What if our dying to that need for a day or two or three could call forth such miraculous supernatural power from God that doesn't make sense on this side of eternity? What if our fasting was the pivotal moment in the heavenlies to help bring someone to the saving knowledge of Jesus? What a moment that would be!

Maybe you need to fast for a decision, or a job. Maybe you need to fast just to let God know He is numero uno. If you have never fasted, I recommend it. It's difficult, but worth it. It's challenging, but holy. It's time consuming, but a place of focus. It requires much. Demands much. But will bring forth much.

Who knows, maybe our fasting for other nations could free them too. Hmmm, something to consider.

Dedication

I’m going to give just one day to Chapter 8. I know, I know, I have given entire weeks to other chapters, what do I have against Chapter 8? Nothing. It’s just not going to get but more than a day.

If you have the time, please read through the entire chapter right now. Remember, you can type in the book and chapter in the YouVersion button to the right.

Chapter 8 is another vision of Daniel. There are horns and goats running all over the place, chasing each other, ramming each other. It’s like Dodge truck commercial gone bad.

I’ll give you the little history lesson that goes with this. Ready?

The ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. The goat is the king of Greece and the giant horn is Alexander the Great. (cool, huh?) The horn was broken and that represents Alexander’s death.

“Another horn” comes from one of horns. It started small. It represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes who tried to wipe out the Jews. It says in Daniel 8:23 and following that he was wicked, a stern faced king, a master of intrigue and very strong. He caused astounding devastation and succeeded in whatever he did. He destroyed the mighty men and the holy people. He caused deceit to prosper. We stopped the daily Jewish sacrifices and set himself up as a god, thus the “Prince” referred to in verse 11. This guy was bad news.

There is a reference to 2,300 evenings and mornings in verse 14. That turns out to be the time between the time that Antiochus desecrated the Lord’s altar and when the new one was established.

Here’s the great part! Between the Old and New Testament something amazing happened. A man named Judas Maccabeus got sick and tired of seeing the Lord’s temple and sacrifices being neglected and ruined. He and others charged Jerusalem, recaptured it and rededicated the temple to the Lord. This happened in December of 165. This is the origin of the Feast of Hanukkah still celebrated by the Jews today. Awesome.

Hanukkah means “dedication.” When Solomon built the temple he dedicated it to God. In 2 Chronicles 7, there is a beautiful scene of the people dedicating the temple and themselves to God. They had their Hanukkah, their time of dedication. And they did so by offering sacrifices. It was a beautiful, memorable event.

Remembering that we now are the “temples” of God, we too have an “Antiochus” who would like nothing more than to ravage our temples and leave us without sacrifice and honor. Of course, I’m referring to our spiritual enemy, Satan. Just as Antiochus ruined the temple of God, our temples can be ruined. Again, I’ll save the details of the temple for another study coming up, but take to heart Romans 12:1. “…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Our dedication, our Hanukkah can be an everyday event. We dedicate our human temples and sacrifice ourselves to our Maker. In this we worship Him and that, my friends, is what He wants. Not so he can rule over us with a might and heavy hand, but to free us to be all He created us to be! Free to love and live fully!

Just as Daniel prophesized concerning Antiochus that “he will be destroyed, but not by human power” our enemy will carry the same fate. Which leads us to this:

We cannot stay on our faces worried and concerned and upset about the future. No, we do what Daniel did in verse 22, “Then I got up and went about the king’s business.”

Man, do I love that! He doesn't let what he saw keep him down nor does he run up a mountain and get in a fraidy hole. No, he got back to work. He trusted God and what His Word said.

The same goes for us! Get up! Be about your King’s business. Whatever He has assigned for you, do it and do it for Him. Love. Teach. Give. Bless. Worship. Serve. Die.

Be about the King’s business! It’s the best business in town, I guarantee it.

It'll Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Don't you just love to read that kind of title? I mean, seriously, who likes to hear that kind of doomsday dull drums? I don't. What if it gets worse? What will we do?

I'd like to think we still have it better than when Nero was around. Now this world leader was indeed from the pit of hell. He used to impale Christians' heads on stick and light them so that his army could see better coming back from battle. Oh, and he kicked his pregnant wife till she died. He killed his mom and married a young boy. Nice guy. He slaughtered believers. He defied God. It was way worse for them now than it is for us. Well, those of us in America. I assume most of my readers are from here, so I'll refer to what we deal with.

What I'm trying to get at is all the hub-bub I hear about how terrible it's going to get before Christ gets here. It might. It might not. Seems like it's pretty bad now.

There is so much talk about end times and what is going to happen and what isn't going to happen that it could make you want to run to your fraidy hole and stay there with spam and crackers! I want us to take some good, Biblical views and see what Christ says about the end times. But first, let's get back to Daniel.

We're still in chapter 7. We'll finish it up today.

Take a moment to read the interpretation of the dream in verse 15-28.

I like verse 15 because it's so real, "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me." I bet they did!

He asked for an interpretation and he was granted one. It is of the four kingdoms that we saw yesterday and one final kingdom is the kingdom of the Most High.

"But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever --yes, for ever and ever."

Okay, that is something we don't want to miss in light of all the spiritual shenanigans that we can find ourselves in concerning the end times. We, believers and followers of Christ, possess a kingdom that will be our forever. Forever! Nothing can take that away. No antichrist. No terrorist. No President. No school system. Nothing. Hang on to that.

Daniel inquires about the fourth and final beast in verse 19. There are 10 horns and one loud one. From what I understand, the numbers in this type of writing is not that 10 specific kingdoms will come, but that 10 represents the fullness of kingdoms that will come to pass. From what I understand this kingdom is Rome and all the 10 kingdoms are the ones to follow. This leading up to the final kingdom of God reserved for the saints to possess forever.

Again, we see the promise of God's eternal kingdom on earth for us in the final verses of chapter 7. We have this kingdom, this rule, now, here on earth. What is in heaven can be spilled out here on earth. God's authority is given to us to receive and claim his promises now! He died to get back that which Satan stole and in doing so He, through His Spirit, has given us authority to fight the enemy, subdue him and win! He has done the hard job of dying and resurrecting so that by Him in us, we are victorious!

Our authority has it's limits. I mean, we're not God. It is up to us to find out just what authority we have. This is one truth to hold fast to - our authority is only in and through the Holy Spirit. Just as Daniel was taught, we will "worship and obey him." There can be no other way to living out the rule and authority of Christ here on earth but through worship of who He is and obedience to what He has told us. In that we will be a force to be reckoned with through the power of Jesus Christ!

Do not let your heart be troubled. There will be difficult times. It may get scary. But, you, Child of God, remember this: You belong to an everlasting Kingdom with an everlasting God! And He will always prove faithful. You can bet your life on it. He did.

End times talk coming up soon...

Seeing the King

I hope you had a great weekend! By noon today, I’ll be a new aunt! My brother, Casey, and his wife Summer are having their first baby today. The little toot is breech so she has to have a c-section. I’ve had one of those and it isn’t easy, but it’s worth it! So, pray for Summer today around noon, as well as baby Colton!

Okay, we are going to be scrunching up the last few chapters together. Not all of them, but this week will not be just for Chapter 7. Still, there is much to cover so let’s get started.

From this chapter to the end is where Daniel can get sticky in the whole theology department. Minds more brilliant than me, more mature than me, and more in tune to the whole counsel of the Word still can disagree with one another one many topics in the chapters to come.

Here we will run into prophesy at its best. We’ll look at different takes on end times. We’ll consider the future. And, we might find that all of this is not too scary!

So, buckle up, get your mind and heart focused on the Word and let’s dive in.

Daniel 7

Just a little FYI, this chapter actually happened 2 years before chapter 5. Why it’s chapter 7? I have no idea. That’s all on that.

Take a moment to read 7:1-8. It’s a list of the “beasts” Daniel saw in his visions. I’ll give you a super quick rundown and 2 theories.

Lion 1. Babylon 2. Britain and USA
Bear 1. Medo-Persian 2. Russia
Leopard 1. Alexander the Great 2. China
Terrifying Beast 1. Rome 2. Whole world control

The 10 horns represents a comprehensiveness of the sphere of authority and “another little horn” represents an antichrist, or a type of antichrist, or an world power in characteristic of an antichrist.

Shew!

Let me just say one thing right here. This is my educated opinion. I believe the “1’s” have it up there. I believe his visions and dreams in this particular passage have come to pass. Many would disagree with me which brings us to the “Left Behind” series. Remember, the “Left Behind” series comes from an interpretation of the text and quite honestly is rickety in Biblical strength. My biggest beef with the series is that people get a second chance and according to Scripture, there is no second chance. Decide now before you die. There will be a bit more discussion on this later. Stay with me. But for now…

I’m blunt. I know. Moving on.

The next portion of the text is verses 9-10. Here Daniel describes what he sees. He looked around and was gazing at a throne room. Look at verse 9, “…and the Ancient of Days took his seat.”

What does that conjure up in your mind? Can you see Him sitting on His throne in all His majesty? A picture of a king sitting down demands respect and submission. He has taken His seat once and for all. It’s a place of authority, power, rule, knowledge, and wisdom.

He took His seat and something amazing happened as Daniel watched. Carefully read verses 11-14. I’ll highlight this beauty.

“…and there before me was one like a son of man…He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

Oh man, that is amazing. Do you see what Daniel got to see? He watched as the resurrected Christ was given authority before it ever happened! To me, that is simply stunning.

We have talked so much about the authority of God in the earth and Daniel was seeing the promise of an everlasting Kingdom in the midst of captivity. We too can find comfort in such a vision. Our God, our Jesus, our Messiah is an everlasting authority in our captivity. We too can look our eyes to heaven at a resurrected Christ and know that all rulers, authorities, dominions, powers, all of them come under HIS rule.

Check out Ephesians 1:19b-23. I want you to really read this and realize this is what Daniel was seeing.

“That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and (here it comes!!) seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

All rule
All authority
All power
All dominion

Over everything! Your marriage, your kids, your country, your finances, your economy, your tumor, your depression, your pain, your bitterness, your job…

ALL AUTHORITY! Lift your eyes to heaven and trust the everlasting King for all ages and the one to come!

Praise Him because “…God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

That. Is. Amazing. In some supernatural way, we too are seated with Christ Jesus. Man, if that doesn’t make you feel safe, I don’t know what will.

Grab on to Daniel’s vision. “See” Christ’s rule over everything. Feel safe. Know you are loved and protected by a fierce and loving King!

Thank you God for ruling over us. We trust you and find peace under your authority. We bless you and thank you for your promises to us in Christ Jesus! It is in His Name and authority I pray. Amen.

Daniel Chapter 6 Recap

What a great chapter!

Let's go back and tuck inside our brains the highlights of the week.

Monday - We looked at how Daniel was placed in a position of leadership where people had to answer to him. This was to keep the king from suffering loss. We too can live our lives in such a way that we live out loud for God. Mind you, let us not get caught in the trap of thinking we have to be perfect. No, let us live a life for his glory, not ours!

Tuesday - Persecution comes in all ways to all types of people. For those of us in America it varies, but usually doesn't result in death. Thank you Jesus. But, we must stand strong. Be active in our faith and live the life God calls us to live, not society.

Wednesday - Looking outward to a global perspective, we can use the prayer and cry of King Darius to pray for missionaries and others around the world who suffer grievous persecution. "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" We can be an active part in the lives and freedoms of believers all around the world.

Thursday - Our barbaric yawp can be heard!! We face a lion everyday that we must never let our guard down to. Our God, whom we serve continually, will rescue us from the mouth of the lion every time!

Live your life for Christ! Live it well. Remember those who have left everything to take the gospel and pray for them. And finally, remember that God saves those he loves!

Thanks you God, be glorified in our lives!

Whoop! Whoop!

We finish Chapter 6 today and by the time we're done you might stand up in your chair and shout a barbaric yawp!

We pick up right after the king tells Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

What a prayer indeed! Yesterday we talked about applying that prayer to missionaries all over the world. Today, we'll apply it to our lives.

Finish reading the chapter now. If you've spent any amount of time in church I'm sure you've heard this story. Daniel is tossed in, and what do you know...A STONE WAS BROUGHT AND PLACED OVER THE MOUTH OF THE DEN! hmmm, I've seen that somewhere before...

"Then he (Joseph of Arimathea)rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb." Mark 15:47

And we know what happened next in that story...somebody got OUT of that tomb. Whoo-hoo!

Back to Daniel. He's been put in the den. The king can't eat or sleep all night and at first light he takes off running to the den to see of Daniel is still alive. He cried out, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions?"

I wonder if Daniel waited a few seconds before answering. Maybe holding his mouth snickering a little...doubt it, but it would be funny!

Daniel said, "My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight."

Daniel was taken out of the den and the dudes that falsely accused him, well, they got to meet the lions face to teeth. Bummer.

Darius then tells all the people within shoutin' distance to fear and reverence the God of Daniel. And here's why...

He is the living God and he endures forever
His kingdom will not be destroyed
His dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves
He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth
He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions!

Let's take a look-see at 1 Peter 5:8, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

nice

We have an enemy that wants us, for lack of a better word, dead. He wants nothing more than to trip us into his den and shut us up in strongholds, fear, doubt, pain, worry, sickness, and death and he has done all he can to try to do it.

I have fallen in his den and heard his roar. Jesus said he is the father of lies and when he speaks he only speaks lies. His mouth full of teeth are stuffed with lies and he breathes his sick breath in our face to see if we'll fall for it.

Peter went on to tell us "Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."

because "...after you have suffered a little while, [God] himself will make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever, Amen!"

That's a biblical equivalent to a barbaric yawp!

God will not let our enemy, the lion devour us any more than he let them devour Daniel. He split heaven and earth to rescue us and he will do what he can to ensure we aren't taken out by a little lion. At least not when the LION OF JUDAH IS IN THE HOUSE!

Our God, whom we continually serve, will rescue us...every. time.

I heard it! You wanted to yawp!

God will shut the mouth of the lion in your life! Run to Him. Trust Him and the get jiggy with praising Him! You can use King Darius' version if you want...


He is the living God and he endures forever
His kingdom will not be destroyed
His dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves
He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth
He has rescued ME from the power of the lion!

Lions' Den in All Places

Yesterday we looked at some of the types of persecution we might face as Americans. Today, I want us to broaden our view of the world and remember the persecution of those who have no concept of the freedoms we have.

Daniel 6:11-16

When the decree was published that the people of Babylon could not pray to any other god or man for 30 days except King Darius, Daniel would not comply. We saw yesterday in verse 10 that "...he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."

This act was punishable by death.

Verse 11 picks up with the bad guys seeing Daniel pray and they run and tattle on him to the king, "'Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except you, O king would be thrown into the lions' den? The king answered, 'The decree stands - in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.'"

Then they lay it on, "'Daniel...pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.'"

This didn't set well with the King. He must have liked David because he wanted to rescue him. Unfortunately, there was no way. He had to do what he said he would do. He gave the order and Daniel was taken to the lions' den. The King gave this final word to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

Those who serve God now in nations that are violent against Christians face death every day. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, every who are persecuted in ways that those of us in America might not ever be able to handle. Underground churches thrive against all odds. Missionaries are still beaten and drug out of cities. In some places, if someone becomes a Christ follower they are disowned from their family as if dead. Others are killed for their faith.

I admonish us to pray for those who follow Christ in those nations, cities, and towns where their faith could be a death sentence. Pray for their protection and influence. It is our duty as those who have the freedoms we have to use our prayer for those nations in bondage. Take seriously your part in the call for all believers to go into all nations. You may not be the one going, but you can be one who can stand before God for those under attack.

If you know a missionary, pray for them by name and for the people they are with. Pray for their protection, strength, faithfulness, and guidance.

Pray with King Darius,

"May OUR God, whom they serve continually, rescue them!"



If you would like to follow a 31 day prayer journal for missionaries and the people they serve, please go to my blog Healing Leaves.

Does Society Call the Shots?

We jump right back into Daniel Chapter 6 today!

We'll start at verse three and read through verse ten. Go ahead and read that now.............



Go ahead...........


Okay, Daniel is distinguished among all the leaders (again) and has made it known of his integrity, leadership, and faithfulness to his God. Uh-oh, that becomes a problem.

In verse 4 some dudes were getting jealous of Daniel great distinguishedness (I'm not sure that's a word) anyway, they were out to get him. Just like in the day of Jesus, they went out to find something against him, but "they could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."

Great things to take on for ourselves. Don't be corrupt...check. Don't be negligent...check...on most things...gerr...I've got to work on the whole don't be neglient when it comes to health, but that is a rabbit I'll chase some other day.

So, they say, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."

They totally knew what it would take to get Daniel. Find what might make him trip, fall, make a mistake, or trap him. Hmmm, sounds like someone we know. I think his name is, yea, pretty sure...THE DEVIL!

So they go to King Darius and get him to sign a decree that if anyone prays to anyone other than the king they get a trip to the lion's den. And we're not talking Simba here. There lions are hungry, angry and trapped and they will kill anything that comes their way.

The decree was set and Daniel heard about it. Dang. So, what does a guy do?

"...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."

He was facing death and he knew it, and yet, he kept on honoring his God.

What are we facing in our day? I know we aren't going to the lions if we pray, but my word there are some pretty crappy things around that are persecuting us. Here in America we have amazing freedoms, however, they are being infringed upon and we must not back down. We will not let society dictate our faith.

Society likes to tell us where we came from i.e. monkeys. "But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water." 2 Peter 3

Society tell us we can kill the babies we don't want (HEAR ME--I mean no offense to those who have had abortions, I'm referring to what society tells us is okay) "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb" Ps. 139

Society tells us we can do whatever we want whenever we want for whatever reason "...since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind." Rom. 1

Society tells us to worship whomever we want in the name of freedom and tolerance "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." Rom. 1

The list goes on and on, but we cannot fail or grow weak. This is a fight worth fighting for.

How do we then live? Like Daniel. We will do what God has called us to do and we will not apologize for it. Be self-controlled and alert. your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Stay sharp. Be strong. It is God we serve, not man. Dare to be like Daniel in our society.

Keepin' It Real

Whew! If you knew how late I stayed up this weekend you'd understand why this is late getting to the blog world! We drove in from a short vacation last night and I think I got to sleep around 2:30 or 3:00 am. Even now, I feel like I'm peeling my eyes open. BUT, that won't stop me from getting into the Word and sharing with you something great about Daniel this week.

Here we go...Daniel chapter 6! Crack it open and, of course, just read the first two verses. Okay, okay, I'll just type them...

"It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made so that the King might not suffer loss."

King Darius took over after the sad ending to King Belshazzar. I'm guessing he noticed Daniel right off.

What struck me in these verse as something we can take hold of and practice in our own lives is the concept of accountability. Daniel's satraps had to answer to him. There was a level of keeping things on the up and up so that the King might not suffer loss. I started thinking about what those losses might be. Maybe you can think of some more.

Loss of money
Loss of men
Loss of face (not his real face, but you know what I mean. They could make him look bad.)
Loss of influence or power

Could we as followers of Jesus keep each other accountable so that our KING doesn't suffer loss? Do we strive to make Him look good at all times and help each other stay on track so that the King of our Lives might not suffer.

I'm not saying He can't take care of Himself, but we are His ambassadors. If we are His ambassadors then by golly I think we should be doing a better job. I'm totally talking to myself here too. I know that there have been times that in an earthly sense I have caused Him to suffer loss.

Consider this, if I am being held accountable to my girlfriends for my actions, behaviors, attitudes, and sins, then there is a better chance that I will live and love rightly for my King rather than if I try to do it on my own. I've tried it on my own and I have ended up in a world of hurt, even as a follower of Christ. We need each other to keep it real. We need to have those relationships that stand firm and protect the Name of our King!

What could our King suffer loss?

Loss of face. Followers of Christ can really make Him look bad. I've done it and I pray I don't do it again.

Loss of kids. Without godly accountability our God, our King could suffer the loss of some of His own. Some have walked away from Him. Some might feel they can never come back. The thought of people who have loved God, screwed up, and now feel like they can't get back breaks my heart. And I'm sure it breaks His too. We can be involved with each other, loving each other to ensure we stay right before God. The Bible says that this kind of love will cover a multitude of sin! I've lived it. I know it.

We can save face for our King. He doesn't need us to, but I'm sure that He wants us to live in such a way that we can show, just by how we live, the love of God.

I Corinthians 4:1 says, "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God."

It is such an honor to be someone who displays the Lord. We're all at different levels and places in our lives, but we all need someone else to be a part of our relationship with Jesus. We want the prayer of Isaiah to be our prayer as well, "...your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."

Get connected. Find people in your life that you trust that you can confess to and confide in. Confession rids you of sin and give God the ability to fill you with the full measure of His Spirit to live out the full measure of this life He has for you.

We're in this together for our God. We might as well be keeping it real!

May we live in such a way that our King does not suffer loss.

Daniel Chapter 5 Recap

What an awesome week! I love learning and studying the Word of God! Keep in mind these things. Tuck them away in your heart and mind and be changed by the living Word of God!

Monday - God is not popping in and out of our lives. He is constant. He IS. Remember that we have a limited perspective. And even though we do, let us remember that God is active in our lives and his "suddenness" might only be when we see His hand at work.

Tuesday - We learned of the great love God had for His temple and how this love and affection is now transferred to His new temples...us. We display the Name of God. Let us honor Him in every way.

Wednesday - As temples of God we take on the characteristics of all the articles of the temple. The one we learned about was the lampstand. We display God's glory, show His power, and are a light to the world.

Thursday - The final and most glorious Lampstand is JESUS! He fills us in every way and shines through us the glory of God. We are walking Menorahs!

Have a beautiful, light filled weekend in God's Spirit!

Living the Glory!

Here we go, we’re wrappin’ up chapter 5 today. I hope you’ve enjoyed the concepts so far! We’re going to end with a bang…

I left you yesterday saying that God shows up at this party because of His glory. It was time to show up to a crowd that needed to see Him.

We’ve seen that not one word has been wasted in Daniel. The lampstands are of great significance. We found three things concerning these that will launch us into the last part of this study this week.

In Christ, we as lampstands do three things:

Display God’s glory
Live in His power
Live as a light to the world.

If we can spiritually and figuratively take this idea of Christ, the eternal glory and power of God, the lampstand, and move this identification to us, then we understand more deeply what He was saying when He called us the light of the world. We can also grasp more deeply the word “anointing.” Oil was used for anointing and consecrating things. The Holy Spirit is called the anointing in the Word (see 1 John 2:20). So, we have the Holy Spirit, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit, we then are consecrated to God and filled with His Spirit. We are now a vessel for that anointing, that oil, to be poured out!

Whew! That’s awesome!

Now, how does aaalll this play out in the rest of Daniel?

Here we go. Take time to read verses 10 to the end. No really, I can wait….

Hmm, hmm, hmm. I’m humming waiting for you to read it. La, la, la…

Okay, you done?

Good.

In verses 10-12 we see that positioning of Daniel by the Lord, sustaining him in position and purpose.

To King Belshazzar’s request to tell the meaning of the handwriting, Daniel goes into this long speech about Belshazzar’s father, Nebby. He tells him all the ways Nebby denied God and how God humbled him. He describes the entire thing to Belshazzar and gets to the point in verse 22.

“But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of Heaven. ..you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.”

Kind of saying, “You knew this about your dad and still you did it your own way. Not good, King…not. good.”

Thinking lampstand…what are we focused on concerning God in this chapter (and to be honest, all the other chapters)?

I’ll tell you…His Glory and His Power

King Belshazzar went against both!

Here are the three prophesies written on the wall that night

“God has numbered your days of your reign and brought it to an end.” This is the power he thought he had.

“You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” This is the glory he thought he had.

“Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” He will be stripped of both power and glory.

God will not share glory and no one can touch his power. But in grace, in mercy, and through Christ, we have been given both.

Wha???

Unlike Nebby and Belshazzar who would not bow to God as Lord, we who humbly bow to His grace receive glory, strength, and power to declare His praises!

He glorifies us as we glorify Him.
He gives us power as we declare our weaknesses.
He gives us light as we allow Him to expose our darkness.

I can see Jesus all over this text.

THE LAMPSTAND!

It’s the very representation of God’s power and glory and this is what Jesus is.

Is this not who fills us?
Is this not who we wait upon to fill us completely with His Spirit?

He is our light, strength, power and all…

FOR HIS GLORY!

You can go ahead and call yourself the menorah! Oh, that is beautiful!

God is all about His glory and He see to it that we, His people, will reflect that glory gloriously!

Reflecting the Glory

We’ll be getting a bit further down the road in Daniel today. Okay, not much, but you’ll be glad we stopped.

We left yesterday looking at the fact that God dwelt in His temple and much of what was in it was taken into captivity along with the people.

We’ve come upon a party with King Belshazzar and his nobles. They’re drinking out of God’s goblet and praising other gods…not a good idea.

Verse 5-6

“Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way.”

In other words, it scared the bejeebers out of him. Just as his father before him, King Belshazzar called in all the smart guys to tell him what the writing meant. Fast forward to verse 13…same song for Daniel. He is called in at the last minute to tell them what it all meant.

I’m not trying to cut our huge chunks of scripture, but we’ve covered much of the concepts concerning being used by God because of integrity and being positioned by God for purpose. Again, we find Daniel is used for the right thing and the right time.

But, for now I want to focus on the point where the hand came in. Look at verse 5 again. Where did the hand show up?

Near the lampstand.

Hmmm, why there? Why not over the throne or near an exit? Why near the lampstand?

I got curious, so I looked up more information about the lampstand in the temple. This was one of the articles of the temple that was taken. Here’s a little FYI concerning it.

-The oil to light and keep the lampstands lit at all times was supplied by the people.

-The light represented the glory of the LORD reflected in the consecrated lives of the Israelites.

-The light also was Israel’s glory answering to God’s glory in the tabernacle.

So, if the light of the lampstand represented the Lord’s glory, it makes sense that the hand began writing by it. The King and his people were claiming glory for other gods by worshipping them right there with God’s temple articles. He wasn’t going to let that slide.

What even adds to the coolness of this is in Zechariah 4. Zechariah is having a vision of a gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. When he asked about what it meant, the angel with him said this, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty.”

The bowl represents an abundant supply of oil, symbolizing the fullness of God’s power through his Spirit.

Keep coming with me…

Colossians 2:9 “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ.”

And…

Ephesians 1:13, 18 “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know…his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,…”

Are you trackin’ with me?

We have not only become the temple of God, but each piece in the temple is now reflected in us…therefore, we are the lampstand of God.

Follow the reflection of the lampstand as described above---

-The oil, the Spirit is the ever-flowing power of God in us to fuel the flame of hope in us for the world. We keep it lit by staying in Christ and He in us. What did Christ call us in Matthew 5:14. Go ahead, take the time to read it…

“You are the light of the world….let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

-The light now represents the glory of the Lord reflected in our lives. Any time God changes you and refines you is another reflection of Him, His glory. Just having Christ in us is the reflection of His glory!

-We as the light of God also respond to Him. We praise Him with our lives thus reflecting back to Him His own glory.

And that, my friends, is precisely what He is after…His own glory!

Tomorrow we’ll see that His glory is why we jumped the party!

Temple Talk

We talked yesterday about God seeming to “show up.” Sometimes we like that. Other times it’s dang frustrating when it seems He doesn’t. Today, we’ll chat about another way to remember that God…is.

I want to show you something interesting about Daniel. If you flip back over to chapter 1:2 it reads, “And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.”

Now, back to 5:2,4 “While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebby had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them…As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.”

Why do you think Daniel mentions the temple in the way he does?

We don’t have temples and things that he held in such high esteem, but for the people of Israel the temple was the central point of their faith. The temple was where God dwelt. So, for it to be ransacked, raped, and purged was a death blow to all they held dear. He couldn’t help but mention it.

Not only was the temple a treasure to the people of God, the temple was a treasure to God.

It was the place He would bear His name. It started as the tabernacle with the Israelites and then God commanded David to build a temple. (see 1 Kings 6-9).

I Kings 9:3 says this concerning the temple: “My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

He will always keep watch over it and He will love it as His holy place.

What does that have to do with us? Well, according to I Corinthians 6:19 we are now the temple of God. If you are a follower of Christ, His Spirit lives in you. Just as the Spirit of God dwelt in the actual, temporal, physical temple, so does He in you. This is now central to our faith.

If we continue with this spiritual concept found in Scripture, I believe we have the Biblical right to claim “temple” rights and responsibilities. We also claim the promise found in I Kings 9:3 “My eyes and my heart will always be there.”

What a promise, indeed.

Consider this. If God was violently protective of His temple, how much more will He be for those who now house His Spirit?

And, if the people of Israel were consumed with the care and perfection of the temple, how much more should we be consumed with the care of not only our spirit in Christ, but to the extension of the actual, temporal temple…our physical body.

In a few months I plan on doing an entire series devoted to us being God’s temple. That’s why I was a bit vague and didn’t elaborate too much here on the temple. Until then, let your mind consider these things we have talked about.

God will make His name famous in His temple. Let us do Him the honor and “host” Him well.