What happens when God's word is Ignored?

 Read Hosea 4.

God indicted Israel.  The "controversy" refers to a legal case against them.  The charges included unfaithfulness, lack of love, and "no knowledge of God in the land."  And, that is just the first verse.  In the second verse, He named five of the Ten Commandments that they were violating. 

What was the source of the problem?
The spiritual leaders of the nation were not godly men.  The northern kingdom separated from the south, where Jerusalem and the Temple were located.  As a result, they made up their own religious practices in an effort to mimic what God had ordered.

Priestly responsibilities included leading the people in worship and teaching them God's word.  Instead, the priests of the north had moral problems of their own, "you stumble by day" (v.5a).  The priests shared in the meat, grain, and financial offerings.  Their greed became their shame.  Their reasoning was the more people sinned, the more they personally benefited.  This prompted God's announced punishment (vv.7-9).

Prophets were specially called to deliver targeted messages from God to the people.  But, they too were corrupt, having been bought and paid for by the king and not called by God at all.

Meanwhile, the people suffered.  "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge..." (v.6a)  The nation even began praying to pieces of wood they had carved into idols (v.12).  Without knowing the truth, false religions, drunkenness, and sexual immorality were rampant.

People do not naturally know the truth and how to put it into practice.  They must be taught and learn what God expects of them.  Today, Christians have no excuse.  We have our own copies of the Bible in order to know the truth and to discern if others are speaking the truth about God.  While it is the primary job of the pulpit to communicate the word of God, the responsibility does not end there.  Every believer in Jesus has a personal responsibility to study the Scriptures for themselves daily and live accordingly.  Failure to do so will inevitably lead to sin.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

 

Restoring the broken Relationship

 Read Hosea 3.

God's great power is seen in what many would think to be impossible.  

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh.  Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27)

Not only was Gomer unfaithful to Hosea, it appears that she sold herself into a kind of sexual slavery.  Her worship of false gods, including a fertility cult, drove her deeper and deeper to the point of being trapped and unable to help herself.  God ordered Hosea to go and buy his wife out of that predicament and bring her home.  The total price of money and grain would have been equal to thirty shekels of silver; the price of a slave according to Exodus 21:32. This required an act of supreme love and commitment to his wife.

What took place in Hosea's home became the basis of the prophet's message.  Verse one states: "...even as the LORD loves the children of Israel."

After all the LORD had done for Israel, they rejected Him and chased after the false gods of the surrounding cultures until they reached a point of enslavement to sin.  The northern tribes, under the leadership of Jeroboam, had rejected the house of David as their king to form their own kingdom.  Not one of the nineteen kings in the north was a godly man.

God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants was and is unconditional.  Though the Jews rejected Him and His leadership over them, God continues to be committed to them.  The prophecy here is that there is coming a time, "in the latter days", when the children of Israel will return, seek God, and positively respond to a Davidic rule again.  There has not been such a person over the nation since it divided around 931 B.C.

Here are four required elements Hosea used with Gomer.  God will use these four with Israel.  Jesus has used them with us.  And we can use them to heal our broken relationships.
1. Return. (v.1)
"Go again..."  This requires a willingness on the part of the offended to take action to heal the broken relationship.

2. Redeem. (v.2)
"I bought..."  This requires a willingness and ability to pay the necessary price.

3. Recommit. (vv.3-4)
"You must dwell as mine for many days."  This requires a willingness to stay for the long haul.

4. Restore. (v.5)
"...they shall come in fear to the LORD and to his goodness..."  This requires a plan to fulfill all promises.

 

6 steps for healing a broken Relationship

 Read Hosea 2.

The LORD used the heartbreak of Hosea's marriage to illustrate His relationship with Israel.  A decisive separation was about to take place.  However, it was not to end the marriage but to bring healing to it.

Like Gomer, the nation of Israel left their exclusive love of God and turned to other spiritual relationships.  The motive was for what they could get.  Gomer chased other lovers for support, clothes, and luxuries her husband did not give her.  Israel took part in the worship of false gods and practices for their own pleasure and personal gain.

It came time to put an end to this shameful behavior.  Hosea (and God) would put a stop to it (v.6-7).  The wife (Israel) would lose everything (vv.9-12).  For Israel this meant that the brutal empire of the Assyrians would invade the northern kingdom, kill and destroy any opposition, and scatter the people throughout their realm.  The intent of this punishment would be for her to come to her senses and repent of her sin.  "I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now." (v.7b).

What is God's plan for renewing this broken relationship with Israel as a nation?
Yes, about 200 years later there was a return of the Jews to the land under the Persian Empire.  But, that generation and subsequent generations did not fulfill the prophecy here.  "In that day" (vv.16, 21) is a reference to the Millennial Kingdom when the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31) will be in full effect.  As the Apostle Paul declared concerning that time, "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). 
-The Jews will occupy all of the land God promised to Abraham. (v.23)
-"No Mercy" will be changed to God having mercy upon His chosen people.
-"Not My People" will become God's people again.
-The wayward nation will return and say, "You are my God."

What principles apply to healing a broken relationship?
1. "I will allure her."  The separation and the losses will be replaced with steps to "entice" and "persuade" her to come back.
2. "I will bring her into the wilderness."  In other words, they will get away together.  The LORD did this before when the nation in the 40 years of wilderness wanderings.  There the nation had to learn to be fully dependent upon God.   
3. "I will speak tenderly to her."  These are words of encouragement and gentleness.
4. "I will give her vineyards."  What was taken from her in brokenness will be restored.
5. "I will make...a door of hope."  There must be a path to restoring the marriage.  Achor means "trouble."  But the LORD will lead Israel through the troubled times (the Great Tribulation) back to the Promised Land. 
6. "There she shall answer as in the days of her youth."  This takes the relationship back to when they first met and the love first blossomed.  The outcome is that the wayward comes home and falls in love again.

 

Disobedience carries Consequences

 Read Hosea 1.

The LORD chose to use Hosea and his family to picture His relationship with the northern kingdom of Israel.  Due to consistent disobedience, God would intervene with judgment against Israel.

1. His wife-Gomer (vv.2-3)
She proved to be an adulterous woman.  The prophet's message from God was his wife's behavior is how Israel treated Him.  The nation was guilty of spiritual adultery, seeking relationships outside the covenant and commit they had with the living God.

2. His first son-Jezreel (vv.4-5)
It was in the Valley of Jezreel where King Jehu slaughtered Israel's King Ahab (2 Kings 9-10).  While it was God's will to rid the nation of Ahab and Jezebel, Jehu also killed several leaders of Judah from the lineage of David.  That seems to be the cause of this pronouncement of judgment here.  The LORD stated that it would be the place of Israel's defeat at the hands of the Assyrians.

3. His daughter-No Mercy (vv.6-7)
Her name, Lo-Ruhamah, means "she is not loved."  Part of the judgment to come against Israel would be that the love of the LORD and His mercy toward them will be withheld for a time.  While the Assyrians conquered Israel and scattered the people in 722 B.C., God continued to show mercy to the southern kingdom of Judah.

4. His second son-Not My People (vv.8-9)
The relationship had been broken.  This judgment from God is based upon the covenant of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience found in Deuteronomy 28.  "And the LORD will scatter you among all the peoples..." (Deuteronomy 28:64) which is exactly what Assyria did to Israel.

"Yet" (v.10) their future hope remains!  God's covenant promises to Abraham (Genesis 12, 15, 17) are unconditional.  His discipline will last for a time, but restoration of the relationship and the LORD's blessings in the future are assured.  One day, the scattered will be "gathered" and they will be called "Children of the living God."  At that time, there will be "one head" (v.11) of God's people in the land. As the prophets predicted, Messiah will reign from David's throne over Israel.

The principle for us is unmistakable.  Obedience is a choice we make.  God's blessings come as we maintain a personal, loving relationship with Him.

 

Prophecy and personal Purity

 Read Daniel 12.

Is our future uncertain?  The answer is yes and no.  Yes, we do not know what a day may bring our way (James 5:13-14).  But our ultimate future is as sure as the promises of God.

In this chapter, the angel revealed even more of things that are yet to come.

The prophecy foretells of a double dose of suffering for Israel.  As presented in the previous chapter, Antiochus Epiphanes did desecrate the Temple and thousands of Jews died.  However, Jesus quoted from this section in Daniel to say that this prophecy has not been fulfilled.  The Antichrist will do even more evil in the future (Matthew 24:15).  In the New Testament, this time of unparalleled trouble (12:1) is called the Great Tribulation.  With all the terrible suffering in Jewish history, unfortunately, the worst is yet to come.  The good news is that Michael, the archangel, is assigned to watch over God's chosen people (v.1).  And, there is a comforting hope for Israel.

1. God has promised a national restoration for Israel.
Jeremiah 31:31: "Behold the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah."  Hebrews 8 quotes Jeremiah and describes this even further.  The Apostle Paul explained in Romans 11 that currently we are in a time of the Gentiles with the birth and development of the Church.  A day is coming, however, when "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26).

2. God has promised a personal resurrection for everyone.
Everyone will be present in eternity but with two very different destinies.  Verse 2:"...some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."  This chapter in Daniel mentions that God has books with individual names written down.  He knows who is His and who is not.  The Apostle John saw this same vision with even more clarity.  "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened.  Then another book was opened, which is the book of life.  And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according what they had done....And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:12-15)  Eternal life or eternal punishment awaits.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6).  Oh, that everyone would choose life through faith in Jesus!

There are two questions posed in Daniel 12.
Question: Another angel asked, "How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?" (v.6)  In other words, how long will the tribulation suffering last?
Answer: "...a time, times, and a half a time." (v.7)  The Tribulation will be a period of seven years.  It is the second half, three and a half years or 1260 days, when the suffering will take place.  Revelation 11:2-3 confirms this.  We are not told why there is an additional 30 days, then a total of 75 days added in verses 11 and 12.  Obviously, there is more detail that is not explained.

Question: Daniel asked, "What shall be the outcome of these things?" (v.8)
Answer: "Many will purify themselves...but the wicked shall act wickedly...those who are wise shall understand." (v.10)  "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he (Jesus) appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3)

 

What God decrees shall be Done

 Read Daniel 11.

God is never late.  All His plans, including meeting our needs, are always right on time.

Ken Taylor paraphrased Habakkuk 2:3 like this: "But these things I plan won't happen right away.  Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled.  If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass.  Just be patient!  They will not be overdue a single day."

Daniel chapter 11 falls in the middle of a three chapter explanation from an angel to Daniel of God's plans for the nation of Israel.  There are three aspects of insights here.
1. The Historical Perspective.
Most of the events recorded here were future to Daniel, yet history to us.  The descriptions are incredibly accurate.  The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls confirms once and for all that this chapter was written in advance of these developments.  The vision provided further detail of all the previous dreams and visions in this book.  The fourth Persian king (v.2) turned out to be Xerxes, the husband of Queen Esther.  The kingdom of Greece was divided among four generals (v.4).  They were Seleucus in Syria and Mesopotamia, Ptolemy in the Egypt, Lysimacus ruled Thrace and portions of Asia Minor, Cassander took Macedonia and Greece.  The Selecuids and the Ptolemies fought back and forth (vv.5-20).  The wicked Greek ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the Temple (v.31).  However, in 164 B.C., a godly priest whose surname was Maccabeus and his family repelled the Greeks and reestablished the true worship of God in Jerusalem (v.32). 

2. The Prophetical Perspective.
Antiochus, however, did not fulfill the prophecies concerning the Antichrist.  According to Daniel, the Antichrist will rise from the Roman Empire.  Jesus taught that the fulfillment of the prophecy in Daniel was still to come.  "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place..." (Matthew 24:15)  Jesus went on to say, "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no and never will be." (Matthew 24:21)  According to Daniel 11:36-45, the Antichrist will outdo Antiochus in his evil deeds.

3. The Practical Perspective.
-The word of God is accurate in every single detail and may be fully trusted completely. (v.37b)
-God will fulfill all His future plans for the world and for us right on time.  Note how often the phrase "the appointed time" occurs.
-While we wait for the unfolding of the next movements in the LORD's plans, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers to be careful on how we live.
"...to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time..." (1 Timothy 6:14-15a)

 

Winning the spiritual Battle

 Read Daniel 10.

How many times have we prayed and waited a long time with no answer?  We may be tempted to think:
-Prayer does not work for me.
-God is not answering.
-Doesn't God care?
-Did I do something wrong?
Or, is something else going on?

Daniel was loved by the LORD (v.11).  Yet, as this chapter describes, the vision that was revealed to him was so awful that he fasted and prayed for three weeks without an answer from God.  Why did not God respond sooner?  The answer is He did (v.12), but Daniel could not see it.  His prayer resulted in a spiritual war in heaven that delayed an angelic response.  This angel provided amazing insight into the spiritual battles that are constantly taking place. 

God immediately dispatched this one to give Daniel understanding of what was revealed to him.  However, the heavenly messenger was hindered by an evil angel who was exercising demonic influence over Persia.  The spiritual warfare was so strong that God's messenger needed the help of the angel Michael to overcome the opposition (v.13). 

If answers to Daniel's prayers experienced such conflict, it stands to reason that ours will also.  So, what can we learn from the prophet's example?
1. Set your heart on understanding. (v.12a)
Train yourself to recognize what God wants, pray according to the will of God, and realize that Satan works every time to oppose what God wants done.  "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

2. Humble yourself before God. (v.12b)
The disciples of Jesus asked Him why they were powerless in doing what He commissioned them to do.  Jesus replied, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." (Mark 9:29)  Admitting that we cannot live for God in our own strength and ability should drive us to cast our dependence upon Him.

3. Listen to the Word of God. (v.15)
It is a good thing to take in what God has said and then be silent.  Meditate and think about what the Scripture stated.  The Bible is our only offensive weapon in this spiritual war.  Believers are constantly losing because they do not know their Bible.  As Paul instructed believers to put on the whole armor of God, he concluded by saying, "...and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication." (Ephesians 6:17-18)

4. Act courageously. (v.19)
Fear freezes us.  Faith frees us.  As soldiers of the cross, there is a holy aggressiveness to the victorious Christian life.  "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Prayer is indispensable in spiritual warfare.  We cannot win without it!

 

God's plans always exceed our Prayers

 Read Daniel 9.

When the Babylonian empire fell, Daniel turned to the Scriptures.  He read again the words of the prophet Jeremiah regarding the time when God would restore Israel.

"For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."  (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

Daniel realized that the seventy years was coming to a close and now God would act.  God's call to seek Him moved the prophet to pray a prayer of national intercession.  He confessed the sins of the people for not listening to God's word and rebelling against Him.  He pled for mercy, forgiveness, and for the LORD not to delay in acting on behalf of His people.  That is all Daniel could see from the Scriptures he had.  What he could not see was much more that God intended to do in the future.  Therefore, God responded to Daniel's prayer by sending the angel Gabriel.

Gabriel did not speak of the seventy years but seventy sevens (not weeks), or 490 years.  In Hebrew it is a play on words.  469 of those years have been literally fulfilled in history.  It is the 70th week (7 years) that has not happened yet.  Revelation describes the time of Tribulation as a 7 year period.  The descriptions of that time by Jesus and in Revelation confirm those future events as foretold in the book of Daniel.  We are now living in the gap between "an anointed one shall be cut off" (v.26, the crucifixion of Messiah) and when the Tribulation will begin.  The Apostle Paul explained it this way: "...a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." (Romans 11:25b)

In the meantime, we may be assured of two things:
1. God will keep His promises to His ancient people.
2. He will be faithful to us today and for eternity.

 

 

A prophecy for then and Now

 Read Daniel 8.

Two years later God gave Daniel this second vision.  Some of the events in this chapter were future to Daniel and history to us.  Some of these prophesies remain future to us. 

This is the third time in the book that the same sequence of empires is presented in a dream or vision.  See also chapters 2 and 7.  Each time the interpretation is included within the chapter.  The angel Gabriel explained what Daniel saw.  The prophet observed a ram with two horns in verse 3.  In verse 20, we are told that this represented the kings of Media and Persia.  Next, in verse 5, a goat appeared with a powerful horn that broke the horns of the ram.  In verse 21, the goat is identified as Greece and the first powerful king was Alexander, the Great.  After Alexander, the empire was divided among four generals (vv.8 and 22).

As predicted in verses 23-25, one of those generals, Antiochus Epiphanes, became intolerant of any who did not conform to Greek culture.  He especially hated the Jews.  He stormed the Temple in Jerusalem and offered a pig on the altar to desecrate the holy place.

What remains unfulfilled?
Some of the statements do not match the historical events.
Three times in verses 16-19 alone, it is stated that the vision is for "the time of the end", "at the latter end of the indignation", and "the appointed time of the end".  In Matthew 24-25, some of these events were still future to Jesus.  While Antiochus did fulfill what Daniel saw, he only foreshadowed a similar evil ruler to come in the end times.  The final period of wrath, or indignation, will come during the Great Tribulation.  The Antichrist will possess the same attributes and perform similar acts of hatred against Israel.

So, what do we learn from this?
1. God will not tolerate pride. (vv.4, 25)
Where is the once powerful Medo-Persian Empire?  Where is the seemingly unstoppable empire of Greece?  Their downfalls came due to the same basic root.  When a person becomes self-deceived into thinking they are great, they live only to please themselves, and they do not need God, their downfall becomes certain.

2. God can use unbelievers to accomplish His purposes. 
Though these leaders and their empires did not honor God, He used them to fulfill His plans.  "Surely the wrath of man shall praise you." (Psalm 76:10a)  We do not have to live in fear of the evil others may do.  "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!" (Psalm 37:7)

3. God has a plan for restoration.
The exiled Jews in Daniel's day looked forward to being restored to their homeland, the Temple being rebuilt, and their relationship with God renewed.  Even in the toughest of personal times, God is in the business of renewal and restoration.  The key is repentance of sin.  Elihu was spot on with his counsel to Job when he said, "Then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness.  He sings before men and says: 'I have sinned and perverted what is right, and it was not repaid to me.  He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.'" (Job 33:26-28)

 

Who is the Son of Man?

 Read Daniel 7.

It was Daniel's turn to have a prophetic dream from God.  In the previous chapters, he only interpreted the dreams of others.  Here, he saw four beasts rising up, one at a time, out of the Mediterranean Sea.  And, as in the past, we are not left in doubt as to what it all means.  The second half of the chapter provides the interpretation.

The meaning and message is the same as Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter two.  God revealed the succession of empires that would rule from Babylonia to Medo-Persia to Greece to Rome.  No one ever conquered the Roman Empire.  It fell from within and, according to the Bible, it has never ceased to exist.

There is coming a day when the Anti-Christ, the little horn with the big mouth (vv.8, 20), will wage war against the saints.  But greater than he will be the coming of the "son of man" (vv.13-14).  When the Messiah appears in His second coming, all the earth's kingdoms will be under His control.  "All peoples, nations and languages" will serve Him.

Why did Messiah come the first time?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10)

Why did the religious leaders want to crucify Messiah?
"...Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?'  And Jesus said, 'I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'  And the high priest tore his garments and said, 'What further witnesses do we need?  You have heard his blasphemy.  What is your decision?'  And they all condemned him as deserving death." (Mark 14:61-64)

How should we respond?
"Jesus...said, 'Do you believe in the Son of Man?'  He answered, 'And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?'  Jesus said to him, 'You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.'  He said, 'Lord, I believe,' and he worshiped him." (John 9:35-38)

 

When your faith is under attack

 Read Daniel 6.

This is a story of a man who would be god versus one who was God's man.

While Cyrus, the Persian, served as head of the empire, Darius, the Mede, had been appointed as king.  The pagan Babylonian advisers continued to have access and influence.  Their jealousy of Daniel, and their hatred of the Jews in particular, provided the basis for this bizarre episode.

By this time, Daniel would have been over 80 years of age.  His reputation as a wise and faithful man had been impeccable.  After a lifetime of top-level government service to the Babylonians and now to the Medes and Persians, Darius planned to promote Daniel to very highest position in the kingdom (v.3).  The adversaries could find no fault in which to accuse him.  So, they plotted against him spiritually.  They used a legal tactic to prohibit Daniel from the free exercise of his faith, though it had nothing to do with his job performance.  In short, they tried to make it illegal to worship the Lord God.  They observed Daniel's spiritual disciplines and lied to the king about Daniel's loyalty (v.13).

What did Daniel do under such a threat of death?
-Should he have sued these advisers for slander?
-Should he have attempted to negotiate a compromise?
-Should he have conceded that his critics may have a valid point?
-Should he have changed his spiritual disciplines and kept his faith secret?
He did none of these.  "He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously." (v.10)

What should we do when our faith is under attack?  Be on guard.
1. Guard your personal conduct.
"That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Philippians 2:15)

2. Guard your public conduct.
"Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:12)

3. Guard your prayer commitments.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6)

 

Some people never Learn

 Read Daniel 5.

This is the story of a king who did not learn from history.  He did not learn from his own family.  He did not learn life's most important lessons, though all the information had been given to him.

Belshazzar, a son of Nebuchadnezzar, became the king of the Babylonian Empire in 553 B.C.  Some years had passed and Daniel was no longer serving in his once high position.  It appears that he was almost forgotten.  The events recorded in this chapter take place in a single evening. 

While the king hosted a drunken party, the Persians along with the Medes had already surrounded the city.  But that did not seem to have fazed Belshazzar.  Why not?  His pride proved beyond that of his father's.  He thought the city to be indestructible and, with all their defenses in place, he was untouchable.  So, instead of preparing for battle, the king threw a drunken party.  He ordered the sacred gold vessels that had been taken from the Temple in Jerusalem to be brought and used for their wine.  Using these things dedicated to God for a pagan party was an affront to the Living LORD.  To make matters worse, the crowd began lifting the vessels in praise of earthly, inanimate elements as their gods.     

The Lord will be heard even by those who do not wish to listen.  Belshazzar was going to get the message.  The handwriting was on the wall (v.5).

As his father discovered, none of the so-called wise men of astrology, wizards and enchanters proved of any help.  Daniel again was called to the scene because spiritual things may only be rightly appraised by someone who has the Spirit of God within them (vv.10-12).  Daniel was quick to point out that Belshazzar did not learn the lesson against pride that God dramatically gave his father (v.22).

The downfall and transition of the once great Babylonian Empire requires only two verses (vv.31-32).  One hundred and fifty years earlier Isaiah 47:9 prophesied this taking place in a single day.  The Medes and the Persians then ruled from India to Africa.  The partnership of these two corresponds to the next part of the image Nebuchadnezzar saw in chapter two.

At the root of Belshazzar's pride was his belief that he was in control of his life.  Daniel's message from God in verse 23 was this:
1. God owns our life.
"in whose hand is your breath"  James 4:14-"yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

2. God owns our life's journey.
"and whose are all your ways"  James 4:13 and 15-"Come now, you who  say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'--"Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'"

3. God is to be honored as the Owner.
"you have not honored him."  We are stewards of life and are being held accountable for how we use the time and resources the Owner has allowed to please Him.

Belshazzar did not listen or learn.  "He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing." (Proverbs 29:1)

 

Some lessons are learned the hard Way

 Read Daniel 4.

The LORD will bring about the necessary life circumstances so that His voice will be heard.  But pride can keep us from hearing what God is saying.

Twice God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream, foretelling what would take place in the future.  In chapter two, the LORD revealed the evolution of world empires over the ensuing centuries.  He did this by presenting a visual of a human statue.  According to Daniel's interpretation of the dream, the king was the head of gold.  In chapter three, the king made such a statue.  But instead of using it as a teaching tool for the Omniscient God of Heaven, he made it about himself and demanded to be worshiped.

After each spiritual challenge, Nebuchadnezzar rightfully acknowledged who God is and even made declarations for the empire (2:47, 3:28-29, 4:3).  While he appears to know the truth, his commitment is half-hearted.  Babylon was always the center of poly-theism and the king chose never to rid himself of the false spiritual advisers who surrounded him.  Again, Daniel stepped in to help the king understand what God was trying to say to him.  The king would undergo seven years of a type of insanity but in the end would be completely restored.  Why?  And, what was God's message to him?  It was all about the man’s personal pride.

After God clearly warned him, he did not change.  A year went by and, perhaps, he thought the LORD had changed His mind or nothing would really happen.  He stood on the palace roof top and declared that the empire was all his and by his own doing.  "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?" (v.30). Note the words "I" and "my".  He offended God's sovereignty and robbed God of His glory.  Immediately, the Lord responded and the seven years of insanity followed.

At least three times (v.17, v.25, v.32) the purpose of the king's downfall was explained.  It was to teach him once and for all concerning God's sovereign rule over nations, leadership, and individual lives.  "...until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will." (v.32)

It took a long time, but the king literally came to his senses (v.34).  In the last recorded words of Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible, he said, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble." (v.37)  A painful lesson learned the hard way because he did not listen and make a wholehearted commitment to the LORD at first.

The key principle: "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6b)
The key requirement: "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

 

4 prayer requests when our faith is Challenged

 Read Daniel 3.

How should we respond when our faith is challenged?  After some time, King Nebuchadnezzar built a monument based upon his dream. 

Daniel interpreted the gold head of the image to be Nebuchadnezzar.  However, he overlaid the entire 90' statue of himself with gold.  This is probably an indication that he wanted his empire to endure, rather than the changing empires of his dream.  Second, he had dismissed his spiritual statements of chapter two concerning God and made this statute an idol above all the multiple gods of Babylon.  To dedicate the statue, the king convened all the governmental leadership of his empire. 

Bowing before royalty has always been a common gesture.  But Nebuchadnezzar demanded worship, perhaps in the same sense the Pharaohs were treated as deity.  It is obvious from reading the book of Daniel that the pagan advisers never forgot their embarrassment in chapter two and the promotion of captive Jews over them in leadership.  In their first retaliation, they accused Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego of not worshiping the idol. The accusation was true.  These servants of the one and only true God would not violate their spiritual commitment (vv.16-18).

Nebuchadnezzar's foolish ego led to a senseless, angry response.  His instructions on executing the three Hebrews caused some of his elite guard to die in the process.  But, again, God is shown to be faithful.  He miraculously delivered the three men by a preincarnate appearance of Christ Himself (v.25).  Then, Nebuchadnezzar made his second acknowledgment of God's sovereign superiority (2:47) and issued a royal decree for the empire.

This is not an example of merely being stubborn about one's spiritual commitment to God.  We want others to see and understand the difference the Lord has made in our lives.  Here is how to pray when our faith is under attack.
1. That they will see we are true servants of God. (v.26)
2. That they will see the ineffectiveness of their actions against God. (v.27)
3. That they will see the undeniable power of God. (v.28a)
4. That they will see the depth of our love for God and want to know Him also. (v.28b)

 

This is one for the Ages

 Read Daniel 2:25-45.

In a dramatic answer to prayer, God gave Daniel the same message He had given to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream.  God revealed to the king what would happen in the future.  "...he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days" (v.28a).  This chapter unfolds some essential world history in advance.

The dream was of an image of a man from head to toes.  As Daniel explained, each part of the body represents a world empire.  Ever since Nebuchadnezzar's defeat of Jerusalem, until the current generation, the land of Israel has been ruled by Gentile powers.
1. Head of Gold. (vv.37-38)
Daniel said this symbolized Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian Empire.  Historically, the empire ruled from 605-538 B.C.

2. Chest and Arms. (v.39a)
The Medes and Persians defeated the Babylonians and ruled from 538-331 B.C.  This was a partnership between two powerful nations.

3. Middle and Thighs. (v.39b)
The Grecian Empire rose in power when Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire.  The Greeks ruled the world, India to Africa, from 331-146 B.C.

4. Legs of Iron. (v.40)
Then, the Romans defeated the Greeks and became the most powerful empire in the world from 146 B.C-476 A.D.  This empire was never defeated.  It imploded due to its own moral and political corruption.

5. Feet and Toes of Iron and Clay. (vv.41-43)
This obviously is not a very stable mixture.  The Roman Empire never ceased to totally exist.  Instead, it separated into inferior parts with no real cohesion.  The book of Revelation predicts that such a confederation of ten nations will come to power and they will struggle over the land of Israel.  The finality will come at Armageddon.

6. The Stone. (vv.44-45)
In a shattering defeat, at that time, God will set up His kingdom.  The Apostle Peter preached, "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:11-12)

 

3 qualities of a godly leader facing Adversity

 Read Daniel 2.

When there is a problem and no one has an answer, it is a God-given opportunity for those who know Him.

God gave Nebuchadnezzar a troubling dream.  It troubled him because he knew it contained a message but he did not know what it meant.  Since the days of the Tower of Babel, Babylon had been a center for every kind of satanic and false beliefs.  The king's closest advisers were known as magicians, enchanters, and astrologers.

Evidently, Nebuchadnezzar knew that these so-called wise men conspired in the past to make up interpretations to please the king or to promote themselves.  He no longer trusted them.  Hence, the test: to not merely interpret the dream but to even tell him what the dream was.  This would mean the end of their pretense of wisdom and guidance.  The advisers had been exposed.  Frustrated, the king's solution was to get rid of all of them.  The decision included Daniel and his three friends.

Like he did in chapter one, Daniel immediately recognized that this was an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power and His wisdom to an unbelieving culture.  Notice three things about Daniel's character.
1. He maintained a respectful attitude. (v.14)
These were his captors.  Now, they set out to kill him.  He did not rail against them and he did not panic.  His response to the captain was "with prudence and discretion."

2. He confidently demonstrated his faith. (v.16) 
It appears he had access to the king.  Daniel asked the king for the assignment and to set the time for a meeting.  Though Daniel did not have an answer, He fully trusted God to provide what he needed and on time.

3. He involved others to pray with him. (vv.17-23)
The dire circumstances moved them to first pray for God's mercy.  God's compassion upon them would mean that He would supply the solution to the problem.  And, the LORD answered their prayer!  Daniel's subsequent prayer of thanksgiving reveals his faith in God's sovereign control of all things. 

There is nothing like a dramatic answer to prayer to give a person great boldness of faith.  Daniel walked into the meeting with the king at the exact time to deliver God's message.  The results:
-Nebuchadnezzar bowed down to Daniel. (v.46)
-Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that the God of Daniel was the over all in heaven and earth. (v.47)
-Daniel not only spared his own life, but the lives of the false advisers as well. (v.48)
-Daniel and his three friends were rewarded and promoted to leadership positions within the most powerful empire in the world. (v.49)

For the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is always hope.  God is in control of even the worst circumstances.  There is great reward for those who trust Him.

 

3 insights for living in an ungodly Culture

 Read Daniel 1.

The original purpose of this book was to give the exiled Jews, who had lost everything, hope for their future.  God had not forgotten His promises to them.  While many of the prophecies in Daniel have been literally fulfilled (over 100 in chapter 11), many remain to be seen.

In a series of three military campaigns, the Babylonians destroyed the southern kingdom of Judah and took many Jews into captivity back to Babylon.  Ezekiel was one of those captives.  He lived not far from Babylon.  But Daniel and his three friends were taken right into the courts of King Nebuchadnezzar.  The reason appears to be that these four were of royal or noble birth, educated, and were accustom to palace life (vv.3-4).

The Babylonian strategy was simple.  Take the cream of the crop of the Jews out of their environment.  Give them Babylonian names, feed them Babylonian food, give them the best in Babylonian education, and when they become adults they will no longer think of themselves as Hebrews but one of the Babylonians.

Three insights from living in a culture that pressures a godly person to conform.
1. Changes of life give us opportunity to commit ourselves to what is truly important. (vv.1-7)
Because they were away from home and in a pagan culture, these young men recognized this as a test of their faith in God.  While others sought to blend in and literally gobble up what the culture handed to them, these four rededicated themselves to be faithful.

2. Challenges of belief force us to determine whom we will obey. (vv.8-9)
They determined in advance that they would not compromise God's expectations of them.  But notice their approach was to ask and give God an opportunity to work.  Because of their respectful demeanor, "God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of eunuchs."
It is a reminder for believers in Jesus to "always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15)

3. Choices of faith cause us to trust God for the outcome of our obedience. (vv.9-21)
They made their faith commitment known.  The test was on.  Daniel wanted this overseer and those around him to "see" the difference obeying God makes in real life (v.13).  God was faithful to them.  They passed the test and changed the culture around them (v.16).  For years to come, these four had influence at the highest levels of the Babylonian Empire.
 
The cultural changes in which we live are as challenging to us today as it was to them.  The Apostle Paul's urging must be our personal commitment.  "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

Changing the name of Jerusalem

 Read Ezekiel 48.

Those who want to treat Ezekiel's prophecies as symbolic will find it an impossible task.  For nine chapters, in this vision, an angelic guide has taken Ezekiel on a tour of future Israel. 
1. The Messiah will establish His throne in Jerusalem.
2. Exact measurements and details of the new Temple are provided. 
3. The reinstituted priesthood, led by the family of Zadok, is named. 
4. King David will have an important role as prince in Jerusalem. 
5. A river will flow from the Temple mount to nourish the land and change the Dead Sea into fresh water. 
6. The boundaries of where the land will be divided among the 12 Tribes are all here.

None of these things has taken place in all of history.  If one believes in the truthfulness of God's promises, as verified by the exactness of every prophecy that has been fulfilled, then there is only one view left.  The LORD will literally oversee each detail.

Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18)

One more unfulfilled prophecy closes the book of Ezekiel in verse 35.
7. The name of the city of Jerusalem will be changed.  No longer will it be called the "city of peace" but, with Jesus on the throne, it shall be renamed "The LORD is There."

For believers in Jesus, today we can say, "The LORD is here."  "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you have been bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

 

More future promises from God

 Read Ezekiel 47.

During the thousand years that Christ will reign on earth, the Temple will be rebuilt, the Levites will again serve, and memorial sacrifices will take place.  The angel that has guided Ezekiel in this vision since chapter 40 took him outside the Millennial Temple.  There the prophet was given a view of God's blessings related to the future of the land of Israel.

Water began to flow from the Temple that was only ankle deep.  Every 1,000 cubits the water increased in depth until it became an impassable river.  It flowed from the south side of the Temple, down the Kidron Valley, into the Jordan River Valley (Arabah), and into the Dead Sea.  This same prophecy is corroborated in two other books.  Joel 3:18-"And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD and water the Valley of Shittim."  Zechariah gave even more information as he saw the river flowing both toward the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.  "On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea.  It shall continue in summer as in winter." (Zechariah 14:8)

The rest of this chapter provides a glimpse into God's benefits and blessings for Israel.
1. The Dead Sea will become fresh water. (vv.8-10)
This large body of water that is saltier than the ocean has no life in it.  But in that day it will be teeming with fish.  Fishermen will occupy the shoreline.

2. The land will become fruitful. (v.12a)
With such abundance of fresh water, the dry desert areas will be rich with agriculture.

3. The leaves will become medicinal. (v.12b)
This statement is not explained.  In some way, the leaves from those fruit trees will have a healing property to them.

4. The land will be divided again. (vv.13-23)
God's promise to Abraham was made based upon "two unchangeable things" (Hebrews 6:13-18): His unchangeable word (Number 23:19) and His unconditional covenant (Genesis 15).  That promise according to Ezekiel 47:14 will still be in place during the Millennium.  The land will be divided once again among the 12 Tribes.  Even non-Jews, who may desire to live in Israel, will be welcomed (v.22).

The LORD indeed has many wonderful things in store.  Our future is as bright as the promises of God.  The fulfillment of His promises is dependent upon God's faithfulness.  The enjoyment of His promises is dependent upon our faithfulness.

 

He is God of planning and Order

 Read Ezekiel 46.

The LORD of heaven is the God of order.  As the Apostle Paul wrote, "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace," "But let all thing be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40).  This is true of how He wants things organized and even how worship is to be conducted.  Therefore, He is not a God of disorder and neglect.

Reading of the various offerings at the Temple may not be the most inspiring material for us today.  However, overarching all these instructions is the fact of God's attention to every detail.  He cares about the days things are to be accomplished.  He is explicit in the use of gates to be shut and opened.  He has the traffic flow of how the people were to go in and out (vv.9-10).  The types and amounts of offerings are provided.  Instructions are given concerning inheritances of property in Israel (vv.16-18).  The locations of the kitchens and cooking instructions are all here (vv.19-24).

What a Bible reader learns quickly is that God is not watching us from a distance, but is up-close and personal.  He did not create elements and allow chaos to take over.  He has a plan and expects us, as stewards of His property, to manage things in ways that please Him.

And, He has a plan for our lives.  As someone once said, "God does not make junk."  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)