I love the book of Daniel, and it has nothing to do with tall statues, fiery furnaces, even ifs, writing on the wall or lions’ dens. Don’t get me wrong, those things are legit awesome. They show the power and sovereignty of God which I am totally here for. Also, can we just sit in awe for a minute at so much stuff in such a short book? That’s a lot for only twelve chapters…but I’m skipping ahead.
Who was Daniel?
Daniel was a good-looking, intelligent, teachable, wise young Judahite who had been exiled to Babylon. Due to his positive traits, he was taken in and trained to be among the king’s wise men. Put a pin in that because I’d like to talk about wise men in just a minute. This positioning then allowed Daniel to be placed in some very valuable, and dangerous, positions where he chose to be obedient to God, come what may. Daniel had myriad opportunities to put on the culture in which he found himself, but he determined to stay true to the God he knew and served. Daniel did so while fully submitting to the worldly authority of Babylon. In one instance, asking to eat kosher food, things worked out well for him. In another, continuing to pray to God when a contrary edict had been set, Daniel ended up in the lions’ den. Regardless of the outcomes, Daniel knew God and was trustingly obedient. He doesn’t appear to have been loud or hateful or obnoxious to those in authority. He followed the advice laid out in Jeremiah to pray for the peace of the place where he was exiled while continuing to remain true to the one true God. That’ll preach.
Seriously, though. Daniel is a good book. If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s estimated to take 1 ¼ hours to read the book. That’s a short Saturday afternoon of reading or fifteen minutes per day during your work week. Totally doable. So be like Nike and just do it. *steps off soapbox*
I feel like we are all familiar with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. If you don’t sing the VeggieTales Bunny Song during this section of scripture, well, you’re more mature than I am. The fact that other dudes are burned up as they approach the fire yet these three come out not even smelling like smoke is pretty cool. Then there’s Daniel in the lions’ den where God shut the mouth of the lion to protect Dan. Let’s also realize that this was a different king who threw Dan in. Dan serves under four different rulers…Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Cyrus and Darius. It would seem that he was a good wise man to have around. It’s Darius who is tricked by Dan’s haters to punish him so severely whereas Nebby is the one who throws the three into the furnace.
I learned something new in my reading this year. In chapter nine, scripture tells us that Daniel has Jeremiah’s scroll. If I’ve ever paid attention to that little fact, I’m unaware. Keep in mind that the exile has happened. Jeremiah was a prophet in Jerusalem. Dan is in Babylon, and he serves as one of the king’s wise men. Wise men from the east come to visit Jesus. It makes sense to me that Jeremiah’s scroll wasn’t the only one in the Babylonian, and then Persian, library. With the exiles most likely came a decent amount of prophecy and literature that seemingly was catalogued for future generations to read and study. The wise men used these scrolls along with other things, like astrology, I assume, to learn the time of the Messiah’s birth. The wise men seemed to be more into it than some of the scribes and the pharisees of the day. Is this how things went down? Idk. I’m simply speculating, but I think it tracks.
Chapter ten is always the chapter I’m most excited to read. Why? Because God opened my eyes to something years ago and it continues to serve as a reminder. Daniel is a man of prayer, prayer, and more prayer. He is an intercessor, and he is a righteous man. Dan confesses his own sin as well as the exiles corporate sin. Dan prays and laments over a vision God gives him for three weeks. When he finally receives an answer, Dan learns that the answer began making its way to him as soon as he first uttered his prayer, but it took twenty-one days (that’d be three weeks) to make it to him. In this instance, the delay was caused by spiritual warfare. For me, it’s a reminder that God always hears our prayers and He always answers. Sometimes there’s a delay in receiving the answer. That delay in our lives could be because of warfare, but it could also be due to the interference of our own sin or disobedience, our own hard-headedness in not wanting to hear the answer, the timing’s off or something else. Regardless, the fact remains that God hears, answers and acts. I love this reminder.
There was a note in my bible from last year that said, “Matthew Poole Commentary” beside Daniel 10:18. Daniel 10:18 says, “Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength (emphasis mine).” Matthew Poole explains this verse in this way:
Daniel needed a second touch, and another word of encouragement, before he could hear and bear the angel’s words as to the vision and prophecy; and now, being fortified by degrees, he hath got courage.
In a culture where we’re often taught that doubt is bad, perhaps Daniel can show us that it’s not. The note I ended up writing states, “Maybe you’re not weak for needing reassurance. Maybe you’re just human.” And maybe, we serve a God who is kind enough to recognize what we need and provide according to His supernaturally good gift-giving skills.
So, what does Daniel teach me about God?
God is totally in control. As we face an upcoming election that sees Christians on both sides of the aisle fearful of the prospect of the other side gaining “control” of the country we inhabit as exiles belonging to a holy nation, I see God seated on His throne with Jesus seated beside Him, already knowing what’s about to go down. Whatever it is, it’s going to be ok because He is allowing it. God handled Pharoah. He handled Nebuchadnezzar. He handled King Ahab. He handled Herod. He handled Nero. He handled Hitler. There has yet to be one world leader that has gotten the better of Him, and there won’t be one that ever does because God is God, and they are not. God’s got this. Take a deep breath, friend.
God is protector. He protected His kiddos in a furnace and in a pit with wild animals. He protected them in an unfamiliar country surrounded by nationalists who didn’t like the look of the exiles now living among them. God protected them. Kept them safe. Guarded them.
God is no joke. You know this one is my favorite. He’s no joke with His kids. He expects obedience. He is kind and patient, but He only tolerates disobedience for so long before discipline comes, and it comes for more than just His kids. God warned Nebby until dude got too big for his britches. Then God brought him down a peg and ended up restoring him. What did Nebby do after all of this? Praised the name of the Lord.
God hears. I’d wager He’s an active listener. He’s a God of community and He wants us to come to Him. He hears our prayers, and He answers them. His timing is always perfect. He’s kind. He’s patient. He works with us, not in spite of us. He is ours and we are His. Why? He’s just good like that, y’all.
So good!!! Especially the reminder that God is in control. Thank you!
Thank you so much!