Friday, December 5, 2008
Daniel 6:16
Friday, December 05, 2008 |
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
I have decided today to go back to a chapter in Daniel that we skipped over as we have visited this great prophetic book through this last year. Daniel six is one of the most practical chapters in the Bible. However, it is also prophetic as you will see.
You will recognize the story from your days in Sunday School and maybe even have seen the drama played out in a church program some time in your past. It is a wonderful story of the “steadfastness of Daniel”.
Just to remind you, Darius, the king, had published a decree that told his subjects they were not allowed to offer up a prayer to anyone other than the King himself, verses 4-9. This decree was meant to bring harm to Daniel, but instead it brought praise to Daniel’s God.
You know the story so well, so allow me to just bring to your attention some of the highlights of this portion of Daniel that we are using for our devotional reading for today. There are many blessings to be found in this passage. Here are just a few.
Daniel, as was his custom, went to his chambers and kneeled to pray towards Jerusalem, as he had been commanded. By the way he was not trying to hide and pray, but prayed with the windows open so that all the Kingdom could see the faithfulness of Daniel, verses 10-11.
Daniel’s enemies rushed to the King to report Daniel going against the King’s decree. Daniel decided that it was more important to obey God than man. When we do that we must be ready to face the circumstances, as was the case with Daniel.
The King, realizing what his decree meant to Daniel was very displeased with himself and wanted to change his decree but was reminded by his men that the “law of the Medes and Persians” would not allow the king to change that order which would send Daniel to the death as a punishment for simply praying.
How important is my prayer time I must ask myself. Would I be willing to face a death sentence so that I could be faithful to the dictates of God for my spiritual life. Daniel is a perfect example for me, and all of use who want to serve Him.
What a promise that Daniel was reminded of by the King as he was being thrown into the lion’s den, verse 16, our key verse for today. As we “continually serve Him”, He takes care of all our needs, even physically.
There is so much more in this passage that we could share. Let me draw your attention to the prophetic portion of our reading for today, verse 26. The King put out another decree that in all of the kingdom men should “tremble and fear” before the God of Daniel. The entire kingdom would recognize the God of Daniel as the “living God who was steadfast forever and that His kingdom would be forever”.
The kingdom that will be “forever” is the one that Jesus Christ will set up after the seven year Tribulation, yet in the future. But I must say, not to very long into the future. The Rapture could take place today, which will set everything in motion for the Lord’s return to set up His Kingdom.
PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord, for your protection of those of us that “continually serve” you, as was the case with Daniel. Help me to be as “steadfast” as Daniel in those things that you direct me to do in my relationship with you.
For further study – Daniel 6:10-28
I have decided today to go back to a chapter in Daniel that we skipped over as we have visited this great prophetic book through this last year. Daniel six is one of the most practical chapters in the Bible. However, it is also prophetic as you will see.
You will recognize the story from your days in Sunday School and maybe even have seen the drama played out in a church program some time in your past. It is a wonderful story of the “steadfastness of Daniel”.
Just to remind you, Darius, the king, had published a decree that told his subjects they were not allowed to offer up a prayer to anyone other than the King himself, verses 4-9. This decree was meant to bring harm to Daniel, but instead it brought praise to Daniel’s God.
You know the story so well, so allow me to just bring to your attention some of the highlights of this portion of Daniel that we are using for our devotional reading for today. There are many blessings to be found in this passage. Here are just a few.
Daniel, as was his custom, went to his chambers and kneeled to pray towards Jerusalem, as he had been commanded. By the way he was not trying to hide and pray, but prayed with the windows open so that all the Kingdom could see the faithfulness of Daniel, verses 10-11.
Daniel’s enemies rushed to the King to report Daniel going against the King’s decree. Daniel decided that it was more important to obey God than man. When we do that we must be ready to face the circumstances, as was the case with Daniel.
The King, realizing what his decree meant to Daniel was very displeased with himself and wanted to change his decree but was reminded by his men that the “law of the Medes and Persians” would not allow the king to change that order which would send Daniel to the death as a punishment for simply praying.
How important is my prayer time I must ask myself. Would I be willing to face a death sentence so that I could be faithful to the dictates of God for my spiritual life. Daniel is a perfect example for me, and all of use who want to serve Him.
What a promise that Daniel was reminded of by the King as he was being thrown into the lion’s den, verse 16, our key verse for today. As we “continually serve Him”, He takes care of all our needs, even physically.
There is so much more in this passage that we could share. Let me draw your attention to the prophetic portion of our reading for today, verse 26. The King put out another decree that in all of the kingdom men should “tremble and fear” before the God of Daniel. The entire kingdom would recognize the God of Daniel as the “living God who was steadfast forever and that His kingdom would be forever”.
The kingdom that will be “forever” is the one that Jesus Christ will set up after the seven year Tribulation, yet in the future. But I must say, not to very long into the future. The Rapture could take place today, which will set everything in motion for the Lord’s return to set up His Kingdom.
PRAYER THOT: Thank you Lord, for your protection of those of us that “continually serve” you, as was the case with Daniel. Help me to be as “steadfast” as Daniel in those things that you direct me to do in my relationship with you.