GOD’S GRACE & MERCY Many times it’s difficult to see or realize others’ sufferings because we are wrapped & tried-up in our own stuff. Blind-sided of others’ plights. It maybe a relative, neighbor, co-worker, church member, a news story, a reel on Facebook and/or posting on some other social media platform. Yet this small issue comes to mind. Hopefully we get the point. I use to complain to my mother about, “I have to pay this and that.” Her responses were always, “Thank God you have the money to pay it.” She never sided with me on this issue. Thinking back she was right about it. I could have been without a job or the bills could have been greater than my earnings. Unfortunately for many today, the bills are greater than earnings and monthly fixed incomes. I was ungrateful. Now more mature. “Thankful for what I had and the ability to maintain what I needed.” A demonstration of GOD’S GRACE & MERCY towards me despite my inability to understand. Can you identify GOD’S GRACE & MERCY operating in your life?
Now Daniel was the grandson of king Josiah. His grandfather was Judah’s last godly king. Plainly stating Daniel’s father was a wicked king. Many folks like to say, “Just like yo daddy or yo momma.” Not so! Thankful to God for granddads, grandmoms and all those teaching-modeling good godly and moral character. In addition most grandparents have great relationships with grands. Many parents sees it as “Spoiling the child.” Yet can we imagine a “Spoiled child” like Daniel who took after his grandfather that resulted to GOD’S GRACE & MERCY bestowed upon his grandson and his 3 friends with full of wisdom and knowledge. So we speak full of wisdom and knowledge for your grands, mines’ and their friends. God also gave Daniel the gift of visions, dreams and the ability to interpret. Daniel Supporting scripture 1:17 “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: additionally Daniel was given understanding in all visions and dreams.
The king Nebuchadnezzar seem to have been a forward thinker. He desired to take his kingdom to “Higher heights” He sought among the kidnapped children-teen from Jerusalem that were unblemished, handsome, well favored, skillful in all wisdom, astute (smart) in knowledge, understood science with the ability to serve in the king’s palace. The king’s intent was to teach these children-youth their language, to normalize them to their customs and ways (1:4). Therefore the king spoke to Ashpenaz, the chief prince/eunuch of the court officials. He oversaw the children of Israel, the king’s seed and the other princes. The king had inquired to Ashpenaz about the children of Israel-Judah to fulfill his kingdom’s purposes.
Daniel’s first act of faithfulness: Verse 1: 5 “And the king appointed them a daily provision of his meat, and wine to nourish them for three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Verse 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. He requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Noting Daniel had no intentions of defiling his body. Faithfulness was already embedded in His heart to maintain his covenant to the LORD. First Cor. 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
The LORD had already prepared the chief prince’s heart to favor Daniel and more (verse 9). God honors faithfulness. Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.”
You and I are encouraged to model Daniel by “Keeping our hearts with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23).” There’s more verses 21-23 says the heart normally refers to the mind, reasonings 3:3; 6:21;7:3, emotions (15:15, 30), the will (11:20;14:14) and the whole inner being. The heart is the depository (storage) of all wisdom and the source of whatever affects speech like an evil mouth and/or dishonest lips (4:24). Therefore we ought to be mindful of our tongue and hate dishonest lips.
An act of GOD’S GRACE & MERCY including favor. Since the chief prince of the eunuchs feared the king, Daniel asked and paraphrasing (verses 11-17) “Let us only eat vegetables and drink water for 10 days, then look and compare us to those that ate the meat and drunk the wine.” The prince consented. At the end of 10 days their countenances (faces) appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Thus Daniel and his three friends were allowed to eat only vegetables and intake water instead of the king’s portion of meat and wine.
The outcome of Daniel & 3 friends’ faithfulness (Verses 18-20) “At the appointed time, the chief prince took them all before the king. He communed (talked) with them; and among them all were found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Hebrew names). They were the only ones selected that stood before-to commune with the king in all matters of wisdom and understanding. The king enquired (questioned) of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm (kingdom). The favor of God! None yesterday, today nor tomorrow can compare to the majesty, power and wisdom of God.
(Chapter 2) It was a rare thing that Nebuchadnezzar required the Chaldeans of southern Babylonia known as Iraq today. The king also required the magicians and astrologers to tell him what he dreamed. Their responses were no man on earth, king, lord, nor ruler could tell the king what he dreamed except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. The king then became very angry and furious. He commanded to “Destroy all the wise men of Babylon.” The decree went out to slain all the wise men; and they sought to kill Daniel and his 3 friends.
GOD’S GRACE & MERCY Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: Arioch answered and told Daniel what had happened. Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time to shew the king the interpretation. Evidently the king agreed. Therefore Daniel went to his house, told his friends about the situation and to desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. The secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven means to kneel in worship to praise and exalt the LORD for all He has done.
Daniel answered and I `believe a prayer of thanksgiving, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. A quick note Daniel was consistent in his faith. You will find in chapter 6 he kneeled three times a day, prayed and gave thanks before his God. He was highly favored throughout this Book among the kings, faced some challenges. Yet the LORD always shown himself as strong, mighty and a deliverer in Daniel’s life.
GOD’S GRACE & MERCY Now Daniel went back to Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus to him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. Daniel made known to the king his secret dream, as well as interpreted the dream. Daniel also said to the king “The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed were told to the king.
GOD’S GRACE & MERCY Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation (offering) and sweet odors (incense) to him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a LORD of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou could reveal this secret. The king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. To sit in the gate of the king meant the twofold idea of being the king's representative on the throne of judgment, and the counselor of the king/over the universities - member of the privy council, to employ a modern term. I imagine for a period of time.
GOD’S GRACE & MERCY of protection in the fiery furnace. Read chapter 3. King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits (90 – 100 feet-height), and the breadth thereof six cubits (120 feet wide) according to NKJV Study Bible. the king set it up in the plain of Dura, the province of Babylon.” The image was not described as the image of a god but, the image of Nebuchadnezzar himself. A grandiose expression of his greatness and glory. Yet he seemingly forgot about Daniel’s God of gods who revealed Nebuchadnezzar’s unknown dream to Daniel. He also failed to remember the dreams’ interpretation that included the judgmental warning about his self-perceived greatness and glory.
A decree was made in Babylon that required the princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces to gather together for dedication of king Nebuchadnezzar’s self-made image. They stood before the image then were told, “You O people nations and languages are commanded to cry-out loud, fall down and worship the golden image of king Nebuchadnezzar when you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut (often identified as a stringed or wind instrument-not linked to any specific instrument today), psaltery (stringed instrument), dulcimer (pipes), and all kinds of music. And those who does not fall down and worship at the same hour shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”
Chapter 3 and paraphrasing. “Some haters went to the king and said, “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of Babylon. You know Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men you trust, O king. They have no regard-no respect for you. They do not serve your gods, bow-down, cried-out loud and worship your golden image when they hear the music, O majesty as you have commanded all to do. O king, live forever! “Boosting up his head.” We also call them instigators. They encouraged the king to cast them into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Now Nebuchadnezzar full of rage and fury. So he commanded them to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to him.
They returned with Daniel’s three friends and confirmed the report was true. The king gave them another opportunity to obey his command or they would be cast into the burning fiery furnace. He taunted Daniel’s friends by asking, “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands.” Remember when Goliath, the giant tried to intimidate David. His response to the giant was “Thou come to me with a sword, a spear, and shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied (1Samuel 17:45). Y’all know the rest, say no more.
Back to the fiery burning furnace. These young men were steadfast in their faith to Jehovah-Gibbor, the LORD Mighty in battle.” Summary of verses 17-27. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou has set up. Steadfast unmovable faith even if God does not come to the rescue it’s okay. You and I may have gone through some burning fiery furnaces (situations) declaring “All is well with my soul” despite the outcome. Now the king’s was full of fury, changed his attitude about these young men, made charges against them, turned up the furnace seven times more, bound them in their clothes and other garments; then cast them into the burning fiery furnace. The heat was so fiery that it killed the men who turned up the furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar continue to watch what was happening to them in the burning fiery furnace. He was astonished and rose up in haste. He spoke to his counselors, “ Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered “True, O king.” The king said “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire. They have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counselors were all together, saw these men and upon whose bodies the fire had no power; nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Verses 28-30 Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
STEPS TO FAITHFULNESS (1) Purposefully seeking God (2) Prayer life – Daniel prayed 3 times daily (3) Daniel prayed on his knees-the spirit of humbleness (for those who can get on your knees) some of us have become too lazy to get out of the bed. I’ve had good to great prayers from the bed to on my knees. Any greater prayers from the bathroom on your knees? (4) Seeking God for your daily needs and trouble times (5) Seeking God for understanding (6) Prayers for deliverance (7) Thanksgiving (8) Praise (9) To believe in the power and promises of God including (10) Righteous lifestyle. GOD’S GRACE & MERCY including favor for you. As always peace, love and steadfastness in your faith! Neatbooks4u
