Author: Aaron Hufty

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 9:1-23 (day two)

…while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. vs. 21

It has been mentioned several times in the past few weeks, but I think it bears repeating; Daniel was a man of prayer. What I found compelling is that in this passage Daniel admits both his extreme fatigue, and his reliance on God. Following after the Lord does not guarantee a worry-free existence. You’ve been walking in faith long enough to know that. Our weariness, however, should not be an excuse to take a break from following and serving. When the Lord blesses abundantly we are to give thanks and spend time with him. When we are walking through life’s valleys we are to lean on his promises and spend time with him. Daniel is a great model of how to prioritize our walk with Jesus in the midst of an ever-changing world.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 8:1-27 (day two)

Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it. v. 27

What is clear in this passage is that Daniel is unsettled by the vision he has experienced. That may be an understatement as scripture records him being sick for days, but then something happens: he gets up and goes to work. Isn’t that a profound word for us right now? Here is the prophet of the Lord who has been shaken to the core; who, by his own admission, is unsure of the meaning, and his response is to get back to work to which he has been called, trained, and appointed.

We may not know this side of heaven what all of these things happening around us today mean. We may also be very heavy-hearted as we look at the state of the world. In this we are in good company. There will come a time, however, when we are to get back to the doing of our lives. To answer the call that every believer has heard. To obey. To live.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 7:1-28 (day two)

…His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him. Vs. 27 b (restatement of vs. 14)

Daniel’s dream sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? I don’t have a clear picture of what those beasts looked like, but I can read from Daniel’s state of mind they were disturbing. Not only that, what they represented was unsettling. Kingdoms, terror, and destruction is not the kind of thing that one wants to know about the future. What I found compelling about the interpretation is that we are not given specifics. Not in the way that we, perhaps, would like. Details like who exactly, when exactly, and where exactly are not revealed. And even if Daniel is given all those details, that is not what he chooses to record. That is not the important part. Kingdoms will rise and fall. Injustice will triumph for a time. Then something else will make all of that stop. This is the heart of the message. Authority will be given to one who will no longer suffer injustice. His kingdom will be everlasting. Skip to the end, friends. We don’t know the details of the middle part of this story, but we certainly know the ending. Fix your eyes on him. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. We proclaimed it a few days ago. He is risen, and he will reign forever. Put your confidence in the ending of this story.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 6:1-28 (day two) 

 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. vs. 10

We have said this more than once in the past few weeks, but it bears repeating: Daniel’s faith was not a faith of crisis. Daniel did not turn to God because things weren’t going well for him or his people. Daniel did not panic and remember that God could deliver him from trouble. Daniel’s faith was born out of a life committed to following the Lord as a matter of course. It was his duty, his act of obedience, his love for Jehovah that created the core of his person. As a result, when things looked grim around him, he was already in a place of security. He knew the Lord, and the Lord knew him. Our relationship with Jesus needs to be the center of who we are, not a remedy for the current crises around us. Center on Him and you will begin to gain a heavenly perspective on everything else.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 5:1-31 (day two)

Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. vs. 3

Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them…vs. 22-23

We know little of Belshazzar as he grew up under his father Nebuchadnezzar, but we do know from Daniel that we has aware of his father’s rise and fall. His story should serve as a cautionary tale for all of us then in light of how we behave when given authority. It is one thing to witness someone abuse privilege and swear that we would never behave in a manner like that, only to be placed in power and fall into the same traps. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Will power is not enough to stave off the demons of our past or those we inherit. It is only complete reliance on Christ for strength and hope that we are able to put those tendencies to the side.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 4:1-37 (day two) 

All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. vs. 28-29

Nebuchadnezzar is like most of us, if we are honest. We are mostly consumed with our own want and desires. There will be times of crisis where we come to a place of recognizing our need for God, and may, for a time, trust in his ability to help us. It’s that “for a time” part that is the problem. Our moments of clarity in crisis do not equate to a surrendered heart and life. Nebuchadnezzar had more than one opportunity to recognize God as the ultimate authority over him, and he gave some lip service before everything was taken from him. His last word was to praise the Lord, but we must ask the question – do we have to have everything forcibly taken away before we will submit to his will? How appropriate a question for us today, as many of us are struggling with so much loss. It’s not too late.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 3:1-30 (day two) 

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” vs. 17-18

I have found myself here more than I care to admit. My view of our Almighty God is based more on what he can do for me than for who He is. I have been guilty of looking at the Lord as a dispensary for miracles, favors, or constant help. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego remind me that we serve a God who is worthy of our praise even if he doesn’t dispense our wants and desires. Even if he doesn’t “deliver” us from sickness, struggles, or tough times; God is worthy of our devotion. Remember what he has done for you. Christ Jesus in his atonement through the cross has done all that we could ever need. If the Lord continues to allow us to walk a tough path, we can rest assured that, even this is temporary. Christ has won the victory and is worthy of our praise even in the uncertainty of today. I am grateful for this reminder from Daniel.

Here is an excerpt from one of our favorite anthems My Eternal King which speaks to a proper focus on who we worship:

Why, then why, O Blessed Jesus Christ,

Should I not love Thee well?

Not for the hope of winning heaven,

Or of escaping hell;

Not with the hope of gaining aught,

Not seeking a reward;

But as Thyself hast loved me,

O ever-loving Lord!

E’en so I love Thee, and will love,

And in Thy praise will sing;

Solely because Thou art my God,

And my Eternal King!

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 2:31-49 (day two) 

Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. vs. 48

From exiled refugee to chief prefect. There are many parallels between the life of Joseph and Daniel. Besides the obvious ability to interpret dreams, they both had incredible character and unshakeable faith. Both were also revered by their sovereigns, partly for their interpretations, but also for their trustworthiness. I doubt Daniel set out to become chief prefect, but his integrity brought him to an occasion to receive it. Working without thought of reward. We are most generally uncomfortable with that concept. To be fair, Daniel was bargaining for his life, but his trust was not in the king, it was in the Lord. Where are you? What challenge has God placed in your path? How are you facing that challenge? Don’t look for what you can get out of it, just trust the Lord to get your through it.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 2:1-30 (day two) 

Daniel said,“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. vs. 20

But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. vs. 30

Daniel had the perfect opportunity to take full advantage of the king and build himself up to a great height. He had the interpretation of the dream,  all he had to do was lord it over him, but that is not who Daniel was. He had just given thanks to God who has all wisdom and power, so for him to give credit anywhere other than God would have been sin.

I believe that temptation is great and should not be underestimated. When we are in a position of authority or control we must always remember that it was the Lord who allowed us to get there. Daniel would not have been much of a servant of the Lord if he took credit for this dream interpretation, but it is a good reminder for us to always put the Lord first in every conversation and decision.

Re:Verse passage – Daniel 1:1-21 (day two)

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; vs. 8a

Take a moment to personalize Daniel’s story. Maybe you can use these prompts: I was attending college, but had to drop out because…, I lost my job, so I found myself having to…, our relationship ended which led me to…, I was in a car accident which changed everything…

The scenarios are endless, and perhaps one or two applied directly to your  faith journey. Daniel and his friends were a part of a captured people. Their way of life would never be as is should have been, but they were selected to be a part of the king’s court…things were looking up. Like all of us after a personal upheaval we will be faced with a choice on how we move forward. Sometimes those choices will be there to affirm your calling as a follower of Christ. Daniel could have given in to the situation, but he knew that he must remain faithful to who God had called him to be. We all have the same choices before us, daily actually. Don’t let situations dictate your character. Let your character (your identity in Christ) define those situations.