February 11, 2011

Read Daniel 2:44-49

Ultimately Daniel chapter 2 (and indeed the entire book) is not a struggle between the Israelites and the Babylonians. It’s not a struggle between the Babylonian way of life and world view against the Hebrew way of life and world view. Ultimately the book of Daniel is a clash of the Titans. It is a battle between Yahweh and the gods of the nations.  Even though Nebuchadnezzar thought that his gods had delivered the world into his hands, the book of Daniel shows what really happened. In Daniel 1:2 we read that it was the Lord that delivered Israel into enemy hands. It was all His doing. We see that God is fully in control of all events and is working all things towards his desired ends.  The dream simply serves to support this truth.  God set up the great king Nebuchadnezzar. He is the one who sets up kings and disposes them as he wills. He is the one who raised up and brought low three other kingdoms.

God, our God, is the one who will set up an eternal kingdom that will never end. Through Christ Jesus he will raise up a rock that will crush all other kingdoms. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection an eternal kingdom will be established.

As a young Christian I often wondered how Christians in other countries like Iran, Iraq, India, China etc could face such immense persecution, torture and even death for their faith. If we know deeply that the Lord’s kingdom will endure forever then this life will be put into perspective. My 80-90 years on this planet are but a microscopic dot on the timeline of eternity. I will joyously and willingly suffer all things for the sake of my God who has given me an eternal kingdom.  Since we have eternity we need not fear any man, nor their threats, nor any situation or circumstance. Even if we perish in this life, we live for eternity with our God and Saviour. Because of Jesus we soldier on victoriously and confidently through hail, snow and blistering storm.

Prayer:

þ Pray that Student Life would have all the resources they need to preach the message of eternal hope to the students on various campuses. Pray for growth and conversions this year. Pray that God would raise up more labourers for this great harvest field.

þ Pray that each one of us would have opportunity to share our faith, the message of eternal hope with those around us that don’t know Christ yet. Pray for each non believer you know of by name.