May 17-21, 2010

And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Daniel 6:20

This week we spend the first part of our week with Daniel. Many years have passed since he was taken to Babylon, and yet he remains faithful to his God. He’s lived through the fall of Jechoiachin’s and was taken to Babylon at the same time. He was was eighteen years old when he was taken into captivity and had only reigned for three months before he was carried off to Babylon. (II Kings 24:8). Thirty-seven years later Jehoiachin was released from prision. Unlike Zedekiah who was taken captive when Jerusalem finally fell, Jehoiachin was not maimed or blinded. Thirty-seven years have passed, Jehoiachin is fifty-five years old, Nebuchadnezzar has died and his son Evil Merodach sits on the throne. What stirred the compassion in Evil Merodach’s heart that prompted him to release Jehoiachin? It’s anyone’s guess. There is nothing that has been found that in antiquities that record his change of heart. There is one sure influence – God was in control!

As we continue to spend time with Daniel, we are confronted with some very difficult dreams and visions. If we think we find Daniel’s visions perplexing, can you imagine what it must have been like for Daniel! The difficult part about understanding these confounding images is in trying to discern what time period each portion relates to and what concerns end-times. It has often been said that history repeats itself. What may look like it fits into a certain time and epoch may actually be a vision of another time period. And you can be sure that that is all in God’s plan as well. Perhaps that is what Ecclesiastes 3:15 means when it says:

That which is has been already, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

Much has been said and taught as truth through the ages, only to come short of what is truth. Next week, when we hear Daniel’s final words, we will hear God tell him to seal the book until its time. If we try to reveal it out of its epoch, we are certain to come up with a manmade interpretation. Unfortunately, many end-time doctrines have been based on faulty insights have been traditionally held as truths. In the parable of the sower who went out to sow the seed of the Kingdom, Jesus taught that the most difficult place to cultivate insight and understanding is on the road of tradition!

By the time we hear Daniel tell his familiar story of God’s salvation in the lions’ den, Daniel is getting older. He would have to be somewhere in his fifties. When Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall for King Belshazzar, he is unimpressed by the king’s lavish gifts. He’s seen kings come and he’s seen kings go. The favor of an earthly king can be a short-lived grace. But God’s grace remained on Daniel. Instantly, Daniel finds himself in the good grace of Darius the Mede, Belshazzar’s assassin. It is this Darius that finds himself backed into a corner by his own decree and ends up having Daniel thrown into the lions’ den. Daniel knows that the favor of an earthly king cannot save him, but the favor of the King of King’s is a mighty fortress!

It is also during this first year of Darius the Mede that Daniel finds himself reading the prophecies of Jeremiah. It’s been nearly forty years since Jeremiah spoke God’s words to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, and yet, for the first time, Daniel embraces what he spoke and begins to intercede for a nation! In his prayers of repentance Daniel sees himself as one of those who had missed the mark and failed to hear. Daniel realizes their guilt and understands that the only request he can legitimately make is for God’s mercy!

By the end of the week, we see the beginning of the return of the people to Jerusalem and Israel. Once again, we don’t know the events that turned the heart of Cyrus of Persia. All we know for certain is that God stirred his heart. We also know that God gave the Israelites favor with their neighbors while they were in captivity. They gave more to the Israelites that the king’s decree demanded! We are introduced to those who would lead the Israelites back to their homeland. Our first introduction is to Zerubbabel, whose name means “born in Babylon.” He is the grandson of Jehoiachin and, therefore, a direct descendant of David. Some confusion exists when comparing Ezra 3:2 and I Chronicles 3:19. One says he was the son of Shealtiel, while the other says he was the son of Pedaiah. The difficulty comes in the understanding of the word “son.” He could have been of the same seed and been Pediah’s nephew, or he could have been his legal son resulting from a levirate marriage. The logistics of these things is quite foreign to us! But one thing we can be certain of, he was of the seed of David, of kingly descent, and that is why he was chosen to head the mission. His right-hand man was Jeshua, son of the high priest Jehozadak. Nebuchadnezzar put his grandfather to death at Riblah. (II Kings 25:18)

The list of who’s who and their ancestry is filled with names we recognize and names we don’t. Seraiah was Ezra’s father. Mordecai is believed to be the Mordecai who adopted Esther. Not everyone on the list went with the first wave of people who returned. Some came later with Ezra. An interesting bit of information is found in the list of King Solomon’s servants. Two of the names are those of women. Hassorphereth meant “female scribe” and Pokereth-hazzelbaim literally means “huntress of the gazelles.”

It is no coincidence that the first thing to be rebuilt was not the foundation of the Temple, or a gate, or a wall – it was the Altar. Not only was it the first thing to be rebuilt, but it was built in time for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and it was during this time that the sacrifices resumed. What a powerful picture of God’s rebuilding in our lives! It begins at the foot of the cross, our sacrifice for sin and our atonement. Ahhhhhh!!! Don’t you just love God’s word and its intricate beauty? So much to see! So much to learn! Thank you Lord for this wonderful word puzzle that reveals Your glory. You are sooooo good!!!

Take time to smell the roses! There’s more than meets the eye!!!