Recently I have been studying in the Book of Daniel and have some thoughts that have never surfaced to me before this study session. I am certain that we all learn that this is the lesson as we study the Word of God, we find new truths and it keeps us coming back to the Scriptures, because the Holy Spirit has new manna for us each day, out of the same text.
The overall enlightened thought for me was that God has some curious ways to evangelize His Word and His Name. Another bold emphasis is that the choices we make do hold great consequence.
Four sons of Judah
in a foreign land
not by their choice
but by the King’s demand.
Handsome lads all four
and of nobility, but
had they compromised
their faith, where
would this story be?
We would not have this story is the correct answer. These four young men and their King, with many of God’s people were captured and taken into Babylon, a place of pagan worship. Now that does not appear to be a right thing to happen.
It was however, something for which God had a plan. Daniel, Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah could not have thought with certainty, that it was God Who was taking them to the temple of King Nebuchadnezzar’s gods, and that there they would be groomed for service to this pagan King. But the Scripture says that *“God let” it happen. Was it because these four boys had been bad? No! It was because God had a plan.
Look! Look! Look up high,
the Banner of Success does fly,
even in a foreign land
the God Who sees recommends
and favor over them descends!
It is exciting to read about their preparation as servants for the King’s Court. It is faith building to see that such youngsters would remain faithful to the diet of their Faith, and to see that God blessed them and validated their faithfulness to Him.
They rose in favor with those placed over them, which the text says that God ordained it to be so. God was not asleep when the events unfolded that had the three Hebrew boys thrown into the fired-up furnace. In fact, it was He who was in there with them.
The dream interpretations that Daniel was given by the Lord for Nebuchadnezzar were just more of God’s evangelization of Babylon and It’s King.
Daniel’s refusal to quit praying to the God of Heaven got Him thrown into the Lion’s Den, and yet God was there with him and not a thing happened to him.
It is of interest to note that these young men did suffer, as we would think of it. They were pried away form home and family, they were taken into unholy places for them, yet they stood faithful to their God and to His Laws. So, we have the amazing account of the effects of the choices made by these young men upon the entire known Earth of that time.
After Nebuchadnezzar had seen the miraculous works of God, he sent out a decree to all the Earth saying that Israel’s God was indeed the true God. Nebuchadnezzar gave his testimony which you may read in Chapter 4 of Daniel, beginning with the 2nd verse.
Would you have planned it that way? Does God not know how to reach the most unreachable? The important thing for us to remember is that WE must be faithful, even in the face of threats of death;
Four sons of Judah
in a foreign land
not by their choice
but by the King’s demand.
Handsome lads all four
and of nobility, but
had they compromised their faith
where would this story be?
Choices, choices that we make
write our history.
March 20, 2008, Ramona Cook,
*Daniel 1:v2 KJV
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