Daniel (Three): All That Wisdom!

Good morning

In Daniel 2:24-48 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=daniel%202:24-49&version=NIV1984 we read how Daniel told king Nebuchadnezzar what he had dreamed and what the dream meant. Like us Daniel was an ordinary man with a calling on his life. He had the choice to pursue his calling and build a relationship with his Lord, so he could hear when He speaks to him and do what He told him to do. When for instance Daniel was offered the opportunity to live like a lord and please himself with the comfort and power that would come along with it (Daniel 1), he was free to do it, but chose to follow the narrow way of the Lord of heaven and reaped the results the Lord had to offer him – His power and blessing.

In Daniel 2:27-28 Daniel told the king: “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come,” and when Daniel had told him, Nebuchadnezzar “placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him,” (verse 48).

When Daniel had received the revelation from the Lord he could easily have doubted it, just like we could do when the Holy Spirit reveals things to us. When he had received this revelation through a vision at night, he could have thought it was just a strange dream. When he was brought before the king who had just recently ordered all the wise men to be executed, he may have been a bit worried that this was not actually what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamt and that he may have had the wrong end of the stick. What if he ended up being killed with the other wise men?

Daniel had to act in faith. The only evidence he had that the information he was about to present to Nebuchadnezzar was indeed correct, was the relationship he had with his God, and through that he knew he would give the right information to the king. He knew what he had seen in the vision, but the Holy Spirit probably led him to say what he should say the moment he started to talk with the king, just as we would be. “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit,” (Mark 13:11). Every morning before I start writing this message, for instance, I have no idea what would come out.

Daniel’s relationship with the Lord was one of putting the Lord first in all areas of his life. This could be seen everywhere in the book of Daniel – all glory belongs to God. We know he spent much time in prayer, and obeyed, acknowledged and glorified the Lord, even if his own life or comfort was at stake. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven,” (Matthew 10:32-33).

How about us? If we walk in a right relationship with the Lord we will receive words of knowledge and wisdom (1 Corinthians 13:8) from the Holy Spirit about others so we could astound the hearer with the Lord’s power and bring glory to Him, just as Daniel did. Are you in a position of rightness before the Lord (righteousness) or are you indulging in a comfortable life, cushioned in the arms of Mammon? Do you hear the revelation the Holy Spirit gives you and if you do, do you have the faith, confidence and courage to challenge those the Lord send you to. We have not received a “spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline,” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The only person that could have stood between Daniel and the success he had in obeying the Lord was himself. Everybody that had tried to stop Daniel from obeying the Lord was dealt with by the Lord himself. However, had Daniel not felt like obeying, the Lord was powerless.

Lord, the only person that stops me from obeying and glorifying you is me. Please help me to be like Daniel.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.