THE LORD SPOKE (November 29)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Daniel 2

Lessons Learned in Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar - You think you’re in control of things? Your money and your power is meaningless. You better find a more solid foundation to build your life on than that. And, you need to pick better friends. Stop listening to all the “yes” men you’ve gathered around you - in fact, get rid of them entirely. Look for a genuine person who walks with God and can give you the kind of advice you need. The test will be that he is willing to confront you and tell you the bad news, so don’t chew his head off when he does.

Arioch, commander of the king’s guard - When you find a person who really hears the voice of God, you’d do well to listen to him. Daniel has led you to truth twice now. Stick with him! Don’t you want to know more about His God? He obviously knows how to discern between right and wrong and he’s demonstrated great courage. You’ve never let anyone get away with such things before but it’s because you’ve never met anyone like Daniel before. This one is for real. Find out some more from him.

“Wise Men” of Babylon - You don’t get it, do you? You can’t fake it forever. Someday your deception will catch up with you and you better know where to go for a reality check. Try Daniel! Instead of hounding him, you need to listen to him and learn from his example. What makes you think you can use spiritual things for personal gain? Have you no fear of God? Do you really think He’s going to let you get away with it? Maybe you can keep Nebuchadnezzar fooled (though even that’s doubtful), but you can’t fool God. You’re lucky to have a second chance. Wise up!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - Good choice! That friend of yours is one-of-a-kind. Stand by him. Encourage him. Follow his example yourselves. God has been good to give you each other and such a friend as Daniel in your exile. Times are bad and it looks like they will probably get worse before they get better so learn from this experience and remember it in the future. There are a lot of things worse than dying and not following the Lord is one of them. Be strong and keep your eyes on Him. While you’re at it, don’t let Daniel out of your sight either. He’s a friend worth following.

Daniel - May your tribe increase! You took a huge risk but you did the right thing. Thank you for your courage and example to all of us. It was going to happen to Nebuchadnezzar anyway - he only got what he deserved - but your holy temerity showed us how to handle a situation like this. Thank you for trusting the Lord and not being afraid to speak up even though it could have cost you your life. We need more like you. By the way, thanks for what you’re doing with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego too. They’ve been watching you and may be called upon to take a similar stand some day so your example has been a strength to them. Oh, and don’t worry about those other wise guys. They’re bad but God will take care of them. Just keep doing what’s right and He’ll protect you. It will be worth it all when you get to Glory. Have you every thought about writing down your experiences so others can benefit from them?


Psalms 147-148

“Would you mind choosing someone else for awhile?” said Tevya the milkman. God’s choice of Israel as His special people did bring special privilege but it brought even greater responsibility. The bar was raised for them.

One of the privileges, mentioned here in Psalm 147, was the revelation of the Scriptures to and through them.

He revealed his word to Jacob,
His laws and decrees to Israel.
He has done this for no other nation.... (vs. 19-20)

You have the Bible in your hands right now because of the Jewish people. Every single human author of Scripture was Jewish, and that included both the Old and New Testaments. (The only possible exception was Luke, who was a proselyte and therefore considered Jewish also.) They were careful to preserve it, contrary to the JEDP theorists and the deuteronomistic “historians”. All the evidence is that they faithfully collected and kept it intact. Their over-zealous rabbis led them to add grievously to it but never to change it. It’s still possible to obtain the pure Word of God because He preserved it for us through the Jewish people. “He has done this for no other nation.”

The beginning of the psalm mentions another work of God in relation to the Jewish people:

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds. (vs. 2-3)

He “builds up Jerusalem”. Teddy Kollek did that. He “gathers the exiles of Israel”. Theodor Herzl did that. But He also “heals the brokenhearted”. Who does that? Who else understands our frame and knows that we are dust? Because we’ve been grafted in, we too delight to do what the psalmist commands, “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God...” (vs. 7).

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,
By His presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call Him mine!

All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

Every need His hand supplying,
Every good in Him I see;
On His strength divine relying,
He is all in all to me.
Thoro Harris