When all seems the darkest, God reminds the people through Ezra of His lovingkindness and His provision. With the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, along with Ezra and Nehemiah, the work which had ceased began again in earnest. The enemies which had sought to destroy the work were given an order by King Cyrus to not only cease their derogatory words but supply whatever would be needed out of their treasury. God is just and He will stop our enemies and give us courage to do His work with abundant blessings.
Where has God give you His plan but you are delaying due to the enemies around you? Will you step up and begin again to fulfill His work?
We sing and we proclaim that God can move mountains but here in the opening of the book of Ezra we read that God moved the heart of Cyrus to free the Israelites and send them with his blessing back to Judah. We don’t know how this came about, that is through a dream or a vision, but Cyrus wrote out what he was to do by God’s command. “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfillment of the Lord’s message spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord motivated King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation throughout his kingdom and also to put it in writing.” Did you notice that? The God of the universe raised up Cyrus to bring about the prophecy of Jeremiah. Daniel had written that God raises up and puts down leaders and here we see that God raised up Cyrus to do His bidding. Why do we wring our hands and wail and weep when we read stories like this? If God can move the heart of the man Cyrus, can He not move the hearts of those in power today?
When you read of passages such as this, it should behoove us to stop and praise Him who is immutable, is all powerful and sovereign.
Daniel was given a vision to understand the end times which was so overwhelming that he requested more direction and understanding. However, the angelic figure speaking to him reminded him of this principle: “The wise, who have insight because they pay attention to divine revelation, will understand what is happening. In the Old Testament, and in Scripture generally, a wise person is one who lives in the light of divine revelation, and a fool is one who ignores it.” [Dr. Constable notes]
Daniel then understood that he was chosen to receive this vision but did not totally understand the meaning of it yet he knew that he must pay attention so he does not miss the truth that God has for him and others. Down through the centuries many have scoured these words to determine the message God has for His people and others who are the seekers but along with that are the fools who waste time in philosophical arguments rather than the truth of the Word handed to us.
The point being this: We are wise when we seek the truth of what God has offered as His plan for the ages. We are foolish to ignore these truths. Today there are many who fall into the latter category. They deny that God has placed these words to reveal these truths. They choose to ignore it to their own peril. The question is this: which category do you most identify with?
Daniel has been given the privilege of seeing God on His throne and His throne room. As Daniel recorded: “the Ancient of Days took his seat. His attire was white like snow; the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool.” Daniel was overcome with the beauty, the majesty and the power that he saw. He recorded these words that we may know that one day we too shall see the Ancient of Days on His throne. Will it be soon or in days to come? Only the date keeper in the throne room knows. He knows our birth date and our death date.
As we ponder these words, may we consider the words of Paul to the Colossians: “set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” [Col 3:2] We should do that so we are prepared when the angel comes to our name in his date book, this one is ready to enter the heavens and see the face of his/her savior and the Ancient of Days, that is God the Father.
Daniel has proven himself worthy of his title. The king has blessed him beyond measure but even in that, he has remained humble, beseeching God three times a day with his face toward Jerusalem. The scriptures are silent as to the words he prayed each time, but his humility had proven this: a private time with God does not need words for us today otherwise we might echo them rather than letting our own words be heard in heaven. Today let your prayer be as Daniel’s; private and heard and recorded only in heaven.
There is much we could say about both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar but the words of Proverbs teach us that pride goes before the fall. Both kings fell in life but only one gave his life to God—-Nebuchadnezzar.
What does God want us to learn from these chapters? God wants us to see the humility of Daniel, the repentance of Nebuchadnezzar and the pride of Belshazzar. Today, God wants us to stop and consider which of these three individuals mirrors our life more accurately. Where are you spiritually? What have you seen God doing both now and in your future?
It is interesting to note: No other writer both NT or OT mentions this person, Joel. It appears that he lived among and ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah. Dr. Patterson notes: ““Joel was a man of vitality and spiritual maturity. A keen discerner of the times, he delivered God’s message to the people of Judah in a vivid and impassioned style, with a precision and originality of thought that served as a veritable quarry out of which many subsequent prophetic building stones were to be hewn.” When we read statements such as this, we praise God for His choice of this prophet but also makes us want to join him in understanding the times in which he lived.
As with other OT prophets, Joel wrote to warn the people of God of impending disaster due to their sin. And, like the other prophets, his message fell on fallow ground. However, we have his words so we might reflect and see God at work even now. The warning signs then are the same warning signs now. Will we listen or do we have to reap the harvest of poor judgment. Do we have to experience the wave of locusts in our land because of the hardness of our hearts? Joel reminds the people: “Wail, you who minister at the altar.Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God,” Are we doing that in our time frame?
Repentance is what God desires. May we be a repentant people today.
This now makes the third time Ezekiel has had a front row seat to witness and experience the glory of God. Each time he has been overwhelmed with the beauty and majesty of God in all of its brilliance and has prostrated himself in humble adoration. What is this glory of God? What does it look like? How and when does one experience it? One author described it like this: “God’s glory is the visible display of His perfect and supreme attributes, including His power, goodness, love, holiness, and wisdom.” We remember Moses asking to see God and the response was you cannot see me and live. He put Moses in the cleft of the rock and he saw the back side of God as He passed.
As Ezekiel watched, God’s glory returned to the temple not reluctantly, but with joy, love and a willingness to return to His people,the land and the temple. One day soon we shall also experience this visible manifestation of God’s glory. Will it be as we enter heaven as an earthly departed saint or when Jesus returns to take us home. Our hearts yearn to experience this glory as Ezekiel did and one day we shall. And with the saints in glory we shall erupt in praise!
One of the last words spoken by Jesus were: go, tell, make disciples in every nation. Ezekiel was transported to Jerusalem and the bronze man told him a similar thought: “Son of man, watch closely, listen carefully, and pay attention to everything I show you, for you have been brought here so that I can show it to you. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.” [Ezek 40:3]
Notice what the bronze man said: watch, listen, pay action, tell. It is much like the words of Jesus to the disciples. Today we are to do the same so that the world may know the truth of the gospel message and its purpose is the same. Go and tell.
Are you watching? Are you listening? Are you paying attention? Are you telling? One day we will stand before God and He will show us the fruit of those instructions He gave. What will you hear from Him? Will we hear thou good and faithful servant, enter in to the joy of the Lord or will we hear go, depart from me for I never knew you?
One of the enemies of Israel had been the land of Gog, even though today we are not sure where that is. The important fact is that they sought to destroy Israel but God pronounces judgment against them. “In future days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may acknowledge me, when before their eyes I magnify myself through you, O Gog” God is saying He will reveal Himself and His magnificent power so they are without excuse. They will see and hear God and know that He is the sovereign God who rules all.
It is interesting to read all of this and look at today. We hear and read of God’s work in real life and in our nation, yet men are in denial and continue to be lost spiritually. If you ask them if they know God they hastily will answer that they do, but actions speak louder than words. They know of Him but they do not know Him.
Today listen to your neighbors, the people that stock your groceries, the mail man, the one who works at the gas station. Stop and ask if they know God personally or just about Him? Pray for them, use each interaction as a time to witness for Him.
There was a TV show for a good many years called “As the world turns.” These chapters could be titled the same for God has been ever so patient with not only His people but the peoples of the lands surrounding them. He spews forth his anger in poetic form because of their sin. If ever we thought as the world thinks; God is love and He will never send anyone to hell should read this chapter! God is angry and He ends his soliquay with this: then they will know I am the Lord. They may know but their knowledge is fleeting and erupts into anger. They are like the description of the fool in Proverbs.
In the midst of this diatribe we read the word of the Lord to the deniers: “I will magnify my great name that has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I magnify myself among you in their sight.”
God is patient but there will come a time when His patience has run out. Beware those who squander His grace and love. He is preparing to share His justice so you may know He has spoken. Yield yourself to Him so you may be saved. Remember this, 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Turn to him now while He is waiting.
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