July 31 -Seventy Years of Captivity Revealed

Daniel 9:1 – 2

Darius, son of Ahasuerus, born a Mede, became king over the land of Babylon. In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was meditating on the Scriptures that gave, according to the Word of God to the prophet Jeremiah, the number of years that Jerusalem had to lie in ruins, namely, seventy.

Darius became king in 538 BCE, 67 years after Daniel was taken captive to Babylon. Darius is the king who was tricked into throwing Daniel to the lions. Through that incident Darius learned to respect our true God—and he thanked Him for saving Daniel from the mouth of those beasts. Several years before the lions’ den event Daniel is studying God’s word that was available to him and he received insight to the meaning of Jeremiah  25:11-12, namely that the seventy years of desolation in Jerusalem would be ending.  This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, declares the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. (NASB)  Daniel also saw God’s wonderful promise in Jeremiah 29:10,  For thus says the Lord, When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. How excited Daniel must have been—to think that he would get to go home to his beloved Jerusalem. But that was not the case—Daniel was an old man, about eighty at this time and as we look at this book we can see that Daniel never gets to return to Jerusalem. Daniel’s response was to pray. Daniel was a man of prayer—and he never gave up praying to the Lord, ritually three times a day. He was definitely seeking God with his whole heart…as described in Jeremiah 29:12-14, …Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you….

Dear Lord, Thank you for the hope you gave Daniel. Please give us hope for today—that we may be encouraged to pray like Daniel.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Shirley Jeske Woody—today would have been her 64^th birthday. She loved the Lord Our God with all her heart, with all her mind, and with all her soul. One day we will see her again in heaven—or in the air—until that day, rest in peace sweet sister. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 1Thessolonians 4:16 (NASB)

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 30 - Upset by the Vision

Daniel 8:26 – 27

This vision of the 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning, is accurate but confidential.
Keep it to yourself. It refers to the far future. I, Daniel, walked around in a daze, unwell for days. Then I got a grip on myself and went back to work taking care of the king's affairs. But I continued to be upset by the vision. I couldn't make sense of it.

Unwell—the New American Standard Bible translates this as exhausted and sick. This was such a powerful vision that it literally made Daniel sick. When was the last time that you were so stressed by something that you felt sick? I know people who have such high stress levels that it has given them autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. Stress is a killer. There was a PBS movie, “Killer Stress” made by National Geographic in 2008 discussing research by Robert Sapolsky that shows how chronic stress is threatening to our lives.

One of the things that typifies stress is worry or anxiety. The Bible tells us about people with stress—like Elijah, who ran away to a hiding place by the brook Cherith when he was stressed. Jesus taught his disciples in Luke 12:22-26 (NASB), “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?” He also said, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”, Matthew 6:34(NASB)Paul wrote, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, (NASB), Philippians 4:6.

What good advice…don’t worry, be happy. I can imagine that if someone had given Daniel that advice, he would not have been happy! Stress is a real thing—but learning to relax and give things to the Lord is good, too. Some extenuating circumstances just can’t be changed overnight, but worrying won’t change them either. Can you relax and give some of your stress to the Lord? For several years I’ve tried to live by the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff…and most things are small stuff.” It doesn’t help others when I shrug my shoulders, and give it to the Lord, but releasing that “small stuff” and not stressing is good for all of us. Rest assured that Jesus loves you and cares about even the little details of our lives…even when we don’t feel like He cares—He does. He promised that He will never leave or forsake us and I claim that promise every day. Can you?

 Lord Jesus, thanks for caring about the small details in our lives and for loving us so much that You actually died on the cross for us.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 29 – A Master Trickster is Headed Our Way

Daniel 8:23 – 25

As their kingdoms cool down and rebellions heat up, a king will show up, hard-faced, a master trickster. His power will swell enormously. He'll talk big, high-handedly,
Doing whatever he pleases, knocking off heroes and holy ones left and right.
He'll plot and scheme to make crime flourish— and oh, how it will flourish!
He'll think he's invincible and get rid of anyone who gets in his way.
But when he takes on the Prince of all princes, he'll be smashed to bits—but not by human hands.

Have you ever seen a magician who could just mesmerize a crowd with his slide of the hand techniques? Some people are pretty tricky in what they do and say—some might call them charming or intriguing, but this trickster king is power hungry and cruel, especially to Christians—holy ones. It appears that this prophecy is of the Antichrist. Who is this Antichrist? He is mentioned in 1 John 2:18-22 (NASB), Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. There are several other references specific to the Antichrist, this adversary of the Messiah, that deceiver that wants people to see him as a savior, like Christ.  Revelation 13:2-4 describes this Antichrist as a beast, with a fatal head wound that is healed which amazed the whole earth. The beast of Revelation 13 is much like the beast with the horns described in Daniel’s vision. That beast gets its power from Satan—who always strives to mimic God. The study of this Antichrist and the end times is mystifying and captivating. The questions of when, why, how will this all come about are perplexing and intriguing. Most of all we’d like to know…is this Antichrist living now…who is he…will this happen in our lifetime???

I don’t have the answers—and I’ll leave it to the Lord to reveal it to us as we continue to study His word. 

Lord God, reveal to us the profound and hidden things in this passage of scripture.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 28 – Understanding the Vision

Daniel 8:21 - 22

The billy goat stands for the kingdom of the Greeks. The huge horn on its forehead is the first Greek king. The four horns that sprouted after it was broken off are the four kings that come after him, but without his power.

Most countries have a national animal that represents their nation. The United States is identified with Bald Eagle. Some other countries that claim various other eagles as their national animal are: Albania, Germany, Nigeria, Egypt, Mexico, and Poland. Several countries are symbolized by the lion including England, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Iran, Ethiopia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. Only Finland and Russia claim the bear, although Greenland is represented by the Polar Bear and Australia has the kangaroo, emu and (unofficially) the Koala Bear. Both the Philippines and Vietnam honor the Water Buffalo. Canada is represented by the beaver and the Canadian Horse. Israel has the Israeli Gazelle and the Palestine Territories, the Palestine Sunbird. The largest animal on earth, the Humpback Whale, is the national animal of the island nation, Bermuda. One of my family’s favorite, the hippopotamus, is symbolic of the country of Togo. Greece now has the dolphin as its national animal. Wikipedia gives an extensive list of national animals.

In Daniel’s second vision the ram represents the Medo-Persian Empire and the billy goat symbolizes the Grecian Empire. Those are both empires that took over Babylon as prophesied in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Alexander the Great was the Greek ruler that was responsible for taking control of much of the known world. Greek became the common language and was still predominately used in Jesus time. God used the Greeks and their language to spread the gospel, even writing much of the New Testament in Greek. Alexander associated himself with Greek gods, making himself a god to his countrymen. The first commandment in the Bible is found in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (NASB) Alexander ruled only about twelve years before he died. He was succeeded by four of his generals.

English is such a common language today. We can communicate with people around the world—as we travel or on the internet—using English. Do you share the gospel with people of other nationalities? Can you share the gospel without using words? Some missionaries explain the gospel using stick figures or the Jesus cube which is a rotating block that pictorially tells about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Symbolically animals may be associated with particular countries, but individual people need to be associated with a savior. Connecting people and Jesus is one of the most important things we can do in our lives.

Lord Jesus, help us to see beyond the symbolism of nations, to see the hope that You provide for us.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 27 – It Has To Do With The End of Time

Daniel 8:15 – 20

While I, Daniel, was trying to make sense of what I was seeing, suddenly there was a humanlike figure standing before me.

Then I heard a man's voice from over by the Ulai Canal calling out, 'Gabriel, tell this man what is going on. Explain the vision to him.' He came up to me, but when he got close I became terrified and fell facedown on the ground.

He said, 'Understand that this vision has to do with the time of the end.' As soon as he spoke, I fainted, my face in the dirt. But he picked me up and put me on my feet.

And then he continued, I want to tell you what is going to happen as the judgment days of wrath wind down, for there is going to be an end to all this. The double-horned ram you saw stands for the two kings of the Medes and Persians.

Have you ever had to stop and try to make sense of what you are seeing or hearing? Maybe someone just told you some unexpected news or you saw something on TV that was unbelievable—but it involved someone that you knew. What did I just see and hear? Help me to understand this, God. That may have been your cry for help. It seems like that was Daniel’s heart at this point also.

The End of Time—what is going to happen? Will all the clocks just stop ticking? Will the sun go out? It is not about life ending—it is about a big change in life—one that is likely to go on forever. The Jewish see this as a time of their mashiach, Messiah, who will bring peace and unity. The Islamic belief is that of judgment and the end of the world. The Christian view of the End Times includes that of tribulation followed by the return of Christ who will bring an end to suffering and evil. There is so much emphasis now on eschatology. If you Google “eschatology” you’ll get about 3,160,000 results. Bing has even more with 7,620,000 results. That is a lot of information! What do we need to know—and what difference will it make? Can we really “be prepared”? More than forty years ago when I accepted Christ as my Savior it was because He was coming again—and I thought it would be in my lifetime. Now, all these years later, I think that God’s timing is better than my understanding of His timing. There are the wars and rumors of wars, the natural disasters that Jesus foretold in Matthew 24:6-8 (NASB) You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. All these have been occurring for many years—before my lifetime, and yet it seems that they are escalating. Does this mean that Jesus will return soon? Only God the Father knows. Jesus told us that in Mark 13:32 and Matthew 24:36 (NASB), …but of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. It is one of those things that is beyond our control and we don’t even need to worry about it. What we do need to do is to tell everyone we meet about Jesus so that they will be going to heaven one day, too. That’s my goal in life…to go to Heaven and take as many people with me as possible. What do you think of End Times? Are you doing anything to prepare? Who is Jesus to you?

Lord Jesus, guide our hearts and thoughts and minds that we would keep our lives focused on You. We want to live to please You today…and every day into our future…together.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 26 – Another Vision

Daniel 8:1 – 14

In King Belshazzar's third year as king, another vision came to me, Daniel. This was now the second vision. In the vision, I saw myself in Susa, the capital city of the province Elam, standing at the Ulai Canal. Looking around, I was surprised to see a ram also standing at the gate. The ram had two huge horns, one bigger than the other, but the bigger horn was the last to appear. I watched as the ram charged: first west, then north, then south. No beast could stand up to him. He did just as he pleased, strutting as if he were king of the beasts. While I was watching this, wondering what it all meant, I saw a billy goat with an immense horn in the middle of its forehead come up out of the west and fly across the whole country, not once touching the ground. The billy goat approached the double-horned ram that I had earlier seen standing at the gate and, enraged, charged it viciously. I watched as, mad with rage, it charged the ram and hit it so hard that it broke off its two horns. The ram didn't stand a chance against it. The billy goat knocked the ram to the ground and stomped all over it. Nothing could have saved the ram from the goat.

 Then the billy goat swelled to an enormous size. At the height of its power its immense horn broke off and four other big horns sprouted in its place, pointing to the four points of the compass. And then from one of these big horns another horn sprouted. It started small, but then grew to an enormous size, facing south and east—toward lovely Palestine. The horn grew tall, reaching to the stars, the heavenly army, and threw some of the stars to the earth and stomped on them. It even dared to challenge the power of God, Prince of the Celestial Army! And then it threw out daily worship and desecrated the Sanctuary. As judgment against their sin, the holy people of God got the same treatment as the daily worship. The horn cast God's Truth aside. High-handed, it took over everything and everyone.

Then I overheard two holy angels talking. One asked, 'How long is what we see here going to last—the abolishing of daily worship, this devastating judgment against sin, the kicking around of God's holy people and the Sanctuary?' The other answered, 'Over the course of 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning. Then the Sanctuary will be set right again.'

We need to pray for wisdom and understanding of this vision. Dear Lord, we are hungry for understanding of this vision that You gave Daniel. Please give us wisdom as we delve into Your word.

The ram and goats again represent the Medo-Persian and Greek Empires that were also in Nebuchadnezzar’s and Daniel’s earlier dreams. All this vision is explained later in the chapter with an interpretation. Daniel and all of us reading about Daniel’s vision are blessed that an explanation is provided. This dream doesn’t appear to be as scary as Daniel’s earlier vision, but it is neither comforting nor encouraging. Daniel was viewing himself in the capital city of Susa about 250 miles east of Babylon.   

According to Ezra 5, King Cyrus decreed that the Temple was to be rebuilt and the gold and silver utensils from the Temple that had been taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar were to be returned to the Temple. Under King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7) those exiles who wanted to return to Jerusalem were allowed to leave. Since he lived in Babylon much longer, Daniel was apparently not in that group of returning exiles. So he was still in Babylon to dream dreams and live out his days. 

The angels were discussing Antiochus’ persecution of the Jews that lasted for 2,300 days, from 171 BC to December 25, 165 B C when Judas Maccabeus restored the Temple to proper worship after the Greeks had defiled it sacrificing pigs there. Thus the Jewish Festival of Lights is celebrated, Hanukkah, each year commemorating the miraculous time when the menorah oil for one day lasted for eight days as the Maccabeus fought for independence. Now Hanukkah is a great time for feasting—but there is so much spiritual food to be discussed and all the battles, one can really lose their appetite. This occurred well after Daniel’s time.

Are you ready for the end times? Daniel is faced with that in his vision—and we are privileged to this information. Are we applying this to our lives? Is a relationship to Jesus part of your life—and your future plans?

 

Lord Jesus, again help us to understand Daniel’s vision, his situation and how this influences our lives.   

Lord Jesus, again help us to understand Daniel’s vision and his situation.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 25 –The Future of Babylon and the World

Daniel 7:4 - 28

"The first animal looked like a lion, but it had the wings of an eagle. While I watched, its wings were pulled off. It was then pulled erect so that it was standing on two feet like a man. Then a human heart was placed in it. Then I saw a second animal that looked like a bear. It lurched from side to side, holding three ribs in its jaws. It was told, 'Attack! Devour! Fill your belly!' Next I saw another animal. This one looked like a panther. It had four birdlike wings on its back. This animal had four heads and was made to rule. After that, a fourth animal appeared in my dream. This one was a grisly horror—hideous. It had huge iron teeth. It crunched and swallowed its victims. Anything left over, it trampled into the ground. It was different from the other animals—this one was a real monster. It had ten horns. As I was staring at the horns and trying to figure out what they meant, another horn sprouted up, a little horn. Three of the original horns were pulled out to make room for it. There were human eyes in this little horn, and a big mouth speaking arrogantly.

As I was watching all this, Thrones were set in place and The Old One (Ancient One, NIV, NASB) sat down. His robes were white as snow, his hair was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, its wheels blazing. A river of fire poured out of the throne. Thousands upon thousands served him, tens of thousands attended him. The courtroom was called to order, and the books were opened. I kept watching. The little horn was speaking arrogantly. Then, as I watched, the monster was killed and its body cremated in a roaring fire. The other animals lived on for a limited time, but they didn't really do anything, had no power to rule. My dream continued. I saw a human form, a son of man, arriving in a whirl of clouds. He came to The Old One and was presented to him. He was given power to rule—all the glory of royalty. Everyone—race, color, and creed—had to serve him. His rule would be forever, never ending. His kingly rule would never be replaced.

But as for me, Daniel, I was disturbed. All these dream-visions had me agitated. So I went up to one of those standing by and asked him the meaning of all this. And he told me, interpreting the dream for me: These four huge animals, he said, mean that four kingdoms will appear on earth. But eventually the holy people of the High God will be given the kingdom and have it ever after—yes, forever and ever. But I wanted to know more. I was curious about the fourth animal, the one so different from the others, the hideous monster with the iron teeth and the bronze claws, gulping down what it ripped to pieces and trampling the leftovers into the dirt. And I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that sprouted up while three of the original horns were removed. This new horn had eyes and a big mouth and spoke arrogantly, dominating the other horns. I watched as this horn was making war on God's holy people and getting the best of them. But then The Old One intervened and decided things in favor of the people of the High God. In the end, God's holy people took over the kingdom. The bystander continued, telling me this: The fourth animal is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from the first three kingdoms, a monster kingdom that will chew up everyone in sight and spit them out. The ten horns are ten kings, one after another, that will come from this kingdom. But then another king will arrive. He will be different from the earlier kings. He will begin by toppling three kings. Then he will blaspheme the High God, persecute the followers of the High God, and try to get rid of sacred worship and moral practice. God's holy people will be persecuted by him for a time, two times, half a time. But when the court comes to order, the horn will be stripped of its power and totally destroyed. Then the royal rule and the authority and the glory of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the people of the High God. Their royal rule will last forever. All other rulers will serve and obey them. And there it ended. I, Daniel, was in shock. I was like a man who had seen a ghost. But I kept it all to myself.

Daniel was in shock—this was such an incredible dream! Animals, horns, judgment throne. What a blessing to have it interpreted! Without an interpretation we’d still be distressed along with Daniel—yet even with an interpretation, we are still mystified. This is prophesy? When will it happen?

This is the only place in the Bible that the phrase “Ancient of Days” (NASB) is used. It refers to The Heavenly Father seated on a throne during the time of judgment. Daniel was privileged to see an image of God—no one has seen Him. He is timeless—ancient. In existence since before time began and will exist forever. Seated on His blazing throne with His white robes and white hair He is the regal picture of purity ready and worthy to judge the world. This judgment has not happened yet—so Daniel’s dream is still in the future. The prophesy of the ruling nations of the earth, represented by those peculiar animals that are associated with the figure in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, as Daniel interpreted it in Daniel Chapter 2. The first animal represents Babylonian Empire, earlier shown as the golden head.  The Bear, the second beast, represents the Medo-Persian Empire that came next, that we saw as the silver arms and chest of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue. The three ribs represent the three kingdoms that the Medo-Persian Empire devoured in its power surge across the region. The next beast, the four headed winged leopard, represents the Greek Empire, with Alexander the Great in power, which defeated the Persians. God’s sovereign power was the source of that dominion. The fourth horrific beast which Daniel saw was a ten horned animal representing the Roman Empire, pictured by iron and clay legs and feet in the earlier dream. Historically the Roman Empire was known for its cruelty—from throwing Christians to the lions to the invention of crucifixion. Since a ten powered nation within the Roman Empire has yet to exist, this is still to come. Commentator Matthew Henry, who lived from 1662-1714, wrote that this fourth beast could represent the ten kings of Syria. There is always room for thought, for consideration of alternatives when it comes to prophesy. The one horn that becomes more powerful than the others is thought to be the Antichrist. See 1 John 2:18. Daniel wrote in verses 23-25 that this fourth beast will devour, or control, the whole earth wearing down the saints and they will be given into his control for a time, assumed to be three and a half years. This will not be an easy time for Christians. 

So I’ll leave you to ponder history and see if you agree with Matthew Henry or with current followings on eschatology. I’ll go with the idea that this is a future event that is forthcoming…if not in our lifetime it is at least in God’s timing of things to come. What we can look forward to is the return of Jesus, as Daniel tells us in verse 13: One like a Son of Man. That is Jesus! His kingdom will come and will not pass away. What a hope He has provided for us. We don’t have to be terrified by visions of horrible beasts—we just have to wait on the Lord and trust in Him that He has things under His control. We will need to rely on Him for strength if we happen to be alive when that Antichrist assumes power. Do you trust in Jesus as your Savior?

Lord, as we humbly wait for the future we look to You for our hope.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 24 – Stormy Nightmare in a Dream

Daniel 7:1 – 3

In the first year of the reign of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream. What he saw as he slept in his bed terrified him—a real nightmare. Then he wrote out his dream:

“In my dream that night I saw the four winds of heaven whipping up a great storm on the sea. Four huge animals, each different from the others, ascended out of the sea.”

Have you ever had a nightmare with strange animals? Our minds can imagine strange things—but Daniel’s dream didn’t come from his own mind, his own thoughts, it came from God giving him prophesy of future events. So many symbolic things in the Bible can be interpreted from other scripture verses, so we will attempt to understand some of Daniel’s vision with other verses, from searching Strong’s lexicon study tool and seeking wisdom from commentators. Daniel wisely wrote down his dream, otherwise he may have forgotten parts of the details that are so unusual and mysterious.

The four winds of heaven seem to represent actual wind from the four corners of the earth. Some commentators say that four represents the earth and we’ll continue to see how that applies to Daniel’s dream. Wind is wind, although sometimes it represents the spirit, specifically the Holy Spirit. In this case according to Matthew Henry the winds are from the four corners of the earth representing four earthly empires struggling for power. So in Daniel’s dream, as the winds stirred up the great sea, or the earth, these powers came forth in the shapes of four very different animals.

Daniel’s dream takes place in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, so Daniel was about 63 years old. The rest of the book of Daniel is about prophesies and visions that the Lord gives him and is not chronological with the first six chapters in this book. Daniel had interpreted dreams for others before and now he is having dreams of his own and interpretation of them is in part reflected back to some of Nebuchadnezzar’s earlier dreams. Our dreams may seem very tame compared to Daniel’s dreams. Who is to say whether our dreams have a spiritual significance or not? Our thoughts when we are awake are what really matter. May your thoughts focus you on Jesus and your relationship with Him. 

Dear Lord, As it says in Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”May the thought of my heart be pleasing to you.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 23 – Fast and Pray

Daniel 6:18 – 28

The king then went back to his palace. He refused supper. He couldn't sleep. He spent the night fasting. At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?" "O king, live forever!" said Daniel. "My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of the lions so that they would not hurt me. I've been found innocent before God and also before you, O king. I've done nothing to harm you." When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn't a scratch on him. He had trusted his God. Then the king commanded that the conspirators who had informed on Daniel be thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. Before they hit the floor, the lions had them in their jaws, tearing them to pieces.  King Darius published this proclamation to every race, color, and creed on earth:

Peace to you! Abundant peace!
I decree that Daniel's God shall be worshiped and feared in all parts of my kingdom.
He is the living God, world without end. His kingdom never falls.
His rule continues eternally.
He is a savior and rescuer.
He performs astonishing miracles in heaven and on earth.
He saved Daniel from the power of the lions.

From then on, Daniel was treated well during the reign of Darius, and also in the following reign of Cyrus the Persian.

The king fasted and prayed. He knew how to humble himself before the true God, our God. Fasting—going without food—is mentioned on many occasions in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. In Isaiah 58:5 it says, "Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one's head like a reed and for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? It is likely that by example Daniel had taught Darius to fast and pray. When we fast our entire attention is turned to the Lord. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:16-17 that fasting shouldn’t change our outward appearance, "Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (NASB) God listens to us, He hears our prayers and answers them. That is a reward.

O king, live forever! Daniel was very respectful of Darius. He really wanted the best for this Babylonian king who had hoped that the true God would keep him safe. Now Darius rejoiced that Daniel was not harmed by the lions and he acknowledged and worshipped the God who had protected Daniel. This is the “they lived happily ever after” part of the story—although it was not a happy ending for those vice-reagents who had plotted to kill Daniel so that they themselves would have more power. Those lions were especially hungry.

Darius was a powerful king, ruling a huge dominion of land. It is not clear which Darius in history this king Darius is—but that he would be addressing every race, color and creed on earth does show that he has a great influence on the known world. He had quite an opportunity to witness as to the power of the true God—His power to save not only Daniel from the lions’ den but His power as savior and rescuer. Can you acknowledge that God has that power in your life?

Dear Jesus, Thank you for being our savior and rescuer. It is great that You rescued Daniel from the lions. Continue to show us Your love and power in our lives today that we could tell others about what You are doing in our lives—today.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted

July 22 –This Law Was Not Revocable

Daniel 6:12 – 17

They went straight to the king and reminded him of the royal decree that he had signed. "Did you not," they said, "sign a decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god or man except you for the next thirty days? And anyone caught doing it would be thrown into the lions' den?" "Absolutely," said the king. "Written in stone, like all the laws of the Medes and Persians." Then they said, "Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, and defies your decree. Three times a day he prays." At this, the king was very upset and tried his best to get Daniel out of the fix he'd put him in. He worked at it the whole day long. But then the conspirators were back: "Remember, O king, it's the law of the Medes and Persians that the king's decree can never be changed." The king caved in and ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions' den. But he said to Daniel, "Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this." A stone slab was placed over the opening of the den. The king sealed the cover with his signet ring and the signet rings of all his nobles, fixing Daniel's fate.

There are numerous paintings, sculptures and Biblical stories of Daniel in the Lions’ Den, some depict Daniel as being a young man. The artist Peter Paul Rubens painted a scene with Daniel as a strong young man praying as he was surrounded by lions who don’t look particularly hungry. There is a sculpture, “Daniel and the lion” by Gian Lorenzo Bernini that also shows Daniel as a young man. Mark Chagall’s painting is very childlike and Daniel looks like a little boy. The painting “Daniel’s answer to the king” by Briton Riviere illustrates the fact that Daniel was over eighty at this time in his life. Imagine this older gentleman being lowered into the lions’ den and the lions gathering around him, licking his face. No one actually has painted that image. I just imagined that the lions were glad to see him! Through the night he probably sat and told them stories, petting them like little kittens. He was not their feast that evening. King Darius knew Daniel’s God. Your God will get you out of this. God is good. He revealed Himself to Darius. Like Daniel, Darius is apparently a man of his word. He didn’t back down, although he didn’t want to send Daniel to the lions’ den. Signed, sealed and delivered—Daniel was in the lions’ den.

Daniel again proved that he was a man of integrity. He didn’t run away from Babylon. How did the rulers of that country manage to keep the captives there for so many years? Did some of them try to escape and go back to Judah? We know from the book of Jeremiah that a letter was sent to the Jews in captivity while Nebuchadnezzar was still king. See Jeremiah 29. There in verses 10-14 it is tells us that God promised to bring them home to Judah after 70 years.

“For thus says the Lord, when seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.” (NASB)

So at this point in Daniel’s life he must be expecting God to rescue him not only from the lions’ den, but also from Babylon. He is still trusting in the Lord, praying faithfully and continually three times as day. He is a man after God’s own heart. Honest, faithful, true. Can we say that about ourselves? Just like the Jews in Daniel’s time, God has plans for us—to give us hope. Just as He told the Jews, He tells us that we will find Him when we seek Him with all of our heart. Seek first the kingdom of God, Matthew 6:33.

Lord Jesus, we want to be like Daniel—trustworthy. We want to be pleasing in Your sight. Help us, our children and our grandchildren to make good decisions today as we search for you.  

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 21 – Pray Without Ceasing

Daniel 6:10 – 11

When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God. The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help.

How many times a day do you pray? Although 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 was written long after Daniel’s time, it is as if he was following this: We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (NASB). Pray without ceasing. Daniel only formally prayed three times a day, but he likely had an attitude of prayer continually. That is how we should view praying—an attitude of constant prayer. We can ‘talk” to God anytime anywhere without even closing our eyes, and without even speaking out loud. God likes to “hear” our prayers and I’ve come to realize that He especially likes to hear His Word prayed back to Him. God is speaking in Psalm 91:15-16, promising to hear and answer our prayers: "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation" (NASB). In Isaiah 55:11 God promises: “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”(NASB) While you are in Isaiah 55, look at verse 6, too. Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near (NASB). Such good advice—seek the Lord while He may be found. Daniel certainly did as he prayed three times a day. There may come a day when people will be too late to seek the Lord—so do it now. Like Daniel we need to humbly get on our knees, thank God, praise Him and ask Him for help.
Lord Jesus, I am seeking You. Help me to find You not only in Your Word, but in everything I do and see around me. Just like in Daniel’s time You are worthy of my praise and adoration today—all day, every day.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 20 – Facing Death

Daniel 6:4 – 9

The vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal or skeleton in Daniel's life that they could use against him, but they couldn't dig up anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy. They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. So they finally gave up and said, "We're never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up something religious." The vice-regents and governors conspired together and then went to the king and said, "King Darius, live forever! We've convened your vice-regents, governors, and all your leading officials, and have agreed that the king should issue the following decree:

"For the next thirty days no one is to pray to any god or mortal except you, O king. Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into the lions' den."

Issue this decree, O king, and make it unconditional, as if written in stone like all the laws of the Medes and the Persians." King Darius signed the decree.

Live forever! Why is it that we all want to “live forever”? Do we as humans just not want to face death or is it a fear of pain that we may have to go through as we die? There is an unknown in dying and we know that we will have to leave family and friends behind. It is hard for everyone—those who face death and those who are left behind. As children of God we have been promised that we will live forever with God in Heaven—and actually our spiritual eternal life begins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. So here these wise men of Babylon are greeting the King with “live forever” to sweet-talk him. He won’t “live forever” and they know it. They are certainly liars and flatters. They said that they had convened all the leading officials and that they agreed to the decree, but it is obvious that Daniel, the head vice-regent, had not been consulted. King Darius is easily swayed and signs the decree. He was so flattered—what was he thinking?

Was this type of punishment, being thrown into the lions’ den a common form of punishment? It is not evident by the scripture or internet searches, but the lions’ den was already in existence before the decree with a hole at the top of the cave for dropping people into the presence of the beasts. Was Daniel the only one who prayed to the true God? What became of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? We don’t hear anything more about them after Chapter three in Daniel. Now it is Daniel’s turn to be treated much like his three friends. He had to trust in the Lord as he faced death with those beasts.

Where do you stand with the Lord? Are you ready to face death, like Daniel and his friends? Have you considered where you’ll be going when you die? Everyone will go to heaven—some for judgment and some to stay in God’s home forever. I know that I’m headed for that heavenly home some day—a mansion that will come down from heaven to the new earth. In Revelation 21:1-2 it says, Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband (NASB). Jesus is that “husband” or bridegroom—and all the Christians are His bride to live in His home on the new earth. I feel so privileged to be part of that group. How about you?

Lord Jesus, live forever! I praise You for You are God. I look forward to “living forever” with You in Your heavenly home where we won’t have to fear any lions’ den.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 19 – An Eighty Year Old Leader

Daniel 6:1 – 3

Darius reorganized his kingdom. He appointed one hundred twenty governors to administer all the parts of his realm. Over them were three vice-regents, one of whom was Daniel. The governors reported to the vice-regents, who made sure that everything was in order for the king. But Daniel, brimming with spirit and intelligence, so completely outclassed the other vice-regents and governors that the king decided to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.

How many active eighty year old leaders do you know? Looking at the age records there are actually four members of the US Senate and twelve members of the US House of Representatives who are well over 80 years old. Daniel was in his eighties when the Medo-Persia kingdom began ruling Babylon. Now most eighty year olds are either dead or living in an assisted living situation. Well, that is not totally true—I know several eighty and ninety year olds who are still living in their own homes, mowing their own lawns and even driving their own cars—and doing everything very well. All of these folks are still bright, alert and contributing to our society by encouraging others, living their own lives to the fullest, and active in their communities. They may not be the national leader that Daniel was, but they are still leaders within their circle of friends and families.

There were obviously problems within the Meso-Persian government, but Darius was on top of it with his appointment of 120 governors and the vice-reagents to manage all the territories. Once again, Daniel was amazing. He was certainly filled with the spirit and not only managed his responsibilities well, but was a good example to the other managers. Trustworthy. That is an excellent quality to possess. It was one of Daniel’s many quality characteristics. In addition to trustworthy, Daniel was faithful, diligent, pure, and a man of integrity. Darius knew that he could count on Daniel to be honest and dependable.

What are your characteristics? Our values are reflected in our personality qualities. Daniel’s qualities were exemplary and that proved to be a problem for him as we will see when we look at the next verses. Spiritually, Daniel was faithful to his God, as he had been in the past. We need to look at our own qualities and how they can be used by the Lord—are you feasting or fasting from His Word. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You, Psalm 119:11 (NASB). If you are hiding His Word in your heart, then those qualities will eventually become part of you. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you, Matthew 6:33 (NASB).

Dear Lord Jesus, I am seeking You with all of my heart. Please show me more of You and give me understanding and wisdom that I would be more like Daniel, who was a man after Your own heart.  

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 18 – The Hand Writing Prophesy Came True

Daniel 5:30 – 31 

That same night the Babylonian king Belshazzar was murdered. Darius the Mede was sixty-two years old when he succeeded him as king.

I heard a story about Belshazzar’s death. He had appointed a couple of men to guard the palace doors, commanding them to kill anyone who tried to break in, anticipating that it would be the Medes or the Persian army. Then to check on the progress of the ensuing battle with the Persians he went out of the palace by another exit. When he tried to re-enter the palace through the barricaded door, he was killed by his own doorkeepers.

The prophesy of the handwriting on the wall was fulfilled. Belshazzar died and his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and the Persians. That was the end of the Babylonian empire. So far through all the years that Daniel was in Babylon he has remained true to his God and never became part of the Babylonian life of worldliness and corruption.

At times our lives may seem much like the Babylonian life—although we are engaged in spiritual, not physical, battles. We need to rely on Jesus to fight our spiritual battles as He is uniquely equipped to do just that. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight—or direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB). Do you trust the Lord to direct your steps—to show you what to do and where to go? Our spiritual battles are unseen—we may not even be aware that they are going on around us. By staying in God’s Word daily and by memorizing it, we gain spiritual strength. Do you regularly study God’s Word? Are you “hiding” it in your heart by memorizing it?

Lord Jesus—guide us as we walk with You. Show us daily what we need to do to honor You and give us spiritual strength to show and share you with others.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 17 – MENE, TEKEL, PERES – The Handwriting On The Wall

Daniel 5:7 – 29

He yelled out for the enchanters, the fortunetellers, and the diviners to come. He told these Babylonian magi, "Anyone who can read this writing on the wall and tell me what it means will be famous and rich—purple robe, the great gold chain—and be third-in-command in the kingdom." One after the other they tried, but could make no sense of it. They could neither read what was written nor interpret it to the king. So now the king was really frightened. All the blood drained from his face. The nobles were in a panic.  The queen heard of the hysteria among the king and his nobles and came to the banquet hall. She said, "Long live the king! Don't be upset. Don't sit around looking like ghosts. There is a man in your kingdom who is full of the divine Holy Spirit. During your father's time he was well known for his intellectual brilliance and spiritual wisdom. He was so good that your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him the head of all the magicians, enchanters, fortunetellers, and diviners. There was no one quite like him. He could do anything—interpret dreams, solve mysteries, explain puzzles. His name is Daniel, but he was renamed Belteshazzar by the king. Have Daniel called in. He'll tell you what is going on here." So Daniel was called in. The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel who was one of the Jewish exiles my father brought here from Judah? I've heard about you—that you're full of the Holy Spirit, that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise. The wise men and enchanters were brought in here to read this writing on the wall and interpret it for me. They couldn't figure it out—not a word, not a syllable. But I've heard that you interpret dreams and solve mysteries. So—if you can read the writing and interpret it for me, you'll be rich and famous—a purple robe, the great gold chain around your neck—and third-in-command in the kingdom."  Daniel answered the king, "You can keep your gifts, or give them to someone else. But I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. "Listen, O king! The High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar a great kingdom and a glorious reputation. Because God made him so famous, people from everywhere, whatever their race, color, and creed, were totally intimidated by him. He killed or spared people on whim. He promoted or humiliated people capriciously. He developed a big head and a hard spirit. Then God knocked him off his high horse and stripped him of his fame. He was thrown out of human company, lost his mind, and lived like a wild animal. He ate grass like an ox and was soaked by heaven's dew until he learned his lesson: that the High God rules human kingdoms and puts anyone he wants in charge. You are his son and have known all this, yet you're as arrogant as he ever was. Look at you, setting yourself up in competition against the Master of heaven! You had the sacred chalices from his Temple brought into your drunken party so that you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines, could drink from them. You used the sacred chalices to toast your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone—blind, deaf, and imbecile gods. But you treat with contempt the living God who holds your entire life from birth to death in his hand. God sent the hand that wrote on the wall, and this is what is written: mene, teqel, and peres. This is what the words mean:

Mene: God has numbered the days of your rule and they don't add up.

Teqel: You have been weighed on the scales and you don't weigh much.

Peres: Your kingdom has been divided up and handed over to the Medes and Persians.

Belshazzar did what he had promised. He robed Daniel in purple, draped the great gold chain around his neck, and promoted him to third-in-charge in the kingdom.

Has there ever been a time when you have sought wise council only to have them completely clueless? Have you ever had someone tell you to “keep your gifts”? That is what happened to Belshazzar and his bad day was turning into a scary night. So as he took out the sacred golden chalices—feasting with the nobles of his kingdom—he probably knew that the Persian armies were outside the walls of Babylon and it wouldn’t be long before they attacked and overthrew his government. One last fling as King of Babylon.  

The initial silence from the shock of seeing a hand alone writing on the wall in the banquet hall ended as Belshazzar yelled for his Babylonian wise men to come and interpret the handwriting on the wall. Those wise guys couldn’t make heads or tails of the strange words that “the hand” had scribed on the wall. So the wise queen suggested sending for Daniel. Now Daniel had some respect for his old king, Nebuchadnezzar, but not much for this king, Belshazzar. He laid it on the line telling the story of Nebuchadnezzar and how he learned to revere the true God. Belshazzar was brazen and had desecrated the sacred vessels from the Jewish Temple by serving wine in them at his drunken party, so God was punishing him. The hand writing on the wall which was deciphered by Daniel spelled out Belshazzar’s future, specifically the end of his life and his kingdom.

Dear Jesus, give us grace to see our lives through your eyes and to make decisions that are pleasing to you—to bring You honor and respect.

Happy Birthday, Melissa—May God continue to bless you and your family as you seek a miracle.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart, Psalm 37:4.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 16 - Handwriting on the Wall

Daniel 5:5 – 6

At that very moment, the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the lamp-illumined, whitewashed wall of the palace. When the king saw the disembodied hand writing away, he went white as a ghost, scared out of his wits. His legs went limp and his knees knocked. 

Have you ever used that phrase: “The handwriting is on the wall” to mean that something bad is about to happen, that is, imminent doom or misfortune? Well, this story in Jewish history is where that phrase originates. 

Belshazzar and his guests were partying, feasting and praising their idols when the handwriting on the wall began. I imagine if we were there we would have heard a gasp from the crowd, and then a hush. Silence. What was happening? This was not a common occurrence and they must have all been just scared stiff. Then there was the sound of the king’s knees knocking together. The king wasn’t mad—his face was not red, it was white with fear. 

The feast was over. Have you ever had a dinner party end so abruptly? I haven’t. Most people like to linger—but then we’ve never actually seen the “handwriting on the wall”. Spiritually we can only hope that we never experience what Belshazzar and his guests saw. There was no spiritual feast that evening…or ever again for Belshazzar. Can you hope for a spiritual feast? If you rely on Christ and His word for guidance, strength, peace and love, you will have a spiritual feast—one that will give you hope for the future.  

Dear Jesus, grant us hope for a future with You—and give us courage to face whatever may come our way—even handwriting on the wall. 

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 15 - A Great Last Feast in Babylon

Daniel 5:1 – 4

King Belshazzar held a great feast for his one thousand nobles. The wine flowed freely. Belshazzar, heady with the wine, ordered that the gold and silver chalices his father Nebuchadnezzar had stolen from God's Temple of Jerusalem be brought in so that he and his nobles, his wives and concubines, could drink from them. When the gold and silver chalices were brought in, the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines, drank wine from them. They drank the wine and drunkenly praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Nebuchadnezzar died and other kings ruled Babylon for several years. Then Belshazzar served as king although he was second in command and only acting as king while his father, King Nabonidus, was away for an extended time building a temple to the Moon God, Sin. Since Nebuchadnezzar’s  daughter was  Belshazzar mother, Belshazzar was actually the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.  This passage is another well known story in Biblical times.

Have you ever drank out of a gold cup or eaten from a gold plate? Friends of mine have gold charger plates that they use under their dinner plates for special occasions and everyone definitely feels regal sitting at such a plush table setting. As Belshazzar wanted to impress his guests that evening he brought out the best—the gold and silver goblets and vessels taken from the Jerusalem temple. Scripture doesn’t mention Nebuchadnezzar or other Babylonian kings using these sacred objects. It may have been that Belshazzar knew that the Persians were nearby and that his time as a king was close to ending, so he decided to celebrate—to go out in style.

It was kind of an insult to God to not only have His sacred vessels used for drinking wine, but then the king and his guests praised their gods of gold and silver. Can’t you just see them dressed in their regal attire, a little drunk, partying and toasting their gods as they drank out of the beautiful ornate temple vessels? What a site it must have been. Would you have participated in such a celebration? It was a great feast with probably lots of rich and exotic foods—we certainly would have enjoyed that, but would we have enjoyed at God’s expense? Do you or do we eat irreverently now?

Dear Jesus, help us to make wise choices and to give thanks, glory and honor to You as we feast at any meal.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 14 – A Season of Pride

Daniel 4:28 – 37

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Just twelve months later, he was walking on the balcony of the royal palace in Babylon and boasted, "Look at this, Babylon the great! And I built it all by myself, a royal palace adequate to display my honor and glory!" The words were no sooner out of his mouth than a voice out of heaven spoke, "This is the verdict on you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your kingdom is taken from you. You will be driven out of human company and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like an ox. The sentence is for seven seasons, enough time to learn that the High God rules human kingdoms and puts whomever he wishes in charge." It happened at once. Nebuchadnezzar was driven out of human company, ate grass like an ox, and was soaked in heaven's dew. His hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a hawk. "At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked to heaven. I was given my mind back and I blessed the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives forever: His sovereign rule lasts and lasts, his kingdom never declines and falls. Life on this earth doesn't add up to much, but God's heavenly army keeps everything going. No one can interrupt his work, no one can call his rule into question.

"At the same time that I was given back my mind, I was also given back my majesty and splendor, making my kingdom shine. All the leaders and important people came looking for me. I was reestablished as king in my kingdom and became greater than ever. And that's why I'm singing—I, Nebuchadnezzar—singing and praising the King of Heaven: Everything he does is right and he does it the right way.  He knows how to turn a proud person into a humble man or woman."

When you played the game Monopoly did you ever have both Boardwalk and Park Place and get all full of pride that you had the best real estate and then you were humbled by going broke—bankrupt—and loosing the game? That is sort of what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. He got all full of pride over the city that he created. Then God Himself cut the king down and made him live for seven years like a wild animal. During that time Nebuchadnezzar must have taken a long deep look at his life and recognized the hand of God humbling him so that he could then acknowledge that God is the true God.

In your own life have you had a humbling experience that has allowed God to show you Himself, or how much He loves you? God loved Nebuchadnezzar enough to put him in a situation where he couldn’t rely on others to take care of him or provide for him. He lived like an animal. That humbling experience showed Nebuchadnezzar that God is in charge—He is sovereign. Do you see God as the supreme ruler of your life? If so, humbly thank Him for that. If not, what is it going to take to establish a relationship with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit?  Do you acknowledge that Jesus died for your sins? Proverbs 29:23 tells us, A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. (NASB)

Lord Jesus, show us how you feel about us. Cleanse our hearts and make us white as snow. Humble us that we would honor You.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.

July 13 – Quit Your Wicked Life, O King

Daniel 4:19 – 27

At first Daniel, who had been renamed Belteshazzar in Babylon, was upset. The thoughts that came swarming into his mind terrified him. "Belteshazzar," the king said, "stay calm. Don't let the dream and its interpretation scare you." "My master," said Belteshazzar, "I wish this dream were about your enemies and its interpretation for your foes. The tree you saw that grew so large and sturdy with its top touching the sky, visible from the four corners of the world; the tree with the luxuriant foliage and abundant fruit, enough for everyone; the tree under which animals took cover and in which birds built nests—you, O king, are that tree. You have grown great and strong. Your royal majesty reaches sky-high, and your sovereign rule stretches to the four corners of the world. But the part about the holy angel descending from heaven and proclaiming, 'Chop down the tree, destroy it, but leave stump and roots in the ground belted with a strap of iron and bronze in the grassy meadow; let him be soaked with heaven's dew and take his meals with the grazing animals for seven seasons'—this, O king, also refers to you. It means that the High God has sentenced my master the king: You will be driven away from human company and live with the wild animals. You will graze on grass like an ox. You will be soaked in heaven's dew. This will go on for seven seasons, and you will learn that the High God rules over human kingdoms and that he arranges all kingdom affairs. The part about the tree stump and roots being left means that your kingdom will still be there for you after you learn that it is heaven that runs things. So, king, take my advice: Make a clean break with your sins and start living for others. Quit your wicked life and look after the needs of the down-and-out. Then you will continue to have a good life."

If someone were to compare you to a plant, what plant would that be? Here Nebuchadnezzar is like an enormous fruit tree—so big people from far away can see it, animals make their home under it and in it, and it provides an abundance of fruit for people to eat. Are you like a fruit tree—banana, cherry, apricot or apple? Or are you like one of those ornamental fruit trees that have pretty blossoms in the spring, but the fruit is small and worthless? How about some other plant, like a giant sunflower providing seeds that will feed lots of people, birds or squirrels? Would you be like a cactus, or perhaps a blueberry or raspberry plant that will provide wonderful tasty fruit, or a garden plant like summer squash or tomatoes? Are you tangy or sweet; do you have thorns, flowers or fruit? Whatever the plant would be, there are qualities that would reflect your character, like Nebuchadnezzar being great and strong and ruling a large area of the world.

Daniel interpreted that although things were going well for the King, now, that was going to change. The dream warned the King that he would go insane and live with wild animals for a while. If he would repent from his prideful ways—quit his wicked life—like Daniel said, Nebuchadnezzar’s prosperity could continue. Has anyone ever told you to “quit your wicked ways”? Do you even consider that some of the things you do or the ways you treat others are “wicked”?  Take a look at your life and evaluate it for yourself. Or ask God for help, Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. (NASB)

Lord Jesus—I acknowledge that You are the sovereign God over the kingdoms of men. You are my God and my King—today and always. Show me if I have any wicked ways in me and cleanse my heart.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture from The Message, except where noted.