Scripture:
Daniel 2:28-33, 36-43
Wed, 15 March 2023

A Theology of Human Power

Observation:

What does the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream tell us about human power?

Deeper Reflection
God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar “what would take place in the future” (vv.28-29) through the statue of “extraordinary splendour” and “awesome appearance” in his dream (v.31). The statue is “a single great statue” with four parts made of different materials. It represents the human kings and kingdoms in world history. Daniel 2 presents to us, “not a timetable, but a theology of history”15 .The statue from its head of gold to its feet of iron and clay mixture does not mean that superpowers in history grow from stronger to weaker. Historically, the kingdom that arose “after” Babylon was “inferior” Persia (v.39). But ironically, it was this “inferior” kingdom that toppled golden Babylon. The “third kingdom of bronze” “will rule over all the earth”, which would be as expansive as the Babylonian and Persian kingdoms, if not, more (v.39). The “fourth kingdom” made of “partly iron” and “partly clay” is both “strong” and “brittle” (v.42). But it “crushes and shatters all things” with its “iron” power (v.40).The statue is to be understood as a whole. It reveals the character of human power – in politics, the workplace, and possibly, the church. It is “a mixture of shining glory and crazy instability. It was full of inner contradictions by being made partly of costly and useful metals, but partly of a stupid and impossible mixture of metal and pottery. And the weakest part was at the place where it most needed to be strongest – at its feet; all that gleaming glory above, but on a fragile, crumbling base below”16 . Human power is so unstable and insecure.
15 Gordon Wong, Faithful to the End: The Message of Daniel for Life in the Real World (Genesis, 2006), 25 16 Christopher J. H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World (Zondervan, 2017), 53
Application:

How do I view human power?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders:
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for the Nations: To recognise the fragility of human power and turn to God
  • Pray for self
 

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10:11-12, 14-19
Tue, 26 September 2023

A Man of High Esteem

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel being called “man of high esteem” (vv.11, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
One of the heavenly beings called Daniel “man of high esteem” (v.11). This honour was bestowed on Daniel emphatically, in that it was repeated twice (v.19). This “high esteem” did not come from man, but from God Himself. God gave this honour to Daniel toward the end of his life when God called him to “enter into rest” (Dan 12:13). As a youth, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself with the king’s choice food” (Dan 1:8), and as an old man, he was faithful to God in spending time with Him in his “three times a day” devotion, even if it means to be thrown into the lions’ den (Dan 6:10). Daniel was finishing well in his life with “humbling yourself before your God” (v.12). When we think of finishing well in terms of successful accomplishments, we must be careful that we are not exalting ourselves.It is not for us to see ourselves in any way as a person of high esteem before God. It is for God to say that to us (2 Cor 10:17-18). Daniel never saw himself as a “man of high esteem”. A key emphasis in Daniel 10 is Daniel being greatly overwhelmed by the holiness and glory of God represented by the heavenly being with an awesome appearance (Dan 10:5-10, 15-18). And it was in this encounter with God when he was called “man of high esteem” that Daniel said, “How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord?”50 (v.17). The man highly esteemed by God saw his unworthiness before God.
50 I have theologically translated “my lord” to “my Lord”, since the heavenly being is a representation of God.
Application:

What does being highly esteemed by God mean to me?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To be able to see oneself as God sees
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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