Deeper Reflection
One of God’s purposes in showing us “the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience” is to lead us to repentance (Rom 2:4). Mark the intensity of the description of God. God’s “kindness, tolerance and patience” come in the form of His blessings upon us, despite us not living rightly before Him. And here lies the danger of presumptuousness. We “think lightly” of God’s patient grace, “not knowing” its redemptive purpose.Daniel completed his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that revealed God’s supreme sovereignty and His sovereign mercy and grace, patience and kindness toward the king with advice for repentance: “break away now from your sins…and your wrongdoings” (v.27). Daniel “put his finger on the sore spot of Babylon’s imperial glory, its social costs in terms of human oppression and exploitation”⁴⁴ . It was as described in Habakkuk’s prophecy of the Babylonian conquest expeditions: They “pile up stolen goods”, “make themselves wealthy by extortion”, “build their houses by unjust gains”, “build a city with bloodshed” and “establish a town by injustice” (Hab 2:6, 9, 12). But Daniel included positive counsel on “doing righteousness” and specifically “showing mercy to the poor” (v.27b).Daniel’s advice ended with “Perhaps then you will continue to prosper” (v.27b, NLT). The “perhaps” points to possibility rather than certainty. It means that “judgment may not be cancelled, but it may be postponed if the threat of judgment is received in humility and penitence”, and “the king’s ease and prosperity could continue”⁴⁵ . Such “perhaps” calls for a humble posture under God’s sovereign grace: “Who knows, God may relent…” (Jon 3:9).

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⁴⁴ Christopher J. H. Wright, 100 ⁴⁵ Dale Ralph Davis, 63