Scripture:
Daniel 1:1-21
Sat, 25 February 2023

Until King Cyrus’ First Year

Observation:

What is the significance of Daniel continuing until the first year of Cyrus the
king of Persia (v.21)?

Deeper Reflection
How a book in the Bible concludes is significant. Judges – the story of Israel living in deep spiritual darkness – ends with a negative note: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg 21:25). Judges is followed by Ruth – a story in the days of Judges (Ruth 1:1). The last word of Ruth is “David” (Ru 4:22). “David” was the greatest king of Israel. And “David” was God’s answer to the “there was no king in Israel” crisis in Judges. The conclusion of Ruth complements the conclusion of Judges. Matthew begins with Jesus born as “Immanuel” – “God with us” (Matt 1:23), and it ends with the promise of the resurrected Christ: “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:20).Daniel 1 concludes with “And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus” (v.21). What is the significance? Daniel went into exile to Babylon in 605 BC. The Babylonian empire fell to Cyrus, king of Persia, in 539 BC, and “Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus.” The theological point is, Daniel outlasted the Babylonian empire! Daniel was a captive of Babylon. Under Babylonian control, he had to take on a Babylonian name, wear Babylonian clothes and undergo Babylonian education. But Daniel became larger than the great Babylonian empire. However, the conclusion does not speak so much about Daniel as it is about “the God of Daniel” (Dan 6:26). Behind this grand conclusion of Daniel 1 is “the Lord gave” (v.2), “God gave” (v.9) and “God gave” (v.17).
Application:

What is the key application for me from Daniel 1?

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 Church Board: To be the Daniels in the world
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • 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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