Scripture:
Daniel 7:9-14
Fri, 3 February 2023

Theological Paradigm of God’s Sovereignty (2)

Observation:

What does the passage tell us about the kingdom of God?

Deeper Reflection

Daniel 2:4-7:28 shows three pairs of theological themes in mirror parallelism. God dominates over history (chaps. 2 and 7): In Daniel 2, the great and awesome statute in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represents four Gentile superpowers in history (2:31-33, 36-43). In the dream was a “stone”, which represents God’s everlasting kingdom that “will crush and put an end to these kingdoms” (2:34-35, 44-45). In Daniel 7, the four monstrous beasts in Daniel’s vision represent four Gentile superpowers in history (7:1-8). But the high point in the vision is the “everlasting dominion” given to “a Son of Man” whom all peoples and nations will “serve” (vv.13-14).

God delivers from harm (chaps. 3 and 6): The faithful people of God refused to compromise their faith, even if it means to be burned in a furnace (3:13-15, 19-23) or devoured by lions (6:6-10, 16-17). But God delivered them miraculously (3:24-25; 6:21-22). God dethrones the haughty (chaps. 4 and 5): Nebuchadnezzar arrogantly boasted: “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself built…by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (4:30). But God who “humbles those who walk in pride” (4:37) humbled Nebuchadnezzar by dethroning him (4:31-33). Belshazzar “exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven” by using the “gold vessels” taken from God’s temple as drinking vessels in his “great feast” (5:1-14, 22-23). But God humbled him by ending his empire (5:30-31).

The theological structure of Daniel 2:4-7:28 begins and ends with God dominating over history. It means that overarching and undergirding everything is God dominating over history from the beginning to the end. What security we have!

Application:

What does it mean for me to live in the kingdom of God?

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 SGI leaders: To live by the eternal values of the kingdom of God
  • 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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