Hope in God's Justice
Introduction
A. WHEN PERSECUTION COMES, WILL WE BE COUNTED WORTHY? (vv.5–8a)
B. WHEN THE END COMES, WILL WE HAVE RESCUED ANY? (vv.8b–10)
Conclusion
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 4:28-37
Daniel 4:28-37
Mon, 30 January 2023
Where Is God in This?
Observation:
What can you learn about God from the passage?
Deeper Reflection
Daniel calls us to look at history – past, present and future – theologically. Embedded in Daniel is the theology of history. Daniel is about the sovereignty of God over human history. The history in Daniel spans from Israel’s exile to Babylon (Dan 9:1-2) to the time Jesus announced, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk 1:15; Dan 7:13-14), and beyond, until God’s people “reign forever and ever” with God (Rev 22:5; Dan 7:18).Israel was ruled over by the Babylonians (586-539 B.C.), followed by the Persians (539-331 B.C.) and then the Greeks (331-143 B.C.). The Maccabeans revolted against the Greeks (168-143 B.C.) and Israel became an independent nation under the Hasmoneans (142-63 B.C.) until Rome’s intervention in 63 B.C.30 In this long history, God’s people faced “distinctive problems thrown up by the Exile, by consequent involvement with world powers and their totalitarian claims, and by the long delay in achieving political freedom after the return to Jerusalem. As successive empires engulfed Judea, opposition would bring increased persecution, not liberation. The question arose, where was God in this?” 31Daniel is God’s answer to this theological crisis – with four key focuses. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:31-33 and Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7:1-8 reveal the superpowers in history. God’s people will suffer in godliness in “a time of distress” under the rule of anti-God kings (Dan 12:1). But they are to rest in the sovereignty of God – “the Most High” who “is ruler over the realm of mankind” (Dan 4:25, 32) and remain steadfast in faithfulness to God (Dan 12:10-12).
Daniel calls us to look at history – past, present and future – theologically. Embedded in Daniel is the theology of history. Daniel is about the sovereignty of God over human history. The history in Daniel spans from Israel’s exile to Babylon (Dan 9:1-2) to the time Jesus announced, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk 1:15; Dan 7:13-14), and beyond, until God’s people “reign forever and ever” with God (Rev 22:5; Dan 7:18).Israel was ruled over by the Babylonians (586-539 B.C.), followed by the Persians (539-331 B.C.) and then the Greeks (331-143 B.C.). The Maccabeans revolted against the Greeks (168-143 B.C.) and Israel became an independent nation under the Hasmoneans (142-63 B.C.) until Rome’s intervention in 63 B.C.30 In this long history, God’s people faced “distinctive problems thrown up by the Exile, by consequent involvement with world powers and their totalitarian claims, and by the long delay in achieving political freedom after the return to Jerusalem. As successive empires engulfed Judea, opposition would bring increased persecution, not liberation. The question arose, where was God in this?” 31Daniel is God’s answer to this theological crisis – with four key focuses. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2:31-33 and Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7:1-8 reveal the superpowers in history. God’s people will suffer in godliness in “a time of distress” under the rule of anti-God kings (Dan 12:1). But they are to rest in the sovereignty of God – “the Most High” who “is ruler over the realm of mankind” (Dan 4:25, 32) and remain steadfast in faithfulness to God (Dan 12:10-12).
29 Isaiah 14:24, 26-27 30 Harold W. Hoehner, Between the Testaments, The Bible Expositor’s Commentary, Vol. 1 (Zondervan, 1979), 184-189 31 Joyce G. Baldwin, Daniel, Theology of, The New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis (Zondervan, 1997), Vol. 4, 502 (emphasis mine)
Application:
How do I look at the world and history through the sovereignty of God?
Prayer:
O Lord God Almighty, the only wise God, You have determined Your plan and purpose for the whole world, and Your sovereign hand is stretched out over all nations. For surely, as You have planned, so it will be, and as You have purposed, so it will happen. For the Lord God Almighty has purposed and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out and who can turn it back.29
O Lord God Almighty, the only wise God, You have determined Your plan and purpose for the whole world, and Your sovereign hand is stretched out over all nations. For surely, as You have planned, so it will be, and as You have purposed, so it will happen. For the Lord God Almighty has purposed and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out and who can turn it back.29
Prayer Pointers:
- Give thanks and praise
- Pray for Church Board: To be continually guided by the wisdom of the Lord in discerning the times and directing the affairs of the church
- Pray for significant people
- Pray for those in need
- Pray for self
