SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/7/2013 12:00 PM
My Worship Time Focus:
God’s Power Versus man’s authority PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Daniel
6:14-18
Message of the
verses: The sub-point we will look
at under this third main point in Dr. Wiersbe’s outline is what we will look be
discussed today.
The king distressed (Daniel 6:14-18): “14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed." 16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you." 17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.”
One thing that we continue to learn from the book of
Daniel and also in the book of Ester is that the laws of the Medes and the
Persians could not be revoked once they were signed into law. Perhaps the reason that the king was so
distressed is that he did not consult with Daniel before he had signed this law
into being the law of the land. He was
put into a similar place that Herod was put in when his step-daughter came and
asked for the head of John the Baptist after he had bragged that she could have
anything she asked for. Darius liked
Daniel very much and it can be seen and one of the reasons he liked him was
because Daniel would give great wisdom to him which would aid him in ruling the
country. God had Daniel in this position
to work things out the way He wanted them to work out. I believe that God allowed this putting
Daniel into the lion’s den for several reasons:
First it would bring glory to the Lord, as the king put his seal on the
stone so that everyone would realize that Daniel’s God had saved him from the
jaws of the lion, and thus this would bring glory to the Lord. Also those who were Daniel’s enemies would be
removed from power as the lions would eat them for lunch and thus they would be
gone. Speaking of this, the lion’s den,
it was a large pit with a fence in the middle of it that could be lifted up so
that the lions could be on one side and this would allow the keeper of the
lions to come in and clean the cage and feed the lions when there were no
executions to take place, but we can be sure from this story of Daniel that the
lions were kept hungry so that they could do their job.
The king prayed that Daniel’s God would save him from the
jaws of the lions and after that he put his seal on the rock, probably using
some wax between the rock and where it closed the lion’s den. He went off to bed, but could not sleep, and
deprived himself the things that kings could have to help him sleep. We remember in the story of Ester that that
Persian king could not sleep one night and so he had someone bring in the
chronicles that were written to record what happened to be read to him.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Daniel had a
great faith in God as he went into the lion’s den, a faith that is the kind
that is wonderful to have, and one of the reasons I believe he has such a faith
was because of his willingness to study the Word of God and his willingness to
pray in a systematic way.
My Steps of Faith for Today: “23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Memory verses for the
week: Psalm 46:1-9
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear
thought the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart
of the sea; 3 though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at
its swelling pride. Selah. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad
the city of God, the holy dwelling place of the most high. 5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be
moved, God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations make an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He
raised His voice, the earth melted. 7
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.
8 Come behold the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the
earth. 9 He makes wars to cease to the
end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the
chariots with fire.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
Question: “Philippi” (Acts 16:12, 25).
Today’s Bible
Question: “Who was the third son of Adam
and Eve?”
Answer in tomorrow’s SD.
8/7/2013 12:37 PM
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