December 7, 2006 - Daniel 5-7 and II John
Daniel was a remarkable person. He experienced some things that no one else has ever experienced. However, it was not because he had some special ability or that he was privileged by God in some way. Daniel was blessed because he walked in God's truth by faith. As he lived in God's truth, God gave him more truth. In other words, he was faithful in the small things so God gave him more and more truth, since God saw his true faith. This could be the testimony of any of us. We have the ability to walk in God's truth by faith, too.
In Daniel 5 he tells king Belshazzar the meaning of the writing on the wall. He did not do it for money or fame. (v.17) He told him the truth of God's judgment against him, because of his willful pride, because God revealed it to him. God showed him the truth, because He knew that Daniel was a man who walked in truth. He did not just have a special ability to tell dreams and visions. It was his faithful life of truth.
Daniel 6 is a wonderful and famous example of this. Daniel did not cease to pray, even though he knew he would be cast into the lions' den. Why? He walked in truth by faith. He knew it was always right to pray and not to give in to the world, so he did, and God protected him. What a witness that was to the pagan king. If we walk in truth, it is a great witness to those around us, too.
Then, in chapter 7 Daniel has a dream of his own, which shows the future of the world ending in the Antichrist and the Millennium. Why did God show this to Daniel? He knew that Daniel would receive the truth as God's truth, and he would be careful to live by it and tell it clearly, since he was a man of truth. If we want God to show us more truth, we need to walk in the truth He has already shown us.
II John confirms this for us. Look at verse 4. John rejoiced to see some of the Christians "walking in truth." They were living in love, and they were discerning the false teachers from the teachers of the truth. They were being faithful in a dark world. That is what God wants. He wants all of us to be like Daniel and walk in truth.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Daniel 8-10 and III John.
In Daniel 5 he tells king Belshazzar the meaning of the writing on the wall. He did not do it for money or fame. (v.17) He told him the truth of God's judgment against him, because of his willful pride, because God revealed it to him. God showed him the truth, because He knew that Daniel was a man who walked in truth. He did not just have a special ability to tell dreams and visions. It was his faithful life of truth.
Daniel 6 is a wonderful and famous example of this. Daniel did not cease to pray, even though he knew he would be cast into the lions' den. Why? He walked in truth by faith. He knew it was always right to pray and not to give in to the world, so he did, and God protected him. What a witness that was to the pagan king. If we walk in truth, it is a great witness to those around us, too.
Then, in chapter 7 Daniel has a dream of his own, which shows the future of the world ending in the Antichrist and the Millennium. Why did God show this to Daniel? He knew that Daniel would receive the truth as God's truth, and he would be careful to live by it and tell it clearly, since he was a man of truth. If we want God to show us more truth, we need to walk in the truth He has already shown us.
II John confirms this for us. Look at verse 4. John rejoiced to see some of the Christians "walking in truth." They were living in love, and they were discerning the false teachers from the teachers of the truth. They were being faithful in a dark world. That is what God wants. He wants all of us to be like Daniel and walk in truth.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Daniel 8-10 and III John.