From the Pulpit

Ancient Words: Walk to Emmaus, A Walk with Daniel

To set Daniel in proper perspective it is important to understand the last events and prophecy concerning King Hezekiah. Isaiah as prophet spoke these words to the king after showing all the palace treasures to the king of Babylon: 2Ki 20:16-18 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” King Nebuchadnezzar fulfilled this outcome as written by Daniel himself: Dan 1:1-7 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

Daniel served under at least 4 kings during his life span of about 80 years. He was made a eunuch and served under the prince of the eunuchs. Noted for his courage in the den of lions and his prayer time of thrice each day, Daniel has been declared by God to one of the top three righteous men to have ever lived (Ezekiel 14.1420). With this esteem came great revelations and visions and appearances, all described in the Book of Daniel. Jesus even used Daniel, as recorded in Matthew’s gospel, in his teaching about the last days of earth and the coming of the second Son of Man : Mat 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—.”

The angel, Gabriel, visited Daniel after his prayer (only Daniel and Mary & Joseph have this distinction) to explain when the Anointed One would come and when the Anointed One would be cut off (see Dan 9). This remarkable prophecy leads further to Daniel viewing into our final age in Daniel 12: “… But at that time your people— everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt…”

Scott Johnson is pastor at East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible. Bible questions can be sent to brgbible@gmail.com.

GPS

Global Positioning System: An accurate worldwide and navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites. (SIRI)

My wife Elyshia and I were recently transferred here from Waynesboro, Virginia. We are both directionally and geographically challenged so thank God for GPS!

Remember, back in the day before we had GPS devices? We had those maps that would fold out and the passenger/ navigator would open it up and it would cover the entire front of the dashboard or windshield many times obscuring the drivers view? The tool that was supposed to help direct us became a hindrance! Technology however comes to the rescue and through global satellites we have a system that we can trust in! We type in the address and trust it to take us to our final destination.

I wish that you could have been in the U-Haul truck with us! GPS is not always accurate! It will tell you to turn or merge or even exit based on the strength of the satellite signal. Often times it will cause delays, rerouting, and a good argument!

Life is the same way. We place our trust in so many “guarantees” or quick fixes that we hope will guide or direct us through our situations. Unfortunately we find ourselves lost, confused and frustrated!

The only GPS I trust is God’s Positioning System! He will never lead you astray and you can always rely on His directions! Trust, Lean, Acknowledge and you will be Directed to where you need to be!

“Trust in the LORD, with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

P.S. He got us here, safe and sound!

Captain Jason Perdieu is corps officer of the Salvation Army of El Dorado.