Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 30
Appealing to the God of Heaven
Daniel 2:28a But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets …
When the Hebrew captives Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in Babylon came face to face with death, they were delivered by the God of heaven, Israel’s God, who hearkened to their prayer.
Daniel 2:17-19. 17Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise menof Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
All the wise men were sentenced to death because none could unravel king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It was a dream concerning how the political empires of the world throughout human history will ultimately be replaced by God’s rule on earth through Christ!
Indeed, there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets. It is recorded for us today in the Bible.
When we study God’s Word, He grants us true wisdom and understanding through the
illumination of His Word.
How powerful is the God of the Bible, the God of heaven! As we submit to His rule, He leads and cares for us. Daniel understood this truth when he testified in Daniel 2:20-23 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what isin the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast nowmade known unto us the king’s matter.
Spurgeon said well, “Prayer appealed to the omniscient One, and discovered the key of the mystery. In our worst plights let us pray. Prayer went before and praise follows after. Prayer obtains blessing, and praise acknowledges it; never let us fail to praise the Lord for mercies received. Faith, assured that her prayer was heard, acted with courage. Daniel did not fear a failure, he knew in whom his faith reposed. May the like faith be with us.”
Daniel was careful to give all glory to God in his communication with king Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 2:30-35. 30But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for anywisdom that I have more than any living, but for theirsakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. 31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness wasexcellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof wasterrible. 32 This image’s head wasof fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that wereof iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream concerns the major empires of the gentile nations throughout man’s history culminating in the establishment of God’s kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar saw a statue with the head of fine gold, the breast and arms are of silver, the belly and thighs are of copper or bronze, legs are of iron and the feet of part iron and part clay made with man’s hands. Daniel with God’s help told Nebuchadnezzar the dream and interpreted it.
The head of gold is the Babylonian Empire, the breast and arms of silver is the Medo-Persian Empire to come. We know from history, the belly and thighs of brass refers to the Grecian Empire and the legs of iron refer to the Roman Empire. It was in the “leg” portion that Christ first came.
Today, we have not entered into the part-iron and part-clay feet, which is the Revived Rome Empire that will bring forth the Anti-Christ.
Finally, the stone, not made with man’s hands that destroyed the statue at Christ’s second coming in Daniel 2:44 “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
This final empire, God’s rule is detailed for us in Revelation chapters 19:11-22 with Christ’s second coming to establish His millennia rule on earth and the eternal state after the millennium.
The millennia kingdom of Christ will end all the kingdoms of man forever as revealed in Daniel’s dream. We learn from the book of Revelation that Christ’s 1000 year rule on earth will be the last, the final Ruler on this present earth (Rev. 20).
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy ishe that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Thereafter this heaven and earth will be destroyed forever and replaced by a new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21-22).
Daniel is teaching here the skill that enables us to live obediently before God in the midst of trials – a vibrant prayer life. The result will be a truly beautiful life that glorifies God. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee