In the first part of the book of Daniel the message is presented by stories which were familiar to the people of the time. In the second part visions are the medium used. Except for the fact that the visions look more toward the future than to the past, the message is essentially the same. The call is to loyalty, loyalty to the affirmation that history is in God’s hands. Underneath all the imagery is great religious experience. The message is always validated by a personal experience of God. God gives his vision in dreams to be written down. These dreams will not fade into good intentions and forgotten memories. Who are the beasts coming out of the sea into your life, those that only God can keep in check? Do we trust in a God who “shall neither slumber nor sleep”? Daniel does not have all the answers. Yet, he has enough evidence to know that life has meaning. With confidence he lives unafraid. In Daniel we see the God who suddenly throws down the invincible tyrant and who just as suddenly converts the open heart to come home. There is no place like home! And, what a fine description of home. Daniel’s approach to prayer is more that wishful thinking. He approaches with fasting, in sackcloth and ashes to ask for knowledge that would help him serve his people. How often are we able to move beyond our own needs in prayer? Daniel chapter 9 ends with the common theme of idol worship in the temple. How many tragedies have we experienced as a result of setting up our idols in the temple?
In the first part of the book of Daniel the message is presented by stories which were familiar to the people of the time. In the second part visions are the medium used. Except for the fact that the visions look more toward the future than to the past, the message is essentially the same. The call is to loyalty, loyalty to the affirmation that history is in God’s hands. Underneath all the imagery is great religious experience. The message is always validated by a personal experience of God. God gives his vision in dreams to be written down. These dreams will not fade into good intentions and forgotten memories. Who are the beasts coming out of the sea into your life, those that only God can keep in check? Do we trust in a God who “shall neither slumber nor sleep”? Daniel does not have all the answers. Yet, he has enough evidence to know that life has meaning. With confidence he lives unafraid. In Daniel we see the God who suddenly throws down the invincible tyrant and who just as suddenly converts the open heart to come home. There is no place like home! And, what a fine description of home. Daniel’s approach to prayer is more that wishful thinking. He approaches with fasting, in sackcloth and ashes to ask for knowledge that would help him serve his people. How often are we able to move beyond our own needs in prayer? Daniel chapter 9 ends with the common theme of idol worship in the temple. How many tragedies have we experienced as a result of setting up our idols in the temple?
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