It seems to me that the Church has a lot to learn from the accounts in the book of Daniel. So often today we look to the books of prophesy to try and determine information about the end times. We try to look into the future which I suppose is not at all unusual for our kind. People are weak and fearful creatures so it makes sense that we would want to have some predictor of our future. Personally, I would not want to know.
I find my feelings very similar when it comes to the books of prophesy. I know that Jesus is coming. I believe that He is coming soon, and I KNOW that He left me a job to do. And it does not involve staring into the future because I also know that for this planet …it does not end well.
What we call the books of prophesy do have other powerful lessons to teach us to help with our task at hand however. In Daniel we read that Daniel knew about the kings decree and yet he continued to pray to the living God. That is a message we all need to hear. Our worship and our witness ought not be dependent on circumstances around us. We also hear of three men who simply said this “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18
The world we live in today is not a lot different from the world of that day. We are asked to bow to the idols of sexual freedom. The idols of relativism. Among others. It seems that the culture around these heroes of scripture was very much as it is becoming today. I think my Lord Jesus that there is also a reminder for us to hold to in another book of prophesy. The book or revelation says it clearly
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
God offers us the victory, but His word always talks about a cost. Part of that cost is submission. Part offering love to those who are difficult. And part of the Cost of following Christ has been through the centuries the death of the Christian. Again, a truth so easily overlooked. As so many today face that same fate. But the good news is this, the things we do for Christ here and now are what will live forever. And that testimony will always overcome the evil one.
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