The Invisible Hand of God
The Invisible Hand of God
When I was a youngster, we had to flee our home and town to run for our lives. We became refugees in a ‘foreign land’. It was the Nigerian-Biafra civil war. My tribe was the nation of Biafra that wanted to secede from Nigeria. Up to 2 million people lost their lives through fighting and starvation of the Biafran civilians.
Meet Daniel (and friends), another youngster who was swept away to a foreign land as a result of war. Daniel was Jewish and his nation has encountered the invisible hand of God. Judah/Israel had been having their way in disobedience and God decided to let them have it. For a life time, Daniel was caught in the middle. Have you been caught in the middle and in a foreign land? Will Daniel become bitter and go around singing the ‘sorry –sympathy song like we do so often? Let’s see how Daniel will relate to this God who has allowed him to become a captive in a barbarian and godless Babylon.
Daniel 1:
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia [a] and put in the treasure house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility- 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. [b] 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.
6 Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your [c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you."
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. King Jehoiakim is described as an “evil” king just as his fathers. Read 2 Kings 23 and 24. His sin was the shedding of innocent blood. I can’t but think of the many ruthless leaders all over the globe who are doing the same today. He was not alone just like the evil practices of today. The nations of the world are also shedding innocent blood through the surgical means of abortion on demand. We call it “the right to choose”. May God help us and forgive us. He may let us have our way one of these day if we as a nation(s) and people refuse to repent.
2. “The Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand” vs.2. God initiated the exile of Judah to Babylon into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. We will get to know this Babylonian king in more detail later in this study. God can and often may initiate the suffering of which you and I are part of. It could be as a result of our sins or even the sins of others that we may have nothing to do with. Like a good father, the purpose of his chastisement is to draw us back to him as in the case of Judah. Lord, help us never to forget your big picture – oneness with you. Paul put it this way, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ….10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,” Phillippians 3:8-10.
3. Notice the world’s criteria for “success” then and now. It has not changed and it is subtle lie. Those who are considered something are to fit in this worldly mold. “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand” vs.4, The young, the one in shape, the beautiful and handsome and the intelligent/smart (with all kinds of degrees) is what the world is looking for. They are not looking for the people with the Spirit of God not that those with God’s Spirit can’t have any of those qualities. For one, we will not always be young, so let’s be realistic and see people the way God sees them.
4. Like Daniel, we must refuse to be defined by the “world’s mold”. It comes down to knowing whose we are and who we are. Daniel put it this way, “32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” Daniel 11:32. Do you know your God? This is what this study of Daniel is all about – knowing our sovereign God. Let’s not be pushed around by flattery regardless of the source including even in the church.
5. Daniel made up his mind. “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way” vs.8. It is about time you and I make up our minds and “choose this day whom we will serve”. Are going to serve the kings delicacies and the altar of convenience or are we going to honor God at all cost? You see Daniel refused to eat the food because “the first portion of it was offered to idols. Likewise a portion of the wine was poured out on a pagan altar”. Many things are calling for us to bow down to them and sacrifice our marriage, children and the important relationships. It is the god of self that is always at issue – “me, myself and I god”.
6. Notice the wisdom of Daniel (verses 11-14) to offer alternative instead of rebellion. We need tact and God’s wisdom to maneuver the world’s system. Ask God for wisdom today (James 1:5).
7. Daniel’s name means “God is (my) Judge”. Who is your Judge or are you your own judge? Can you and I (for a change) allow God to vindicate us? Let’s allow God to be sovereign and let Him fight our battles; which include accepting the outcome that is will of God (and not my will).
8. Watch God at work. “Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel” vs.9. Also, “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds” vs.17. Do you now see the invisible hand of God written all over the passage? Do you see the invisible hand of God on you and your circumstances?
Only those “who know their God” will see His invisible hand and do mighty things for Him. Do you? May God help you and I to know who He is at all cost which actually costs us nothing because Christ paid it all for us on the cross. Be encouraged today and encourage the one who is in doubt and wondering if there is a God in his/her present circumstances.
When I was a youngster, we had to flee our home and town to run for our lives. We became refugees in a ‘foreign land’. It was the Nigerian-Biafra civil war. My tribe was the nation of Biafra that wanted to secede from Nigeria. Up to 2 million people lost their lives through fighting and starvation of the Biafran civilians.
Meet Daniel (and friends), another youngster who was swept away to a foreign land as a result of war. Daniel was Jewish and his nation has encountered the invisible hand of God. Judah/Israel had been having their way in disobedience and God decided to let them have it. For a life time, Daniel was caught in the middle. Have you been caught in the middle and in a foreign land? Will Daniel become bitter and go around singing the ‘sorry –sympathy song like we do so often? Let’s see how Daniel will relate to this God who has allowed him to become a captive in a barbarian and godless Babylon.
Daniel 1:
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia [a] and put in the treasure house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility- 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. [b] 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service.
6 Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your [c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you."
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. King Jehoiakim is described as an “evil” king just as his fathers. Read 2 Kings 23 and 24. His sin was the shedding of innocent blood. I can’t but think of the many ruthless leaders all over the globe who are doing the same today. He was not alone just like the evil practices of today. The nations of the world are also shedding innocent blood through the surgical means of abortion on demand. We call it “the right to choose”. May God help us and forgive us. He may let us have our way one of these day if we as a nation(s) and people refuse to repent.
2. “The Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand” vs.2. God initiated the exile of Judah to Babylon into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. We will get to know this Babylonian king in more detail later in this study. God can and often may initiate the suffering of which you and I are part of. It could be as a result of our sins or even the sins of others that we may have nothing to do with. Like a good father, the purpose of his chastisement is to draw us back to him as in the case of Judah. Lord, help us never to forget your big picture – oneness with you. Paul put it this way, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ….10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,” Phillippians 3:8-10.
3. Notice the world’s criteria for “success” then and now. It has not changed and it is subtle lie. Those who are considered something are to fit in this worldly mold. “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand” vs.4, The young, the one in shape, the beautiful and handsome and the intelligent/smart (with all kinds of degrees) is what the world is looking for. They are not looking for the people with the Spirit of God not that those with God’s Spirit can’t have any of those qualities. For one, we will not always be young, so let’s be realistic and see people the way God sees them.
4. Like Daniel, we must refuse to be defined by the “world’s mold”. It comes down to knowing whose we are and who we are. Daniel put it this way, “32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” Daniel 11:32. Do you know your God? This is what this study of Daniel is all about – knowing our sovereign God. Let’s not be pushed around by flattery regardless of the source including even in the church.
5. Daniel made up his mind. “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way” vs.8. It is about time you and I make up our minds and “choose this day whom we will serve”. Are going to serve the kings delicacies and the altar of convenience or are we going to honor God at all cost? You see Daniel refused to eat the food because “the first portion of it was offered to idols. Likewise a portion of the wine was poured out on a pagan altar”. Many things are calling for us to bow down to them and sacrifice our marriage, children and the important relationships. It is the god of self that is always at issue – “me, myself and I god”.
6. Notice the wisdom of Daniel (verses 11-14) to offer alternative instead of rebellion. We need tact and God’s wisdom to maneuver the world’s system. Ask God for wisdom today (James 1:5).
7. Daniel’s name means “God is (my) Judge”. Who is your Judge or are you your own judge? Can you and I (for a change) allow God to vindicate us? Let’s allow God to be sovereign and let Him fight our battles; which include accepting the outcome that is will of God (and not my will).
8. Watch God at work. “Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel” vs.9. Also, “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds” vs.17. Do you now see the invisible hand of God written all over the passage? Do you see the invisible hand of God on you and your circumstances?
Only those “who know their God” will see His invisible hand and do mighty things for Him. Do you? May God help you and I to know who He is at all cost which actually costs us nothing because Christ paid it all for us on the cross. Be encouraged today and encourage the one who is in doubt and wondering if there is a God in his/her present circumstances.
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