Today’s Reading: Ezra 1-3:6, 1 Chronicles 9, 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, Psalm 126

The Persian Empire grew in power, overthrowing the Babylonians and changing the climate in which the exiled Jews were living. This new leader, King Cyrus, had a policy of setting captives free. And, of course, the timing of this change happened at exactly the time God promised it would.

GOD’S HAND WAS NOT ONLY EVIDENT, IT WAS OBVIOUS.

This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are the Lord’s people may go there for this task. And may the Lord your God be with you!” – 2 Chronicles 36:23

God stirred the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to let the Israelites return to Jerusalem for the specific purpose of rebuilding the Temple. Then God stirred the hearts of the priests, Levites and all the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. This stirring of hearts created a culture of generosity. Cyrus generously returned 5400 articles of silver and gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple. Those who had lived among the Israelites and who had been their neighbors for so many years also gave generously of silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock. They voluntarily lavished God’s people with valuable gifts to take with them.

GOD’S GENEROSITY WAS NOT ONLY EVIDENT, IT WAS OBVIOUS.

In response to this generosity, the leaders of each family unit among the people of God returning to Jerusalem also gave voluntary offerings, each leader giving as much as they could. God was generous, stirring others’ hearts toward generosity, and the response was the desire of God’s people to also be generous (Ezra 2:68-69).

When God’s people arrived in Jerusalem, they assembled with a unified purpose – to rebuild God’s Temple. During the seventy years that the Israelites had been gone, other people groups had settled into the city, making it their home. God’s people were intimidated by the foreigners who had moved into their city, but they found the courage to rebuild the altar, overcoming their fear in favor of leaning into their faith. They began sacrificing burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord each morning and evening (Ezra 3:3).

Imagine the excitement after all these years to be back home again, offering daily sacrifices to God – dedicating each day to God. The first Festival they celebrated was the Festival of Shelters, reminding the people of God’s guidance and care for His people as they spent 40 years living in tents in the desert as they traveled from exile in Egypt to their new home in the Promised Land. Wow! How significant this must have been to the people as they had just completed their own journey living in tents, traveling from exile in Babylon back home to Jerusalem. God’s timing is always significant!

GOD’S PROVISION WAS NOT ONLY EVIDENT, IT WAS OBVIOUS.

When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!
Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest. – Psalm 126

What a great reminder for us today! Father God, help us to always trust your timing and recognize your hand at work in our lives. Lord, we celebrate all of the amazing things you have done and are doing in our lives. We trust you for what is to come, even when it seems far away. We pray that you will create a stirring in our lives, reminding us that you are on the move. May others see our lives and say, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” Amen.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 9, Psalm 66

Daniel was a young man when he was brought into the royal service, but he would have heard the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from his parents and grandparents. He might have celebrated Passover and heard how the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites. He would have heard the stories of how Moses led them out of captivity in Egypt into the Promised Land, and he most likely had the Ten Commandments memorized. Yet now, at this stage in his life, he was coming to a new understanding of what God had done for His people, despite their continued unfaithfulness generation after generation.

During the first year of King Darius’ reign, Daniel was studying the word of the Lord as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet. He read that this exile to Babylon was to last seventy years. It must have become apparent to him that the seventy years was coming close to completion. He saw the need for his countrymen and his people to fully repent and turn to God, so that their captivity could come to an end and they could return home to Jerusalem.

Daniel put his spiritual concerns ahead of his physical needs and began fasting; he turned to the Lord God in prayer, pleading for his people. He went into mourning by dressing in burlap and sprinkling himself with ashes. He took it upon himself to fall before the Lord and confess on behalf of the Israelites.

DO WE PRAY LIKE THAT?

Are we so concerned with the sins of our society that we fall on our knees and confess on behalf of our country? What would happen if we chose to pray like Daniel prayed — with fervency and desperation? What if we would weep as Jesus did when he looked out over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41)? What if we prayed this prayer:

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants, the prophets…

“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you. O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets…

“…we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him…

“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary. O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city – the city that bears your name – lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. O LORD, HEAR. O LORD, FORGIVE. O LORD, LISTEN AND ACT! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” – Daniel 9:4-19

DO WE PRAY LIKE THAT?

What happens next reminds us that God hears our prayers, sees our hearts and responds generously from His own heart. Consider what the angel Gabriel said to Daniel in response to his prayer, and hear God’s words to you this morning as you pour out your heart to Him.

“Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God…” – Daniel 9:22-23

Action was taken the moment Daniel began praying; the answer to his prayer began the moment he asked. Do we want to see God do something incredible for our nation in the next year? I think it is time to start praying for just that.

Dear Lord, this morning we come before you in repentance for our own sins and for the sins of our nation. Heavenly Father, you have poured out your blessings upon us and we have rebelled against you. As a nation, we have not obeyed you. O merciful God, lean down and listen to us this morning. We plea for your mercy on behalf of our country, even though we do not deserve it. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! Please give us new insight and understanding. Like Daniel, may we hear from you today and feel your love. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 8, Revelation 13:11-18

In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel saw another vision. The vision started with a ram standing beside the Ulai River. The ram had two horns, one longer than the other.

The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great. – Daniel 8:4

As Daniel watched, a shaggy male goat appeared from the west so quickly that his feet did not even touch the ground. He had a large horn between his eyes and came charging at the ram, striking him and breaking off both of his horns. Now the ram who had become so great was the helpless one. The goat knocked him down and trampled on him and there was nothing anyone could do to rescue the ram from the powerful goat.

The goat continued to grow more and more powerful until his horn was broken off and replaced by four horns pointing in all four directions — west, north, east and south. Then from one of the horns came a small horn who grew in power. It reached up to the heavens to attack the heavenly army, knocking some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling on them. It canceled the daily sacrifices to the Commander of heaven’s army and destroyed the temple.

Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, “How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven’s army be trampled on?” The other replied, “It will take 2300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again.” – Daniel 8:13-14

The angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel to explain that these events would take place at the very end of time. Overwhelmed by all he saw, Daniel fainted with his face to the ground. The same angel who announced the birth of John the Baptist and then the birth of Jesus Christ reached down to Daniel and helped him to his feet. He explained that the two-horned ram represented the kings of Media and Persia, and the goat represented the king of Greece (Alexander the Great) and how his kingdom would be split into four kingdoms. He then spoke to Daniel of another leader who would rise up at the end of human history.

“At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but HE WILL BE BROKEN, though not by human power.” – Daniel 8:23-25

OUR GOD WILL PREVAIL

Paul spoke of this great rebellion in his second letter to the Church of Thessalonica. He told how a man of lawlessness will exalt himself and defy God, even sitting in the temple of God claiming to be God. He will come to do the work of Satan but our God will prevail!

For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. – 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

Lawlessness is already at work all around us, but it is being held back from its full potential of destruction. Although it would be easy to succumb to fear of the unknown turmoil to come, we can rejoice in the power of our Savior. All the Lord Jesus will have to do is breathe for this man of lawlessness to be killed. Jesus will come in all of His splendor and evil will be destroyed.

So do not be deceived by evil. Choose to love and accept the truth that can and will save us. Cling to the truth and refrain from being enticed by all this sinful world tempts us to enjoy. The pleasures of this world are temporary, its power is counterfeit and its promises are false. Jesus will come, evil will be destroyed, and our God will prevail!

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast… – Revelation 19:19-20a

Today’s Reading: Daniel 7, Revelation 13:1-10

Once more, we see evidence in the book of Daniel of how arrogance and pride can be destructive. Daniel had a dream during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign and then again during his third year. These next two chapters reveal the dreams and then explain the meaning behind the dreams.

OUR FUTURE IS STRONG IN THE HANDS OF GOD!

Picture a powerful storm swirling around over a great sea with strong winds blowing in every direction. Out of the water came four huge beasts. The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings and a human mind, the second beast was like a large bear who was given the command to devour human flesh, and the third beast who was given great authority looked like a leopard with 4 wings and 4 heads.

Daniel described the fourth beast as terrifying, dreadful and very strong. It devoured its victims with its strong iron teeth and trampled them with its feet. It had 10 horns that represented kings but another small horn appeared as Daniel watched; it had human eyes and a mouth that boasted arrogantly. It was waging war against God’s holy people and defeating them until the Ancient One — the Holy One — came and judged in favor of His holy people (7:21-22).

I watched as thrones were put in place
and the Ancient One sat down to judge.
His clothing was as white as snow,
his hair like purest wool.
He sat on a fiery throne
with wheels of blazing fire,
and a river of fire was pouring out,
flowing from his presence.
Millions of angels ministered to him;
many millions stood to attend him.
Then the court began its session,
and the books were opened. – Daniel 7:9-10

Out of the four beasts that represented four nations, the only one that was immediately killed and destroyed by fire was the little horn whose speech was described as boastful. The other three lost their authority but were allowed to live a while longer (Daniel 7:11-12). It was as if the Ancient One sitting in judgment had heard enough and swiftly shut the mouth of the beast.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14

OUR FUTURE IS STRONG IN THE HANDS OF GOD!

It is difficult to understand how the end times will play out or what Daniel’s visions mean, but it is easy to understand that our God is powerful and that He has always been and will always be victorious. As God’s holy people, we can see that OUR FUTURE IS STRONG IN THE HANDS OF GOD. There is nothing to fear.

“But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.” – Daniel 7:18

“But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” – Daniel 7:26-27

OUR FUTURE IS STRONG IN THE HANDS OF GOD!

The future of those who bow to the authority of their Lord and Savior holds victory. But let us also remember that the future of those who are arrogant and proud is bleak. Those whose speech is boastful and who do whatever pleases them will be brought down and destroyed. There is only one God — the Most High, Omnipotent God — and our future is in His loving, yet just, hands.

When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!”
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. – Psalm 30:6-7

Father God, you are the one in whom we put our trust this morning; you are the one in whom our confidence lies. May we never become arrogant or prideful, losing sight of the source of our strength. May we never lose confidence in your power and presence, letting fear set in regarding our future or the future of our nation. May we know this morning without a doubt that our future is strong when we trust in you to be our rock and our fortress. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 6; Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. – Psalm 27:1-3

If you can ignore the fact that he was in captivity, you can say that everything had gone right for Daniel. He went from being a Jewish captive to a member of the royal service to ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all King Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men. Under King Belshazzar’s reign, Daniel was made the third highest ruler in the kingdom and Darius the Mede appointed Daniel as one of three administrators over all the high officers. When Darius made plans to place Daniel over the entire empire, the other administrators decided they had had enough! They reacted with jealousy and found pleasure in the possibility of seeing something go wrong in Daniel’s life. Sadly, we see this same reaction play out today on the job, within families, and sometimes even in the church.

Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous. – Proverbs 27:4

The plot to destroy Daniel struck where they knew it would affect him the most — the worship of his God. They stroked the pride of King Darius and tricked him into issuing a decree that no one could pray to any god except the king himself. Once more, someone placed in a leadership position and given authority over much allowed pride to take over, making a foolish decision based on his own wants and desires.

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down AS USUAL in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. – Daniel 6:10-11

DANIEL PRAYED TO GOD, JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE.

When he received word of the king’s decree, Daniel went to his knees to pray to God for protection. He was not praying because he was now in a difficult situation and needed rescuing; he prayed just as he had always done. Three times a day, without fail, Daniel took the time to direct all of his attention to the God he had given first place in his life. And let’s not miss the initial focus of Daniel’s prayer — thanksgiving. Daniel started by giving thanks to God before he asked for God’s help.

Daniel had faithfully developed a habit or life pattern of spending time in prayer, which is what made him the kind of man we have been studying. Spending time daily in God’s presence resulted in God’s presence dwelling daily within Daniel, giving him strength and wisdom. Today was no different.

DANIEL TRUSTED IN GOD, JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE.

As a result of his decree, King Darius had no choice but to follow through with the punishment as declared in the new law — Daniel must be thrown into the den of lions. The king was deeply troubled and spent the night fasting for the protection of his faithful servant, Daniel.

Was Daniel scared? Did he question his decision to pray JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE, with the windows wide open? I choose to believe that Daniel reacted the same way his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. I choose to believe that Daniel trusted in God to save him, but also loved God enough to say, “But even if He doesn’t…”

The next morning, the king hurried to the lion’s den and called out, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” – Daniel 6:20-22

DANIEL GAVE PRAISE TO GOD, JUST AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE.

As a result of Daniel’s faithfulness and his testimony of how God had rescued him from what seemed an impossible situation, God was glorified and given the praise. I pray those around us can see that we serve God faithfully and that we trust in Him through all situations, good and bad. This kind of faithfulness starts in our quiet times with the Lord. It is in the intimate moments with God that He takes us deeper in our relationship with Him and draws us closer to Him, creating fellowship and oneness with Him.

“The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and oneness with Him” – Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest. Chambers’ words bring conviction this morning, but they also inspire me. Oh how I long to go deeper.

Here me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” – Psalm 27:7-8

I have no idea what you are going through right now, but I pray that the depth of your daily private times of fellowship and oneness with God give you the strength of faith to trust in Him. I pray you believe that He can rescue you just as He rescued Daniel. I pray He will strengthen your faith and give you the courage to say — I know my God is able to rescue me from all of this but, even if He doesn’t, I choose to trust in Him, be grateful for Him, and spend time daily praying to Him.

Today’s Reading: Daniel 5, Psalm 93

Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,
and the powerful are not what they appear to be.
If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. – Psalm 62:9

Have you stepped on the scale lately? It is one of my least favorite things to do yet I find myself doing it every day. Like it or not, the number on the scale is the reality I am facing and the need to make improvements in my daily habits is evident. I have been weighed on a balance and the truth is speaking louder than my denial.

The days of you being in control are numbered (Mene), you have been weighed (Tekel) on the balances and you have not measured up. Your kingdom has been divided (Parsin) and given to someone else. This is the writing on the wall – God’s message to the next King of Babylon, Belshazzar.

King Belshazzar knew Babylonian history. He knew that King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and mind had been puffed up with arrogance and that he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. Knowing all of this, King Belshazzar still did not humble himself but instead proudly defied God by drinking from the cups brought to Babylon from the Temple in Jerusalem (Daniel 5:20-23).

“You have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent this hand to write this message. This is the message that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN.” – Daniel 5:23b-25

THE DAYS OF YOU BEING IN CONTROL ARE NUMBERED.

The king knew better. He knew what could happen if he put himself and what he wanted above the Most High God. He knew and yet he chose to build his own kingdom instead of honoring God. How often are we found guilty of the same thing? If we were weighed on a balance would we measure up? When we choose our own way and do our own thing and hope that God will bless our plans, we are fooling ourselves. The days of us being in control of our own life are numbered and the blessings God has poured out on our life can easily be taken away and given to someone else.

But when the queen mother heard what was happening, she hurried to the banquet hall. She said to Belshazzar, “Long live the king! Don’t be so pale and frightened. There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king – your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar – made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon. This man Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, has exceptional ability and is filled with divine knowledge and understanding. He can interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.” – Daniel 5:10-12

YOU HAVE BEEN WEIGHED ON THE BALANCES AND YOU HAVE NOT MEASURED UP.

The queen mother was not a believer and yet she saw the difference in Daniel. She knew that Daniel had a holy spirit within him that set him apart from others. Each day we are surrounded by unbelievers and we have the opportunity to let them see something different in us that cannot be found in the hearts of the world – they can see Jesus! They can sense the power of the Holy Spirit actively at work in our lives.

That night King Belshazzar was killed and a new king took his place, King Darius. Just as the writing on the wall foretold, Belshazzar’s days were numbered and his kingdom was divided.

YOUR KINGDOM HAS BEEN DIVIDED AND GIVEN TO SOMEONE ELSE.

Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.

Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. – Daniel 6:1-4

Daniel: insight, understanding, wisdom, exceptional ability, filled with divine knowledge and understanding, ability to interpret and solve difficult problems, capable, faithful, always responsible and completely trustworthy. Wow, what a description! When weighed by others, Daniel was found to be all of these things. When weighed by God, Daniel was found to be humble and faithful, and God’s blessings increased in his life.

IF WE WERE WEIGHED ON A BALANCE, WOULD WE MEASURE UP?

If left to our own ability and strength, probably not. But Daniel had something we have even more access to – a Holy Spirit. It is not a matter of trying harder and hoping to be something extraordinary, it is a matter of humbling ourselves before God and allowing Him to fill us with Himself so that He can be exactly who He is and we can become just what He created us to be.

Lord, I pray that others can see the evidence of your presence in our lives. I pray that you will be glorified in all that we say and do so that those around us will grow in their faith. As we step on the scale this morning, we pray that our value will be measured by the fruit of your Spirit living within us.

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness. – Psalm 145:3

Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 40-48

Ezekiel chapter 10 speaks of a vision Ezekiel had of God’s presence leaving the Temple and going into the wilderness. What a huge loss for Jerusalem. They had forsaken their God and were now experiencing life without His daily protection and provision. Babylon had attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, which sat in ruins in the middle of the city. The pride of God’s people was now nothing more than a pile of rubble.

BUT WHEN IT SEEMS ALL IS LOST, GOD HAS A WAY OF RESTORING HOPE INTO OUR LIVES.

Chapter 40 begins a detailed description of another vision of Ezekiel’s. In this vision, God took hold of Ezekiel and placed him on a very high mountain where he could see what appeared to be a city. As God brought him closer, he saw a man whose face shone like bronze standing beside the entrance. The man was holding a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod.

The man began to measure the wall that surrounded the Temple area, and then he measured each gateway to the Temple. He measured the outer courtyard, each room in the Temple and then the inner courtyard. The details of the Temple were slowly being revealed as the man took time to show Ezekiel the exact measurements of each element of the building. After measuring the inside of the Temple, the man led Ezekiel out to measure the entire perimeter. The area was 875 feet on each side and had a wall around it to separate what was holy from what was common. Listen to Ezekiel’s description of what happened next.

Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of the rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory…I fell face down on the ground. And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.

Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me. The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel…” – Ezekiel 43:2-7

Ezekiel was given instructions to describe this vision to God’s people, to remind them of how they had defiled His name. He was to give them the details and let them study God’s plan closely. This Temple would be different from the place of worship they had built. God would not be defiled in this holy place for the basic law of this Temple would be absolute holiness (43:12). Only those who have fully surrendered themselves to the Lord will worship there and God’s chosen priests will be given the responsibility to teach the people the difference between what is holy and what is common, and between what is ceremonially clean and unclean (44:23).

There was a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar. The man measured the stream as he led Ezekiel into the waters. The water came to Ezekiel’s ankles, then to his knees. As they walked across the stream the water went from Ezekiel’s waist until it was too deep to walk across.

“Have you been watching, son of man?” – Ezekiel 47:6

Ezekiel noticed that there were trees growing on both sides of the river. The man revealed to Ezekiel that the water was flowing into the valley of the Dead Sea, healing the salty waters so that fish would abound and waters would be fresh for the first time. Someday fishermen will stand along the shores of the Dead Sea casting their nets into the water.

“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow along both sides of the river. The leaves of these trees will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit on their branches. There will be a new crop every month, for they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for healing.” – Ezekiel 47:12

As Ezekiel described the vision to God’s people with the detailed description of what the Temple would one day be again, HOPE WAS RESTORED. God wanted them to see what was ahead for all those who choose to be faithful to Him. One day there will be a magnificent Temple in which God will dwell and His people will worship. Blessings will flow from this place of praise and adoration. Water will flow from this Temple as it gives life to those who stand at its riverbanks and provides healing to all who step into the waters.

“And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’” – Ezekiel 48:35b

WHEN GOD IS PRESENT, SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND HOPE IS RESTORED.

Do you believe that with your whole heart? Are you standing in confidence of this truth today? We can enjoy the flow of His healing waters and find roots along the riverbank to grow in our knowledge of Him. He is the God of restoration and redemption; He is creating a place of absolute holiness. What a beautiful message of hope for us to cling to this morning!

Today’s Reading: Daniel 4, Psalm 107

The number of captives taken to Babylon in the 17th year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign was 3,023. Then in Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year he took 832 more. In Nebuchadnezzar’s 23rd year he sent Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, who took 745 more – a total of 4,600 captives in all. – Jeremiah 52:28-30

Consider this context of the people of Judah being carried into exile, and let’s go back to the book of Daniel. Three of the young men living in exile were told they would be thrown into the fire if they did not bow down and worship the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar had made. Even though they were captives in this foreign land, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood strong in their faith.

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” – Daniel 3:16-18

BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T

What an amazing example of trusting God. When life is difficult and there is nothing we can do to change the demands around us, our best option is to trust God. We can proclaim our belief that God will take care of us, yet be willing to cling to our faith even if He does not move the way we want Him to.

I admit I have had to overcome the tendency to solve my own problems. I had to let go of my need to manipulate and control a situation and let Him be Lord, saying — I know that the God I serve is able to save and rescue me by His power but, EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, I will trust Him. Daily I have to let go of the reins and trust in the God who reigns.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a similar lesson to learn, again through the interpretation of a dream: A large tree was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for the whole world to see. It had fresh green leaves, was loaded with fruit, and offered shade to wild animals and a home for the birds nestled in its branches. This tree was large enough to feed all the people.

But then a holy messenger came down from heaven shouting, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground…For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal instead of the mind of a human.” – Daniel 4:14-16

Although he was frightened by the meaning, Daniel interpreted the dream and advised the king to stop sinning and do what was right — to break from his wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Daniel was a refugee. He had been taken from his home into captivity and then taken away from his family to be assigned to the royal service of King Nebuchadnezzar, a very selfish and evil man. Interpreting this dream took courage and the kind of faith that says — I believe my God will rescue me…

BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T

The dream got the king’s attention but his attitude remained the same. His pride was stronger than his faith: “Look at this great city of Babylon! By MY OWN mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor” (Daniel 4:30).

While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.” – Daniel 4:31-32

The king reigning over God’s people during their 70 years of exile was now experiencing his own exile of 7 years. When his sanity returned and he was given back the throne, his attitude had changed. “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud” (Daniel 4:37). He had learned the hard way that God was in control and he was not, a lesson I have had to daily learn.

Lord, I have so many questions about the future, but I choose to once again give you the reins. I want nothing more than for you to be in charge. No matter what I face, I want to be able to say with confidence that YOU ARE ABLE. Reveal any pride in my life and replace it with humility. Help me to let go and trust YOU – the God who reigns! Lord, give me the strength in every situation to say…

BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were right to trust God. In anger, King Nebuchadnezzar did throw them into the furnace, which he had heated seven times hotter than usual. But as the king looked into the fire, he saw four men walking around – unbound and unharmed! He called for the young Hebrews to come out of the fire and they did.

The fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! – Daniel 3:27b

That is what our God is capable of. He can rescue us and chances are He will rescue us. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN’T, are you willing to serve Him? Are you willing to trust Him even if there is a furnace ahead for you? Even if you don’t know how things will turn out in the end, are you willing to say with confidence that He is Lord? Will you let go of the reins and trust in the God who reigns?

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 25:27-30, Jeremiah 52:31-34

In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived. – 2 Kings 25:27-30

HE PUT ASIDE HIS PRISON CLOTHES.

After 37 years of being imprisoned, God gave Jehoiachin favor with the new king of Babylon. I love the symbolism of Jehoiachin taking off his prison clothes in order to sit at the king’s table. The weight of the chains was gone, and he was experiencing some level of freedom and luxury once again. But what if Jehoiachin had continued to wear his prison clothes while feasting at the king’s table? What if he continued to identify with his old life instead of embracing this new opportunity?

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. – Galatians 5:1

How often do we find freedom in an area of our life, only to turn around and find ourselves slaves to something else? How often do we remain cloaked in the identity of our past instead of allowing the identity of Christ to be reflected in us? We are no longer prisoners to our sinful nature; we are not obligated to sin.

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:6-11

PUT ASIDE YOUR PRISON CLOTHES.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Father God, we thank you for the freedom that is available to us because you were willing to give your Son as a sacrifice for our sins. We are grateful for the opportunity today to cast off our prison clothes — to stop identifying with our sin and to no longer allow our shame to define who we are. We are a new creation in you, and so we come to your table as a child of God — redeemed, restored, renewed, and ready to be used by you today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 25:1-26, Jeremiah 51:1-52:1-30, Psalm 79

So on January 15, during the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls. Jerusalem was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah’s reign. – 2 Kings 25:1-2

It had been two and a half years of terror. Those who were still in the city had been hiding behind the protection of the walls of Jerusalem. The famine within the city had become severe and there was nothing left to eat. A section of the wall finally succumbed to the siege and collapsed. The city was surrounded by Babylonians; there was no hope for survival.

The king and his soldiers decided to make a run for it. They waited until nightfall and escaped out of a gate behind the king’s garden, but the king was quickly captured. The Babylonians pronounced judgment on King Zedekiah, and made him watch as they slaughtered his sons. Then they gouged out his eyes so that the last image he would ever see would be the painful death of his family and the destruction of his city. They bound him in chains and led him to Babylon.

So this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of those who hear about it will tingle with horror. – 2 Kings 21:12

TERROR. FAMINE. CHAINS. NO HOPE OF SURVIVAL.

King Nebuchadnezzar and his officials came to Jerusalem to celebrate their victory. They set fire to the Temple, the palace, and all of the houses in Jerusalem. If a building was important, it came down. The army continued to pull down the wall around Jerusalem until there was very little left to what was once a magnificent city. It had been the place where families came to offer their sacrifices and celebrate the religious festivals. The Temple had been the pride of the people — the place where the God of Israel dwelled among His creation.

Everything made of gold, silver, or bronze was carried away by the Babylonians, as were the remaining residents of Jerusalem. Only a small group of the poorest people in the land were left to tend to the vineyards and fields. The last of the priests and leaders were brought before the king of Babylon and executed.

O God, pagan nations have conquered your land,
your special possession.
They have defiled your holy Temple
and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.
They have left the bodies of your servants
as food for the birds of heaven.
The flesh of your godly ones
has become food for the wild animals.
Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem;
no one is left to bury the dead.
We are mocked by our neighbors,
an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever?
How long will your jealousy burn like fire? – Psalm 79:1-5

So the Lord brought disaster on Jerusalem and Judah, just as He said He would. It was their darkest day. He used Babylon to fulfill His judgment but this was not a means of blessing Babylon, a country that worshiped idols instead of surrendering to the one true God. God did not allow the destruction of Jerusalem because He is a God who abandons His people. No, they were His own special possession and He punished them in order to draw them back to Him. It was in order to bring dry bones to life that He allowed His people and their city to hit rock bottom, showing that He is still in charge.

Sharpen the arrows! Lift up the shields!
For the Lord has inspired the kings of the Medes to march against Babylon and destroy her.
This is his vengeance against those who desecrated his Temple. – Jeremiah 51:11

God promised to avenge His people; He vowed to punish Babylon with all her idols. Just as Babylon brutally killed the people of Israel and other nations throughout the world, so her people would be killed (51:49). The Lord gives punishment justly; He always repays in full (51:56).

As his last message, Jeremiah wrote down everything that would happen to Babylon on a scroll. He handed the scroll to Seraiah and told him to read it aloud when they arrived in Babylon. Then he instructed him to tie a stone to the scroll and throw it into the Euphrates River as a symbol of how the Babylonaians would one day sink, never to rise again (51:59-64).

JUSTICE. PRESERVATION. HOPE FOR A BETTER DAY.

The Lord made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom.
With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.
When he speaks in the thunder, the heavens roar with rain.
He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses. – Jeremiah 51:15-16

Even in the midst of the darkest days in Israel’s history, the Lord was promising that they would receive justice. God was showing Himself even while they were receiving the consequences of their sin. He was giving them hope for a day that was yet to come. The battle was not over and victory would be the Lord’s, just as it had been throughout the history of God’s people.

Perhaps you are experiencing your own captivity. Perhaps you are not where you want to be and longing for a promise from the Lord. You look back and long for what used to be; you look forward and ache for what could be. Can I encourage you to keep your eyes on the Lord and trust Him to bring you through this season? There is a better day ahead. You are His special possession and He loves you more than you can even imagine. On your darkest day, may God give you the faith to press on to something better, and may He give you hope for your future.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11