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Dear Heavenly Father, Praise May your name be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to you. You change times and seasons; you set up kings and you remove them; you give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding (Dan 2:20–21). You know what will come to pass before it happens—you are indeed worthy of praise! Hallelujah! Today in Your Word Today you told me about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great statue. It was made out of four different metals, and its appearance was frightening. As he watched, a stone came and struck the statue and shattered its feet. The entire statue collapsed into dust and blew away, but the stone became a huge mountain filling the earth. Daniel interpreted the dream for Nebuchadnezzar. He told the king that the four metals represented four different empires that would rule the known world, one after the other: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The stone that destroyed the statue represented Christ at His Second Coming. He would defeat the last phase of the Roman empire and establish His worldwide millennial Kingdom. This shows me that you have complete control over the future, and that Christ’s Kingdom will one day fill the earth. While Daniel was serving you in Babylon, Jehoiakim was back in Jerusalem plotting rebellion. When Pharaoh Necho II defeated Nebuchadnezzar’s forces at the Egyptian border in 601 bc, Jehoiakim took advantage of the situation and rebelled. Once again Judah would lean on the “broken reed” that was Egypt. Babylon’s struggle with Egypt had cost it dearly, and Nebuchadnezzar was reduced to sending raiding parties against Judah while he strengthened his forces. This drove the Rechabites into Jerusalem where you used them as an illustration of a group of people who faithfully followed their father’s commands. What a contrast to rebellious Judah! However, it wasn’t long before Nebuchadnezzar returned. By that time, Jehoiakim was dead. Nebuchadnezzar exiled Jehoiachin and made Zedekiah the new puppet king. Once again your word had proved true (Jer 36:31). Reflection I often think that if people just knew the truth, they would repent and turn to you, yet the reality is quite different. Many times the truth serves only to provoke their sinful hearts. Request Father, give me the spirit of the Rechabites, who faithfully followed the commands of their father Jonadab. Help me to be an example of obedience to my family. Thanksgiving Thank you for sharing with me the future of the world. How wonderful to know that you will one day establish a kingdom that will never be conquered or destroyed! In Jesus’ name, Amen. Suggested Hymn: “Exert Thy Power, Thy Rights Maintain” — Mrs. Vokes. Meditation Verse: Jeremiah 35:18–19. |