We’re living in quick, frantic times. If you don’t have time (or the inclination) to see a half a page then here’s a quick paragraph that can get you thinking in a short time.
The Context of Daniel (Daniel 1:1-2)
Around the year 606 BC, Nebuchadnezzar came and besieged Jerusalem in the third year of King Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and took the king, the Temple items, and some citizens. Elsewhere in the Bible, it reveals that the king of Judah was taken to Babylon in chains and bronze fetters (2 Chronicles 36:5-8). Some of the people of Judah were also taken captive (2 Chronicles 36:5-8; Daniel 1:3), and this is where Daniel comes in, as one of the captives.
The wording for this is very telling, however. “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand,” (Daniel 1:2). God was in control of this situation from start to finish, even orchestrating it so that the king of Judah was taken alive (not comfortably, but alive) to Babylon. We often think that we can control or influence world events, an illusion that democracy provides us with. It’s actually a laughable delusion, because God is in control of everything, working things out on a scale that we cannot begin to imagine. This is going to be a theme for the book of Daniel-God controls all of the governments and the flow of history, so buckle up and watch Him work.
First Corinthians 15:50-53 At a Glance
Anyone in the Kingdom will not be physical. As long as there is flesh and blood, then there will be sin. Corrupted human beings cannot inherit the pure Kingdom of God. To be a part of God’s Kingdom, we must be spiritual beings. Paul goes on to explain a mystery-something that the world doesn’t know or understand, but that we can know and understand due to the revelation of God. One of the greatest mysteries for mankind is the afterlife, but Paul explains it. Not everyone will die-there will be those in God’s Church who are alive when Jesus Christ returns (Paul thought that he might have a chance to be one of them). Whether we’re dead or alive at the return of Christ, everyone will be changed into spirit beings. This change will happen in the blink of an eye at the last trumpet, or the trumpet that announces the return of Jesus Christ. Only through this process can we finally inherit the Kingdom of God.
How Honest Are You?
Honesty tends to be something that we simplify. We either tell lies or we don’t. Man of us tend to equate ourselves with Nathaniel, who hastily agreed with Christ’s summation of him as, “in whom is no deceit,” (John 1:47). Yet, that’s not always the case. How many times have you actually read the terms and conditions? How many times have you said something small without thinking that wasn’t exactly true? Honesty can be much more than we think. So how honest are you really?
The Environment of Parenting
God is the ultimate Father. An implication of that statement is that He can teach us how to parent. In Genesis 1, He doesn’t start creation with mankind, His pinnacle of creation. Instead, He sets up the environment so that mankind can flourish. That is what we as parents should be doing for our own children: setting up the environment of our homes in such a way that our kids can grow and flourish. How do you set up such an environment for your kids?
How’s Your Passover Preparation Going?
It’s just under a week until Passover. How are your preparations going? I am referring to the deleavening, but more importantly how are your spiritual preparations going? How aware are you of your sins? How’s repentance been going in your life?
Fear the Lord and Obey
The fear of the Lord is a very interesting study. Instead of sheer mortal terror, it’s all about a deep reverence for God because of who He is. A major part of fearing God is obedience. If we respect God, then we’re going to listen closely and follow His instructions as well as we can. So if you’re wondering if you have the fear of the Lord, just ask yourself this simple question: How well are you obeying Him?
TraversWriter 