Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Tuesday Thought -- December 3, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron -- for iron breaks and smashes everything -- and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.” (Daniel 2:36-40)

Daniel interpreted the king’s dream. He saw into the future and told Nebuchadnezar of three kingdoms that would follow his. Daniel could see certain characteristics of the coming three kingdoms. And what Daniel predicted did come to pass as Babylon faded and was followed by Persia, Greece and Rome.

How could Daniel know what would happen in the future? Only one way – God revealed it to Daniel as He gave him the interpretation of the king’s dream.

Why did he receive that knowledge? One reason -- to demonstrate to future generations that there is a God in heaven – Daniel’s God -- who knows the future. God is not constrained to wait for the future to unfold and respond to each situation as it comes. He knows what is ahead. The revelation of the knowledge of the future was not just for the king’s benefit. In fact, he would be around to see very little of it unfold. It was given for our benefit, and for the benefit of others who would read the book of Daniel from this side of history.

Be encouraged by this truth -- God knows what the future holds and He is in control of it. He can prepare you for whatever lies ahead in your future and He can protect you through it. The future seems frightening sometimes -- remember that you follow the only One who knows what it will be like -- trust Him!

His, by Grace,


Steve

No comments:

Post a Comment