Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.

Daniel 4

 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity. Daniel 4:27

I continue my pause of my study of Hebrews to study Daniel in conjunction with a disciple/small group study with my church's men's wake up call. This morning my focus is Daniel 4:1-27 as I lean on a commentary for its observations of this text. The commentary highlights three divisions for this text:

• v1-3 It Is Good to Honor Our Great and Sovereign God for Sorrow That Leads to Repentance: these verses describe Nebuchadnezzar's praise of God in reaction to seeing how God rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago from the fiery furnace (chapter 3); the commentary, in particular notes how the words used by Nebuchadnezzar echo biblical terminology and reflect praise of God found elsewhere in scripture, including Psalm 145
• v4-18 It Is Good When Our Great and Sovereign God Troubles Our Hearts in Order to Get Our Attention: here, the commentary describes the reaction Nebuchadnezzar had to his second dream and how he falls back into old ways going not to Daniel first to interpret the dream, but to his pagan wise men, but as to be expected these men could not and Daniel was then brought in
  
• v19-27 It Is Good When Our Great and Sovereign God Exposes Our Sin and Calls Us to Righteousness: here, the commentary discusses Daniel's reaction to the dream and his inner turmoil upon hearing how the dream reflects how God will punish Nebuchadnezzar - clearly a man whom at this point is someone the commentary shares that Daniel cares about; the commentary emphasizes how believers, when confronted with bad news that we must deliver about someone else's sin, particularly those we care about, we must be prepared to deliver God's message for both repentance and hope

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a good God who offers hope and grace, in spite of our sin - thank You Jesus!  I am of course not deserving...my sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.

2 Chronicles 24-25 and 2 Kings 12-14 

Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom. 2 Chronicles 25:20, 2 Kings 14:11-13

  

Day 165 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with my study of the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel as we see both hasten their spiritual decline.  Amaziah succeeds Joash as King of Judah and although "[h]e did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, [he did] not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there" (2 Kings 14:3-4).  In Israel, Jeroboam II succeeds Jehoash and "[h]e did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit" (2 Kings 14:24).

What strikes me today is how Godly wisdom is ignored.  Although Amaziah initially listens to Godly wisdom regarding the required strength of forces to defeat Edom (2 Chronicles 25:6-10) and destroys Edom, he brought back foreign gods and God's anger burned.  The same unnamed prophet challenges Amaziah about such worship and the prophet responds indicating "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel" (2 Chronicles 25:14-16).  Of course, Amaziah seeks to go to battle against Israel but is defeated. 

We all need our brothers and sisters in Christ to challenge, encourage, and even confront us when we sin. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, and who has placed many men and women of faith in my life who have challenged, encouraged and even confronted me in my sin.  I am grateful that You have done this.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin continues - particularly worry and anxiety.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet.

Jeremiah 36

The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. v24-26

God confronts Jehoiakim though Jeremiah and Baruch - much like God uses Nathan to confront David.  Yet unlike David's response of repentance, Jehoiakim, denies truth.  There will be people in the world that deny truth - Jesus implies as such in Matthew 7:13-14 with the wide and narrow gate.  

God wants us to proclaim truth. Much like Peter and John stand firm in Acts 4:20, we must not hesitate to speak truth.  

Yet it is not up to us who accepts Jesus into their heart - this is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8).  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has saved me - not through anything I have done - but entirely through grace.  Thank You Jesus.  I am undeserving of such grace.  I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.