Thursday, 30 November 2017

The living God

I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. – Daniel 6.26-28

Like King Nebuchadnezzar before him King Darius apparently came to a full knowledge of God. After he saw Daniel delivered from the lion’s den he saw the reality of God and ordered that God be recognised as the true God. I don’t really like the fact that he declared a state policy of worshipping God but I do like his acknowledgement of some basic truth about God.

He is the living God
He is steadfast forever
His kingdom will not be destroyed
He delivers
He rescues
He does signs and wonders on heaven and on earth

That’s quite a proclamation for a king who just tried to have Daniel killed. Without theology training he knew a lot about God. God is alive and eternal and His kingdom is forever. Darius knew his kingdom would not last forever, but God’s would.

But God’s kingdom was not only heavenly. He is also involved in the lives of His people. God takes care of His people. He delivers and rescues His people. I think most of us have something in our lives that we can’t see an answer to. We can’t see a rescue. But we are not God. Just as He did signs and wonders for Daniel he can do it for us.


Do we even have the same faith that Darius had? 

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