Quotation: Daniel, 9:23
Daniel, 10:11
Daniel, 10:19
In quotations the words, "a man highly esteemed" are used three times. A name of the king who ruled the world three thousand years ago, Solomon, means "a man highly esteemed". It is the most splendid name. There isn't anyone who is not loved by the Lord, so, anyone may well be called "Solomon". Also, quotations are given to each one of us and they are indispensable for us. "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed. Peace! Be strong now; be strong." Daniel was cheered up by His words. No one can understand inmost thoughts of others. As a result, men feel lonely, and will be bewildered. There's no one but the Creator of a heart of men who can understand our heart and love us from the bottom of His heart. What Daniel experienced was that nothing but the Holy Bible which stores the words of the God can encourage hearts of men. We also know by these words that the God wants to work with men. Because the true God called Daniel, "a man highly esteemed", as much as three times. How astonishing and graceful words spoken through the very mouth of the Lord God they are! He never lies, never exaggerates. He cordially thought, "You are esteemed." But there had to be a reason that the God called "O man highly esteemed." It was a judgment of the Heaven onto Daniel. How delightful it will be, if we are called so too. Daniel was loved by Him so much. But if we read the Book, we find each one of us is also loved by Him. The most well-known part of the Book is perhaps the Verse 16 in Chapter 3 of John. Because the whole Gospel itself is included within these words. John, 3:16
The God sacrificed His only son, Jesus. This great love is written on the Verse 8 in Chapter 5 of Romans too, Romans, 5:8
Before we became a sinner, moreover before we were born, Jesus died for us all. As a whole, the love of the God is unimaginably splendid. In Jeremiah, an expression "an everlasting love" is used. Jeremiah, 31:3
Of course, no one knows what an eternity is. There's no beginning, no end in the love of the God. The Book tells, before this world is created, Jesus knew not only that men who will be created later will be depraved and be selfish, and ignorant to the God, but also He will die for them, be sacrificed as substitute for them. As a matter of fact, the problem of a sin has been resolved before it was raised. It is incredibly wonderful fact. Here, it is written "I have loved you with an everlasting love." He doesn't love us as a group of people, but loves each one of us. If we know it, we will feel rejoice within us Don't be deceived by the Satan who tries to bring a doubt on the love of Jesus. His love won't go bad. 1 John, 4:9-10
If you want to know about His love, you should see Jesus sacrificed on the Cross, and His sacrifice is His love itself. Of course men can't understand why we are loved by the God. But it is eternally true. A praise and gratitude will come out when we realize the Lord loves impure and selfish sinners, even whole this world. It is an astonishing love of the God which men can't understand that the Creator of the entire universe, dwelling in the infinite glory, abandoned His throne, came down onto the ground in a form of sinful, impure men who always oppose Him. By the way, why did He called Daniel "a man highly esteemed". Was it because he was a sinner, or he opposed Him? Of course Daniel was loved by Him before he was born. But there was a slight different reason, it was because he worked with Him in his prayers. The key of the blessed life of Daniel was his prayers. They reached to the Heaven. These prayers are based on His words. Daniel, 9:2
We can know that he read the Holy Bible, especially the Book of Jeremiah. His words occupied the first place within Daniel. He read the Book not because it was his custom or he had leisure hours, but because he knew he couldn't live without His words. He read the Book not because to gain more knowledge, but because to be kept away from fatigue, to obtain rejoice to fight uninteresting battle. One thing we can say is that Daniel read the Book without mixing his thoughts, but with his prayers. He read it with an attitude, "Speak, for your servant is listening." He read it earnestly because he wanted to know His will, to do His will. How do we read His words? For what reason do we read them? Before we pray which can reach the Heaven, we have to know His will and His purpose in the recent days. Are you sure that our prayers are concentrated on His eternal purpose? Don't you pray one thing to another making pointless remarks, do you? Many people plead to the Lord a lot of wishes, but they aren't fulfilled. Because, they blindly pray not knowing what His purpose is. For example, a prayer "Save my husband, if it's Your will." won't come to anything. If you read the Book, you will easily know IT'S HIS WILL. So, do not pray, "..., if it's Your will." You should pray in this way, "I thank You that it's Your will to save my husband, and it's already decided. I'm looking forward to seeing it with thanks.", otherwise your prayers won't go for anything. A lot of prophecies about what will happen in the future are stored in the Book of Daniel. But if your daily life isn't changed by the Lord, they are worthless, no matter how much you acquire precious knowledge on the prophecies by thorough studies. Thus, we should learn Daniel's individuality rather than his prophecies, and take it in as our own. Especially, we should learn about his prayers, and we want to a prayer like Daniel. First of all, we should know His will in recent days. Others will be secondary things. Daniel knew well about His will onto people belonging to the Lord. If we want to be called by Him, "a man highly esteemed", we too should know His purpose like Daniel. In the era of the New Testament, Paul traveled around the world preaching the Gospel, took close communication with believers in all over the world, served in many cities. The Lord granted that Paul was put into a prison. Why? It was because to teach him what was His will those days, and to give him a time to think closely about it. By reading his letters written there, we have to recognize a time he spent in the prison as the most blessed period. We can clearly see the secret of the eternity of the Lord is revealed in letters to Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. That is, believers are a part of Jesus' body, heavenly existence, headed with Jesus. Many say it is difficult or impossible for them to accomplish His purpose written in those Books. Thus, a lot of people were saved and grew modestly, but they didn't ask anymore and held still at a low position. They don't know they are heavenly, spiritual, and world wide existence. Daniel not only knew His will in those days, but also he was confident that His purpose will be exactly fulfilled. This is the very reason his prayers moved the Heaven. No one will pray earnestly if he knows it doesn't happen. We pray because we are confident that it will surely be fulfilled. Daniel knew He won't change His purpose, and ... (Side A -> Side B) Ephesians, 6:18
Paul wrote "Always keep on praying. Pray in the Spirit on all occasions for all the saints." How far we are away from this standard! It can be said Daniel knew His will and also a status of his circumstances. He was captured by the enemy of the God, Babylon. He was confident it's not His will that the people of the God, the tribes of Israel are captured by the country called Babylon. The reason why Israel was defeated and captured is that believers didn't have any intention to hear His words. As a result, they spiritually corrupted and even forgot they are Spiritual tribe belonging to the Heaven. Most of Israelite thought there that "I can't help it. Let's live as well as we can. We have to compromise.", and they lost Spiritual Power. But Daniel was different. Actually, he was involved in the same fate, and he suffered worries and pains in the same way. But he overcame all his circumstances and kept his pride and confidence as a man of the tribe belonging to the Heaven. He kept on praying to the Lord for retrieving the Spiritual status of Israelite and returning to Jerusalem. In the Book it is written that Daniel opened the window, looked toward Jerusalem, got down on his knees and prayed three times a day everyday. Jerusalem is always a symbol of the church in the Book. We can see how our circumstance is, only when we know His purpose well. Do we know how we are exactly? Is our church a splendid one written in Ephesians? Ephesians, 1:22-23
Ephesians, 2:21-22
Ephesians, 3:9-11
Ephesians, 3:20-21
and also, Ephesians, 4:12-13
Ephesians, 5:27
Ephesians, 5:30
We are yet far and far away from His will. We learned we should know His will in these days toward us for us to offer prayers which will reach to the Heaven. And also it is required to know how our circumstance is. Next, we should know the purpose of our worries and pains. The Lord uses anything to fulfill His purpose. It is very, very important to keep this seriously in our mind. He was confident the sufferings of the Israelite in Babylon was given to reveal His will to use them and take them back to Jerusalem. Probably, the earnest believers are in China, I think. Because they have been persecuted for tens of years. The number of believers increased hundreds of times. Some third parties might have thought "The evil won.", when they saw others were persecuted and killed for Him. But actually it was NOT. In their sufferings they became to trust the Lord in the actual meaning, and as a result they were filled with rejoice. People in the same sufferings must have asked, "Why are you rejoicing? Why aren't you disappointed?" If they hear a testimony like, "Because Jesus gives us a hope to live.", they will surely open their heart. The Lord tests people belonging to Him to open their heart to His purpose. The test are, for example, a disease, a death, and various agonies. This is the reason there're a lot of things we can't explain by any means. He uses anything to activate the Spirit within us and establish it firmly. We should know His purpose and goal of work toward the whole world and churches, and our private life. What I really want to say is that the Lord want to use men. Mark, 16:20
They introduced Jesus, the conqueror of death. Mark, 16:20
"The Lord worked with them." It definitely shows He wants to use men. It is emphasized on the Verse 1 in Chapter 6 of 2 Corinthians again. 2 Corinthians, 6:1
As a whole, it is written men are saved to be used as His instruments. Jesus promised "I will build my church.". For this reason He wants to use each one of us as His fellow worker. The whole Holy Bible tells the true living God wants to use men. He wants to reveal His existence among men by men. Actually, Daniel found He wants to work with him and use him as His instrument. We will live our daily life choosing one of two ways; One way is spending compromising days giving up and keeping a cozy relationship with this world like Israelite captured in Babylon. The other way is walking on a sacred path according to His will, believing His purpose will be necessarily fulfilled like Daniel and his friends. They became His fellow workers by offering themselves to the Lord. When Daniel prayed, his prayers reached to the Heaven. They reached to the Satan who is in lower Heaven, but they also reached to the Lord God dwelling in the highest. Back to the Book of Daniel, Daniel, 10:12-14
Daniel's prayers were heard and He had come in response to them. Your prayers will be empowered if your eyes are opened, and you know His eternal purpose, how your circumstance is, and the reason why agonies are given to you. Those who know this can offer a prayer which moves the Heaven like Daniel. Let's read the Verse 19 in Chapter 10 of Daniel. Daniel, 10:19
These words are told to us too. If you rely on this Lord, commit all your ways to Him, you will know His great love more and more. |