THE HANDLING OF A CRISIS -- Tomorrow:
"And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon." (Daniel 2:13-18)
Devotion 6 of 28
" . . . and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain."
During the carrying out of the king's decree, a search was made for "Daniel and his fellows." Other versions read, "and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them" (NASB), "and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death" (NIV).
Note that Daniel "and his fellows" now have the reputation for being "wise men." We do not know how much time had passed since they stood before the king and were proved to be "ten times better" than all the wise men in Babylon. The consensus of historians is that the events of chapter two occurred in the same general timeframe.
Not only had an urgent decree been issued by the king, there was an atmosphere of violence and hardness that had already started to develop. Whatever bloodthirstiness existed in the hearts of the executioners had now been honed to a fine edge. Perhaps they were becoming more expert in their commission as they moved along.
This was, indeed, a most difficult situation! The officials are not seeking for Daniel and his friends in order to question them, but to kill them. They are not attempting to find them so they may be given an opportunity to tell the king his dream and the interpretation of it. They fully intend to abruptly terminate their lives. The most powerful king in all the world has sent them on their mission, and the government ruling the world stands behind fully them. From any view, other than that of faith, this is a hopeless situation.
GOD IS SETTING THE STAGE
While the Spirit supplies us with the facts in the case, strength and encouragement are not ministered to us by the facts themselves. It is the purpose of God that drives these circumstances, giving them edifying power. I do not doubt that the devil, together with his principalities and powers, had entered into this situation with a mind to eliminate Daniel and "his friends." However, he is but a temporary vassal in the hands of the Lord.
The "God of gods" (Psa 136:2) is orchestrating these affairs to bring Daniel and his friends into the limelight. He is working all things together for their good, as well as for His glory. The mighty God will couch the execution of His purpose in a setting designed to give Him glory, and His people confidence. The setting is an angry king – one who rules the world. The circumstance is the decreed death of all the wise men in Babylon's empire – and Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are among that number. A considerable part of the slaughter has probably already taken place, and the intensity of the bloodletting is increasing.
However, there is yet more to this situation that will serve to bring honor and glory to God. In the days of Jezebel, who, from any point of view, was far less powerful than Nebuchadnezzar, Obadiah hid one hundred prophets in a cave so they would not be exposed to the wrath of the queen (1 Kgs 18:4). The mighty prophet Elijah himself fled from Jezebel to a place where she could not find him (1 Kgs 19:3). When Saul sought David "every day," David hid in the strongholds of the wilderness (1 Sam 23:14). When Abimelech, a son of Gideon, hired "vain and light persons," murdering seventy sons of Jerubbaal, the youngest son "hid himself," and was thus spared (Judges 9:5). On one occasion, when the people "took up stones" to cast at Jesus, He "hid Himself, slipping away from the Temple grounds" NIV (John 8:59). Moses "fled" from Egypt because of the challenge of one of his own brethren (Acts 7:29). In Iconium, when the city became divided over the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, they "fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about" (Acts 14:6). One might suppose, therefore, that Daniel and his friends would hide themselves during the carrying out of the king's commission. After all, there was certainly Scriptural precedence for such a response.
However, the Kingdom of God is not managed by rules and procedures. What is good under one circumstance, may not be good under another. It may be proper to hide on one occasion, while it would be wholly improper to do so on another. The "just shall live by faith" (Heb 10:38), not by lifeless regulations. Another kind of purpose is being served in Daniel's day, and thus a different manner of response is required. When it is proper to hide, it will require faith to do so. When it is proper to allow yourself to be found, it will also require faith.
It is necessary to make these observations because of the overly simplistic views that are often declared in the name of the Lord. One must remember that adhering to mere rules does not require faith. That was solidly confirmed in the Law, which was the highest form of law. "The Law is NOT," we are reminded, "of faith" (Gal 3:12).
We will now behold how faith can respond to a threat, and how the Lord will carry out His purpose. You will find it is on an extraordinarily personal level, and with a keen interest to making God's mind known.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus I thank You for the wisdom that faith brings – a wisdom that confidently confront circumstances with the expectation of Your blessing.