214 - Daniel tested.

Kathleen's thoughts

Jeremiah 46: 1-12, 26: 20-24, 22:13-19, 36-9.
Kings 24: 7
Daniel 1: 4-7, 1:8-16, 1:17-20, 26: 20-24, 2:1-3, 2: 14-35.

Egypt's defeat.
Nebuchadnezzar's conquests... Now the king of Egypt did not march out of his land again, for the king of Babylon took everything that belonged to the king of Egypt, from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah The king assigned men with wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable to serve in the king's palace. They were trained for 3 years and at the end of this they were to serve in the king's court. Among them , from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief official gave them different names; the Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Their refusal, Daniel refuses to defile himself with the king'[s food or with the wind he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official not to defile himself. The official was worried about offending the king and also that he would loose weight so Daniel said to the official to do a trial run for 10 days in this he agreed too and at the end of this Daniel was far healthier than those who drank and ate the kings food. So the official allowed him to continue eating the way Daniel wanted too with just vegetables.

Their improvement in wisdom. God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. They were well thought after with the King.

Uriah martyred He escaped from King Jehoiakim because of his phrophey against the city  and against the land in words like all those of Jeremiah and went to Egypt but the king sent his me to Egypt  and brought back Uriah to King Jehoiakim who executed him with the sword and threw his corpse into the burial place of the common people. But Ahikam son of shaphan supported Jeremiah,, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

Jeremiah's lament The Lords word concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah;
They will not mourn for him saying, Woe, my brother! Woe, my sister! They will not mourn for him, saying, Woe, Lord! Woe, his majesty!. He will be buried like a donkey, dragged off and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.

A fast proclaimed


Nebuchadnezzar's dream In the second year of his reign he had dreams that troubled him and sleep deserted him. He asked the Chaldean and the spoke to the king "May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream and we will give the interpretation. But these men failed to interpret the dream, because of this the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy the wise men of Babylon. The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them.

The dream revealed to Daniel Daniel asked the Arioch, the king's officer Why is the decree from the king so harsh? So he told Daniel why and about the kings dream. So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation.
Daniel spoke with his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah about the matter urging them to ask the God of heaven for mercy concerning this mystery.
The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night. And Daniel praised the God of heaven and declared;
Daniel praise God.
May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.
He changes the times and seasons;
He removes kings and establishes kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals the deep and hidden things;
He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him
I offer thanks and praise to You, God of my fathers,
because You have given me wisdom and power,
And now You have let me know what we asked of You, for You have let us know the king's mystery.

So Daniel went to Arioch and told him not to destroy the wise men as he can interpret the dream for the king.
Daniel went before the king and the king asked him "Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation. and Daniel answered the king; No wise man, medium, diviner[priest, or astrologer is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days.

And so Daniel reveals the interpretation
My King, as you were watching a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, it's stomach and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were partly  iron and partly fired clay. As you were watching a stone broke off without a hand touching it, struck the statue on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them. Then the iron , the fired clay, the bronze,the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Blessings
Kathleen.