Bible Reading

Daniel Chapter 11 - Refined, Purified, and Made White

Hold on to your faith and be counted worthy of heaven.

Written by

2 copper mites

16 Oct 2024

2 min read

Beginning from chapter 8, Daniel begins to prophesy about the future of God’s nation, Israel, which is referred to as “the Glorious Land” (8:9; 11:16, 41).

We read of wars between kingdoms, such as Persia versus Greece (11:2-4) and the Northern versus the Southern kingdoms of the Greek empire (11:5-35). We also read of a vicious king who will exalt himself against God and oppress Israel (8:9-11; 11:31-33, 36-39). In history, this king was Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BCE) who was notoriously known for his depraved acts, like placing idols in God’s temple and offering pigs as burnt sacrifices to blaspheme God.

While these prophecies have been fulfilled in history, they are also awaiting fulfilment in the end times. The book of Revelation, which parallels the book of Daniel, also speaks of a figure who will blaspheme against God and wage war with the saints in the end times (Rev 13:5-7).

Here then lies a point of critical self-reflection: how sensitive am I to the Anti-Christs that are already active in the world, in the form of societal attitudes and trends? Am I able to resist them, holding fast to my faith?

Consider Daniel 11:35 which describes the fate of the Israelites who held onto their faith despite sword, flame, captivity and plundering by the king at that time:

“And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.”

This verse is also somewhat repeated in 12:10 with the words “refined”, “purified” and “made white”. This highlights the importance of holding onto our faith amidst Anti-Christs so that eventually we will be counted worthy to reunite with Jesus in heaven (Rev 3:4-5).

Therefore, let us also ponder: what steps can I take right now to build up a faith that will ensure I’m refined, purified, and whitened when Jesus comes again?

May we be able to sing this song of welcome for our Lord when we see Him again, as we’re dressed in the radiant fine linen of our righteous acts (Rev 19:6-8):

“Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

Amen!

Amos Chapter 2 - What Kind of Life Are We Living as God’s Chosen People?

Salvation is not only a protective shield, but a commission and a responsibility.

Daniel Chapter 6

Those who grew up in church would have heard or read the story of Daniel in the lions’ den countless times. Even those who are new to the faith would likely be no stranger to the simple story that is only one chapter long. For those of us who are well acquainted with the story, do we glance through the passages swiftly or even side-stepping this part of the Bible altogether, due to our familiarity. Or do we continue to savour and be captivated by this incident (and the teachings encapsulated therein), just like how we relish and enamoured with timeless classics and story that we never tire of, like beauty and the beast and Aladdin. Are we still inspired by the remarkable example that Daniel provided to us. That despite his busy life as a governor (one of three) who oversee the satraps who manages the mighty Persian empire, which stretches from Egypt to the West and borders of India to the East, he continues steadfastly to find time to pray three times a day. Bearing in mind that in those days, when unlike us today, they do not have inventions that automate and simplify many processes. Remember how Moses was severely bogged down when he took upon himself to hear and judge the cases of the Israelite nation, which forms only a small part of the Persian empire. Daniel knows his priority in life, that prayer is the immovable rock in his life that he dearly adheres to. All other matters play second fiddle, not matter how important or urgent. What is even more praiseworthy is that he did not back down despite hearing the royal command. It was not just a mere threat that confronted Daniel, that the king might punish the offender but rather a certain death if found out. Daniel has been serving in the king’s courts are the years, and he is definitely in the best position to know how the laws of Persia and Medes work, that once a decree is established and signed, even the king does not have the power to change or to alter. Daniel’s faith and trust in God, as well as God’s care and protection, serves as a great confidence booster to the rest of us. As we read this story, we may be wondering where Daniel’s three friends at this time are. Have they kept the faith? Do they shrink and fall back in their faith, having succumbed to the pressure of towing the line in keeping the decree, playing it safe but outwardly showing that they compile by hiding their prayer life behind closed doors. As no details are shared, let us not speculate and make unnecessary inferences. The main point of the story is Daniel’s submission to God rather than to men, even at the cost of his life. Let us also take note that at the time when Daniel’s three friends were thrown in the fiery furnace, Daniel was also not there at that time. Does his absence mean that Daniel compromised his faith and bowed down to the image? Obviously not. We can only assume that Daniel was not present at that time, for he could have been sent to another part of the empire, for we know that Daniel would have stood his ground at that time, just like how he did so here. May we always be stirred up in our faith through constant reminders of this story.

Daniel Chapter 8 - Cast Down or Built Up?

Persecutions will come. But will we stand?

Is Footwashing necessary for salvation?

Although Footwashing isn't commonly practised for salvation in many Christian churches, we believe that the Bible points us to its necessity.

Daniel Chapter 4 - Let the Most High God Reign in Your Life

The story in Daniel Chapter 4 is perhaps not unfamiliar to many of us. King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the great Babylonian empire, the king of kings, being turned into a beast, how spectacular is that? It's not until we read through this chapter for ourselves that we realise something even more spectacular: this whole chapter is told by King Nebuchadnezzar himself. Daniel Chapter 4 is King Nebuchadnezzar's own personal testimony! Isn't King Nebuchadnezzar the infamous evil king? How is it that in this chapter he gives praise to the almighty God? Perhaps the first thing that should catch our attention from today's chapter is the repeated phrase in verses 17 and 32. The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He wills. This phrase can even be said to be the theme of the whole Book of Daniel. This book is mostly set in the time of exile, when there seemingly was no longer any king over the people of God. Yet, in the Book of Daniel we see that though there was no earthly king ruling over Israel, God made it clear to these foreign kings that He is the almighty God. He was still the one who was truly the King. The outcome of this is that the evil king Nebuchadnezzar, probably the greatest and most powerful man during his time, writes this testimony for all peoples, nations, and languages to hear (Daniel 4:1-3). Imagine being a subject in the Babylonian empire, and receiving this declaration from king Nebuchadnezzar praising and glorifying the God of Israel. Though God's people sin against Him and are punished by being taken into exile, the name of God is still magnified. God is not put to shame. Today through baptism we have entered into the Kingdom of God. Yet, it is key for us to consider whether God truly is the King of our lives. It's natural to make many plans for our future, out of a desire to lead our dream lives. But for us Christians, the sovereignty and authority of God is something that we must be well-aware of and fully willing to submit to. If God doesn't let me get that job, are we able to accept it? If God closes the path towards our dreams, are we will to say "Let Thy will be done"? If God takes away all that we have, are we able to be like Job and say "Blessed be the name of the Lord"? If all this is causing us to struggle, remember this: God loves us. He knows what's best for us, He knows what we need. He has already given His life for us, and given us His precious Spirit to dwell within us. Having faith in God's love towards us gives us strength to submit to our King with full assurance that this is the best path for us, this is the way to blessing and to eternal life. Since our God is the highest and rules over the kingdom of man, what then should our response ought to be? Nebuchadnezzar begins and ends his testimony by praising and glorifying God. Giving praises to God is something that we have been often taught but perhaps we have not given enough thought to or taken seriously enough. Yet, throughout the Bible, it's clear that praises are a key part of our worship to God (just read the Book of Psalms). What might we praise God for? Like Nebuchadnezzar, we can praise God for His greatness and His almightiness. Just consider the stars, or the intricacies of the human body. We can praise God for His love and wisdom as seen in His creation as well as in His word. The more we study into the holy scriptures, the more we are filled with awe at how complete, connected, and wonderful these life-giving words are. We can also glorify God for His salvation which He has so freely given to us. Imagine how different our lives might be today if not for His grace and mercy! It's when we decide to finally take the importance of praising God seriously and intentionally set aside some time in our daily prayers to praise God, that we truly experience the blessing that comes along with it. We go through life being filled with joy and gratitude, knowing that we have such a great and powerful Heavenly Father who loves us. In fact, it was when Nebuchadnezzar took the glory for Himself rather than giving all glory to God, that the infamous transformation into a beast took place. This brings us nicely to the final point of reflection for this devotional. Pride - when we take glory for ourselves rather than giving glory to God. Nebuchadnezzar's testimony serves as a stark warning for us. Even just a sentence or thought of pride can greatly displease God. How often have we unknowingly taken credit for ourselves for any achievements we have, or for any divine work that we do? Being puffed up with pride and not keeping to one's proper domain is precisely the sin of satan (1 Tim 3:6, Jude 6-7). If we are filled with pride, what difference is there between us and satan? In fact, while satan exalted himself, God on the contrary lowered Himself, coming in the likeness of man and humbling Himself even to the point of death (Phil 2:5-8). Whose example do we want to follow, that of God or of satan? Let us take warning from the story of Nebuchadnezzar and carefully consider who's example we want to follow. Indeed, God opposes the proud while giving grace to the humble. He blesses the meek, that they might inherit the earth .

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