V5-8 5 These verses show us that although we must be born again by the Spirit of God, how this happens remains a mystery to us. We cannot really see wind and cannot predict everything about it. Similarly, the work of the Spirit is not something we can completely understand. We know that what the Spirit does works, and why, but the intricacies are beyond our comprehension. This reminds me of Ecclesiastes 3:11. Ecclesiastes 3:11 11 We do not know and cannot find out what will happen in our lives, yet we know that as long as we hold on to God, He has a purpose for us in all that we do and that it will all work out beautifully and for good. Romans 8:28 28 Since God knows what is best for us, we need to trust in Him, in His timing and wisdom, because His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. Always. Isaiah 55:9 9 Jeremiah 29:11 11

V4,7,9 show us the goodness of God V11 the juxtaposition of ‘all Israel’ and ‘Your law’ shows that literally no one obeyed God. V12 a great disaster was brought upon the people because they rebelled. V13-14 God is merciful. Even though God knows the future, He has ‘kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon [them]’. This means that God held the disaster back, and gave the people a chance even after they had rebelled against God, but the people ‘had not made their prayer’ (they were not going to) before God, ‘that [they] might turn from [their] iniquities and understand [God’s] truth’. Since ‘the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though [they had] not obeyed His voice’, God brought the disaster upon them because He is righteous. V20-21 repetition of ‘while i was speaking’ V23 ‘At the beginning of your supplications the command went out’. This reminds me of a sermon I heard, where the preacher was saying that if we have the need, we should ask those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22) to pray for us. "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." 2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV The sermon speaker also mentioned that we may not be praying at the same time. Still, it is quite marvellous because someone has asked us to pray for them, and in those moments God has helped them open up a way. God is pleased with us asking (a group of) people to pray for us. The preacher said that he could also see that happening (God helping them open up a way) when people asked him to pray for them, even if he may not always remember to pray for them.

We see James 4:6 coming to pass in this chapter, through the end of Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans and Daniel being made the third ruler in the kingdom. "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”" V4 they did the wrong thing V7 they brought in ‘the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers’. They either did not know or did not care that they should not be turning to these men to find answers. As many secular beliefs become more prevalent through the media in this day and age, we must guard our heart against these beliefs as they may corrupt our faith. In our lives today, we also should not turn to such men to find answers in our lives. "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." V11 & 13 the fact that they still sought counsel from Daniel, someone guided by God, is interesting, because it seemed unexpected for them, given that they turned to ‘the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers’. Let us rely on God through prayer and reading the Bible to find God’s will for our lives. It can also be through people God has placed in our lives, to remind us and nudge us in a certain direction. V17 Daniel did not accept the gifts. He still interpreted the writing, and was not in it for the benefits, but did so with genuineness and a humble heart, for the glory of God, and not for his own praise or glory. V29 by relying on God to interpret the inscription, he was made third ruler in the kingdom. V19 Nebuchadnezzar also took advantage of the power he was given and ‘Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down’. V20-21 God resists the proud and Nebuchadnezzar faced a downfall ‘till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.’ "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”" We must humble our hearts, especially since we know God and His Word. V23 they praised the gods but did not glorify God Is it the same with us today? That we know God is the One ‘who holds our breath in His hand and owns all [our] ways’ yet we have not glorified Him? Do we give praise to other things (e.g. hard work) and people in the face of success? They used what belongs to God to praise the gods of silver and gold. Do we also use what God has given us to praise other things and people? We must remember to give glory to God because God has given and provided us with these. Even what may seem like ours (e.g. our hard work) only exists because God gives us the strength and the days to achieve these things. We merely live on borrowed time, and we are but dust. "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children," Every day we are given to live is a blessing. We should also not misuse our roles to oppress others. V25 the meaning of the inscription came to pass V27 ‘weighed in the balances, and found wanting’ could mean that Belshazzar’s life was wanted and would be taken away soon. We see that his soul was required of him that night. "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”" God’s Word will come to pass. We see that V28 also came true in V31. V28 the kingdom was given to Medes and Persians V31 Darius the Mede received the kingdom. It indeed came true. God’s Word coming to pass can be something we are fearful or hopeful about. It depends how prepared we are. Since God’s Word will come to pass, let us prepare ourselves so that we will remain hopeful for what is to come with faith and not fear.

Ezekiel 18 talks about how all souls belong to God and will be judged for iniquity or righteousness, based on how they have lived their life. In particular, the use of the word “get” in “get a new heart” captures my attention, because it suggests not using our current heart, but acquiring a new one. 31 These two verses show us that God does not want to see us die. However, it has been set that the wicked will die and the righteous will live, and God calls us to live. Therefore, we have to be righteous, to turn from our iniquities, because every soul will be judged for their own actions and lives, and cannot live or die by another’s righteousness or wickedness. This means we have to take responsibility for how we choose to live. 9 If And kept My judgments faithfully— He He shall surely live!” Says the Lord God. We ought to live like verse 9 says. This means we have to have love too. 1 Corinthians 13 3 May God guide us to live faithfully by God’s word so that we will surely live.

Ezekiel 17 talks about how God will save Israel and raise Israel up, while God will bring Babylon down. The last verse: 24 reminds me of another verse: James 4 6 “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” which also relates to this verse: Proverbs 16 18 And a haughty spirit before [ 19 Than to divide the [ These verses show us that God delights in humility and will exalt the lowly, but those who are proud will be humbled by their fall, or perhaps by God. We can see that being proud is not an admirable quality to have and God also resists the proud, hence there is no reason to be proud. However, as humans, it can happen that we become proud due to different reasons, and these reasons point to our bruised inner world and how we are comparing ourselves to others, or exalting our own selves. Comparison with others also means one is judging them, and when one thinks of oneself as better than others, it is like this verse says: Matthew 7 3 Being blind to one's own weaknesses, one cannot even see others clearly. Matthew 7 4 When the plank is removed and one’s vision is restored, one can see the beauty in others and their strengths. Therefore, this chapter reminds us of lowliness and humility in our lives.