Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Words of Praise in Daniel

The last two days I have been struck in my Bible reading at the reality that God is in control of everything. Specifically, it has been amazing to look at how pagan, godless kings end up living in his perfect purpose. I noticed several passages in Daniel that reminded me of this.
Daniel 4:3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.
and then again...
Daniel 4:34-35 At the end of the days I lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
one more in Daniel...
Daniel 6:26-27 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Who would say such things in Daniel? Daniel himself? What about Hananiah, Mishael, and Azaraiah (or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for all of you Babylonians)?

No, the first two sayings were from Nebuchadnezzar (a pagan Babylonian king) and the last was from Darius (a pagan Medo-Persian king). Not the ones you might expect to lavish praise on God. But, then again one day every knee will bow to Jesus Christ!