This contains some thoughts on Daniel 10:1 to 11:1 In crumbs74 I wrote of the 23rd cent. Church. I meant 21st . Apologies!
Crumbs from the Master ‘s Table 75
Prayer and Revelation
Scripture Daniel 10:12-18 New International Version 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” 15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. 16 Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.” 18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.
Crumbs There are at least three lessons here for the 21st century believer. 1. What God requires of His followers. Two things about Daniel grabbed the attention of heaven, his thirst for the truth and his humbling of himself before God. Some of us scrabble through life seeking to survive the next day. We are here for more than that. For Daniel it was the pursuit of truth, that is God. Having found God he realised how small he was before God and dismantled the greatest barrier between himself and God, namely his pride. There was a cost. He gave up wine, washing and meat for a time.
2.The seriousness of prayer. We read of warfare in heaven and all linked with the prayer life of this man Daniel. It seems remote from” just a little word of prayer “of the 21st century. We cannot under estimate the gravity of prayer. Care should be with care. For Daniel prayer led to a deeper understanding of the mind of God
3. The nature of Messiah This passage pushes us towards Ezekiel and Revelation. The one who looked like a man appears as strong and beautiful. He gives strength and revelation. Such is our Saviour. God reveals Himself to Daniel through a man. The answer lies in one of us, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the principle that holds good to this day. God reveals Himself to folk who seek Him through a human being, Jesus.
Questions1. What spiritual exercises might we adopt ? 2. How should Daniel 10 affect how we pray ?
3. What have we learnt about our Saviour ?
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