Tuesday Reflection- August 24, 2021

The Faithful Shall Inhabit God’s Everlasting Kingdom

There are twelve chapters in the book of Daniel, six, historical and six prophetic. Chapter 7 marks the point where the book switched from history to prophecy. The prophecy begins with Daniel’s vision of the Kingdom of God and what that meant for an Israel that was living under Babylonian captivity. Jerusalem may have been destroyed, the sovereign kingdom of Israel uprooted, and the religion left in disarray, but there would be a time when God’s kingdom would reign upon the earth as the greatest of all kingdoms. Today’s Watchword is from Daniel 7: 14. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.

Consider the state of the nation of Israel. Their city of Jerusalem was destroyed, and the people carried away into Babylonian captivity. They lost their leaders, their religious practices and treasures, and their way of life. In Babylon they were given new identities, new homes and a new religion. We know of the determination of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, also that of Mordecai and Esther. These were all outstanding servants of God who stood upon the foundation of their faith even in the most difficult situations. I’m sure there were many others that Daniel did not write about. We learn two valuable lessons from today’s text and the background to it. Firstly, we should never give up, never throw in the towel even when things seem completely hopeless. When we read of the different situations that these heroes of Daniel faced, we realize that when we trust God completely and refuse to follow the call of society to turn away from dedicated service, God will come through for us. When we are fearless in our faith even during adversities, God will protect us. When we are willing to give up everything and place our lives on the line for the sake of our faith, God will elevate us. I want to encourage someone today who has been on the verge of giving up, of turning away. God has a plan for you and if you stand faithful, you will reap the benefit. God has you in his hands.

Secondly, we learn that regardless of how things may seem now, we should never lose focus of what God has in store. Jeremiah, Isaiah, and other prophets of the time prophesied a return from Babylon for God’s people. God would not abandon them in a strange land but would bring them back, would deliver and redeem them. Their redemption from Babylon would be the precursor of a greater redemption that God had in store. This would be accomplished through the establishment of God’s kingdom upon the earth. While the kingdoms of Israel and Babylon could suffer displacement and defeat, God’s kingdom would be forever. God would be the sovereign ruler over all nations and their own rulers. These world rulers would have no choice but to declare the lordship of Christ as he is established upon the throne of God’s universal and everlasting kingdom. Phil 2: 9 – 11 tells us that God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. I thank God today that you and I are part of this everlasting kingdom. Yes friends, we who are part of the church on earth know that God’s dominion can never be given to another, and his kingdom can never be destroyed. Many have tried and many more will try but remember Jesus’ words to Peter. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church. Government policies may hinder her work and mission, society may shun her and turn their backs on her, even taking the lives of her servants, but in the words of Matthew Henry: The church shall continue militant to the end of time, and triumphant to the endless ages of eternity. Therefore beloved, regardless of what you endure, hold fast to the faith for we know that it is to those who endure to the end that the crown of eternal life will be given. It is the faithful who will inhabit God’s everlasting kingdom. Amen.