Having Tea With the Kings: Part Three

Darius & Cyrus

 

The book of Daniel closes with

his service to Darius and Cyrus --

kings from the invading army
 that defeated Belshazzar's Babylon.

During this final part of Daniel's life,
he hears news from his native homeland.

Jeremiah, a prophet who was not taken in
captivity to Babylon, was used of God

as His voice to the Jews remaining in Judah.
  Daniel learns of Jeremiah's prophecy regarding
 his and the other Jews' captivity in a pagan land. 

Jeremiah's prophecy reveals to these
 Jews that their captivity will last seventy years.

(Daniel 9:2)

Upon hearing this news, Daniel immediately

"set (his) face unto the Lord God."

Daniel 9:3.

He didn't run to his friends to tell them the news.

He didn't go tell King Darius what he had learned.

He didn't ask, "Why were we here so long?"

Imagine. 
At this point of his life, decades had passed.

He's just now realizing he would
 probably live to see the Jews' return to Jerusalem.

I wonder if Daniel was just
 then understanding,

the captivity was all part of
God's judgement

on the nation of Israel.

Regardless of what Daniel was thinking,

we know he immediately began

to talk with his Lord in prayer.

Doesn't that act of turning his face
toward God remind you of the young

Daniel in chapter 1 who had "purposed in his heart"

that he would obey God rather than

obey Nebuchadnezzar?

(Daniel 1:8)

I've truly been challenged by Daniel's example

to purpose in my heart to choose God's path

even when it's the difficult choice.

Thank you for listening and traveling with me
on this part of my journey!

It is my prayer that you and I both

continually set our faces

toward God.

For a printable companion worksheet

to the final chapters in Daniel,

click the following:

Part Three: Darius and Cyrus

 

If you missed the previous two devotionals

and their printable worksheet,

click on the following:

Part Two

Part One


Amy