Key Verse: At the first light of dawn, the
king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he
called, to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living
God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the
lions?"
Daniel 6:19-20
Throughout His ministry, Jesus seemed to be
continually amazed at the slowness of His disciples to grasp who He truly was.
He understood the resistance of the leadership because of the threat to their
earthly power, but even there, the blindness of the learned, who knew the
scripture better than anyone, remained a continual source of frustration.
Jesus was not only foretold by the prophets,
but the history of Israel was full of example after example of godly men who
set the stage for Christ's life on this earth. Yet, the people didn't recognize
Him when He arrived.
I chose this story because it perhaps most
closely parallels the crucifixion. You have the plot against a godly man, and
an attempt to do all that man could do to silence him. The king seemed
impotent, as did Pilate. The leaders twisted the law to their own advantage.
Yet, in the end, Daniel appeared victorious through God while those who plotted against him
were destroyed.
There are other stories, however that also
serve to point the way to Christ. There is Abraham offering his only son Isaac.
Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice as Jesus carried His cross. (Genesis 22)
There is Joseph, sold into slavery for 20 pieces
of silver, by his own half-brothers. He is continually rising in respect only
to be put down by lies and intrigue, until finally he becomes ruler in Egypt. (Genesis 37-50)
There is Moses, who was hidden away, as a
baby, but eventually brought the people of Israel out of Egypt. Jesus Himself
had to be hidden in Egypt, as an infant, until those who sought His life were
gone. (Exodus 1 & Matthew 2:13-23)
Jesus Himself referred more than once to the,
"Sign of Jonah." (Matthew 12:38-41 & 16:4) Jonah, was resurrected, and went on to
preach repentance to a rebellious people.
While other historical figures may not have
been as completely parallel to the life of Christ, there are many others who
remained faithful, through adversity, for God to be glorified. The writer of
Hebrews refers to them as, "The great cloud of witnesses." (Heb. 12:1) "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured
the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God." (Heb. 12:2) It all comes together in Jesus, His
life, His death and what is to come. The prophets spoke, the witnesses set the
example, all pointing to Jesus as the culmination of God's greatest work. Yet,
because of that greatest work, the story continues through us as we add to the
story through what Christ does in us. Are we a foreshadowing of Christ in our
lives?
In the story from Daniel, King Darius asked
Daniel if God had been able to save him. May those who are watching the way we
live witness our confidence that God can do today what He did for Abraham, Moses,
Daniel, and for all those who faithfully entrusted their lives to His care.
Hymn: Ancient
of Days
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