Daniel 2 (6)

Introduction
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
Like the rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes. Proverbs 21.1

God sometimes moves in surprising ways. When He moves, when He begins to accelerate things in the direction of His promises, people are always involved, and not all those people are His people. Nebuchadnezzar’s heart had crashed like a raging tsunami over the city of Jerusalem and the temple of God, laying waste to Israel’s freedom and hope. But now God was changing the course of his heart and using Daniel to accomplish His ends. What is written here is for our learning (Rom. 15.4).

Review 2 Kings 25.1-21.

Read Daniel 2.46-49.

Think it Through
1.  Read aloud verses 46 and 47, speaking Nebuchadnezzar’s words as they must have sounded then. Compare what you read here with what we saw in 2 Kings 25.1-21. What is happening in Nebuchadnezzar’s heart? Why? This is not what we would call a profession of faith in God, but it does mark a significant change in the course of Nebuchadnezzar’s heart. Imagine a scale from 1 to 5, where 1=Totally committed to God, and 5=Hostile to God. Where was Nebuchadnezzar in 2 Kings 25.1-21? Where is he in Daniel 2.46, 47? What do we learn about God’s role in changing hearts? About our role in God’s work of changing hearts? How should we be encouraged by this changing course of Nebuchadnezzar’s heart?

2.  Just as Pharaoh had done with Joseph, so Nebuchadnezzar did with Daniel. In 2 Corinthians 10.13-16 Paul talked about his “sphere” of influence – what we refer to as his Personal Mission Field. What just happened to Daniel’s Personal Mission Field? Why? What did Daniel do to fortify this situation? What can you learn from Daniel in this chapter about working your own Personal Mission Field – what to do, what to expect, how to conduct yourself, and so forth?

Meditate
“Observe the might of prophecy, how it changed that savage one and allowed him to be instructed and introduced him to faith.” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authoritydid not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, thatas your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regionsbeyond you, andnot to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment. 2 Corinthians 10.13-16

Lord, who are the people in my Personal Mission Field, and how do You want to use me today to…

Pray Psalm 83.13-18.

Psalm 83.13-18 (St. Chrysostom: We Have Not Know Thee As We Ought)
Make them like whirling dust, O God!  Scatter them like the windblown chaff!
Rage like a fire consuming a wood, like flames that burn a mountain pass!
Blow like a tempest, bring them to harm, and terrify them with Your storm!

Fill with dishonor every face that they may seek Your Name, O Lord.
Bring them to shame, dismay, and disgrace, and let them perish under Your Word,
That they may learn Your infinite worth, O God Most High of all the earth!

T. M Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.