RACAD HIGHLIGHTS
Today we wrap up the book of Daniel.
Chapters 7-12 mainly focused on events at the end of the age.
There is so much to learn from Daniel’s prophecies which was sealed up until the time of the end.
In Mathew 24, Jesus gave us insights as to what the signs of the end of the age will be. From this we have an understanding that indeed the end is nearer than when we first believed.
For more on teachings on End time events, please join us on Wednesday 30th November as we take a study on The Great Tribulation
See you there.
The Man In The Gap
Daniel is an amazing book. A righteous was taken into captivity for no fault of his; he was living in the midst of his brethren who have forsaken the GOD of their covenant and are embracing strange gods and their practices. After several warnings on deaf ears, the wrath of GOD visited in the form of defeat before their enemies who took them as captives into their country.
And Daniel was not exempted from the consequences of the sins of his people. He was taken captive as well as the violets offender. As a captive, he was not mad with GOD or bitter with his people or chose to look out for his good only, rather he chose to love his people the more( the same people that put him into caprivity) and serve the LORD the more( the same GOD who could not reward his righteousness and prevent him from being captured).
In captivity, he dedicated his life to GOD and HIS cause. GOD’s cause was the establishment of Israel as the city of GOD, a feat that appeared impossible because Persia and Medes do not return captured territories back.
All that GOD needed was a man to stand in the gap. And Daniel chose to do that. As Daniel chose to honour GOD both in private and public life, and also chose to make GOD ‘s cause his daily prayer focus, the LORD promoted him beyond imagination.
As a captive, he was honoured to be the head of all the wise men and eventually rose to be governor par excellence. Yet all these promotions were nothing compared to his zeal to see the mercy of GOD upon Israel, leading to the return of the establishment of the nation of Israel.
Many of the Jews have long given up any hope of such ever happening, but Daniel believed that scriptures that recorded the end of the captivity was of GOD. His prayers were not frivolous, selfish or vindictive. His prayer focus was in line with scriptures.
Here was just a single man who believed so much in GOD and in his nation’s glorious future that he prayed from his youth to his old age for the manifestation of GOD’s promise.
He followed scriptures duly. And when he discovered from scriptures that the time to favour Israel was at hand, he followed it up in prayers with fasting for GOD’s mercy and promise.
This level of commitment touched GOD so much that in response to Daniel’s prayers, HE gave him such tremendous revelations from Chapters 9 – 12.
What grips me in this book is not the accuracy of the revelations but the personality of Daniel. Here was just one man, without bitterness, strife, was willing to count his life as nothing for the sake of a God who appeared to have abandoned him and for the sake of a sin ridden nation who have put him in trouble.
Here he was willing to still love and pray for that nation. It took just one man, willing to pay the price and stand in the gap for such revelation to be made known.
No prayer meeting, no conference, no undue call to self but with a singular ruggedness, he persisted in the place of prayers with one prayer focus, year in, year out.
Not just any one man, but one man passionate about GOD and completely selfless. And to think that he didnt live to see the full manifestation of his prayers.
Can I be that man for the restoration of the glory of the church in Nigeria and Nigera as a nation? Do I have what it takes?