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Read Introduction to Daniel

 

21 “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.23 I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”  

 

2:21

And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings;

God is in control of human history.  He makes and unmakes kings.  God sovereignly controls human events.  God will lead human history to its climax.  God has a plan for creation.

He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

Daniel identifies two evidences of God’s wisdom:  1) He gives wisdom to the wise, and 2) He gives knowledge to those who have understanding.

2:22

He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

We see God’s wisdom in revelation.  “Light dwells with Him” because He sees all things clearly.  There are no shades of meaning or possibilities in Him.  Man is in the dark because he is limited in his understanding.  God is omniscient.

2:23

I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.

Now Daniel specifies that it was God who gave him wisdom.  The revelation he received came from God, not from his own wisdom.  He fully recognized that it was God who gave him everything he knew.

PRINCIPLE:

We cannot truly worship God without understanding His character.

APPLICATION:

We must understand the character of God to worship Him.  All worship is based on the comprehension of God.  Understanding God is impossible without a maximum understanding of the principles of the Word, for it is the Word that reveals who God is.

Our prayer should honor God or glorify Him.  We do this because of what God is in Himself.  Wisdom is His.  Might is His.  God’s infinite wisdom chooses the best course for our lives.  God’s power will execute His desires.  Nothing happens by unadulterated chance.  God raises up governmental leaders, and He puts them down.  That is why we honor Him.

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