take 'er easy.
i could post 800 entries about anything else but controversy, but then i post one and everyone comes out to comment. i apologize for my ungracious/ungrateful attitude this past week. does anyone ever just have those times where things pile up and break them down completely? yes, you all do. it was that.
i am completely uncomfortable in my own skin. but i need to realize that this is just a time. it shall pass. i realize that God has not just left me. i realize that livejournal is such a terrible place at times to try to portray the depth of one's emotions and thoughts. that is why i rarely post. when i do post, i either get no reaction or a negative one.
those who had negative things to say, that's great. it is what i asked for, but i was leaning for constructive criticism instead of stab wounds which then lead to an "i love you" disclaimer at the end. i would rather not hear that afterwards. don't associate criticism with hate, thus necessitating a patchwork "i love you." whether or not that was each commenter's intention, i do not know, but i am speaking very generally, so please don't take it personally and freak out/think poorly upon me.
kenneth a. bender II, i extend an apology. i love you far too much to be in lakewood for any amount of time and ignore out friendship any further. please forgive my selfishness. let us be lovers yet again.
greg lepicier, i extend this apology. while i am sorry for the foul judgments that i have somehow conveyed to you and the "other people" whom have been offended, i ask that you take a step back and realize that i am not judging you. just be my friend and please lay down the defensive streak you have towards me. i want to be vulnerable with you and i want you to be vulnerable with me.
what a horrible place to make such apologies.
lauren landers, thank you for your wisdom. i am well aware of the problems having convictions creates. i was kicked-out of my family at seventeen because of my convictions. while i hold these "convictions," the main thrust of my life and my goals consists of laying down my life for humanity, for the sake of what God is seeking to do among humanity. no one seemed to really connect with that part of my last post (from the comments at least).
if you pray, please pray for my mother. she suffered another stroke this afternoon. this is her fourth or fifth. she is a fragile hypochondriac.
i am breaking down. i don't have the time to write what my mind is exclaiming.
everything is disjointed.
everything is broken.
everything is alive.
"Made for spirituality, we wallow in introspection. Made for you, we settle for pleasure. Made for justice, we clamor for vengeance. Made for relationship, we insist on our own way. Made for beauty, we are satisfied with sentiment. But new creation has already begun. The sun has begun to rise. Christians are called to leave behind, in the tomb of Jesus Christ, all that belongs to the brokenness and incompleteness of the present world. It is time, in the power of the Spirit, to take up our proper role, our fully human role, as agents, heralds, and stewards of the new day that is dawning. That, quite simply is what it means to be a Christian: to follow Jesus Christ into the new world, God's new world, which he has thrown open before us."
from simply Christian, by n. t. wright
for those of you who have simply not have enough of my expression, i continue with
this was a paper i did for my general letters class a few weeks ago.
Reflection Paper Two
This semester has been the most difficult for me in terms of physical wellness. I have been experiencing a great increase in respiratory issues as well as migraines that have been plaguing me for a month now. Stressors find their way into every aspect of my life it seems. God has been placing me strategically in my broken family to be used by his Spirit to speak truth. I feel as if I can barely handle it. I never expected to be the problem-solver for my family, but it is amazing to see how God is changing my life and the lives of my family members at this present time. With all of that said, I am still exceptionally weak, even more drained by the many needs I seek to fill (naïvely) among my family and friends. I also work at a church in Long Beach, spending more of myself ministering to high school students, pleading for God’s Spirit to fill me and empower me for what he has prepared for me. I then drive twenty miles away to be a full-time student and brother to my family here at Biola. I want to be a good student, a good TA, a good mentee, a good mentor, a thoughtful artist and musician, all for God’s glory.
It would seem as if I take on far too many things than is wise to. I partially agree with that statement, but at the same time, I see how God is opening and closing doors all around me. The biggest frustration in the midst of all of these things I seem to occupy myself with is the fact that many of my friends take without realizing that I have need. I am afraid of being selfish and demanding that they pour into me. I am afraid of thinking about myself too much, but when it comes down to it, I become empty, and whether or not I believe I’m being selfish, I need help. What happened to the church as family? I try to rehearse over and over in my head that other people’s lives are just as chaotic, if not more chaotic than mine. I also try to understand that my boldness/confidence/security in the gospel might look to others as if I believe I have no need and that I can take care of it on my own. Whether or not that is the case, I find myself crying out to my brothers and sisters for help. But they don’t seem to hear. Many don’t know what to do in that situation, and I can’t blame them. What I mainly need is to see that people truly love me. That has been a struggle all my life with the added element of an abusive home life. But what I discover is this; I see God.
Because much of my life has consisted of suffering, it has been important to me since I became a Christian to discover why God allows/causes suffering. I have spent more time contemplating, researching, and synthesizing the theme of suffering, than any other theme in Scripture. But no matter how much time I spend on it, I need to step back and analyze my life every time. I need to see how God is orchestrating his grand story, and how by his abundant grace, he has invited me to play a small part in that story. When I read Psalm 8, I ought not to constantly think about how miniscule or undeserving man is, but rather, what the daily truth that moves me to action is: by God’s grace he has given man dignity. That image that has been tarnished by the fall is redeemed by the death and resurrection of Christ, and one day God will make his people a new creation, issuing justice and a full redemption to the cosmos.
I often tell friends that out attitudes and outlooks should not be circumstantial; we should not be made depressed or joyous be having or not having. Just as Paul describes the contentment that he learned in Philippians 3, as we mature as Christians, we ought to be living in a contentment that is beyond our present circumstances. When looking at it that way, this is very true. Our present sufferings ought not to dictate how we feel and thrash us around like leaves in a tornado. But stepping back and looking at this situation cosmically, we see that our current circumstance is this: we are chosen by God, atoned for by Jesus Christ, given His Spirit as a seal and an empowerment, and are able to participate in the very immanent and perfect plan of God. Our “true” circumstances don’t even have to be something in which we ignore our suffering, but embrace our suffering for the sake of God’s glory. May God grant me the wisdom to live my life without overworking myself, trusting that even in my limits and in my weakness, God is perfect and his work is perfect.
this was a few months ago for my book of daniel class. it is not very scholastic, but it is most likely boring. i was blessed to have written it though.
Spiritual Formation Project: Daniel
Introduction
As we look back at the biblical accounts of the lives of Daniel, Joseph, and Esther, we can develop various characters for each of the persons. We can discover much about the individuals based upon their actions, thoughts, decisions, as well as how others view them. The stories of Daniel, Joseph, and Esther have amazing similarities, and in that we can compare and contrast the decisions and actions of each character. The reader can empathize with these characters throughout their story, and effectively apply the spiritual truths of God’s Scripture to his or her life. We will start by looking at the characters chronologically, beginning with Joseph, followed by Esther, and then finally Daniel.
Composite Sketch of Characters
We first meet Joseph in Genesis 35:24, where he is introduced as one of Jacob’s twelve sons, the firstborn of Rachel, followed by Benjamin. In chapter 37, Joseph is seventeen and while “tending the flocks with his brothers” Joseph seems to have picked up some dirt about his brothers. He brings this to his father, Israel (Jacob). At this point, the author describes Joseph as the son whom Israel loved more than any other sons. This seems to be attributed to the fact that Joseph was born in Israel’s old age. Regardless of exactly why Israel loved Joseph most, he in fact did, and made a richly ornamented robe for him (“made him a long robe with sleeves” RSV). Because of this obvious preference towards Joseph by Israel, Joseph’s brothers hated him and could not speak peaceably with him. This is only amplified by what happens next in the account.
Joseph has two dreams. In the first, Joseph and his brothers are binding sheaves of grain in the field, and the brother’s sheaves bow to Joseph’s. Joseph made sure to share this dream with his brothers, who immediately took offense, and asked Joseph if he intended to rule of them. Joseph then has another dream, where the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing to him. Joseph decided to once again share this dream and was rebuked by his father Israel, and hated more by his brothers. This all results in a series of events where Joseph’s life takes a drastic turn to desolation when his brothers sell him into slavery. This humiliation turns to exaltation in Potophar’s household in Egypt, and eventually back to humiliation when Joseph is falsely accused of rape. But when he was 30 years old, Joseph is once again exalted for interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, and placed in the number two position in Egypt.
From this point on, much more of Joseph’s character is made evident. Much of Joseph’s life demonstrate struggles of faith. At age seventeen, Joseph when through very traumatic struggles. At age 30, he takes Pharaoh’s daughter as his wife, an ungodly interfaith marriage. Throughout all of his speaking, Joseph never refers to “YHWH,” the God is Israel, but rather, “elohim,” consisting of much more ambiguity and much less weight. Joseph also is known to have possessed a pagan “diviner’s cup” (which he also uses to blackmail his brothers in an attempted sinister plot of revenge). In the end though, Joseph saves the people Israel in the midst of a heavily pagan environment and is remembered as a gracious provider.
And now we look at Esther, which takes place during the exile of Israel. King Xerxes is the ruler at the time of Esther. Xerxes summons his wife, Vashti, to appear before guests during a banquet, but Vashti refuses and disobeys her husband. Xerxes then dethrones Vashti and begins a search for his wife among the beautiful virgins in the empire of Persia. There was a Jew from he tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai was carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar among those taken captive with Jehoiachin, king of Judah. Mordecai had raised his cousin, Hadassah (also known as Esther), when her mother and father died. Esther is described as “lovely in form and features.” Esther was instructed by Mordecai not to reveal her Jewish background, and she was taken to the palace to prepare for her meeting with the king for a year. When Esther ends up meeting with Xerxes, she pleases him the most, and he makes her his queen.
At some point, Mordecai becomes aware of a plot to kill Xerxes. He then tells Esther, and when all is said and done, the conspirators are hanged, and the event is then recorded in the king’s annals. The king promotes a man named Haman, but Mordecai refuses to show Haman respect. Infuriated by this, Haman talks Xerxes into ordering a decree that is to be the extermination of the Jews in the Persian empire at a specific date. In light of all of this, Mordecai instructs Esther to inform Xerxes that she is a Jew. More problems arise when Esther informs Mordecai that if she approaches the king without invitation, it is possible that she could be executed. At this point, Mordecai tells Esther, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Such words from Mordecai demonstrate his trust in God for the deliverance of Israel, despite no mention of God in the entire book of Esther.
Eventually Esther goes to the king, and all is made right. Haman is killed, Mordecai is honored, the Jews are saved, and the Feast of Purim is instated. What can be gathered from the account of Esther and Mordecai is that though the situation was dire (Mordecai faced his own death by way of Haman, Esther faced death in approaching the king uninvited, and all Jews in Persian faced death by the decree of Xerxes), a degree of faith, trust, honor, and courage was demonstrated.
Now we see Daniel, who also lived during the time of Israel’s Exile. In his life, Daniel was considered godly, intelligent, upright, and faithful. His looks and intelligence gained him a place in the king’s palace early on as a eunuch. Early on, Daniel as well as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, all faithful Jews, decide not to defile themselves with royal food. They proved to me much more healthy after the palace officials tested their abstinence. Through this moral test, they gained great favor in the palace. Even more important, God gave knowledge and understanding of all kings of literature and learning to these four men. The king brought them into his service and found no one equal to them in the whole kingdom. When king Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, none of his aids and sages could interpret it. Daniel then is used by God to interpret this dream. This happens a second time, and eventually Daniel gains great prominence in Babylon.
Years pass, and Daniel is much older. Belshazzar is now king in the palace. He and thousands of his nobles have a banquet, and with goblets that were originally taken from the temple in Jerusalem, Belshazzar and his friends drank wine and “praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone,” (Daniel 5:4). Immediately, the king sees writing appear on a wall. In great fear and amazement, Belshazzar seeks to decipher what is written, but none of the king’s wise men could do so. Hearing all of the raucous, the queen comes in to tells Belshazzar to relax and summon Daniel. Daniel interprets the words, and informs Belshazzar that the Medes and Persians would defeat his kingdom. That very night Darius the Mede killed Belshazzar and took over Babylon.
Under Darius’ rule, an edict was made that for thirty days, no other god or man was to be worshipped besides Darius, or else one would be thrown into the lion’s den. In response, the faithful Daniel prays three times a day in his second story balcony towards Jerusalem. Daniel is then arrested and thrown into the lion’s den, but God protects Daniel. In response, Darius gives glory to the God of Daniel, and it is written, “Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian,” (6:28).
Image Characters
While meditating and praying, I thought of many ways in which the stories of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel were similar and very different. It is very clear that the main things that these three people and their stories have in common is their link to pagan environments (Egypt, Babylon, Persia) as well as their specific link to the kings of those environments (Pharaoh, Xerxes, Nebuchadnezzar/Belshazzar/Darius/Cyrus).
In Joseph’s life he seems to really reject his heritage at times. He even named one of his sons Manasseh, which means “forgets father’s house.” This is similar to the command that Mordecai gave to Esther when he told her to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. In the book of Daniel, the four faithful servants (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) never falter in their faith, nor seek to hide it, even when faced with the penalty of death. Also similar between Joseph and Esther is the fact that they both had taken a spouse outside of Judaism (Joseph marrying Pharaoh’s daughter, Esther marrying Xerxes). In this, both Joseph and Esther compromised their faith for and in their wealth and power. Esther demonstrated this simply with her interfaith marriage, while Joseph took it a step further, being in possession of a diviner’s cup and probably partaking in some degree of pagan religion. Daniel, on the other hand, rejects the treasures offered to him by Belshazzar in exchange for his services. Within the writing of Joseph and Esther, the name of the God of Israel, “YHWH,” is never mentioned. Joseph refers to “elohim,” while in the book of Esther there is no direct mention of God. A more positive link between Joseph and Esther is their legacy to the people of God. Joseph is remembered as a beloved provider, having been used by God to aid his people during a famine. Esther and Mordecai stick out their necks for the sake of preserving God’s people.
One of the greatest similarities between the stories of Joseph and Daniel is their references to dreams. In the beginning of Joseph’s story, he has two dreams. Not only that, but he also demonstrates the ability to interpret dreams (with the cupbearer and Pharaoh). Similarly, Daniel is able to interpret the two dreams of Nebuchadnezzar, as well as having his own prophetic dreams. The common reference to the numbers “seven” and “seventy” among the stories of Joseph and Daniel are very similar. When it comes to similarity of points in history, both Esther and Daniel take place during the exile of Israel.
The greatest and most important similarity between Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, despite their different writing styles, events, time periods, and atmospheres, is the truth of God’s grace, his providential care, his sovereignty, and his power. Throughout all of these stories, regardless of the faith of the individuals, God remained faithful, delivering his people Israel, honoring the humble, humbling the proud, and bringing himself glory in his demonstration of absolute authority and rule.
Compare Characters With Yourself
In praying about my own personal life and my links to these characters, I was able to develop ways in which I demonstrated, by God’s power, some of the strengths and good qualities of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, while at other times, relying on my own strength and taking advice from my own selfishness, I stumbled. Throughout my life I have found myself flaunting my achievements and my position of favor. Like Joseph, I gloried in things that were not for me to take credit for. But different than Joseph I found myself in a situation where I had my sort of “coat of many colors,” and sought to be humble with the honor that I had received. When I graduated high school, I was in the top of my class, donning a while robe (signifying a 4.0 or better grade point average), as well as numerous cowls and medallions. When looking at the achievements of my siblings (six of eight are older than I am) it is clear that they had not graduated with such prestige. But I was important for me to seek to be humble with the blessings that God had given me. Thankfully, I did not end up a slave in Egypt.
Since I have been a Christian, there have been times where my heart wanders and places an idol before God in my heart. That has been a relationship, a material thing, and even the Bible itself. In relationships, it has become more important to me to serve the partner than for me to honor and serve God. I have in the past made music or playing music much more of an interest than pursuing those things for God’s kingdom. Even in studying God’s word, I figured that I had spent “enough” time with God by reading the Bible every night. Like Joseph, I have gone through spiritual struggles where serving God has not been my priority, and in that, I was caught up in spiritually discouraging activity.
Also within my life, I have experienced a very hostile “pagan environment.” Since my conversion to Christianity in ninth grade, my parents had been actively opposed to my commitment to church and studying God’s word. A month before I graduated high school I announced that I felt God’s call to serve in ministry and study the Bible academically. This meant that I would be going to neither Princeton nor UCI. Such disappointment and frustration brought my parents to the point of kicking me out of their house and cutting most ties with me. This seems to resonate (to a lesser degree of course) with Daniel’s lack of adherence to the decree that no one could pray to any other thing but Darius for thirty days. I was not thrown into a lion’s den for my zealousness, but removed from my house and from my family for a time. Also similar to Daniel’s story, after such events, I was able to gain prominence in my family, and at the moment, God is using my story and my ministry to draw my family into his kingdom.
Spiritual Lessons for Life
When looking at God’s Scripture and his work through the lives of the people Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, there are many spiritual lessons that can be derived. When God blesses us with the opportunity to be used, what do we do with it? Will we take that opportunity to take advantage of others as Joseph did with his brothers when they came to Israel for assistance? It took Joseph a while to actually do what he ought to have done in the first place. How long will we resist God’s calling on our lives and God’s calling in every moment of those lives? When God gives us an opportunity to be humble before him and before man, do we boast in our position and in ourselves? God has shown again and again that he desires humble servants. Will we be the humble servants that direct glory to the God of Israel, as Daniel and his friends did, or will we cease to mention Yahweh and have his glory come separate from out actions. God has given us the opportunity to participate in his work, and in that we can be the ones to point up to our heavenly Father and say, “All praise be to YAHWEH, the Ancient of Days, God of the universe!”
In my opinion, the most powerful spiritual lesson is the truth that God is ruling sovereignly over all of his creation. He created all things for himself, and though man has chosen to rebel and act what seems to be out of God’s will, Yahweh is faithful in working things together for the blessing of man, and for his eternal glory. When times are dark, just as they were when Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of rape, when Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were persecuted and placed in the fiery furnace, when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, we ought to trust in God, that he will work in those dark times to change us for his glory and to serve in his kingdom better, or he may deliver us from the suffering that we face with his divine protection.
As believers, we ought not to see ourselves simply as types of Josephs, Esthers, or Daniels, but rather as fellow-characters in God’s amazing work here on Earth. We ought to seek to eagerly praise God and participate in his will. We ought to look towards the past and see the testimony of the lives of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel and turn to God and praise him for the amazing things that he has done in their stories. We ought to also look towards the future, knowing in full assurance that we are chosen by God to participate in his history, and by his grace, we will even participate in the blessing of the kingdom. Proud rulers will be judged, just as Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar were. When faced with the threats of nuclear tests in North Korea, uranium enrichment of Iran, the reckless killing of civilians by Israel in Lebanon, and the imperialistic attitude of the United States, do we trust that regardless of what decisions are made, God is in control and he will show himself to be king of the universe? This is the truth that he demonstrates to us today, and has demonstrated in the lives of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel.
i am completely uncomfortable in my own skin. but i need to realize that this is just a time. it shall pass. i realize that God has not just left me. i realize that livejournal is such a terrible place at times to try to portray the depth of one's emotions and thoughts. that is why i rarely post. when i do post, i either get no reaction or a negative one.
those who had negative things to say, that's great. it is what i asked for, but i was leaning for constructive criticism instead of stab wounds which then lead to an "i love you" disclaimer at the end. i would rather not hear that afterwards. don't associate criticism with hate, thus necessitating a patchwork "i love you." whether or not that was each commenter's intention, i do not know, but i am speaking very generally, so please don't take it personally and freak out/think poorly upon me.
kenneth a. bender II, i extend an apology. i love you far too much to be in lakewood for any amount of time and ignore out friendship any further. please forgive my selfishness. let us be lovers yet again.
greg lepicier, i extend this apology. while i am sorry for the foul judgments that i have somehow conveyed to you and the "other people" whom have been offended, i ask that you take a step back and realize that i am not judging you. just be my friend and please lay down the defensive streak you have towards me. i want to be vulnerable with you and i want you to be vulnerable with me.
what a horrible place to make such apologies.
lauren landers, thank you for your wisdom. i am well aware of the problems having convictions creates. i was kicked-out of my family at seventeen because of my convictions. while i hold these "convictions," the main thrust of my life and my goals consists of laying down my life for humanity, for the sake of what God is seeking to do among humanity. no one seemed to really connect with that part of my last post (from the comments at least).
if you pray, please pray for my mother. she suffered another stroke this afternoon. this is her fourth or fifth. she is a fragile hypochondriac.
i am breaking down. i don't have the time to write what my mind is exclaiming.
everything is disjointed.
everything is broken.
everything is alive.
"Made for spirituality, we wallow in introspection. Made for you, we settle for pleasure. Made for justice, we clamor for vengeance. Made for relationship, we insist on our own way. Made for beauty, we are satisfied with sentiment. But new creation has already begun. The sun has begun to rise. Christians are called to leave behind, in the tomb of Jesus Christ, all that belongs to the brokenness and incompleteness of the present world. It is time, in the power of the Spirit, to take up our proper role, our fully human role, as agents, heralds, and stewards of the new day that is dawning. That, quite simply is what it means to be a Christian: to follow Jesus Christ into the new world, God's new world, which he has thrown open before us."
from simply Christian, by n. t. wright
for those of you who have simply not have enough of my expression, i continue with
this was a paper i did for my general letters class a few weeks ago.
Reflection Paper Two
This semester has been the most difficult for me in terms of physical wellness. I have been experiencing a great increase in respiratory issues as well as migraines that have been plaguing me for a month now. Stressors find their way into every aspect of my life it seems. God has been placing me strategically in my broken family to be used by his Spirit to speak truth. I feel as if I can barely handle it. I never expected to be the problem-solver for my family, but it is amazing to see how God is changing my life and the lives of my family members at this present time. With all of that said, I am still exceptionally weak, even more drained by the many needs I seek to fill (naïvely) among my family and friends. I also work at a church in Long Beach, spending more of myself ministering to high school students, pleading for God’s Spirit to fill me and empower me for what he has prepared for me. I then drive twenty miles away to be a full-time student and brother to my family here at Biola. I want to be a good student, a good TA, a good mentee, a good mentor, a thoughtful artist and musician, all for God’s glory.
It would seem as if I take on far too many things than is wise to. I partially agree with that statement, but at the same time, I see how God is opening and closing doors all around me. The biggest frustration in the midst of all of these things I seem to occupy myself with is the fact that many of my friends take without realizing that I have need. I am afraid of being selfish and demanding that they pour into me. I am afraid of thinking about myself too much, but when it comes down to it, I become empty, and whether or not I believe I’m being selfish, I need help. What happened to the church as family? I try to rehearse over and over in my head that other people’s lives are just as chaotic, if not more chaotic than mine. I also try to understand that my boldness/confidence/security in the gospel might look to others as if I believe I have no need and that I can take care of it on my own. Whether or not that is the case, I find myself crying out to my brothers and sisters for help. But they don’t seem to hear. Many don’t know what to do in that situation, and I can’t blame them. What I mainly need is to see that people truly love me. That has been a struggle all my life with the added element of an abusive home life. But what I discover is this; I see God.
Because much of my life has consisted of suffering, it has been important to me since I became a Christian to discover why God allows/causes suffering. I have spent more time contemplating, researching, and synthesizing the theme of suffering, than any other theme in Scripture. But no matter how much time I spend on it, I need to step back and analyze my life every time. I need to see how God is orchestrating his grand story, and how by his abundant grace, he has invited me to play a small part in that story. When I read Psalm 8, I ought not to constantly think about how miniscule or undeserving man is, but rather, what the daily truth that moves me to action is: by God’s grace he has given man dignity. That image that has been tarnished by the fall is redeemed by the death and resurrection of Christ, and one day God will make his people a new creation, issuing justice and a full redemption to the cosmos.
I often tell friends that out attitudes and outlooks should not be circumstantial; we should not be made depressed or joyous be having or not having. Just as Paul describes the contentment that he learned in Philippians 3, as we mature as Christians, we ought to be living in a contentment that is beyond our present circumstances. When looking at it that way, this is very true. Our present sufferings ought not to dictate how we feel and thrash us around like leaves in a tornado. But stepping back and looking at this situation cosmically, we see that our current circumstance is this: we are chosen by God, atoned for by Jesus Christ, given His Spirit as a seal and an empowerment, and are able to participate in the very immanent and perfect plan of God. Our “true” circumstances don’t even have to be something in which we ignore our suffering, but embrace our suffering for the sake of God’s glory. May God grant me the wisdom to live my life without overworking myself, trusting that even in my limits and in my weakness, God is perfect and his work is perfect.
this was a few months ago for my book of daniel class. it is not very scholastic, but it is most likely boring. i was blessed to have written it though.
Spiritual Formation Project: Daniel
Introduction
As we look back at the biblical accounts of the lives of Daniel, Joseph, and Esther, we can develop various characters for each of the persons. We can discover much about the individuals based upon their actions, thoughts, decisions, as well as how others view them. The stories of Daniel, Joseph, and Esther have amazing similarities, and in that we can compare and contrast the decisions and actions of each character. The reader can empathize with these characters throughout their story, and effectively apply the spiritual truths of God’s Scripture to his or her life. We will start by looking at the characters chronologically, beginning with Joseph, followed by Esther, and then finally Daniel.
Composite Sketch of Characters
We first meet Joseph in Genesis 35:24, where he is introduced as one of Jacob’s twelve sons, the firstborn of Rachel, followed by Benjamin. In chapter 37, Joseph is seventeen and while “tending the flocks with his brothers” Joseph seems to have picked up some dirt about his brothers. He brings this to his father, Israel (Jacob). At this point, the author describes Joseph as the son whom Israel loved more than any other sons. This seems to be attributed to the fact that Joseph was born in Israel’s old age. Regardless of exactly why Israel loved Joseph most, he in fact did, and made a richly ornamented robe for him (“made him a long robe with sleeves” RSV). Because of this obvious preference towards Joseph by Israel, Joseph’s brothers hated him and could not speak peaceably with him. This is only amplified by what happens next in the account.
Joseph has two dreams. In the first, Joseph and his brothers are binding sheaves of grain in the field, and the brother’s sheaves bow to Joseph’s. Joseph made sure to share this dream with his brothers, who immediately took offense, and asked Joseph if he intended to rule of them. Joseph then has another dream, where the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing to him. Joseph decided to once again share this dream and was rebuked by his father Israel, and hated more by his brothers. This all results in a series of events where Joseph’s life takes a drastic turn to desolation when his brothers sell him into slavery. This humiliation turns to exaltation in Potophar’s household in Egypt, and eventually back to humiliation when Joseph is falsely accused of rape. But when he was 30 years old, Joseph is once again exalted for interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, and placed in the number two position in Egypt.
From this point on, much more of Joseph’s character is made evident. Much of Joseph’s life demonstrate struggles of faith. At age seventeen, Joseph when through very traumatic struggles. At age 30, he takes Pharaoh’s daughter as his wife, an ungodly interfaith marriage. Throughout all of his speaking, Joseph never refers to “YHWH,” the God is Israel, but rather, “elohim,” consisting of much more ambiguity and much less weight. Joseph also is known to have possessed a pagan “diviner’s cup” (which he also uses to blackmail his brothers in an attempted sinister plot of revenge). In the end though, Joseph saves the people Israel in the midst of a heavily pagan environment and is remembered as a gracious provider.
And now we look at Esther, which takes place during the exile of Israel. King Xerxes is the ruler at the time of Esther. Xerxes summons his wife, Vashti, to appear before guests during a banquet, but Vashti refuses and disobeys her husband. Xerxes then dethrones Vashti and begins a search for his wife among the beautiful virgins in the empire of Persia. There was a Jew from he tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai was carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar among those taken captive with Jehoiachin, king of Judah. Mordecai had raised his cousin, Hadassah (also known as Esther), when her mother and father died. Esther is described as “lovely in form and features.” Esther was instructed by Mordecai not to reveal her Jewish background, and she was taken to the palace to prepare for her meeting with the king for a year. When Esther ends up meeting with Xerxes, she pleases him the most, and he makes her his queen.
At some point, Mordecai becomes aware of a plot to kill Xerxes. He then tells Esther, and when all is said and done, the conspirators are hanged, and the event is then recorded in the king’s annals. The king promotes a man named Haman, but Mordecai refuses to show Haman respect. Infuriated by this, Haman talks Xerxes into ordering a decree that is to be the extermination of the Jews in the Persian empire at a specific date. In light of all of this, Mordecai instructs Esther to inform Xerxes that she is a Jew. More problems arise when Esther informs Mordecai that if she approaches the king without invitation, it is possible that she could be executed. At this point, Mordecai tells Esther, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Such words from Mordecai demonstrate his trust in God for the deliverance of Israel, despite no mention of God in the entire book of Esther.
Eventually Esther goes to the king, and all is made right. Haman is killed, Mordecai is honored, the Jews are saved, and the Feast of Purim is instated. What can be gathered from the account of Esther and Mordecai is that though the situation was dire (Mordecai faced his own death by way of Haman, Esther faced death in approaching the king uninvited, and all Jews in Persian faced death by the decree of Xerxes), a degree of faith, trust, honor, and courage was demonstrated.
Now we see Daniel, who also lived during the time of Israel’s Exile. In his life, Daniel was considered godly, intelligent, upright, and faithful. His looks and intelligence gained him a place in the king’s palace early on as a eunuch. Early on, Daniel as well as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, all faithful Jews, decide not to defile themselves with royal food. They proved to me much more healthy after the palace officials tested their abstinence. Through this moral test, they gained great favor in the palace. Even more important, God gave knowledge and understanding of all kings of literature and learning to these four men. The king brought them into his service and found no one equal to them in the whole kingdom. When king Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream, none of his aids and sages could interpret it. Daniel then is used by God to interpret this dream. This happens a second time, and eventually Daniel gains great prominence in Babylon.
Years pass, and Daniel is much older. Belshazzar is now king in the palace. He and thousands of his nobles have a banquet, and with goblets that were originally taken from the temple in Jerusalem, Belshazzar and his friends drank wine and “praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone,” (Daniel 5:4). Immediately, the king sees writing appear on a wall. In great fear and amazement, Belshazzar seeks to decipher what is written, but none of the king’s wise men could do so. Hearing all of the raucous, the queen comes in to tells Belshazzar to relax and summon Daniel. Daniel interprets the words, and informs Belshazzar that the Medes and Persians would defeat his kingdom. That very night Darius the Mede killed Belshazzar and took over Babylon.
Under Darius’ rule, an edict was made that for thirty days, no other god or man was to be worshipped besides Darius, or else one would be thrown into the lion’s den. In response, the faithful Daniel prays three times a day in his second story balcony towards Jerusalem. Daniel is then arrested and thrown into the lion’s den, but God protects Daniel. In response, Darius gives glory to the God of Daniel, and it is written, “Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian,” (6:28).
Image Characters
While meditating and praying, I thought of many ways in which the stories of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel were similar and very different. It is very clear that the main things that these three people and their stories have in common is their link to pagan environments (Egypt, Babylon, Persia) as well as their specific link to the kings of those environments (Pharaoh, Xerxes, Nebuchadnezzar/Belshazzar/Darius/Cyrus).
In Joseph’s life he seems to really reject his heritage at times. He even named one of his sons Manasseh, which means “forgets father’s house.” This is similar to the command that Mordecai gave to Esther when he told her to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. In the book of Daniel, the four faithful servants (Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) never falter in their faith, nor seek to hide it, even when faced with the penalty of death. Also similar between Joseph and Esther is the fact that they both had taken a spouse outside of Judaism (Joseph marrying Pharaoh’s daughter, Esther marrying Xerxes). In this, both Joseph and Esther compromised their faith for and in their wealth and power. Esther demonstrated this simply with her interfaith marriage, while Joseph took it a step further, being in possession of a diviner’s cup and probably partaking in some degree of pagan religion. Daniel, on the other hand, rejects the treasures offered to him by Belshazzar in exchange for his services. Within the writing of Joseph and Esther, the name of the God of Israel, “YHWH,” is never mentioned. Joseph refers to “elohim,” while in the book of Esther there is no direct mention of God. A more positive link between Joseph and Esther is their legacy to the people of God. Joseph is remembered as a beloved provider, having been used by God to aid his people during a famine. Esther and Mordecai stick out their necks for the sake of preserving God’s people.
One of the greatest similarities between the stories of Joseph and Daniel is their references to dreams. In the beginning of Joseph’s story, he has two dreams. Not only that, but he also demonstrates the ability to interpret dreams (with the cupbearer and Pharaoh). Similarly, Daniel is able to interpret the two dreams of Nebuchadnezzar, as well as having his own prophetic dreams. The common reference to the numbers “seven” and “seventy” among the stories of Joseph and Daniel are very similar. When it comes to similarity of points in history, both Esther and Daniel take place during the exile of Israel.
The greatest and most important similarity between Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, despite their different writing styles, events, time periods, and atmospheres, is the truth of God’s grace, his providential care, his sovereignty, and his power. Throughout all of these stories, regardless of the faith of the individuals, God remained faithful, delivering his people Israel, honoring the humble, humbling the proud, and bringing himself glory in his demonstration of absolute authority and rule.
Compare Characters With Yourself
In praying about my own personal life and my links to these characters, I was able to develop ways in which I demonstrated, by God’s power, some of the strengths and good qualities of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, while at other times, relying on my own strength and taking advice from my own selfishness, I stumbled. Throughout my life I have found myself flaunting my achievements and my position of favor. Like Joseph, I gloried in things that were not for me to take credit for. But different than Joseph I found myself in a situation where I had my sort of “coat of many colors,” and sought to be humble with the honor that I had received. When I graduated high school, I was in the top of my class, donning a while robe (signifying a 4.0 or better grade point average), as well as numerous cowls and medallions. When looking at the achievements of my siblings (six of eight are older than I am) it is clear that they had not graduated with such prestige. But I was important for me to seek to be humble with the blessings that God had given me. Thankfully, I did not end up a slave in Egypt.
Since I have been a Christian, there have been times where my heart wanders and places an idol before God in my heart. That has been a relationship, a material thing, and even the Bible itself. In relationships, it has become more important to me to serve the partner than for me to honor and serve God. I have in the past made music or playing music much more of an interest than pursuing those things for God’s kingdom. Even in studying God’s word, I figured that I had spent “enough” time with God by reading the Bible every night. Like Joseph, I have gone through spiritual struggles where serving God has not been my priority, and in that, I was caught up in spiritually discouraging activity.
Also within my life, I have experienced a very hostile “pagan environment.” Since my conversion to Christianity in ninth grade, my parents had been actively opposed to my commitment to church and studying God’s word. A month before I graduated high school I announced that I felt God’s call to serve in ministry and study the Bible academically. This meant that I would be going to neither Princeton nor UCI. Such disappointment and frustration brought my parents to the point of kicking me out of their house and cutting most ties with me. This seems to resonate (to a lesser degree of course) with Daniel’s lack of adherence to the decree that no one could pray to any other thing but Darius for thirty days. I was not thrown into a lion’s den for my zealousness, but removed from my house and from my family for a time. Also similar to Daniel’s story, after such events, I was able to gain prominence in my family, and at the moment, God is using my story and my ministry to draw my family into his kingdom.
Spiritual Lessons for Life
When looking at God’s Scripture and his work through the lives of the people Joseph, Esther, and Daniel, there are many spiritual lessons that can be derived. When God blesses us with the opportunity to be used, what do we do with it? Will we take that opportunity to take advantage of others as Joseph did with his brothers when they came to Israel for assistance? It took Joseph a while to actually do what he ought to have done in the first place. How long will we resist God’s calling on our lives and God’s calling in every moment of those lives? When God gives us an opportunity to be humble before him and before man, do we boast in our position and in ourselves? God has shown again and again that he desires humble servants. Will we be the humble servants that direct glory to the God of Israel, as Daniel and his friends did, or will we cease to mention Yahweh and have his glory come separate from out actions. God has given us the opportunity to participate in his work, and in that we can be the ones to point up to our heavenly Father and say, “All praise be to YAHWEH, the Ancient of Days, God of the universe!”
In my opinion, the most powerful spiritual lesson is the truth that God is ruling sovereignly over all of his creation. He created all things for himself, and though man has chosen to rebel and act what seems to be out of God’s will, Yahweh is faithful in working things together for the blessing of man, and for his eternal glory. When times are dark, just as they were when Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused of rape, when Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were persecuted and placed in the fiery furnace, when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, we ought to trust in God, that he will work in those dark times to change us for his glory and to serve in his kingdom better, or he may deliver us from the suffering that we face with his divine protection.
As believers, we ought not to see ourselves simply as types of Josephs, Esthers, or Daniels, but rather as fellow-characters in God’s amazing work here on Earth. We ought to seek to eagerly praise God and participate in his will. We ought to look towards the past and see the testimony of the lives of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel and turn to God and praise him for the amazing things that he has done in their stories. We ought to also look towards the future, knowing in full assurance that we are chosen by God to participate in his history, and by his grace, we will even participate in the blessing of the kingdom. Proud rulers will be judged, just as Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar were. When faced with the threats of nuclear tests in North Korea, uranium enrichment of Iran, the reckless killing of civilians by Israel in Lebanon, and the imperialistic attitude of the United States, do we trust that regardless of what decisions are made, God is in control and he will show himself to be king of the universe? This is the truth that he demonstrates to us today, and has demonstrated in the lives of Joseph, Esther, and Daniel.