August 19: DIVINE MEMORANDA
Neither have we heeded your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. Daniel 9:6
As Daniel’s prayer continues, he cites human unwillingness to heed the “memos” so abundantly supplied through the LORD’s prophets. Departure from the precepts and judgments (v.5) of God fosters a fundamental attitude shift that fuels the widespread success of false prophets today. It is the true prophet’s duty to call the attention of the people back to the Word of God. The willful neglect of divine precepts darkens theheart and silently separates a man from God. The prophets were also to provide direction in the event of emergencies. This is what Peter means by present truth (2 Peter 1:12). This direction was the application of established divine precepts and judgments to current situations; and never—ever!—to alter them. But the prophets had been almost totally ignored. This kind of ignorance is not to be confused with innocence. To the Lord it is inexcusable.
O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. (vv. 7-8)
Daniel acknowledges before God the core of the Gospel message: O Lord, righteousness belongs to You. Indeed, He is the ‘Owner’ of righteousness. All that He does is right; the motive behind all that He does is right. It is His righteousness that He longs to bestow upon each of us. Daniel is contrasting the righteousness of God with the failure of His people, chosen to bring the saving message to the world: shame of face. Instead of sharing the knowledge of God, Israel lowered their focus to pagan ways and the “glitter” of worldliness. Beloved, does this describe us as well? But, in the Lord’s dealings with Israel—and indeed with mankind in general— He consistently manifests His righteousness.
When Jesus was being tempted, Satan showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matthew 4:8) in a moment of time (Luke 4:5). As Jesus beheld this impressive sight, He gazed through and beyond the worldly achievements of fallen man. He saw inexpressible sadness and misery, the shallow happiness of some, and the diseases of body and mind that festered underneath the superficial and temporal beauty of a world deceived by Satan. Jesus understood that, by deception, Satan shifts the thinking of human minds away from the precepts of God. But by His righteousness, Jesus has shown the world a contrast between the temporal and the eternal.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. 2 Peter 1:10-15
(For further study: see Isaiah 8:20; Luke 24:25-32; Romans 1:18-22; 2 Corinthians 4:2)