May 23: IT IS YOUR LIFE
Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon: take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.” Daniel 2:24
After giving thanks to the God of heaven, Daniel went straight to the captain of the king’s guard, Arioch, saying, “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon.” These were words of concern, not only for all the wise men of Babylon, but for the consciences of Arioch and his men who would carry out the order to kill.
Though the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and soothsayers had done nothing to earn their acquittal, they would be saved from the king’s death decree because of the presence of a righteous man in their midst. Remember that Jesus told His followers, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). The ungodly have no idea or interest in the fact that they are so often preserved through the righteous acts of those who love God.* Countless wicked do not know how much they owe to those who live in loving obedience to the Giver of life. It is the lost who are the first to ridicule and persecute the very ones to whom they owe a debt of gratitude for the preservation of their lives. Such preservation lengthens the opportunity to meet and accept the Savior, the only One who is able to preserve life for eternity. . .
Daniel continues: “Take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.” Arioch was undoubtedly delighted to do so. Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives of Judah, who will make known to the king the interpretation” (v.25). Arioch is so confident that Daniel has it all together for the king, that he, somewhat boastfully, presents him to the king, saying “I have found a man…,” even though Daniel had approached him. (Human nature is evident everywhere one looks; including, of course, the mirror.) The king, being a good listener, noticed that Arioch mentioned the interpretation, but not the dream itself. Therefore, the king answered and said to Daniel, whose [Babylonian] name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” (v.26) The king’s anxious inquiry was consistently twofold: he must know both the dream and its meaning.
Over these brief few days, the king’s attention had been redirected toward that which was most urgent to him. Being a pagan and godless monarch, the delay in filling the demand to know and understand revealed extreme angst and agitation. God’s giving of the dream, along with His placement of Daniel in the king’s court was the beginning of a vast and magnificent revelation of the workings of man overshadowed by the workings of God for man’s ultimate benefit and blessing. His divine principles undergird all true prosperity, of both nations and individuals. His law, given to Israel, laid out the conditions of blessing and were to be passed along to every nation and every individual under the broad and glorious heavens. Of this law, He declared:
This is your wisdom and your understanding…. It is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life. Deuteronomy 4:6; 32:47
*Example: Acts 27:23-25