Introduction: What associations come to mind when you reflect upon the legacy of Nebuchadnezzar from the Book of Daniel? Below are some likely ones:

• Hubris
• Humiliation
• Exaltation
• Reduction

Context, Context, Context: No matter how many times I read Daniel, I discover new insights about human nature, about saving faith, about leadership, and about God’s sovereignty. Just think of the difficult tasks that Daniel was faced with–being an exiled believer under pagan rule, being tasked with interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, then seeing his three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) cast into a seven-times-heated fiery furnace, etc. Daniel could’ve become puffed up like Nebuchadnezzar often was. But Daniel didn’t. He remained faithful. He remained a man of prayer. He kept his vows to God. He kept short accounts with the Lord.

After God preserved and rescued Daniel’s three friends, Nebuchadnezzar made this profound statement: “Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way” (Dan 3:29).

Encouragement: A purpose of miracles in Scripture is to teach us to reverence the miracle worker, not just the miracle. We’re to revere the Giver rather than the gift. Nebuchadnezzar was soon to learn this wisdom in even more dramatic fashions soon, but for now we will just leave it here. More to follow.

Question: What qualities are desirable for quality leadership? 

BLUF: Skillful in All Wisdom

Context, Context, Context: The Book of Daniel was written in the 600s B.C. by Daniel. This was the time of the Babylonian exile under wicked Nebuchadnezzar, whose armies had besieged Jerusalem and taken captives back to Babylon (present-day Iraq, approximately 50 miles south of current Baghdad). 

Can you guess what types of young men Nebuchadnezzar aimed to train in his ways and in his culture? They were “youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace” (Dan 1:4).  

Encouragement: Revisit the question: What qualities are desirable for quality leadership? Even the wicked Nebuchadnezzar recognized what was wise to desire in capable people–those skillful in wisdom and learning, and those who were competent. The irony, of course, is that Nebuchadnezzar’s ploys would backfire on him, because God is the sovereign One, not Nebuchadnezzar, as he was soon to learn. But insofar as picking the right people for leadership, in that sense, the king got it right. God was going to use these young men to show God’s wisdom and the utter humiliation of the haughty. 

What is it about a song to jog the memory?

While driving home from work today, my Spotify playlist decided I should hear A Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran.” And, wow! An avalance of memories I had forgotten I harbored came crashing over me like waves.

Suddenly, so much washed over my memory. First, I remember summers at my dad’s place in Marietta and Sandy Springs, when I competed (poorly) as part of the neighborhood swim team. I was never a gifted swimmer, but I loved the pool.

Second, I remembered riding our Huffy and Schwinn bicycles up and down the hills in the neighborhood to get to the pool, where we spent our summers as boys.

Third, I remembered my friend Mark who lived a few houses down our street, and how we’d camp out in our little tent in the woods adjacent to our street, and call the Domino’s in town to deliver pepperoni pizzas to us on Friday nights. We’d leave our little camp area and go out to the street when the driver arrived with the delicious-smelling pizza we relished as boys.

Fourth, I remember the tunes. O, the music! In those years, it was A Flock of Seagulls, the J. Geils Band, The Tubes, and Van Halen, and so many more. Music, music, music, the pool, the smells of sun tan lotion the girls laved on themselves all day long, the swim meets, the camping in the woods adjacent to our little street.

I had not heard “I Ran” in years, I think–but in an instant, I was a kid again–pedalling our bikes, swimming laps, imbibing the tunes, wrestling with hormones, and just being a boy. Wow . . . just wow!

BLUF: The Lord appointed ‘watchmen’ to be both vigilant and to be a prophetic voice for the sake of the unit/people/nation.

Context, Context, Context: Ezekiel 33 is the passage under discussion. In it, God calls Ezekiel to be a watchman, a vigilant scout and prophetic voice.

Text: So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. (Ez 33:7-9)

Teaching: God has called individuals throughout redemptive history to be prophetic voices and spiritual scouts. With what aim? To warn. To speak truth to power. To reclaim. To educate. To encourage. The list could continue.

Questions for Reflection:

• How do we distinguish between authentic truth-tellers and charlatans?
• How might we train our tools of discernment?
• How can we leverage the wisdom of the authentic truth-tellers in our midst?

Encouragement: There is no paucity of noisy voices competing for our attention. Therefore, it is wise to know what we should heed and what we should ignore. God has continually graced us with watchmen like Ezekiel throughout the historical plan of redemption. Will we listen to the wise watchmen in our day?

Below is the YouTube link to today’s homily over Ecclesiastes 4 at Christ Covenant Church (3cs-canton.org):

I took a few days of earned leave off from work and am enjoying getting some steps in around parts of creation I enjoy so much, and doing it all with CJ, too.

Here’s the YouTube link to today’s message at Christ Covenant Church (3cs-canton.org).

BLUF: Long Obedience in the Right Direction

Context: In Proverbs 12, Solomon is instructing his son in wisdom. In the verse under scrutiny today, Solomon teaches on the endurance of truth versus the passing nature of lies.

Text: “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Pr 12:19).

Encouragement: When you step off what I call “Drama Island,” you can gain proper perspective. Because we’re awash in a culture of lies, we have all grown accustomed to being lied to. We just assume lies to be the day’s fare. We live in a culture where we just expect lies as the main course, but occasionally, we meet with people of truth. They are the diamonds in the rough. And Solomon is teaching his son about how to be a diamond. Solomon teaches the wisdom of long obedience in the right and godly direction.

The encouragement is straightforward: Truth endures, whereas lies are temporary. The wise will learn to rise to the top. How? I know that for me, I have a few men to whom I look up. Many are military men. Others are my grandparents (they’re deceased now, but their impact upon my life continues). Another was my father-in-law (he was truly a godly man who has since gone on to his reward). My point is simple: the folks whose impact endures are those people whose lives and ministries were characterized by truth, by long obedience in the right and godly direction.