Monday • 4/26/2021
Week of 4 Easter

This morning’s Scriptures are: Psalm 41; Psalm 52; Daniel 6:16–28; Colossians 1:1–14; Luke 6:1–11

Comments on Colossians 1:1–14 from DDD 4/28/2020: https://tinyurl.com/babe2yte

This morning’s Canticles are: before the Psalm reading, Pascha Nostrum(“Christ Our Passover,” BCP, p. 83); following the OT reading, Canticle 9 (“The First Song of Isaiah,” Isaiah 12:2–6, BCP, p. 86); following the Epistle reading, Canticle 19 (“The Song of the Redeemed,” Revelation 15:3–4, BCP, p. 94)

A note: For the past two weeks, our Old Testament reading of chapters one through six of the Book of Daniel has tracked the career of the prophet. He is a model of God’s instruction to the exiles in Babylon to “seek the welfare of the city” of their exile (Jeremiah 29:10). We have seen him speak truth to successive rulers: Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius. We have seen the Lord prosper his hand all the way through the Babylonian hegemony, even to the rise of the Medes and Persians who will end the Jews’ exile. The Daily Office is content to narrate the career, but then leave the Book of Daniel halfway through, just as the book turns to the mind-blowing series of futuristic, apocalyptic visions that Daniel received in chapters seven through twelve.

For my own reading in the Old Testament over the next two weeks, I plan to substitute the excluded (and canonical) chapters from Daniel for the lectionary’s selections from the (non-canonical) Book of Wisdom. It’s not that there’s no wisdom in the Book of Wisdom. Its pairing with Paul’s letter to the Colossians makes some sense; after all, it is in Colossians that Paul treats Christ as One in whom the wisdom of God dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). Nonetheless, I’d like to see what wisdom Daniel brings to our devotions as he writes what looks in many ways like the prologue to the Book of Revelation.

God rewards Daniel’s courage. First, though, we attend to Daniel’s deliverance from the lions’ den in Daniel 6. Daniel is a very old man by the time the Medes and Persians conquer the Babylonians. He offers counsel and wisdom to his new overlords just as he had to the old ones. So competent is he that he is on the verge of being appointed “over the whole kingdom” (Daniel 6:4).

However, envy strikes. Daniel’s rivals concoct a plan to require, under pain of death, a veneration of Darius, ruler of the Medes and Persians. They know that Daniel will refuse. Just as his enemies expect, Daniel continues his worship of the God of Israel: three times a day (see Psalm 55:17–18) he kneels in prayer toward Jerusalem. Daniel’s rivals turn him in. Reluctantly, Darius imposes the death penalty (consignment to a lions’ den) but not without first praying, “May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!” (Daniel 6:17). After a night of fasting, Darius orders the den opened, and he happily discovers that Daniel is alive. Darius acknowledges Daniel’s God to be “the living God, enduring forever” (Daniel 6:27).

This incident is the capstone in a career of courage and faithfulness in the challenging circumstance of being under the dual obligation of duty to God and to neighbor (even to an enemy-neighbor). Through his various confrontations over diet, dream interpretation, and false worship, Daniel has known the Lord’s sustaining love and prospering hand. What we will see in the next two weeks is that the Lord has also made Daniel a vessel for the revelation of spectacular and hope-filled visions for the coming of God’s future kingdom.

It’s easy to see why Daniel’s life would inspire the revival hymnist P. P. Bliss to write:

1 Standing by a purpose true, heeding God’s command,
Honor them, the faithful few! All hail to Daniel’s band!

Refrain
Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!

2 Many mighty men are lost, daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host by joining Daniel’s band. [Refrain]

3 Many giants, great and tall, stalking through the land,
headlong to the earth would fall, if met by Daniel’s band. [Refrain]

4 Hold the gospel banner high; on to vict’ry grand;
Satan and his host defy, and shout for Daniel’s band. [Refrain]

Be blessed this day,

Reggie Kidd+

Image: "Daniel in the Lion's Den" is marked with CC0 1.0