SATURDAY, APRIL 21
Daniel 3:28-30
Philippians 2:9-10

“… at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow …”

BLESSED BE GOD

When the king of Babylon saw what the God of Israel could do for His servants, he experienced a profound change of mind! From asking, “… who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Dan 3:15), he now confesses that he has found an answer far beyond expectation!

Needless to say, therefore, the pompous ceremony came to a sudden halt. Instead of worshipping the beautiful golden image, the people of Babylon were now commanded to honour the God of Israel under a threat identical to that made several years earlier to the court magicians (Dan 2:5).

This is the way all personal and corporate opposition to the God of Heaven must end. Job had doubted God’s wisdom, and ended on his face in deep repentance (Job 42:1-6). Saul of Tarsus had persecuted the Son of God by helping to stone Stephen, and finally cried out: “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). Later, this same Saul, now an Apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote by inspiration that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11).

This should also be the posture of every true Christian. If Nebuchadnezzar could make such a great pronouncement through observing a mere physical miracle of the God of Israel, how much more should we, the recipients of endless spiritual miracles, proclaim His Name to the ends of the earth! With vastly more revealed truth available to us in the completed Bible than Nebuchadnezzar had in his day, we should be making even greater decrees, as it were. We should be teaching all nations “… to observe all things …” (Matt 28:20) commanded by Jesus, even “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). May Jesus enable us daily to bow before Him in humility and thanksgiving, and then announce to all His true glory.

THOUGHT: It is better to bow to Him now than to be broken later.
PRAYER: “Oh God, Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” (Augustine)