Did you notice the language Nebuchadnezzar uses in verses 13
and 17 that sounds like science fiction?
He speaks of watchers and holy ones.
Watchers are angels, it is a Chaldean word that is used only here in the
Old Testament but is more common in some extra-canonical literature such as the
Book of Enoch that was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. (Those scrolls, recall, belonged to a sect of
Judaism that was more separatist and more focused on apocalyptic literature
than formal Judaism.) We have a hymn
with the lyrics, "Ye watchers and ye holy ones, Bright seraphs, cherubim
and thrones, Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!" Did you also notice that Daniel is now
referred to as chief of the magicians.
He has gotten a promotion and it is amazing that such a thing could have
happened, they were important personages with a priestly lineage, so to have
Daniel the head of the group tells us something about him. (Of course, he did save their lives.) This story is told after a short hymn of
praise to the "Most High God" and is a first-person reflection after
the fact on what this God has done for the king.
Jesus restores Peter.
He questions Peter concerning his love for Him three times, the number
of times Peter denied Him, beginning with, "Do you love me more than
these?" meaning the other
disciples. Peter affirms his love,
"Lord you know I love You." He
is given charge of the Lord's sheep, and he knows it is all grace, he failed
Jesus in His hour of need. To receive a
role in the kingdom for feeding the sheep and caring for them is all about
grace, not about Peter's worth nor a reward for faithfulness. Peter is still thinking like the old Peter,
if he has to suffer, what about John?
Peter wants to be the greatest but if he is going to suffer, everyone
should surely suffer together. He will
get there, only not until Pentecost.
Our gifts are meant to be used as service to the Lord but
also as service to one another. Love
encompasses all that we have and all that we are. Peter says that love covers a multitude of
sins, quite an odd phrase. He knows,
however, that the love of Christ for Him covered his many sins, so he
encourages his readers to love as Christ loved.
The way to the top in the kingdom is simple, loving service. Daniel never attempted to be chief of
anything, he served the Lord, the king and others in all things with his
gifts. We are called to be such
witnesses in an alien country.
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