Day 7: Incredible transaction
Therefore I will give Him a portion among the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).
Almighty Father, we remember the prayer of the prophet Daniel, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His... He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him…” (Daniel 2:20, 22).
Daniel's praise was prompted by gratitude and awe, for You had revealed to him the mystery of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation. You showed him, and all humanity, the details of the unfolding history and the future of the kingdoms of this world from that time until its very end. (Daniel 2:1-47).
You showed us that You have determined a time when the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed... It will crush all [the] kingdoms [of earth] and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever (Daniel 2:44).
The history of world government and rule has proven, and continues to prove, that "the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” We have seen each successive kingdom in the exact order and detail You described, and we know that the world is moving towards the ultimate realization of Nebuchadnezzar's vison — the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands — a rock that broke the [world's kingdoms] to pieces" (Daniel 2:17-45).
We know from numerous Scriptures, and from the Lord Jesus Himself that He is the Messiah-King — the Rock (Luke 20:17, Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 28:16, Acts 4:11). And “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed" (Luke 20:18).
Lord, in Your mercy, You have provided deliverance from the crushing that will break to pieces the sway of evil in this world. Christ was crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). He bore the weight of judgment we deserved (Isaiah 53:4-6). In an incredible transaction of love and grace, He took on the punishment that brought us peace, and in exchange, gave us the riches of His glorious inheritance (Ephesians 3:16).
In this chaotic, confusing world, we long for peace — for safety and shelter from the turmoil and evil around us. But You have shown us that only Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) can restore the world to peace when “the kingdoms of the world… become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He… reign[s] for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15) — just as Daniel showed us.
You offer us that peace. You offer us an inheritance — a share in Your portion among the great (Isaiah 53:12). May we fall on You, O Rock — Jesus, Prince of Peace, and thank You that by believing and accepting Your great salvation, we will be covered by Your righteousness when You judge the world, and break the rule of evil forever.
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