Colin Hutchison
4 . 5 . 2020
Few chapters in our Bible present such a panorama of divine purpose as Daniel 7.
A king was on the throne who had plundered the House of God and taken the golden vessels to use them in his idolatrous pursuits.
In the midst of this great crisis, God was communicating with his faithful servant Daniel revealing something of his great plan but to his servant the plan was a mystery.
Scripture is replete with example of individuals who stood for God in crisis times whilst not fully understanding or appreciating what God was doing. One common denominator however was that it affected them both outwardly and inwardly.
In general the outward is our testimony and witness, this is what others see, inwardly is the work God performs within us which might only be known to ourselves or to the few with whom we might share the secret.
Outwardly: Daniel said “my countenance changed”
Inwardly : “My cogitations much troubled me”
“I kept the matter in my heart”
Haanah’s burden was not a crisis in the nation but rather a crisis in the priesthood, God was being robbed of his portion.
Outwardly: “her lips moved but her voice was not heard therefore Eli thought she had been drunken “
Inwardly: “I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit”
Elijah burst on the scene with all the features of a man of supreme courage
Outwardly: “As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand “
Inwardly “ Elijah was a man subject to like passions such as we are “
Scripture therefore covers men and women in crisis, a vision for the nation with a vision for the house, deep thoughts, inward passions, grief expressed through tears but all with the common denominator of a deep communion with God and an acute understanding of his will and purpose.
May God in these circumstances lead us to a deeper understanding of his will and a greater appreciation of his purpose both for our nation, our families and our lives. Through his Spirit’s indwelling, scripture takes on meaning which we haven’t seen before and provides comfort which previously we might feel we haven’t needed.