Body
USEFUL. Restudying through the book of Daniel has been a true blessing. One wonderful truth that stands out from the general context of Daniel's historical setting is that God can use anyone for His purposes and glory. God's covenant people, the Jews, had been moving toward paganism almost from their beginning. During their years in Egypt, Abraham's descendants adopted the worship of Egyptian idols and it went downhill from there. When the clock turned to 605 BC, God had strengthened and prepared Nebuchadnezzar to begin judging His people in Judah by leading them 700 miles away as captives to Babylon. IOW, God used a religious yet heathen idolator to be His servant. God even called Nebuchadnezzar "My servant" (Jer. 25:9). It was 70 years later that God used another pagan idolator, Cyrus, to let the Jews return to Jerusalem. God called Cyrus "My shepherd" (Isa. 44:28). Can God use anyone and anything for His glory? Absolutely! God used a Jewish servant girl who had been taken captive to Syria to tell her master, Naaman, that God's prophet, Elijah, could heal his leprosy (2 Kings 5). He used a donkey to verbally rebuke His rebellious prophet, Balaam (Num. 22). He used a crowing rooster to convict the Apostle Peter and bring him to repentance (Matt. 26). Another interesting example took place during Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. In Luke 19:38, the crowd praised Him, saying, "Blessed be the King who comes in the name of the LORD!" When the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke them, He said (v. 40), "...if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." Yes, God could even use "a box of rocks" to glorify Himself and His Son. Although God CAN use anyone or anything for His glory, it's those saved by God's grace who are most useful as Paul said, "For were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:20). May that be our longing!
