Living in the Toes

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

In light of everything that is happening in our world, I wanted us to visit the book of Daniel – in particular Chapter 2. Daniel 2 is about a king named Nebuchadnezzar who had a dream but could not remember what it was. To solve this mystery, King Nebuchadnezzar called together his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans. They were to tell him the dream, and then interpret it. Unfortunately for them, they could not. This made the king quite upset, for he feared that they had been misleading him in all that he previously asked.  Verses 12 and 13 state:

For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

Daniel’s response to the Decree

Daniel and his friends were not of the same mindset as the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, yet from the perspective of King Nebuchadnezzar, they were all the same. Much like today, those of us who are religious or spiritual are often grouped together, but our beliefs and sources of truth vary greatly. Society won’t really pay attention to these differences, until we make decisions that beckon them to see us differently. These choices allow us to represent the character of God in His fullness, but at times, they also require a deep sense of courage and a profound level of faith.  

We see this with Daniel. He and his friends were not present at the time of the king’s initial request, but he was still able to seek out the reasons for the killings. With courage and trust in God, Daniel risked his life by going to the king to ask for time to answer his request. Daniel’s petition was granted. In that moment, divine intervention took place, underpinned by Daniel’s own relationship with God. It’s easy to embrace these moments of courage while overlooking the necessity of daily communion with Christ. We have to know God to exhibit this level of faith during times of crisis. And we are feeling these crises today, one after another, without much of a break in-between. Welcome to living in the toes.

The Dream and its Meaning Revealed

Daniel went directly to his friends to share the news and seek spiritual support to save his life, their lives, and the lives of the remaining wise men. Friendship matters, as does with whom we intertwine ourselves with in relationships. Can they support us spiritually when life starts to break apart? Do they have their own relationships with God so that when fellowship occurs, exponential faith is produced?

If we look back at Daniel, I believe that it was the combination of their prayers and requests that led to God revealing the dream and it’s meaning to Daniel. For Jesus said in Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Once Daniel has this information, he goes to King Nebuchadnezzar to tell him about the image from his dream. In verses 32 and 33, the scriptures state:

This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

A stone then strikes the image on its feet and breaks the image into pieces. The stone turns into a great mountain that fills the entire Earth. (verse 35). Daniel then tells the king that the different materials represent different kingdoms in chronological order. Once you’re at the toes, we read this is verse 44:

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Living in the Toes

Daniel not only describes the kingdoms, but the close of our time here on Earth. It’s God’s everlasting kingdom that will stand forever, but it only comes after we’ve reached the toes. The toes represent the last era of humanity seeped in sin, more commonly known in Christianity as the last days. In 2 Timothy, we find a description of this time… that may feel all too familiar to what we are experiencing right now. Verses 1-5 read:

 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

It’s not easy to live during this time as we watch the fabric of our would become undone. We are seeing and experiencing outcomes we never thought possible – but here we are. It can feel depressing and overwhelming because change seems impossible. So what do we do in this prophetic time marked with chaos and destruction?

We march forward anyway.

Now, more than ever, is the time to be courageous. For some, this might mean fixing what has been broken and healing the wounds that hold us hostage. For others, it’s using our voices and finances to spark change, reminding society that there is still good left in this world. As for all of us however, it’s trusting in God, through the good, and through the bad. Right now, as a society, we are reaping what we’ve sown. The consequences of sin are high, but God has not abandoned us.

In faith, I want us to remember that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4). With God, we always have the power to overcome. We can find relief in the storms of chaos, and we can face these last days knowing that God’s grace will cover us. It’s not a matter of if… but when Christ is returning. We’re living in the toes, and chaos is ruling. These are the signs of the times…. I pray, that we all take heed. Let us recommit ourselves to continual prayer and devotion for daily renewal in Christ, so that when the winds blow, we remain steadfast in His will.

#GodBless from #LovesAnAction