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Daniel 6 – The Scheme of the Administrators and the Satraps

05 Sunday Jun 2016

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It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Daniel 6:1-2

In 607 B.C., Daniel was among the captives taken during the first Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem. He became a chief minister at Nebuchadnezzar’s royal court. Daniel was known as a man who could interpret dreams and visions. Daniel was summoned by Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, King Belshazzar to interpret the handwriting on the wall. Daniel pronounced judgment on Belshazzar telling him that his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

The Achaemenid Empire, also called the First Persian Empire, was an empire based in Western Asia. It was founded by Cyrus the Great after he united the Medes and the Persians. The Medo-Persians invaded Babylonia from the east in June of 539 B.C. and captured its capital, Babylon. Cyrus the Great (also Cyrus II or Cyrus the Elder) reigned over Persia between 559 –529 B.C.

The Persian Empire was noted for embracing various civilizations and becoming the largest empire of ancient history, spanning at its maximum extent from the Balkans and Eastern Europe in the west, to the Indus Valley in the east.

A satrap was a provincial governor appointed by the king of Persia. Darius the Mede, also known as Darius the Great, ruled Persia from 522–486 B.C. He completed the organization of the empire into satrapies, initiated by his predecessor Cyrus the Great. King Darius fixed the annual tribute due from each province. He also organized a new uniform monetary system, along with making Aramaic the official language of the empire.

Including Daniel, Darius appointed three administrators to oversee the 120 provincial governors that he had appointed.

 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” Daniel 6:3-5

Daniel was taken captive to Babylon in 607 B.C. Forty-eight years later in 539 B.C., Babylon was conquered by the Medes and the Persians. For nearly half a century, Daniel had faithfully served his captors. His exceptional and trustworthy character was beyond reproach. King Darius was planning to place Daniel in the position of prime minister over all the empire to root out waste and corruption. The other administrators and the satraps were so concerned about having an honest man in a position of power and authority over them that they sought to discredit Daniel.

Realizing that they could not bring charges of misconduct against Daniel because he was a diligent worker and a man of integrity; the other government officials sought to make it illegal for Daniel to follow his religious practices.

So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Daniel 6:6-7

The political leadership of Darius’ kingdom devised a scheme to entrap Daniel. They knew that Daniel was faithful to the God of Israel. Even as a young captive in Babylon, Daniel refused to defile himself with unclean food from Nebuchadnezzar’s table.

Using flattery, these administrators and satraps sought to persuade Darius into issuing a royal decree forbidding anyone to petition any god or man except the king for the following thirty days. The penalty for disobeying this edict would be a horrible death – being mauled and devoured by lions. The intent of these greedy officials was to ensure that Daniel would not live to oversee their corrupt practices.

Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing. Daniel 6:8-9

There was a law in this monarchy, that no ordinance or edict, made with the necessary formalities, and with the consent of the king’s counselors, could be revoked by the king. While King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was a supreme unrestricted ruler, the Medo-Persian Empire which followed was a limited monarchy where the ruling kings were bound by the laws they enacted.

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10

Daniel, having learned that the decree forbidding prayer to anyone but the king was now officially enacted, went home and prayed to God. He did not pray in secret in a closet, but went upstairs where the windows opened towards Jerusalem and prayed as he had been doing previously.

Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” Daniel 6:11-12

The group of officials went immediately from Daniel’s house to the king’s palace, and into the king’s presence. The conspirators, who convinced King Darius to issue the prohibition against prayer to any god or person except the king, now confront the king by asking him a question that he must affirm.

The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” Daniel 6:12

The king had no choice but to uphold the law of the land. Once he had issued the decree, it could not be repealed according to the law of the Medes and Persians.

Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Daniel 6:13-14

Daniel’s accusers, who had plotted against him because they were corrupt and feared that Daniel would expose their incompetence and dishonesty to the king, now bringing charges against Daniel saying that he pays no attention to the king or his decrees.

Daniel had so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his integrity and honesty that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Therefore, the king was greatly distressed that Daniel faced an almost certain death sentence and made every effort to save him.

Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” Daniel 6:15-16

After the sun had set, the administrators and the satraps came to Darius to make sure that not another day would pass before Daniel was thrown to the lions. Darius was grieved as he gave the order to cast Daniel into a den of hungry lions. The king did not call upon his gods to rescue Daniel but said, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. Daniel 6:17-18

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den. Not a heap of stones, but a single one, a very large one, sufficient to stop up the mouth of the den. This act ensured that Daniel could not escape unassisted. For a king or governmental ruler, their seal signified all the authority and power of their realm. When King Darius placed his seal on the stone, it meant that anyone tampering with the stone would break the seal and be subject to death for challenging the authority of the king. Therefore, no one or group would dare free Daniel or attempt to throw anything into the pit to kill Daniel.

The tomb of Jesus Christ also had a large single stone which shut up the entrance. When the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pontius Pilate following Jesus’ crucifixion, they enlisted aid in securing the tomb where Jesus was placed. Pilate replied to their request by sending a guard of Roman soldiers to the tomb (Matthew 27:65). In order to make the tomb as secure as possible, an official seal was placed on the stone blocking entrance to the tomb. The tomb’s seal in addition to the fierce Roman guard notified the people that all the power and authority of Rome protected its precious contents.

It is interesting to note that the guards claimed to have fallen asleep and the body of Jesus stolen. If that were truly the case, the guards would have been put to death for dereliction of their duty. While the Roman guards were paid off to claim they fell asleep in front of the tomb that was covered by a large stone and a royal seal; King Darius, thinking of Daniel in a lion’s den unable to escape because it was covered by a large stone and sealed by his own signet ring, was unable to sleep.

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel 6:19-20

Darius’ concern for Daniel’s well being is obvious in that at the first light of dawn he hurried to the lion’s den and called to Daniel in an anguished voice. Distressed, and with only a glimmer of hope, the king asked Daniel,”…has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:21-22

God had sent His angel, the angel of the LORD, to shut the mouths of the lions. A Christophany is an appearance of the incarnate Christ in the Old Testament. The visible appearances of God in human or angelic form in the Old Testament, is actually the Son of God manifesting Himself prior to His incarnation. Old Testament accounts of the appearance of the angel of the LORD are the manifestations of God in human form and were appearances of the second person of the Trinity.

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a blazing furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). Just as Daniel’s companions were protected from harm in a blazing furnace by the pre-incarnate Son of God, so was Daniel protected from a den full of lions by God’s Son.

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Daniel 6:23

When Daniel’s three companions emerged from out of the furnace, the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them (Daniel 3:27). Likewise, when Daniel was lifted out of the lion’s den he was completely unharmed. Whereas, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had refused to worship the image Nebuchadnezzar had erected and were protected by God because they trusted in Him; Daniel had refused to stop worshipping the God of Israel and was protected by God because Daniel placed his trust in the LORD.

Daniel testified to Darius that he was innocent in the sight of his God and had never done any wrong to the king.

At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Daniel 6:24

It was obvious that the lions did not refrain from attacking Daniel because they were docile or because they had full stomachs. The ferocity, power and appetites of these beasts were demonstrated as Daniel’s accusers and their families were savagely attacked even before they reached the floor of the lion’s den. Psalm 91:14-16 declares:

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Daniel had placed his trust in God. Daniel loved the LORD so much that he continued to worship his God though it may have cost him his life.

Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:

“May you prosper greatly!

“I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” Daniel 6:25-27

King Nebuchadnezzar had issued a similar proclamation and declaration of the power of the God of Israel after he had been restored to sanity and to his throne.

It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation. Daniel 4:2-3

Darius wished to make known God’s supremacy, not only to the neighboring people, but to promulgate it far and wide. The phrase, the whole earth does not refer to the whole habitable world, but to the large territory of his monarchy. Darius declared that Daniel’s God performs miracles far above all human power. He rescues and saves. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.

So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Daniel 6:28

Daniel was faithful to God all his life. He lived before, during, and beyond the seventy years of the Babylonian Captivity. He must have been about one hundred years old when he died. During his long life, Daniel served as an advisor to the kings of Babylon and Medo-Persia. While Jeremiah prophesied to the Jews in Judah, and Ezekiel was God’s spokesman to the Jewish captives in Babylon, Daniel prophesied in the courts of the pagan kings who ruled the world.

Daniel Chapter 3 – King Nebuchadnezzar Made an Image of Gold Sixty Cubits High!

06 Saturday Feb 2016

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King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:1

King Nebuchadnezzar set up a huge image in the plain of Dura so that so it would be visible from afar off and there would be room for a vast number of worshippers to gather. The image was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide. It was most likely not made of solid gold, but either of gold plate over a wooded frame, or it was hollow. The ratio of height to width may indicate that this was   either a stylized slender image or an obelisk.

In Hebrew, seven is shevah. It is from the root word savah, which means to be full, satisfied, or have enough of. Hence the meaning of the word “seven” is dominated by this root, for on the seventh day God rested from the work of Creation. It was full, complete, good and perfect. Seven is the number of spiritual perfection.

The spiritual significance of the number six, which is the number of man who was created on the sixth day, is that man comes short of spiritual perfection.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

Six is the number of imperfection. It is the human number; the number of man without God, without Christ.

Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. This idolatrous statue was ten times six cubits in height and six cubits wide. These sixes are connected to Nebuchadnezzar’s godless imperfection of human pride which was the result of his unchallenged dominion over his empire.

This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. Revelation 13:18

To compute the number of the Antichrist, his name must be written out in Hebrew so that the value of each letter of his name is determined and then added together. The total sum will be 666. The son of perdition will fall short body, soul and spirit. He will be carnal, soulish and devilish.

 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. Daniel 3:2-3

Although Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a statue in which only the gold head represented him and his Babylonian kingdom, he now summons all of his provincial officials to assemble before a statue that was overlaid with gold from head to toes.

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Daniel 3:4-6

Nebuchadnezzar had assembled musicians from all over the civilized world to form his orchestra. As soon as the sound of six instruments was heard, the provincial rulers and administrators from all the nations that comprised the Babylonian Empire were to bow down and worship the image of gold or be thrown into a fiery furnace. Furnaces in Babylon were associated with the firing of bricks which were widely used in construction of buildings in the absence of stone.

Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Daniel 3:7

When the music played, all of the men of importance and ruling authority of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom fell facedown before a lifeless idol. Through the love of music, the fear of the furnace, in regard to pagan idolatry, and to the king’s command, men of all nations and languages gave it homage and worship.

At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:8-12

The astrologers came to criticize the Jews and suggest to the king that he had made a grievous error by promoting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to a place of authority in Babylon. According to the astrologers, these Jews, who by way of their birth, by nation, and religion are despicable foreigners, exiles, and captives, were improper persons to be put in places of honor and trust. This is evident since they neither serve the king’s gods nor worship the image of gold that the king erected.

Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?  Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Daniel 3:13-15

The three Hebrew young men who refuse to bow down to the king’s giant image–suddenly find themselves being offered a second chance from the king himself. But the king’s offer is heavily laced with threats.

King Nebuchadnezzar in his pride and arrogance declared, “Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Had he forgotten his very own words in response to Daniel’s interpretation of his dream of an enormous statue?

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” Daniel 2:45-47

The King was humbled when the Babylonian wise men and their gods were unable to reveal his dream and interpret it, but only the God of Israel was proven to be the revealer of mysteries. Now in his pride, Nebuchadnezzar forgot that it was the God of heaven that gave him his dominion and power and could rescue these Jews from his hand.

 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”Daniel 3:16-18

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” Luke 12:4-5

Even with the prospect of being thrown alive into a blazing furnace, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not hesitate whether or not they should comply with the king’s command. They knew that must obey God rather than man. They believed that God would deliver them, either from death or in death.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. Daniel 3:19-20

Nebuchadnezzar burst into an uncontrollable rage at the reply of the three Hebrews. He would not be defied and ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual (meaning as hot as possible).

So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Daniel 3:21-23

The furnace was so hot that in fact, that the guards whom he detailed to bind the prisoners and throw them into the furnace, themselves perished in the flames. But that did not stop the three from falling in.

 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:24-25

It seems that the brick kiln was a domed structure with a place at the bottom for the removal of ashes. Apparently, he looked through the hole in the bottom and saw the young men walking about.

A Christophany is an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ in the Old Testament, or after his ascension. A Christophany is thus a special case of a theophany. The word, “Theophany” is derived from the Ancient Greek, meaning “appearance of God.” Whenever someone received a visit from “the angel of the LORD,” this was in fact the pre-incarnate Christ. The visible appearances of God in human or angelic form in the Old Testament, is actually the Son of God manifesting Himself prior to His incarnation. The fourth man in the fire was the Son of God. He most probably had a radiant appearance since the king said that the fourth man looked supernatural.

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, Daniel 3:26

Note that the king calls the three Hebrew men by name but makes no mention of the fourth man. The king gives glory to the God that he had just mocked and calls Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego servants of the Most High God. Although Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged Yehovah to be supreme above other gods, he still did not cease to believe in these other gods.

and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Daniel 3:27

Whether or not these officials had seen the supernatural companion of the three Jewish men, they were now able to bear testimony to the fact that the three friends had escaped a fiery death. This event was all the more important to the Babylonians since Iz-bar, the Babylonian god of fire, was a god high in the pantheon of the many gods they worshipped.

The God of Israel was thus manifested as so much greater than Iz-bar, that he could deliver his servants even in the very element in which Iz-bar had his power. The fact that their “robes” were not burned, and not even a hair singed, while the cords that had been used to bind them were consumed, emphasizes their supernatural deliverance. Although the cords were consumed, the garments of these servants of Yehovah were preserved even from the smell of fire.

The Babylonians had conquered the city of Yehovah, had burned his temple, and had done this through the power of Marduk or so they thought. But here Bel-Marduk had been openly defied by three worshippers of Yehovah. They had been hurled into the very element of Iz-bar, the servant and ally of Marduk, yet the fire had been unable to harm them or vindicate the honor of Bel-Marduk. What emphasized this was that the fire that spared the servants of Yehovah slew the followers of Bel-Marduk who were eager to show their reverence for Marduk by throwing these Jehovah-worshippers into the furnace. Such a miracle, witnessed before all the high dignitaries of the Babylonian Empire, would go far to diminish the scorn and ridicule of the God of Israel who allowed the destruction of Jerusalem.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Daniel 3:28-29

The Jews had been exiled for seventy years because of their failure to observe the seventh year as a year of rest for the land. This act as well as, intermarriage, idol worship and other sins of the nation, resulted in the people being taken into captivity. The mighty miracle of God that delivered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would serve to both encourage the Jews to observe the Torah during their captivity and cured them from idolatry. After the return to the Promised Land from Babylon, the Jews never practiced idolatry again.

The king commends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s defiance of his decree.

Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:29-30

The king who threatened anyone who did not worship the image he erected with being thrown into a blazing furnace now threatens anyone who says anything against the God of Israel with being cut into pieces. Nebuchadnezzar wanted to save face amongst his subjects and wanted to insure that no one in his empire would ridicule him or attempt to defy his decrees as did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

The Jews that Nebuchadnezzar meant to destroy were now elevated into even higher positions of authority and influence in Babylon.

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. Deuteronomy 28:1