Throughout the election campaigns here in Israel, I’ve been drawn to read Daniel 2 almost daily. We seem to have a winner (although one thing I’ve learned from living in Israel is that anything can happen anytime!
As I was drawn to read Daniel 2 again this morning, I felt the L-rd emphasize verses 20-22:
Let the name of G-d be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.
Also Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings the G-d of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
While reading through the chapter again I had the impression that the iron and clay represent the religious and secular systems of this nation. They most definitely don’t adhere to one another and they are so completely divided that it seems hopeless at times that Am Yisrael will ever become one people who will declare, “Baruch HaBa b’Shem Adonai!”
We seem to be nearing that time when the stone cut out of the mountain without hands is rising up. We have no other hope. Hosea 3:4-5 comes to mind as well
For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the L-rd their G-d and David their king; and they will come trembling to the L-rd and to His goodness in the last days.