What Do We Miss?
That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two. -- Daniel 5:30-21
Who was Darius the Mede? Seriously. Who was he? I've read the book of Daniel many times. I've taken the Bible study. This is the chapter about the writing on the wall. And it goes right in to the chapter about Daniel and the Lions Den.
So who is he? The truth is nobody knows for sure. He's only mentioned in Daniel.
Oh, there are theories. Darius is likely a title. Cyrus the Great didn't show up for another two weeks. Gubaru is the likely candidate. He captured Babylon. Think of Cyrus the Great as his boss. But, as I said, we don't really know.
This isn't a history lesson. My class got that on Sunday. It's more about what we miss when we read something familiar. I believe that God does point out certain things when we need them. I've had that happen many times. But I also believe we miss so much because we don't really comprehend what we're reading.
Let me explain. Years ago a wonderful editor asked me to proofread his column. I was surprised. The man was a talented writer. But he said something I still remember: Everybody needs an editor because as the writer we read things as they should be rather than as they are.
So we see -- or read -- what we expect and sometimes miss the unexpected. It's there all the time. We just get caught up in what we believe is supposed to be and miss what is.
The next time you read a Bible passage that is familiar, be sure to really focus on the words. Don't miss the obvious. It might be something that will speak to your heart.
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