This week we have been thinking about Daniel 11:32.

In the second century B.C., Antiochus IV was working mayhem. He was a cunning man of violence. He desecrated the Jerusalem temple and persecuted the people of God.

Some people gave in. Others didn’t. There were resisters. Verse 32 provides this detail: “the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” 

My suggestion is that their attitude and approach then continues to be something to emulate today, especially as we navigate our own kinds of uncertainty.

Today we look at how they “took action.”

In historical context, this is most likely a reference to a group of people who organized a revolt to take back the temple. 

Today, how we “take action” is going to vary depending on where we live, our local circumstances, and even the nature of our own gifts and strengths. 

Generally speaking, however, one thing doesn’t change. Regardless of the circumstances, our job is always to be the hands and feet of Christ. In so doing, we attend to the practical needs of others.

It’s not to hide in the corner. It’s not to watch the news 24/7. It’s not to adopt a new identity as doom-and-gloomers. It’s to be the hands and feet of Christ.

‘Oh no, deception is on the rise, what should we do?’ Be the hands and feet of Christ.

‘Oh no, fear, worry and chaos are on the rise, what should we do?’ Be the hands and feet of Christ.

‘Oh no, war and destruction loom, what should we do?’ Be the hands and feet of Christ.

I’m not saying there aren’t problems in the world. There are. And as you know, they are quite serious. But the Bible doesn’t have a footnote that says, ‘When things get tough, it’s okay to turn your disciple switch to off.’

There are times when you need rest and to take care of yourself. It’s true for all of us. But the point is that we aren’t defined by the bad, but by the good.

The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. It was true then, and it’s true now. Let’s be the hands and feet of Christ, come what may.

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Notes:

-The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and resumes on April 20, 2026.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.