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Some of the main themes of the book of Daniel were introduced in chapter 1. There we saw:
- God is the one in complete control of His world. This is seen in the deliverance of the people of Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon, and in the vindication of His people’s stand for Him.
- The people of God are placed in a strange land that seeks to make them conform, so that they are like that world. However, God’s people are to stand firm for the Lord, obedient to His word.
As we look back over chapters 2 to 4 we see those themes worked out time and again. We see God’s complete control revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar. It is revealed to him in the interpreted dreams that come in both chapters 2 and 4. It is revealed to him in the rescue of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in chapter 3.
We have also seen how the exiles live trusting that God is in control. They have learned from the king’s dream in chapter 2 that the promises God has made to them through the centuries will still be fulfilled. He will establish a kingdom that will last for ever. The truth of God’s sovereignty leads the exiles to stand firmly for God, obedient to His word, even when threatened with death in chapter 3.
Chapter 4 ends with Nebuchadnezzar coming to submit to God’s rule. He has, at last, understood the gospel, been humbled by God, and acknowledges God to be the true King. In the historical narrative of the book (chapters 1 – 6), this is the last we read of Nebuchadnezzar. We have traced how he has been changed from tyrannical despot to humble believer. That God can do that, using the courageous stand and bold witness of four young men, is inspiring.
At the start of the book, we might have thought that it was the exiles that would be conformed to the world they were placed in. In reality, it is the king of Babylon who has been conformed – humbled to worship the Most High God.
Reflection
How have these chapters helped you be more confident that God is the one in complete control? How have these chapters encouraged you to live for God in this world?
About this Plan
The story of Daniel and his three friends is well known and well loved. But the account of these four men, in a far away land, is so much more than the lion’s den and a fiery furnace that we remember from Sunday school. In forty days, experienced Bible–teacher Justin Mote, shows us God’s goodness, provision and sovereignty, even when the situation seems out of control.
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