God Speaks
Four Young Exiles from Judah Honor the LORD in Babylon
Verse of the Day: Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowedge to the discerning.He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors; You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” [Quotes and capitalization as in the original.]
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We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Daniel 1-3:
1. What does this chapter tell me about God?
2. What does this chapter tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Daniel 1
1. God does not abandon the people who follow Him and His ways, even if they are captives or slaves.
2. People need to stay true to God’s direction even in the midst of trying circumstances as Daniel did.
Daniel 2
1. God may choose to inform people (even ungodly people like Nebuchadnezzar) of His plans for the future through dreams and/or visions.
2. When faced with an insurmountable problem (like Daniel when the king was planning to execute all of the wise men of Babylon), people should present their situation to the LORD and praise Him for the answer (as he did).
Daniel 3
1. God will rescue (either now or in eternity) those who trust and stay true to Him, worshiping Him alone.
2. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, people who fear God will have the moral fortitude to stay true to Him in the midst of intense pressure to compromise their beliefs and values.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Daniel 1-3?
O God of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Your people (all those who know, trust, and obey You) are facing terrible situations all around the world. Please give each believer the faith and courage to stand up for the beliefs and values found in the Bible. Please give them the strength, health, knowledge, wisdom, favor, and self-control they need to carry out the tasks to which You have called them. Don’t let them dishonor You by giving in to the pressure to conform to the demands of an ungodly person or culture. LORD God, please give unbelievers encounters with You (including dreams and visions) that lead them to faith in Messiah Jesus. Holy Spirit, help them to correctly interpret any dreams, visions, or instructions You choose to give them. Help them to see, understand, anticipate, and thank You for Your answers to their prayers even before they come to fruition. Help us all to stay true to You, worshiping You alone. Keep us from giving in to the pressure to compromise our beliefs and values. Where we have, please forgive us on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice for sin. Cleanse our hearts and minds and set us back on the path of fully trusting and obeying You, no matter what. Then we will all bring You glory, LORD. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Daniel 1-3? With the help of God’s Holy Spirit:
- I will examine my beliefs and values to be sure that they are strong enough to withstand the pressures of the culture around me.
- I will ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen me so I can withstand the pressures of the culture around me.
- I will stand alongside someone who is standing up against wickedness and evil.
- I will bring various threatening situations to the LORD, wait on Him, and praise Him for His answers and do whatever He says.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.