Daniel 1-3; Psalm 88; John 17
Daniel and his friends' faithfulness was undoubtedly connected to their upbringing in Jerusalem. It's remarkable that during the reign of wicked kings like Zedekiah, there were people in Israel who raised their children to be faithful to Jehovah God.
The success of Daniel and his friends lay in the fact that "God granted Daniel favor…" (Dan. 1:9), and "God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning…" (Dan. 1:17). This is yet another confirmation of our dependence on God in all circumstances. Even in captivity, He can preserve and bless His faithful children.
Nebuchadnezzar's dream lays the foundation for the entire book, presenting a prophetic vision of the history of subsequent empires, which will ultimately end when Christ destroys all earthly kingdoms and establishes His kingdom forever: "While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then, the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer; the wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth" (Dan. 2:34-35). "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever" (Dan. 2:44).
The refusal to worship the golden image was based on the understanding that only Jehovah is genuinely the supreme ruler, and only He is worthy of worship. God's protection of the young men in the fiery furnace proves this.
Psalm 88
Another prayer born from suffering. Vividly describing his troubles, the author emphasizes that he has nowhere else to go: "But I cry to You for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You" (Ps. 88:14).
John 17
The high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ for His disciples. Jesus sums up His ministry to His disciples. He revealed the Father to them, taught them the truth, and gave them eternal life. He protected them, and now, as He prepares to return to heaven, He entrusts them to God's protection. Jesus knows that the world will hate His followers, so He especially asks the Father to protect them from evil, sanctify them, unify them, and allow them to see the glory that the Father has prepared for Him in heaven.
The success of Daniel and his friends lay in the fact that "God granted Daniel favor…" (Dan. 1:9), and "God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning…" (Dan. 1:17). This is yet another confirmation of our dependence on God in all circumstances. Even in captivity, He can preserve and bless His faithful children.
Nebuchadnezzar's dream lays the foundation for the entire book, presenting a prophetic vision of the history of subsequent empires, which will ultimately end when Christ destroys all earthly kingdoms and establishes His kingdom forever: "While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then, the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer; the wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth" (Dan. 2:34-35). "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever" (Dan. 2:44).
The refusal to worship the golden image was based on the understanding that only Jehovah is genuinely the supreme ruler, and only He is worthy of worship. God's protection of the young men in the fiery furnace proves this.
Psalm 88
Another prayer born from suffering. Vividly describing his troubles, the author emphasizes that he has nowhere else to go: "But I cry to You for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before You" (Ps. 88:14).
John 17
The high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ for His disciples. Jesus sums up His ministry to His disciples. He revealed the Father to them, taught them the truth, and gave them eternal life. He protected them, and now, as He prepares to return to heaven, He entrusts them to God's protection. Jesus knows that the world will hate His followers, so He especially asks the Father to protect them from evil, sanctify them, unify them, and allow them to see the glory that the Father has prepared for Him in heaven.
Posted in Reading Bible Together