Day 01 of Journey Through Daniel | EVEN THEN, GOD IS IN CONTROL

COMMENTARY The book of Daniel begins with a tragic scene. Daniel 1:1-2 tells us that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem and carted off treasure from the Jerusalem Temple, placing it in the temple of his god in Babylon. The events described in these verses took place around 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar rose to the Babylonian throne and his kingdom became the most powerful empire in the world. In that cultural context, it was common practice for kings to steal treasure from the temples of those they defeated and move it into their own temples as Nebuchadnezzar does here. This was a show of political and religious dominance, a way of saying that they and their gods were in control. For anyone watching what was happening, the capture of Jerusalem and the Temple treasure would have seemed like a crushing loss for Yahweh, the God of Israel. It would have appeared to most that Nebuchadnezzar and his god Marduk, the chief god of Babylon, were in control of the world’s events, not Yahweh. However, a subtle clue in verse 2 tells us that things weren’t exactly as they seemed. Daniel 1:2 says that “the Lord delivered” the articles from the temple of God into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. In other words, these events came about by God’s choosing, not by the will of Nebuchadnezzar and his god. This reality is consistent with a theme we will see in every story and every vision in the book of Daniel. When all hope seems lost and God seems absent, even then, God is in control. For corrupt leaders who misuse and abuse their authority, this theme should generate a sense of fear. Their power is limited and their time is short. But for the persecuted people of God, it means hope. God sits on the throne of the universe. He is at work, and in the end, He will have the final victory. SCRIPTURE Daniel 1:1–7 Daniel’s Training in Babylon 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. QUESTIONS 1. How do you suppose you would have felt if you were one of the exiles carried to Babylon? What effect do you think that experience would have had on your faith? 2. How do you hope to grow through your Journey Through Daniel experience? Share this with God and ask that He might use the book of Daniel to shape, challenge, and inspire you.