Daniel reported that king Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of a large statue that had left him in awe. The head of the statue was made of gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, and its feet a combination of iron and clay. As he watched in his dream, the king saw a stone was cut (but not by human hands) and it hit the feet of the rock which broke them into pieces. Then the entire statue was broken into dust which blew away in the wind. The stone then grew into a great mountain that filled the whole earth.

Daniel interpreted that the statue represented various Gentile kingdoms that would rule over the earth. Daniel reminded the king that he had been given his dominion, power, might, and glory from the God of heaven. He and his kingdom was the head of gold. The kingdom of silver was the Medo-Persians that conquered the Babylonians in 539 BC, which lasted 200 years to 330 BC. The kingdom of bronze was the Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great who extended the Greek Empire expanding the known developed earth. The fourth kingdom of iron is the Roman Empire which conquered the Greek Empire in 63 BC. The Roman empire was strong and crushed all those that preceded it with unsurpassed cruelty. The metals diminish in value as they descend the statue and Daniel describes the kingdoms as inferior. Each kingdom was stronger and expanded its reach, so the inferiority may be a focus on the moral decay of each society. The world’s kingdoms are not moving towards utopia. The final kingdom, that of iron mixed with clay is a kingdom still future that will be joined by alliances and yet divided as clay does not mix with iron. The toes represent ten nations or people groups that will constitute one kingdom and yet never fully unite. The vision of chapter 7 corresponds with this vision and the fourth beast grows ten horns which Daniel specifically states represent ten kings. This ten-kingdom alliance is mentioned again in Revelation (Rev 13:1; 17:12). Daniel points to the cut stone as a kingdom that will never be destroyed. It will break into pieces all the other kingdoms and bring them to an end. The stone was not formed by human hands, but by divine origin. The stone represents Christ’s return at His second coming when He will establish His throne on earth and reign in the millennial kingdom.

King Nebuchadnezzar responded by paying homage to Daniel. Because of Daniel’s ability to reveal his hidden dream, he knew Daniel had spoken the truth. He presented offerings to Daniel as God’s representative. Daniel would never have allowed the king to worship him if that had been his intent. The king then acknowledged Daniel’s God as the God of gods. He didn’t acknowledge God as the only true God though. As a polytheist (one who worships many gods), the king was happy to add another god to the multitude he already worshipped. The king promoted Daniel and rewarded him with gifts as promised (Dan 2:6). Daniel made a request of the king and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon while Daniel remained in service in the king’s court.

We see kingdoms and nations rise and fall over history. Instead of bringing peace, each brings with it an increase in crime, war, and injustice. But one day Christ will return in glory. On that day He will bring peace on earth. Are you living in the hope of Christ’s sure return?

Daniel went to his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and asked them to pray for God’s mercy in this situation. The only way they were going to escape death was if God provided them with the content and interpretation of the king’s dream, something no one could obtain for themselves. They trusted in God to intervene. God revealed the mystery to Daniel in a vision during the night. Daniel’s responded appropriately with a prayer of praise.

Daniel’s prayer acknowledged God as the eternal One who deserves praise forever. God is the source of both wisdom and power. He exhibits his power by controlling the seasons and by establishing and removing kings. Nebuchadnezzar was king because God determined to use him for His will. God is the One who gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals what is in the darkness. Things are clear to God even though we are surrounded by darkness. God is able to reveal the future. Daniel thanked God for giving him the king’s dream and its interpretation.

With the answer in hand, Daniel went to Arioch who had been charged with killing the wise men of Babylon and asked him to stay their execution because he was able to give the king the interpretation he desired. Arioch took Daniel to the king and presented him as one he’d found to give the king his interpretation. Arioch was clearly aiming to get some of the praise and recognition for Daniel’s revelation. The king gave Daniel the same condition. Was he able to supply both the contents of the dream and its interpretation? Daniel echoed what the wise man had said, no mere man would be able to satisfy the king’s request. But Daniel pointed to the God of heaven as the revealer of mysteries who had chosen to disclose to Nebuchadnezzar some of what the future held. Daniel admitted that none of what he would reveal was because he was any wiser than anyone else but because God had chosen to use him to help the king understand the thoughts God had given him.

When you find yourself facing an impossible situation, it is God who is able to give you both the wisdom to know what to do and the power to act. When those in authority over you seem unreasonable, remember that God in His sovereignty has established them and God can move them. Are you prepared to submit to God’s will and trust in His mercy? When He brings you through, will you remember to praise Him for the outcome?

King Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him so much it left him sleepless. The use of the plural “dreams” here probably means the same dream was repeated indicating its significance. He ordered that the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans be summoned to give him an interpretation of his dream. At this point, the book of Daniel is written in Aramaic until the end of chapter 7. It seems that Daniel’s message primarily to the Gentiles is in Aramaic, the lingua franca of the day, while his message primarily to Israel is in Hebrew. The wise men asked the king to tell them his dream and then they promised him an interpretation. But the king was wise. He knew that if he told them the dream, they could devise a plausible interpretation, but if they could tell him both his dream and its interpretation, then he would know they spoke the truth. He promised riches and reward for an interpretation but if they could not tell him his dream and its interpretation, then they were to be torn limb from limb and their houses destroyed. The wise men rightly answered that it was not possible for any man on earth to meet the king’s requirements. Only a god could know both a dream and its meaning. This was an implicit admission that any past interpretations or wisdom they had provided was void of divine revelation.

The king was angry with their failure to provide him with the insight he needed and ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. The decree was wider than those who were currently serving in the king’s court so they looked for Daniel and his friends who were also destined to be killed. Daniel asked Arioch, the king’s captain what had caused this urgent decree and Arioch told him what had transpired. Then Daniel made an appointment with the king to show him the interpretation of his dream (Dan 1:17).

Much of what passes as prophesy or interpretation today is a vague prediction of common truths based on known information. The only one who knows the future is God Himself. What are you basing your decisions on? Are you looking to the bible for God’s truth, or are you relying on the wisdom of men? While God has revealed all He will about the future, He has given us solid principles in His word for us to make every decision we need to make.

In preparation for the king’s service, Daniel and the other youths captured from Judah were going to be fed with food from the king’s table. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself. The food they were offered did not conform to the requirements of the Mosaic law. It was rendered unclean because it was prepared by Gentiles. It would certainly have contained elements forbidden by the law and most likely would have contained food sacrificed and offered to their gods, which would be contrary to Exodus 34:15. He would also have had an issue with the wine offered. The Jews would abstain from drinking “strong drink” by diluting wine sometimes with up to 10 parts of water. The wine the king drank, and what was offered to them, would have been undiluted. Even though he was no longer in Jerusalem, Daniel still resolved to please God by remaining obedient to His law. Daniel requested permission to abstain from eating the king’s food. God honoured Daniel’s decision to remain pure and moved the chief of the eunuchs to be sympathetic to Daniel’s request. The official’s initial response was fear. If they didn’t eat the choice food provided that would show in a deteriorated physical condition compared to the others and he would have to answer to the king with his life. So Daniel proposed a test. He requested permission to eat only vegetables and water for ten days and then to be compared with those who ate the king’s food. The word for vegetables is “things sown” which could have included seeds and grain. This was a safe diet because the Mosaic Law designated no vegetables as unclean. After the ten days were over, he proposed the official make a final decision based on what he saw. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and those with him looked healthier than those who ate the king’s food and so they were allowed to continue their diet of vegetables and water.

During their three years of training, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom. In addition to this, Daniel was given the gift of understanding visions and dreams. When they were presented to the king, the king found that they were ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the kingdom. God had prepared these faithful young men for service in the king’s court. Daniel continued to serve in the king’s court until the fall of the Babylonian empire by Cyrus in 539 BC.

When we look back at the story, the outcome seems obvious. But Daniel didn’t know how the story of Daniel would end. He made a decision to remain pure and obedient to God’s word and trusted God with the outcome. He was presented with a life of luxury and assimilation into this new culture but he resolved to remain pure and obedient. He drew a line in the sand and God honoured his decision (“those who honour me, I will honour”, 1 Sam 2:30). In your life, where do you need to draw a line in the sand and resolve to do things God’s way?

The third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah puts the start of this story at 605 BC. Nebuchadnezzar is referred to as the king of Babylon who besieged Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar left the battle when he heard of his father Nabopolassar’s death to accede to the throne. Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem took place during the reign of Jehoiakim, the 17th king of Judah. Jeremiah had warned Johoiakim of the impending invasion of Babylon and instructed God’s people to submit without resistance. When Nebuchadnezzar attacked, little resistance was offered and Jehoiakim was captured, taken to Babylon, and Judah fell under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. When God made the covenant with Israel in Moab before they entered the promised land, He told them that obedience would bring blessing but disobedience would lead to discipline. The ultimate discipline God would use was the invasion of Gentile nations to subjugate Israel and disperse them from the land (Deut 28:49-68). This discipline began with the Northern Kingdom who were taken into captivity to Assyria in 722 BC. The Southern Kingdom of Judah had been more repentant and heeded the various prophets’ admonitions and returned to God. Because of their repentance, obedience, and godly kings, Judah continued for just over a century longer. Eventually, Judah ignored God’s covenant and God chose Nebuchadnezzar as His instrument to discipline Judah. When Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon, he took with him the spoils of war. He carried valuable articles from the temple in Jerusalem and placed them in the temple of his god, probably Bel, also known as Marduk, the chief god of the Babylonians. He also took Jews from the royal family and nobility as captives. He commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to take young men who were physically and mentally strong and prepare them for service in the king’s palace. They were to be schooled in the literature and language of the Chaldeans, most likely in an attempt to assimilate them into Babylonian culture. They were to be given choice food and wine the same as the king ate and educated for three years. When their preparation and training were complete, they would enter the king’s service. Here we are introduced to four main characters, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were all given Babylonian names, Daniel was named Belteshazzar, Hananiah was named Shadrach, Mishael was named Meshach, and Azariah was named Abednego.

God will not let sin and disobedience remain indefinitely. Israel had been given many opportunities to repent and obey but their repeated failure left them facing the ultimate discipline of captivity and exile. If we don’t walk in righteousness, we too will face God’s discipline. But Hebrews reminds us that this is a good thing. God disciplines us because He loves us as His father (Heb 12:5-7). Is God disciplining you or are you on the path that leads to discipline? What do you need to change today?

Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings that are easily applied to everyday situations. Consider carefully which of the sayings you’ve read today are particularly applicable to you today and in the coming week. What do you need to change or do more of to make use of God’s wisdom in your life?

Paul appeals to Philemon out of love to do what is right. He could have used his authority as an apostle to command him to do what is required. But true forgiveness cannot come from compulsion. Paul’s appeal was for Onesimus who he had led to believe in Christ during his imprisonment. Paul had a deep bond with those he led to the Lord, like a father-son relationship. Onesimus, whose name means “useful” had become useless after stealing and fleeing from Philemon. But now, because of his new birth in Christ, he had once again become useful. Paul was speaking from experience. Onesimus had already proved himself faithful in service to Paul and Paul was willing to have him continue ministering to him in Philemon’s stead. But he was more concerned about facilitating forgiveness and restoration in a broken relationship. By sending Onesimus back, Philemon was able to forgive freely, not under compulsion. Paul suggested that perhaps Onesimus flight was used by God to bring him to faith so that he might return forever as a brother in Christ.

Paul asked Philemon to receive Onesimus in the same way he would receive Paul as his partner in ministry. Philemon would have enthusiastically welcomed Paul, and Paul hoped he would respond similarly to Onesimus. There should be great equality in the body of Christ (Gal 3:28). Though positionally a slave, Onesimus should be treated as an equal before Christ. Knowing that Onesimus had stolen from Philemon, Paul took the pen from his scribe and personally wrote that he would repay whatever was owed. He wanted nothing to stand in the way of the two men reconciling. But Paul did remind Philemon that he had a greater spiritual debt to Paul who evidently had led him to Christ as well. When we consider how much we have been forgiven at the cross then we should freely forgive others (Eph 4:32; Luke 7:47; Matt 18:21-35). Paul had already commended Philemon for refreshing the saints (Phile 7) and now Paul hoped that he would be encouraged by Philemon’s act of forgiveness.

Paul wrote with confidence that Philemon would not only forgive Onesimus as he had requested but go above and beyond. Paul also wrote with the hope that he would have the opportunity to visit them soon.

Paul concluded the letter with greetings from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke (who are also mentioned in Colossians 4:10-14). Paul prayed that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ would be with Philemon’s spirit. As he pondered the letter and considered forgiving Onesimus, Philemon, saved by grace, could only forgive by that same grace.

Paul gave Philemon many reasons and encouragements to forgive. If you are battling to forgive someone, consider the grace shown through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for you and His grace in you that empowers you to forgive.

Philemon is one of those books of the bible that is just one chapter in length and so we only quote the verse numbers. Despite the people mentioned in the opening greeting, it is a personal letter from Paul to Philemon but it has wide application to all believers facing personal conflict. Onesimus had been a slave who had apparently stolen from Philemon and fled. At some point, Onesimus met Paul while he was in prison and became a Christian. Paul appealed to Philemon to take Onesimus back, forgive him, and receive him not only as a slave but now also as a brother in Christ. Paul was certain that Onesimus would more useful now as a fellow brother in Christ. Paul wrote this letter around the same time as his letter to the Colossians and it was delivered at the same time by Tychicus accompanied by Onesimus (Col 4:7-9).

Paul identifies himself as a prisoner as he is writing while physically confined. He was imprisoned because of his ministry of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Even though it is a personal letter, Paul included Timothy who was with him. In addition to Philemon, Paul addressed the letter to Apphia, possibly Philemon’s wife, and Archippus, perhaps the pastor of the church that met in Philemon’s house. Each of these additional recipients would be able to encourage Philemon to act positively to Paul’s request. Paul’s greeting is the same as his other letters. Grace is how we can have peace with God through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Again, typical of his other letters, Paul opens by giving thanks for his readers. Whenever Paul prayed for Philemon, he gave thanks because of his love and faith for Jesus expressed in his love for the saints—other believers. He prayed that he would grow that love by sharing his faith. This could be in ministry to his fellow believers or as an effective witness and sharing his faith with those who did not believe. Or, perhaps it is both. As he grew in his knowledge and understanding of every good thing he had in Christ, he would be more eager to share his faith with others. Paul was encouraged and found joy in how Philemon had spiritually refreshed the believers around him.

In the nineties a band named DC Talk released a song titled, “Luv is a verb”. As an action, love needs an object. What is the object of your love? Jesus told us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, and strength and then, to love others as we love ourselves. Philemon is commended for a love expressed towards those around him because of his love for Jesus. How does your love for others reflect your love for Jesus?

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Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan

Jacob and Rachel: Genesis 29-30