Most people know the Biblical book of Daniel from the stories of Daniel and the Lions Den, Daniel’s dream interpretations, or maybe the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being cast in the furnace for refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. Some folks know Daniel from the Apocalyptic prophecies contained in the text. During the pandemic and lockdowns, I taught through the book on Zoom. The book itself has a much bigger message to convey. It is actually about how God is in control, even when it seems as though he isn’t.
After more than a century of God warning His people regarding the impending consequences for their rebellion against him, Israel was conquered by the Babylonian empire. The capital city, Jerusalem, was sacked and the temple was razed. Then, the population was rounded up and hauled off to Babylon to be held in captivity, where they would remain for 70 years. The main character, Daniel, finds himself captive in a foreign land, surrounded by people whose customs and morals were in direct conflict with his own. The Jewish people were experiencing fear and uncertainty. At the forefront of their minds were questions about how to serve God now that their temple was gone. Others would be asking if their God was really in control in a world where all of this could happen. Throughout the account, God reassures his people that he is in control. The book is about how he doesn’t abandon his people in their times of trial. Throughout the book, we are told all about how God chooses leaders, raises up nations, and throws them down. Everything is within God’s control. To prove that point in a concrete manner, God acts in an amazing way. About midway through the book, the Babylonian Empire is sacked by the armies of the Medo-Persian empire. The event, which took place in 539 BC,
was predicted earlier in the book. Even more impressive, the general/king who led the conquest was Cyrus, who was identified by name as the one who would liberate the Jewish people in the book of Isaiah. The prediction was made in the 700s BC. To demonstrate that God is in control, he identified the man who would deliver his people from captivity over 100 years before he was even born. The message: God is in control. When nations are in turmoil and everything seems to be totally out of control, God continues to be in control.
The past few weeks have been chaotic in terms of our nation. Over the past few years, the world has often seemed to be out of control. Wars and rumors of wars have happened. Our world has seen turmoil, both economic and social. With the last few weeks of election news, which at times, has felt unreal, it can easily begin to feel as though no one is at the steering wheel. The book of Daniel assures us that God is in control. Leaders and nations rise and fall based on his will. This is a huge deal, because the news is often bad and scary. There is comfort in the knowledge that God is acting in harmony with his will. He is in control. We can trust him when things feel out of control. This is a tremendous source of comfort and hope.
