Daniel in 2min

Connecting Daniel to the Big Picture of the Bible

The Key Ideas of Daniel

To understand the book of Daniel in 2 minutes, let's place it within the big picture of the Bible. The Bible reveals God's plan to rescue humanity through Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, we see why this rescue is necessary because that's where the problem arises when man rebelss against God. The prophetic books warn of the consequences of rebellion, but also announce the solution to the problem.

The book of Daniel unfolds after the giving of the law, but before the cross. It shows that God controls the course of history because he is above all things. So with that, let's dive in. At the beginning of the book, Jerusalem is conquered and its inhabitants are taken captive. Young Daniel and his friends now live as prisoners in the metropolis of Babylon, a place that wants nothing to do with God.

There they are given positions of great responsibility. They adapt to the culture and customs of the Babylonians, but not when it goes against God's commandments. Their hearts beat for God, and they remain faithful to him. However, this puts them in great danger. Some end up in a fiery furnace and one in a lion's den. But it is precisely there that they experience God's salvation because remember, he is above all things.

Summary + Application to Christ

And that's not just true in Daniel's time, but beyond. Through dreams and visions, God grants Daniel insight into the future. Empires will come and empires will go, but one kingdom will stand forever, the kingdom of God. It will be established by a person called the son of man who will receive all power from God. So, the book of Daniel shows that God is in control of the course of history because he is above all things.

Action Steps

And one day this will become clear to everyone when the son of man, Jesus Christ, appears as king. Go ahead, open the book of Daniel and marvel at how God writes history.