Daniel 1-2

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it” (1:1). Daniel’s story begins with the failure of Israel to obey God, which made them vulnerable to the Babylonian empire. Showing his power, Nebuchadnezzar stole the treasures of Jerusalem’s temple and put them in his own pagan temple (1:2) and he also stole Jerusalem’s best young men (1:4). But in Babylon, “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself” (1:8), and God was with him.

“And God gave Daniel favor ...” (1:9). No matter how complicated our situation or our past failures, when we commit to Him, God is able to redeem, restore, and bless us.