The Persians had defeated King Belshazzar’s army and were encamped at the very gates of Babylon. An axe was suspended over his head. So what did Belshazzar do? He threw a party.
Speaking the Truth in Love
Speaking the Truth in Love
Sermons on Daniel (Page 2)
Are all sins created equal? Do some sins cause more harm than others or spring from worse motives? Is there perhaps a chief sin, a wicked thing at the root of every wrong ever done? The humiliation of King Nebuchadnezzar may point to some answers.
King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that all his officials worship his idol, a tall golden image set up on the plain of Dura. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused – and that meant death. Their trust in God challenges us to make faithful choices when the state punishes righteous behavior.
Young Daniel was removed from his homeland in Judah and enrolled in a Babylonian training program aimed at re-educating him for service as an adviser to King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel and his three best friends resisted full assimilation into Babylonian culture – but they did so without being obnoxious.
A growing congregation showers young people with attention and encouragement. This is a good thing. But elderly people sometimes feel forgotten or even useless. Daniel’s experience forces us to see advanced age in a new light (Dan. 6:1-24).