Reading Journal I Virginia M.

Songcal

October 6, 2021

Summary of the major points

Daniel 1 describes how Nebuchadnezzar II captured Daniel and his three companions from

Jerusalem and sent them to Babylon to be educated in Babylonian knowledge. They refused to

take the king's food and drink and were instead granted wisdom and insight into dreams and

visions by God, and at the end of their training, they proved to be ten times better than all the

kingdom's magicians and enchanters. God is introduced in Chapter 1 as the figure in charge of

everything that happens, as the possessor of sovereign will and power: it is he who gives

Jehoiakim to Nebuchadnezzar and sends Daniel and his friends into Babylonian exile, as well as

giving Daniel "grace and mercies" and the four young Jews "knowledge and skill."

Daniel 2 describes how Daniel interpreted and responded to King Nebuchadnezzar II of

Babylon's dream. In his night dream, the king saw a gigantic statue made of four metals, from its

head of gold to its feet of mingled iron and clay while he watched, a stone "not carved by human

hands" shattered the statue and turned into a mountain that filled the entire globe. The statue

symbolized four successive kingdoms, beginning with Babylon, while the stone and mountain

represented a kingdom created by God that would never be destroyed or handed to another

people, Daniel explained to the king. Nebuchadnezzar then accepts Daniel's God's supremacy

and promotes him to a prominent position in Babylon.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are biblical characters from Daniel's third chapter. When

three Hebrew men refuse to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's idol, he throws them into a

blazing

furnace; the three are spared, and the king sees four men walking through the flames, "the

fourth... like a son of God." Their Hebrew names are substituted with Chaldean or Babylonian

ones in Daniel 1, when they are transported to Babylon with Daniel to learn Chaldean language

and literature in preparation for service at the King's court.

Points that stood out or that were new and helpful to the student.

1. Daniel was passionate about preserving his values.

Daniel didn't have to live up to his Jewish principles. He was away from home, in a

heathen nation far distant from his parents. He might have eaten the meal without hesitation.

A classic case might be a toddler visiting a friend and playing a video game or watching a

movie that they are not permitted to see. This teenager can easily get away with playing the

game or viewing the movie because his or her parents are not around. The same thing is

happening here. Daniel didn't have to uphold his Jewish values. But he did.

2. God was at the center of Daniel's life.

Daniel's entire existence centred on God. This is something that Christians today

may learn from. . Many have heard the analogy of a wheel on a bike. The case for far too

many Christians is that instead of being the central part that all the spokes revolve
 around, God is merely another spoke. He’s merely a part of our lives. Along with sports,

academics, hobbies, and so forth. This was not the case with Daniel, and it should not be

the case with us today as Christians. Everything else should revolve around Him, since

He should be the most essential and vital aspect of our existence.

Points of agreement or disagreement, and/or thoughts needing clarification.

1. Just as God of Israel delivered Daniel and his companions from their foes, he would

deliver all of Israel from their current tyranny.

2. In the book of Daniel, we are reminded that our God rules even in the midst of

immense chaos. And He is to be praised in praise, trusted without fear, and turned to

in faith. The book of Daniel speaks to us in a powerful way.

Applications of concepts and values to our Spiritual life.

Every day we are impacted by a great deal. Some are negative, while others are favorable. As a

result, we have the ability to influence others. We all have an impact on the individuals we come

into touch with, whether it's the waiter at the restaurant or the guests at church. Unfortunately,

many Christians do not use their power to further God's kingdom. Direct evangelism does not

lead to the salvation of all persons. We've missed the first important step if people can't identify

Christians differently from the rest of the world. Look at Daniel for an example. After

interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2, the king said, "Truly your God is the

God of gods, the Lord of kings..." Daniel wielded his power to sway the king of Babylon! This

isn't the only instance, though. After seeing Daniel saved from the lions in chapter 6, verses 25

through 27, King Darius declares that no one should worship anybody but Daniel's God. Daniel
once again utilized his power in a very good and effective way. While we may never be able to

have the same impact as Daniel in altering laws, we may still utilize our influence for God's

glory.