Daniel is a unique book in the OT and the Bible. In this introductory sermon we get a sense for the shape and message of Daniel. It is a message from God for his exiled people – meant to instill in them a perseverance born of faith in the moment, courage for the day, hope for the future, and comfort in the suffering. It is a message from God for the world that Daniel’s God is the Most High God, the God of Heaven who rules over the kingdoms of men, and is a God of salvation and judgement. In this message we see Daniel give us the biblical record of the exile – “the Lord delivered Jehoiakim into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar,” and three big truths we learn about God in Daniel: God reigns over all, God rescues his people, and God reveals himself, the truth and the future.
Scripture: Daniel 1-12; 1:1-2; Jeremiah 24:1-10; 29:1-7; Psalm 137:4; John 15:9; Phil. 3:20-21; 1 Peter 1:1, 2:11; Heb. 11:13
