The first two verses of Daniel give a short summary of what had happened in Judah for years. God told Hezekiah that Babylon would one day conquer the land (Isaiah 39:65-7). He made this promise to Habakkuk. Jeremiah’s prophecies often spoke of this promise to come (1:13-16; 25:8-11; 28:1-17; 32:28-32; etc.). Now, God’s promise has come to pass in the days of Daniel (Daniel 1:1-2; 2 Kings 24; 2 Chronicles 36).
In reality, God had made this promise centuries before. In the days of Moses, God promised that if His people refused to obey Him, He would bring another nation to conquer them (Deuteronomy 28:49-52). The descriptions in Deuteronomy sound eerily similar to the conquering and bloodshed that occurred when Babylon conquered the people.
Just as God kept His promise to protect the people in their obedience, He kept His promise to defeat them when they were disobedient. The statement that “God is not slack concerning his promises” (2 Peter 3:9) was accurate in Old Testament days as it is in the New!
When God promises something, we can be sure it’s going to happen. God promised a Flood (Genesis 6-8). He has promised blessings on the righteous (Matthew 6:33; Ephesians 1:3). God has promised certain kings would rule and certain nations would fall. Of course, the greatest of all was the promise and fulfillment of a Savior to come to the Earth (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14)!
God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13). God keeps His word in all things because His word is truth (John 17:17). When He promises salvation, He will keep this promise, and when He promises punishment on the wicked, He will not forget (Matthew 25:46)! Daniel is a book of encouragement to Christians (Romans 15:4). Daniel shows us that regardless of the outward circumstances, we can still trust in God, be faithful to Him, and be blessed. We don’t always get our way in life, but be strong and trust in the promises of God.
Adapted from Jarrod M. Jacobs
