Nebuchadnezzar was faced with the challenge of holding together an empire that consisted of many nations, cultures and gods. How was he to unite this empire given it’s pluralistic overtones? Furthermore, how were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to remain faithful to their faith in such a hostile and pagan environment? Would they continue to worship their God exclusively? Would they stand firm?

There are many parallels between the Babylon of Daniel’s day and the ‘Babylonian’ culture we live in today. Like the Babylon of the Old Testament, we find ourselves in a pluralistic society where many ‘gods’ are worshipped, where there is tremendous pressure to conform and be tolerant of contradictory worldviews. Therefore, the challenge for the church is to show that our gospel and our message is one of grace, where righteousness is not something forced upon people but is a gift freely given by God to all who put their trust in Christ. In the book of Daniel, we are encouraged that, regardless of how tough and godless a nation might be, those who remain steadfast in their obedience to and worship of Jesus Christ have the potential to bring about a remarkable transformation. Be encouraged!