Friday, May 3, 2019

A Hope-filled Response to Conformity (Daniel 3:1-18)

Nebuchadnezzar, the powerful ruler of many lands from his capital in Babylon, ordered the construction of an ostentatious image of gold (Daniel 3:1). He then ordered all the peoples under his control to fall down and worship the image the moment they heard a patriotic song begin to play (v. 5). Any nonconformist was to be executed (v. 6).

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Jesus Warns Us against Antichrists (1 John 2:15-24)

Today Jesus shares this warning with us through his apostle John: Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15, New American Standard Bible, here and following). To avoid any confusion, John clarifies for us all that is in the world: the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life (2:16).

God Has Chosen for Us to Transition to a New Age

Around 600 BC, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a dream which troubled him. To make sure his counselors interpreted it correctly, he demanded first that they tell him what he dreamt. When they confessed their inability to do so, he ordered their execution. Just before they were to die, God revealed the dream and its interpretation to Daniel. Daniel praised God, acknowledging that “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings” (2:21).