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HOW TO READ THE BIBLE BETTER:

AS YOU READ EACH PASSAGE, DO THE FOLLOWING:

ASK– God to connect with you in this moment. In prayer, start by slowing down and
inviting God to help you understand what this passage means for your life. Clear your
mind of all distractions and simply focus on what God wants to accomplish in this
moment.

READ– the selected section of Scripture slowly. At first, read the whole passage while
taking notes of the words and phrases that stick out to you. Next, read it a second
time, pausing at the parts that stick out to you.

REFLECT– on what grabs you. What connections do you see at this point in your life?
How might God be speaking to you through these words? Imagine you’re living in the
time of Jesus. What would be your reaction to this passage? What does it mean for
you today?

RESPOND– to the Scripture. Speak directly to God about what’s on your mind and
heart. Look for ways to live out what resonated with you in two ways: individually and
with your group.

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INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL
If you visit a Sunday school class on any given weekend, it’s very likely they are
covering at least one story from the book of Daniel. From the lion’s den to the four
friends in the fiery furnace to the refusal to bow down to the golden idol, this prophetic
book contains some of the most famous Bible stories told to kids. This powerful
prophet is an example of being faithful despite uncertain circumstances. In the first six
chapters of Daniel, we are given a clear life lesson— we can live fearlessly because we
have faith. 

While many of us were taught the narratives within the first six chapters of Daniel, we
may not know much about the second-half of the book. Chapters 7-12 contain a
collection of apocalyptic visions about the future. While these chapters are difficult to
understand and continue to be hotly debated among Christian scholars, we can glean
one central principle from this section: God is faithful, even when things get scary. 

Outline of Daniel 
• Our Faith // The Stories of Daniel (Chapters 1-6) 

• Daniel and His Friends Recruited to Serve the King || God’s Ways Always
Win (Ch. 1) 

• The King’s Dream || God Guides (Ch. 2) 

• The Fiery Furnace || God Protects (Ch. 3) 

• Nebuchadnezzar’s Pride & Downfall || God Humbles Pt. 1 (Ch. 4) 

• Belshazzar’s Pride & Downfall || God Humbles Pt. 2 (Ch. 5) 

• The Lion’s Den || God Provides (Ch. 6)

• God’s Faithfulness // The Visions of Daniel (Chs. 7-12) 

• Prophecy: What’s Coming (Chs. 7-11) 

• Promise: God Will Make Things Right (Ch. 12) 

• You can fearlessly move towards your future.  


Theological Idea: God is in control today and forever. 

What This Means for You: Trust God because faith will help you live fearlessly in
adversity.  


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001: Don’t Defile Yourself  
Buffets are gross. When I was a kid, my dad loved taking us to a restaurant named
Golden Corral. It was a humid little country buffet on the opposite side of town that
offered foods ranging from neon yellow macaroni to sticky-sweet ribs to boiled
Brussels sprouts. The food was all pretty standard Southern fare, but let’s talk about
the centerpiece of every Golden Corral— the chocolate fondue fountain. Have you
seen one of these things? Sure, they look stunning, but they’re kind of unsettling. Every
few minutes, you’d notice a child plunge their nasty baby-fingers into the glistening,
chocolatey waterfall. The shiny sauce would drip off their hands, cascade into the base
of the fountain, and cycle back through the top. The fountain surely festered with
germs and viruses. 

READ: Daniel 1:1-17

The book of Daniel tells the story of Daniel (obviously) who was a charismatic
seventeen-year-old leader from the lineage of King David. He and his friends were
forced to live in Babylon because his city of Jerusalem was seized and enslaved. The
people of Israel were forced into exile under the harsh dictatorship of Babylon. This
kingdom was completely opposed to Daniel’s faith. They sought vengeance and
ignored mercy. They loved war and hated peace. They worshipped idols and disgraced
the God of Israel. 

In the first chapter, Daniel was recruited to work for the government of King
Nebuchadnezzar because of his strength, knowledge, and handsome looks. (Seriously,
look at verse five!) During his orientation ceremony, he was offered a buffet of junk food
with an open bar. I am sure there was a chocolate fountain or two. David realized that
the food was completely contrary to the kosher commandments in Jewish Scripture.
Thus, he politely asked to not partake. Daniel 1:9 elaborates, "Daniel was determined
not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king.” 

You will probably never be offered unclean food that was blessed by a Babylonian
goddess. However, culture is constantly trying to trick you into Babylonian behavior.
You walk by a buffet of vices and choices every day. The spread is full of delightful-
looking confections with dangerous consequences. Gossip is just a group-chat away.
Vile videos are easily accessible. Selfishness is our culture’s default setting. Culture is
constantly encouraging you to “defile yourself” with addictive substances, the pursuit
of prosperity, selfish ambitions, and, ultimately, finding purpose in all the wrong places. 

Make the same choice as Daniel. Don’t defile yourself with culture's confections. Swim
against the cultural current. Respectfully reject anything that can come between you
and God. 

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002: It’s Written in the Stars 
While standing in line at the store, I love scanning the random impulse buys around me.
Fruity candy, energy drinks, flavored chapsticks, Pokemon cards, and magazines are
all neatly stacked onto shelves, ready for impromptu purchases. Recently, the line was
dragging slowly, so I snatched a magazine off the rack. This pamphlet-sized
publication was smooshed between a periodical with a smiling picture of Oprah and a
tabloid pushing a conspiracy theory about aliens. The cover was plastered with an
impressive picture of space that caught my eye. I thought, "I like space, so this may be
cool.” It wasn’t. Turns out this thing had nothing to do with space at all. It was a
horoscope. Are you familiar with these things? I thumbed through an absurd article that
offered relationship advice, warnings about the future, and life hacks— all based on the
stars. 

Let me write up a horoscope for you… “Capricorn: The alignment of the stars has
nothing to do with your future.” 

READ: 2:1-23 

In the second chapter of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar was haunted by dark dreams

that prevented him from sleeping soundly. The nightmares were so disturbing that he
assumed they meant something supernatural. Thus, he called on his astrologers and
magicians to interpret the dreams for him. Babylon was obsessed with reading the
stars for signs of the future and using magic to manipulate the present. Since he
assumed this dream had to do with fate, the king put his best horoscope writers on the
job. After hours of contemplation and enchantment, they come to an unfortunate
conclusion, “No one on earth can interpret the dream… your demand is
impossible” (Daniel 2:10-11). Nebuchadnezzar, the evil emperor, demanded the
magicians and astrologers murdered. I know, VeggieTales left that scene out. 

Daniel faced an impossible situation, so he looked to the one who makes the
impossible possible. He didn’t need to read the stars because he knew the creator of
them. He pressed into prayer and worship, begging for God to grant him guidance.
Then, God came through. Daniel interpreted the king’s dream with the supernatural
resource of God’s wisdom. Daniel relied on God with trust, faith, and patience. His
expectation was that God would come through for him. His expectation led to
celebration as God granted him guidance to translate the dream. Daniel is a flawless
example of faith. He had faith that God would come through. He had faith despite
scary circumstances. His whole life was fueled by faith. 

I am sure some of you are facing impossible circumstances. Your family's fate may be
uncertain. You may feel in desperate need of an answer.  You may not know what’s
next for you. Your relationships may be stuck in a rut. You may have a seemingly
impossible decision to make. When you face impossible circumstances, look to the
example of Daniel. Live a life fueled by faith. Faith frees us up to expect things far
beyond logical expectation or even explanation. Why? Because “with God all things
are possible” (Matt 19:26). Next time you face an impossible situation, remember that

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God specializes in the impossible. Your faith will make you fearless. He’s ready to
exceed your expectations. 

003: Make Much of God 

Group projects can be frustrating. It always comes down to one person doing most of
the work while slackers accept the easy A. It’s frustrating when someone else takes
credit for your work, right?

READ: Daniel 2:24-27; 46-49 

Daniel knew who to give the credit for his work. While speaking to the ruthless ruler, he
boldly said, "There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can
reveal the king’s secret. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has
shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your
dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed” (Daniel 2:27-28). 

Daniel did the impossible. He was able to interpret the king’s confusing nightmare. Not
only could he interpret it, Daniel shared mysterious knowledge about things the king
didn’t mention, confirming his special revelation. He didn’t take credit, though. He
pointed to God as where he received his guidance. He was just a humble messenger;
God was the interpreter. 

If some of you were completely honest, you might have been tempted to take a little
credit. I mean, Daniel did have the connection with God. Daniel prayed and fasted.
Daniel was calm and collected enough to communicate the complex truth to the king.
He prayed, listened, and obeyed. Surely, he could’ve claimed some credit. 

However, he didn’t. He gave all the glory to God. 

When you give glory to God, He will use you in big ways. Towards the end of this
chapter, the pagan king said, "Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over
kings, a revealer of mysteries.” He got a glimpse of God through God’s servant. If
Daniel had made much of himself, then the king would have praised him. However,
when Daniel made much of God, Nebuchadnezzar praised the true God. This is a
miraculous moment because someone got to experience God for the first time. 

When you make much of God, miracles unfold. 

004: What Are Your Idols? 

The smoky smell of incense wafted through the air and the jingle of tambourines
echoed against the stone walls as I maneuvered through ancient alleyways. As I slowly
strolled towards the main road perpendicular to my path, the crowds got larger and the
noise grew quieter. Upon turning the corner, all my senses soared. I was standing
before a beautiful Buddhist temple in the middle of Guangzhou, China. This towering
temple, gilded in gold, jade, and precious gems, was 1600 years older than the United
States. The sight was surreal. 

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I studied a young monk wearing a tangerine-orange robe as he struck a match on the
brick wall in order to ignite a bouquet of incense in his hand. As the smoke danced into
the air, he solemnly knelt before a supersized statue of Buddha while whispering
prayers. He riffled through his simple backpack before pulling out some fruit, rice, and
a photograph that he placed before the golden likeness of a chubby Buddha smiling
from cheek to cheek. The sacred grounds were scattered with hundreds of sculptures
and graven images of Buddhist deities and depictions from the Sutta Sutras (a famous
Buddhist text). 

READ: Daniel 3:1-8

Most people conjure up certain images when thinking of idols. We think of golden
statues and stone-chiseled images with adoring people bowing before them. Sure, that
may exist, but it’s only a microscopic fraction of idol worship. “Idols” aren’t always
statues of random animals or deities prepared with precious metals and gemstones.
Idolatry goes so much further than that. 

An idol is anything that you position before God. It can be a person, hobby, activity, or
project that steals the majority of your attention and affection. This can be a
relationship, a career path, a sport, a musical artist, social media, or even your own
reflection in the mirror. Idols are seldom bad things that corrupt you. They’re usually
just good things that consume you. 

At the beginning of Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar decides to order a custom-built statue.

This thing was mammoth at 90-feet high and nine-feet wide. Many people believe this
statue was actually an image of the crooked king himself. This is like the person who
makes their lock screen a picture of themselves, only a few hundred times worse. As if
that wasn’t narcissistic enough, he mandated that everyone in the nation bow down
before the newly-minted idol. 

We can all be like Nebuchadnezzar. No, you aren’t going to build a statue of yourself
out of gold. However, we often build a statue of ourselves within our own hearts. We
act selfishly. We put our needs before those of others. We view every experience
through the lens of how it affects us. If we aren’t careful, we can build an idol of
ourselves. 

Idolatry prevents you from celebrating someone else's success due to your jealousy.
Idolatry makes you focus on building the biggest platform possible. Idolatry makes you
count every single penny as if it’s a metric of your worth. Idolatry makes you use
people instead loving them. 

When you put anything before God, it leads to idolatry. When you put God over
everything, it leads to victory. Make God your priority. Refuse to bow before idols, even
if the idol is yourself. 

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005: Stand up for What You Believe in 
The king’s orders were crystal clear. Everyone in the kingdom must bow down before
the new statue or be executed in an oven. As word spread across the land, it was
showtime. The statue was unveiled, the band played a melody, and the nation began to
bow. Row after row, standing subjects took a knee before the 90-foot statue. It must
have been a mesmerizing moment for the king. He gleefully gazed at thousands of
people bowing before him— except for three guys. Friends of Daniel, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, refused to bow before the king’s graven image. 

READ: Daniel 3:8-18 

This made Nebuchadnezzar's blood boil. Who were these refugees that they didn’t fear
him or respect him? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that failure to bow
would send them into the fire. That didn’t stop them from standing up for what they
believed in, even if they were standing alone. 

They could have easily rationalized bowing down. They could have outwardly bowed
while inwardly praying to God. They could have claimed, “God doesn’t want me dead.”
They could have crossed their fingers the whole time. They didn’t. They boldly stood
their ground when everyone else was against them. 

What do you need to stand up for today? God may be calling you to speak out against
the idolatry of our culture. God may be calling you to stand up for derogatory or
prejudiced language at your school. God may be calling you to challenge the cultural
current of objectification. God may be calling you to step up and share your faith, even
if it frightens you.  

Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, live fearlessly. Stand up for what's right
— even if you’re standing alone. 

006: Walking Through Fire 

One summer, my friends and I were all gathered around a bonfire telling stories and
eating s’mores. While watching the flames dance around, I had a brilliant idea. I was
going to try to jump over the fire. This was actually far from a bonfire. It was only a two-
to-three foot jump. There was no reason I couldn’t have easily cleared two fires of that
size. All eyes were on me as I took three steps back before attempting my leap over
the flames. 

I counted, “One! Two! Two and a half… Three…” I paused for an uncomfortably long
time before my feet left the ground. Next thing you know, I was airborne. The fire
burned hot beneath my legs as I crossed from one side to the other. To the amazement
of my friends, I landed on the other side of the fire completely intact. I lifted my hands
in victory and did an embarrassing little dance. During my victory dance, I tripped over
some stones and stumbled. I screamed as my knee landed directly onto a burning coal
next to the fire. While the pain was primarily on my leg, I could feel it in my head.

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Horrible hurt took over my entire body. This is why you shouldn’t play with fire— it
burns. 

Since the beginning of humanity, fire has been used as an intimidation tactic. Ancient
armies launched fiery arrows. Fireworks were invented to scare enemy soldiers.
Folklore teaches that dragons breathe fire. Fire strikes fear, which is why it was the go-
to threat of King Nebuchadnezzar. He frightened people into obedience with a fiery
furnace. 

READ: Daniel 3:19-30 

After Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood up to the king, his red-hot rage led him
to throw the three men into a fiery furnace. The three men fell to the floor, and the
public watched in horror. The men stumbled and casually stood to their feet. While
flames whipped around them, they looked calm and collected. How were they
unharmed? The king demanded that they turn the heat all the way up. As the fire grew
hotter, the men started to look more comfortable. As he investigated the miracle before
his eyes, he saw that there were actually four men inside the fire. God was with them in
the fire. He protected them. He rescued them. 

Nebuchadnezzar was enamored with what he saw. He exclaimed, “Praise be to the

God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his
servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give
up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God” (Daniel
3:28). 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced an impossible situation, but God works
through the impossible. The impossible is just an invitation for Him to show up and
show off. Whenever your circumstances or feelings feel like fire, know that God is with
you. He can do the impossible for you. 

I do not know what circumstances, feelings, or fears feel like fire for you right now.
They could be disease in your family, a devastating breakup, a disaster, or a
disappointment. Whatever they are, trust God as you walk through the fire. He will be
there with you. He will protect you. He will rescue you. People will notice, and God will
be glorified. 

Let people witness you walk through fire in faith. The king saw that these men were
willing to risk death because they trusted in God. When people see you trust God
through challenging times, they will desire what brought you through the fire. Your
response to pain can become your testimony without even sharing a word. Your true
character triumphs within the fire.

Faithfully walk through fire. It’ll point people to God. 

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007: How Do You Hide Your Pride? 
Never let a little success go to your head, whether it’s athletic recognition, a big win, a
stellar performance, or a profitable career. Success is sensational, but pride is
poisonous. Just like a disease, it’s difficult to pinpoint pride within ourselves. It’s not as
black-and-white as lying, cheating, murder, or not returning your shopping cart. Pride is
remarkably subtle but terribly destructive. We often rebrand our prideful tendencies to
justify them. We call them confidence, success, or empowerment. Regardless of what
you call it, pride comes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). 

READ: Daniel 4:1-36 

This story twists and turns like an afternoon soap opera. The Babylonian king had
another string of daunting dreams, so he again asked Daniel to interpret for him. The
prophet explained to Nebuchadnezzar that pride was going to be the disease that lead
to his downfall. Daniel warned that he would be driven out of his country and forced to
live outdoors like a wild animal. Nebuchadnezzar was unsettled by the interpretation,
but the warning didn't change his behavior. While walking around his kingdom one
afternoon, the king praised himself saying, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as
the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” This seems
innocent enough, doesn’t it? He was just celebrating his success. The guy was a world
ruler after all. However, his outward celebration was evidence of his inward arrogance
— which ultimately led to his downfall. 

The dream came true. He was thrust out of his kingdom and transformed into a savage
in the wild. In this passage, pride morphed a world leader into a wild animal.

When you trace it backwards, pride is the root of all sins. When Adam and Eve sinned
in the garden, pride coaxed them into thinking their way was better than God’s. Every
time Nebuchadnezzar tried to control the people around him, pride was at play. When
Cain killed Abel, pride made him take vengeance into his own hands. When you
witness a family fractured by sin, pride is often the drive behind the cheating, lying, or
manipulation. Pride can imprison you without you even knowing it because it’s a
sneaky sin. Pride can hide. 

You must identify how you hide your pride. Do you hide it behind perfectionism? You
claim you want things to be perfect, but really, you just want things to go your way. Do
you hide it behind sarcasm? You are quick and witty, but this is also a subtle way of
showing off your intelligence. Do you play the martyr? This is when you throw yourself
under the bus by saying things like, “I am awful! I am terrible” in order to manufacture
sympathy. 

All of these things are like a disguise for your pride. Ultimately, this will push people
away. Just like when Nebuchadnezzar lost his kingdom, you may lose friends, your
reputation, your influence, or even your future when you let pride hide within you. When
you are full of yourself, there is no room for anyone else. 

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Here is what you need to do. Drop the defenses. Take off the disguise. Invite other
people into your life, especially the messy and imperfect parts. Take the emphasis off
of yourself and put it on others. Your life will radically change. 

Pride builds barriers; humility builds bridges. One keeps others out, and the other
invites others in. 

008: Faithfulness Over Famousness 

I came to a crucial conclusion in my twenties. Keeping up with fashion fads is
impossible. What’s trendy one day is tacky the next. How do people keep up with it all?
Recently, everyone is wearing tie-dye, a fad from my mother’s era. Kids are dressing
like late 90's pop stars now, which would have been incredibly tacky just two years
ago. Have you seen the way Billie Eilish dresses? I just can’t keep up. 

This proves the constantly evolving opinion of the public. What’s classy in one
generation is cheesy in the next. People are wishy-washy, and culture is constantly
changing like a current down a river. If you try to live by popular opinion, you’ll never
get it right. People’s opinions change faster than the top fifty on Spotify. 

READ: Daniel 5:1-30 

This passage opens with a party hosted by the new king, Belshazzar. The banquet
goes from happy to haunting when a mysterious message magically appears on the
wall. The room trembled with terror. Echoing the same thought-pattern as his father
before him, Belshazzar assembled a team of astrologers and enchanters to interpret
the cryptic message. The royal mother had a deja-vu moment. Then, she remembered
the reason behind her flashback. Reminiscing on the wisdom and insight Daniel gave
to Nebuchadnezzar nearly fifty years ago, the elderly lady suggested, “There is a
Jewish man in our kingdom who is a skilled interpreter, we should find him” (Daniel
5:10-11). 

This passage shows something kind of sad. Daniel used to be one of the highest
ranking officials in the kingdom. He was royalty. Now twenty years after his employer's
death, Daniel was basically forgotten. The kingdom was run by a new team of rulers
and magicians. When Belshazzar finally met Daniel, he offered him power and
prosperity. Daniel wisely declined because he understood that popular influence was
just like a fad. It’ll leave as quickly it came (Daniel 5:17). Daniel, now nearly 80-years-
old, understood that true fulfillment came through faith. 

Daniel wasn’t focused on fame or his following. Rather, he was focused on his
faithfulness to God. He didn’t try to impress them as he interpreted the dream. There
was no dramatic show, no fireworks, and no refreshments. He just faithfully delivered
the message from God. We should take a lesson out of Daniel’s manual. Don’t live for
fame or fortune. Just focus on being faithful. Influence fluctuates. Fame fades. Wealth
withers away. Internal purpose and peace from God is eternal. 

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009: When We Feel Trapped 
Daniel in the Lion’s Den is probably one of the best known Bible stories in the world.
When kids are coloring pictures of this scene in Sunday school, they are usually filling
in the lines of a young man cuddling a large lion. This leads us to one big
misconception. People assume that Daniel was a teenager when this took place. Not at
all. He was an elderly man in his late 80s. 

READ: Daniel 6:1-28

At the beginning of this chapter, life is a dream for Daniel. He’s risen up the ranks of the
kingdom once again. Now he is a “satrap,” which is basically a mayor with more power.
Daniel exuded so much wisdom and promise that the king planned to promote him to
oversee the entire nation. Jealousy plagued the rest of the rulers. They scoffed, “How
could the king give so much trust to an old man from Judah? His people are captives
of the kingdom. Why does our ruler adore him?" The other satraps decided to create a
scandal. They wanted Daniel gone, so they dug up a little drama. These leaders knew
that Daniel openly prayed three times a day, so they lobbied for a new law to make
prayer illegal. Once the law was on the books, they immediately snitched. 

Daniel’s day took a sharp left turn as he was arrested, persecuted for praying, and
sentenced to execution. The Babylonians were grotesque in their treatment of
criminals, especially through capital punishment. They didn’t just kill people. They
made a show out of it. It wasn’t just execution. It was entertainment. They were so
twisted that they threw an elderly man into a den of lions as the public peered over the
ledge of the pit. 

Daniel found himself surrounded by blood-thirsty lions with no escape. He wasn’t

armed with a sword, shield, or catnip. He had nothing except his wrinkled fists and his
faith in God. Maybe you have been in the pit like Daniel, surrounded by lions and with
no escape. I am not talking about literal lions here, but metaphorical “lions" can be just
as frightening. Perhaps you feel trapped in a pit surrounded by helplessness, doubt,
apathy, stress, loneliness, rejection, or abandonment. God shut the mouths of the lions
for Daniel, and He can do the same for the lions you’re facing, too. 

God was with Daniel in the lion’s den. He’s also with you. You aren’t promised a life free
of pain, but you are promised His presence. God will be with you through it all. It’s
amazing how Daniel prayed in the pit while surrounded by blood-thirsty beasts. Do the
same. Pray. Trust God. Focus on the Lord. He will draw closer to you. He will be with
you. He will protect you. 

010: Is It the End of the World? 

After finishing a little-league soccer game one Saturday morning, I was exhausted from
all the bench-sitting and Gatorade-sipping. I needed a nap. Once I walked into my
room, I collapsed on the bed to take a well-deserved slumber. Hours passed before I
woke up to the sun starting to set. Scared that I missed supper, I ran downstairs to find

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my mother. She wasn’t there. I looked for my dad or brother, but they weren’t home
either. Suddenly, the silence of my house became terrifying. I flashed back to a book I
read where everyone was raptured from Earth to kick off the apocalypse. In that
moment, I was convinced that I was left behind to suffer through the tribulation.
Standing at the kitchen window in my soccer uniform, shock swept over me. Like a
sign from heaven, I saw my mom’s red van pull into the driveway with dust trailing
behind. She stepped out holding a bucket of chicken and a bag of biscuits. I was
relieved to learn that I wasn’t living through Armageddon and my mom had picked up
some fried chicken. It was a good day. 

(If you’re up to it) READ: Daniel 7-12 

Growing up, I was terrified of the end times— Earth’s future fate after the return of
Christ. Daniel is the second most studied book about the end times, following
Revelation. Late in his life, Daniel records a series of visions, dreams, and images that
represent the events surrounding the return of Jesus. To sum it up, things get really bad
before they get really good. When you’re reading these recordings in Daniel 7-12, they
can seem scary. The end times are marked by chaos, calamity, and conflict on a
universal scale. These visions aren’t in Scripture to scare us. They’re actually there to
soothe us. Daniel claims a clear message using complex imagery— God is in control
now and forever. It’s not about horror; it’s about hope. 

The visions in Daniel 7-12 are confusing. We must fight the urge to treat these visions
like a National Treasure script where each image and phrase pieces together a cosmic
puzzle. Yes, it’s fun to read apocalyptic literature and try to understand the symbolism.
There are scholars who make this their life focus; however, that’s not the main message
for us. Even Daniel doesn’t understand most of his visions (Daniel 12:8). The prophet
was shaken with confusion after seeing all these convoluted visions flash before his
eyes. He had the same questions that we all have now (Daniel 12:5; 12:8), “When will
this happen, and what does it mean?” 

A figure clothed in white linen replied with a smile, "As for you, go your way till the end.
You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted
inheritance” (Daniel 12:13).

If confusion or distress about the future overwhelms you, take the same advice given to
Daniel. Just go on with your life. Move forward in faith. The future may be unclear, but
we know that God is in control. A famous hymn echoes this by saying, “I may not know
what the future holds, but I know who holds my future.” We can take hope in that.
Fearlessly move forward into the future God has for you. 

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