Some of the Jewish leaders believed in Jesus but did not confess him openly because “they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” This is a sin which which we all struggle. The solution is found in Christ who because he loved praise from God more than praise from men was crucified and rose from the dead, obtaining for us forgiveness and the transforming power of resurrection life.
Read John 12:42-43
The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who disobey the kings order to bow down to his idol is told to remind us to resist pressure from the world to join in its sin regardless of the cost. Jesus resisted this pressure perfectly and his perfect record is placed on the account of those who trust him.
Read Daniel 3:1-30
This passage comes near the end of Jesus’s public ministry in John’s account and answers the question of why so many of the Jewish people did not believe in Jesus.
Read John 12:37-41
There are the five points that Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation makes:1) God controls the history of the world. 2) The kingdoms of this world are temporary. 3) The kingdom of God will last forever. 4) The kingdom of God will destroy all other kingdoms. 5) The kingdom of God will one day fill the earth.
Read Daniel 2:24-29
The key concepts in this passage are the virgin birth of Jesus Christ and the meaning of two of his names, Jesus and Immanuel.
Read Matthew 1:18-25
This is an important prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. It was a promise of hope given during a difficult time in Judah’s history. From it we learn that the Messiah will be a Shepherd-King who will rule over his people forever.
Read Micah 5:1-5
In this passage our faith in Jesus Christ is encouraged in four ways. We see Jesus’ determination to go through will the coming suffering motivated by his passion for his Father’s glory. The Father attests to the great significance of Jesus mission by speaking from heaven. Jesus teaches that by his death, he will judge the world, defeat Satan, and draw people from all nations to himself. Finally he underscores the urgency of trusting in him.
Read John 12:27-36
This passages gives us insight into the limitations of wisdom that is not rooted in God. It reveals God as One who is involved in the lives of his people and who speaks to them. It also presents Daniel as an example of living wisely, making it clear that his wisdom came from God.
Read Daniel 2:1-23
These verses show how the death of Christ was central in God’s plan to bring salvation to the gentiles. It also shows that the death of Christ was a key manifestation of his glory as well as being a paradigm for the life of following Christ.
Read John 12:20-26
The purpose of King Nebuchadnezzar in bringing Daniel and his friends to the Babylon was to assimilate them into his pagan society. This is a picture of what Satan tries to do to the people of God who also live in a wicked culture. This chapter teaches how we like Daniel can resist the attempts of the world to press us into its mold.
Read Daniel 1:3-21
