Publisher's note:

The book of Daniel has inspired Christians throughout the centuries to faithful and obedient service in the face of danger and persecution, calling believers to dedicated commitment to God and his kingdom. In this commentary, Allan Harman reveals Daniel’s message and shows that Christ must have supremacy in everything as we await the final revelation of his glory.

In the 21st century this account from the peak of ancient Babylonian culture may seem far from our experience and of little practical benefit. But like most Christians today, Daniel and his companions were placed in a culture that was dominated by pagan worship and a worldview diametrically opposed to their own. They occupied significant posts in the Babylonian empire, but they refused to abandon the God they loved. The overwhelming power and presence of Babylon might easily have weakened their faith and led to compromise, but in the face of it all they remained faithful—they were prepared to die rather than renounce their faith. The prophecies revealed to Daniel assured them, and so Christians today, that, though human kingdoms will continue to rise and fall, and despite seeming setbacks from time to time, God’s kingdom will ultimately prevail and he will be acknowledged as the sovereign Ruler over all.