A long time ago, the proud king of a young nation began to conquer the world. This mighty king would take young prisoners he captured and turn them into his servants. He would train them in the ways of his nation, and his goal was to turn them from following their god(s), to follow his gods. He was sure after three years of his best brainwashing, they’d end up as loyal Babylonians, no longer willing to serve their God. This king was certain he could get anyone to compromise. But Nebuchadnezzar was proven wrong by Daniel.

Some 2,500 years ago, a thirteen-year-old boy was torn from his home, his family and relatives, as his country was enslaved and eventually destroyed. He was thrown into the forced service of a king who ruled the world. Along with hundreds of youths his own age, and most of the surviving people of his country, they became slaves of a conquering nation known throughout the entire world as Babylon the Great. The boy’s name was Daniel, and he and the nation Israel had been taken captive, and now would be in exile for seventy years. Why was God doing this? God was trying to get their attention.

In preparation for our study of the book of Daniel . . . in order to see how Daniel fits into the big picture of God’s plan–in order to feel the tension behind the events and prophecies of this prophet–in order to properly apply the instruction of Daniel to our lives–in order to see what God had to do in order to provide salvation for you and for me . . . today we will run through the Old Testament to get the big picture of redemption.