June 2, 2025

GOD IS STILL WORKING

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. 

   Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 

   The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. 

   Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego.

Daniel 1:1-7 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Today we begin a study from the book of Daniel. The book opens with Babylon’s defeat of Judah. During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem and conquered it. But something very important stands out in verse 2:

“The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim… and permitted him to take sacred objects from the Temple.”

Let that sink in—God allowed this defeat.

It wasn’t simply Babylon overpowering Judah. God orchestrated it.

That may sound unsettling at first. Why would God let His people lose? Why would He let His sacred temple be plundered? The answer is hard, but clear: Judah had broken their covenant with God, and this was a season of divine judgment. Yet even in judgment, God was still in control and had a redemptive plan.

Among the captives were young men from royal and noble families—strong, intelligent, gifted. Four of them—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—stand out. They lost their homeland, their freedom, and even their Hebrew names. They were now living in a foreign culture under pagan rule, enrolled in Babylonian schools, and eating from the king’s table.

And yet—God was at work in their lives.

It might have looked like defeat. But it was divine positioning.

These young men would soon play a critical role in Babylon and, more importantly, in God’s story. Their circumstances were hard and probably didn’t make sense at the time. But God was preparing them for something greater than they could imagine.

Here’s the takeaway:

Sometimes life feels unfair, painful, or completely out of control. We ask, “Where is God in all of this?” But the first chapter of Daniel reminds us that God is still working—even in the chaos. His sovereignty doesn’t stop when life gets hard. In fact, He often does His best work in the darkest places.

Romans 8:28 echoes this truth:

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”

If you’re in a season where nothing makes sense—trust the One who holds the plan. Like Daniel and his friends, your pain may be part of your preparation.

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, help me to trust You when life is confusing or painful. Remind me that even when I can’t see Your hand, You are still in control and working all things together for my good. Amen.

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