King Nebuchadnezzar made a huge image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits (about 30 meters height and 3 meters width). This gold image may have been inspired by his dream. Instead of having only a head of gold (Daniel 2:32, 38), it was gold from head to toe. The king might want his kingdom to last forever. King Nebuchadnezzar missed the point of Daniel’s warning in chapter 2 and his devotion to Daniel's God was short-lived. He neither feared nor obeyed the God who was behind his dream. The king commanded that anyone who does not bow down and worship his image will be burned in his furnace (Daniel 3:6). But Daniel’s three friends - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuse to bow to the king. The king was furious and offered them an ultimatum before throwing them into the burning fiery furnace. “And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”, he says (Daniel 3:15). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were pressured to deny God, but they chose to be faithful to Him regardless of the consequences. They demonstrated unwavering faith even when faced with death. They believed that God could save them, but even if He did not, they would not bow to the golden image (Daniel 3:16-18). In our daily lives, we often face challenges and pressures that test our faith. The story of Daniel’s three friends reminds us to trust in God’s power and plan regardless of our circumstances and whether God will intervene on our behalf or not. We, too, can face challenges with the same steadfast faith, knowing that God will be with us. Our eternal reward is worth any suffering we may have to endure first (Romans 8:18; 1 Peter 1:6-7). God's deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was a great victory of faith. They were protected from harm, comforted in trial, rewarded, and God was glorified. God is always with us, especially during our most difficult times. When we go through trials, we are not alone. No matter how difficult our situation may be, God’s presence provides comfort, strength and protection, just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the furnace. After witnessing the miraculous deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, King Nebuchadnezzar praised God and issued a decree honouring God (Daniel 3:28-29). Our faith and actions can be a powerful testimony to others. Let us live out our faith steadfastly through our daily actions to make a positive impact on those around us and to bring glory to God.

God sent Israel into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1-2). After a victory, the Babylonians usually took the most talented and useful people back to Babylon and left only the poorest people behind (2 Kings 24:14). God promises that He would never forsake Israel, and His promises never fail. So even in exile, God is in control. Among these exiles were Daniel and his three friends – Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 1:6). The chief of the eunuchs changed their names because the king wanted to make them to be Babylonian. Daniel was named Belteshazzar, Hananiah was named Shadrach, Mishael was named Meshach and Azariah was named Abednego. The new names would help them to be assimilated into their culture. Despite being exiled in a foreign land under oppressive circumstances, Daniel and his friends remain firm in their convictions. Their obedience and faithfulness to God not only protects them and sets them apart, but also leads them to God’s favor, and makes them wise. Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the King’s food, or with the wine that the King drank (Daniel 1:8). When he made up his mind not to defile himself, he was being true to a lifelong determination to be what was right and not to give in to the pressures around him. It is easier to resist temptation if we have thought through our convictions before the temptation arises. Daniel and his three friends made their decision to be faithful to the laws of God before they were faced with the King’s delicacies. We, too, are often assaulted by pressures to compromise our standards and live more like the world around us. If we have not previously decided where to draw the line, we will get ourselves into trouble. Before such situations arise, we must make our commitments and decide what we will do. Then when temptation comes, we will be ready to say no. Often our faithfulness to God comes with trials. But Daniel 1 encourages us to remain faithful and gives us assurance that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). Like Daniel, we must resolve to obey God. Despite any challenges, God is in control.

Ezekiel 48 outlines the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel and the city of the Lord. The division of the land shows that in God's Kingdom there is a place for all who believe in and obey the One True God (John 14:1-6). Ezekiel 48:1-7, 23-29 details the allocation of land to the tribes of Israel. This reminds us of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises. Despite Israel's history of rebellion, God remains true to His word. So, let us continue to trust in God's faithfulness, even when circumstances seem challenging. Remember that God’s timing is perfect, and His promises are sure. Ezekiel 48:8-22 describes the holy district set apart for the Lord, including the sanctuary and the land for the priests and Levites. This highlights the importance of holiness and dedicated spaces for worship. The pressures of everyday life may cause us to lose focus and forget God. That is why worship is so important . We need to dedicate time and space in our daily lives for worship and communion with God, which includes prayer, reading the Bible and reflecting on His words. The book of Ezekiel begins by describing the holiness of God that Israel had despised and ignored. As a result, God’s presence departed from the Temple, the city and the people. The book ends with a detailed vision of the new Temple, the new city and the new people, all demonstrating God’s holiness. No matter what challenges we face today, remember that God ‘s plan is always good for us. So, let us continue to hold on to the eternal hope we have in Christ and to look forward to the fulfilment of His promises in His glorious Kingdom, where God shall dwell with us, and we will be His people, and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE (Ezekiel 48:35).

Ezekiel 25 Ezekiel 25 describes the four neighboring Gentile nations that would face God’s judgment. The Ammonites would be judged because they were overjoyed when The Temple of God was defiled (Ezekiel 25:1-7). The Moabites because they did not recognize Judah as God’s chosen people and They said “Hey, Judah is just like one of us now.”. They found pleasure in Judah’s wickedness (Ezekiel 25:8-11) The Edomites because of their racial hatred for the Jews (Ezekiel 25:12-14), although they were blood brothers of the Jews, both nations having descended from Isaac (Genesis 25:19-26). The Edomites hated Israel so much that they rejoiced when Jerusalem was destroyed. Teman was in the northern part of Edom and Dedan was in the southern part of Edom. Thus, Ezekiel was saying that the entire country would be destroyed. And the Philistines because they sought vengeance against Judah for defeating them in battle (Ezekiel 25:15-17). In general, God punished the neighboring nations because their heart was not in the right place. They rejoiced when things went badly for Judah. Have you ever wished bad things to happen to your “enemies''? There is a saying “Be careful what you wish for.” Or have you ever had evil thoughts or overjoyed when you saw your “enemy” in trouble? Let us be careful with having such evil thoughts, because God might punish you for that as well. The Lord teaches His children not to seek vengeance, but to love and forgive our enemies (Matthew 5:44), because vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19). He will bring His perfect judgment and justice in due time, and the righteous people will enjoy His eternal blessings. Amen.