Before we dive into the book of Daniel, we need to understand one word that explains everything we're about to read: exile.
Daniel begins with a tragedy. Daniel 1:1–2 tells us that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against Jerusalem, and then it says something remarkable: "The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand." Babylon didn't ultimately defeat God's people—God handed Judah over in judgment. This context is critical to understand.
How did they get here? Israel was originally led by God Himself. Later they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, then David, then Solomon. But after Solomon's death, the kingdom divided. The northern kingdom kept the name Israel, and the southern kingdom became known as Judah. The northern kingdom abandoned God and was conquered by Assyria. You would think Judah would learn from that warning—but they didn't.
For generations, God patiently sent prophet after prophet—Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and others—calling His people to repent. They confronted idolatry, injustice, empty religion, and hearts that had wandered far from God. The people believed they were untouchable because they had Jerusalem, the Temple, and God's covenant promises. They assumed God would never allow His holy city to fall, even while they continued to reject His Word.
Finally, after centuries of patience, God did exactly what He had warned He would do. Babylon invaded. Jerusalem was destroyed. The Temple was burned. Its treasures were carried away. The king was dethroned. Many leaders were executed or taken captive, and thousands of people were marched hundreds of miles into exile.
But don't miss the heart of God. The exile was never about God abandoning His people. It was about God refusing to abandon them to their sin. He stripped away everything they had trusted more than Him so they would discover that He alone was enough. Even in judgment, He promised restoration. He would preserve a remnant, bring His people home, and one day send a Savior.
And that's where this story ultimately points. Jesus Christ came to bear the judgment we deserved. He was rejected, arrested, bound, and led away. He suffered outside the city, bearing the curse of our sin so that we could be brought back to God. The exile reminds us that sin separates us from God, but the cross declares that God was willing to go to unimaginable lengths to restore His people. Daniel is the story of God's faithfulness in exile, but the gospel is the story of God entering our exile so He could bring us home.
