DANIEL 1:
Yesterday in Ezekiel, the land was divided in horizontal bands across the entire width of Israel. We will see the 12 gates of the New Jerusalem again in Revelation.

We start the little but immensely important book of Daniel today. Daniel wrote this sometime between 540 and 530 BC. As Daniel will relate, he was an exile to Babylon starting from 605 BC. For comparison, Ezekiel tells us that he was deported to Babylonia in 597 (and his location beside the Chebar river might have been 75 miles southeast of Babylon). So Daniel would have come to Babylon only 8 years earlier.

Daniel is a wonderful example of what God can do with someone completely surrendered to the Lord. Note Daniel’s devotional habits and how he and his friends completely trusted in God.

The book has two clear sections. The first narrates history, and contains the famous stories we all love. The second is prophecy and revelation. Again, like Ezekiel, much of Daniel reappears in the book of Revelation. And as for the question if Daniel was a real prophet, note that Jesus thought he was!

ISAIAH 22:
Yesterday’s prophecies dealt with Babylon, Edom, and Arabia.

2CORINTHIANS 2:14—3:
I want to emphasize the precious verses from the end of chapter 2, and these verses are important for understanding the beginning of chapter 3.

NLT Translation notes:
2Cor. 3:13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory [reflected there was continually fading away//, even though it was destined to fade away.]
14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is [0/being] read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. [That veil is//And this veil can be] removed only by believing in Christ.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.