Daniel 3-4, Proverbs 27:1-13

Through their wisdom and through their service to the king, Daniel and his friends bear witness to the power and glory of God through their faithful witness. Many of us know the account found in today’s reading, wherein Daniel’s friends (here called by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) are forced to decide between paying homage to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol or burning alive in a giant furnace. They choose the difficult path of faithfulness, confessing that God can save them if he so desires. In chapter 4, the king recounts a dream and Daniel’s interpretation of it, followed by the fulfillment of the dream wherein the king is humbled by God Almighty.