Gus Cameron

31 July 2025

Daniel 11:21-39

Gus Cameron

31 July 2025

21 In his place a despicable person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come in a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant.
23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people. 24 In a time of peace, he will invade the richest provinces and do what his fathers and forefathers never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will plot against the strongholds—but only for a time.
25 And with a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South, who will mobilize a very large and powerful army but will not withstand the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from his provisions will seek to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain.
27 And the two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; so he will do damage and return to his own land.
29 At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time will not be like the first. 30 Ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and rage against the holy covenant and do damage. So he will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.
32 With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. 33 Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered.
34 Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely. 35 Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
36 Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, nor for the one desired by women, nor for any other god, because he will magnify himself above them all.
38 And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. 39 He will attack the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing the land for a price.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

We have met this “despicable person” a few times before in Daniel’s visions. This is an amazingly detailed and accurate prophecy about the Greek king Antiochus who desecrated the temple in Jerusalem in 167 BC. But this prophecy has had countless echoes down through the ages, from the death of Jesus to the suffering of Christian believers living under brutal regimes.

This arrogant king’s tactics are a pattern for so many godless rulers. They offer riches and other incentives for people to be loyal (v 24). They flatter and favour those who “forsake the holy covenant” (v 30, 32). And when they can get away with it, they magnify themselves above every god and “speak monstrous things against the God of gods” (v 36).

We’ll think more tomorrow about how this portrait of the arrogant king helps us as Christians. But for today, verses 32-33 tell us how to respond when the world and its political leaders follow the same tactics: We are to “firmly resist” the flattery of those who want us to abandon Christ, and keep instructing one another in the gospel. Because when Jesus returns, those who stand firm in him will appear with him “refined, purified, and made spotless” (v 35).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

30 July 2025

Daniel 11:2-20

Gus Cameron

30 July 2025

Context: The heavenly messenger is still speaking to Daniel.

~~~

2 Now then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.
3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others.
5 The king of the South will grow strong, but one of his commanders will grow even stronger and will rule his own kingdom with great authority.
6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement. But his daughter will not retain her position of power, nor will his strength endure. At that time she will be given up, along with her royal escort and her father[C] and the one who supported her.
7 But one from her family line will rise up in his place, come against the army of the king of the North, and enter his fortress, fighting and prevailing. 8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North, 9 who will invade the realm of the king of the South and then return to his own land.
10 But his sons will stir up strife and assemble a great army, which will advance forcefully, sweeping through like a flood, and will again carry the battle as far as his fortress. 11 In a rage, the king of the South will march out to fight the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be delivered into the hand of his enemy.
12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be proud in heart and will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not triumph. 13 For the king of the North will raise another army, larger than the first, and after some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.
14 In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they will fail.
15 Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their best troops will not be able to resist. 16 The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He will resolve to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plan will not succeed or help him.
18 Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many of them. But a commander will put an end to his reproach and will turn it back upon him. 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be no more.
20 In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or in battle.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

This chapter is an amazingly detailed prophetic description of a series of major historical rulers and wars in the centuries following the Jewish exile in Babylon. It starts with a quick summary of kings of the Persian Empire (v 2). But in verse 3, Daniel is told of a “mighty king” who will arise. Historically, this is Alexander the Great, the Macedonian general who defeated Persia and established the Greek Empire.

The rest of the vision focuses on the complicated military conflicts that happened between two competing kingdoms within the Greek Empire. One is known as the Seleucid Empire, and it controlled western Asia and the Middle East. The other is the Ptolemaic Kingdom, which controlled Egypt and northern Africa. So when the vision talks about the “king of the North” and the “king of the South,” it is talking about various Greek kings who ruled over the Middle East (the North) and Egypt (the South).

Caught in the middle of these great Greek wars, like meat in a sandwich, were Jerusalem and the land of Judea – “the Beautiful Land” (v 16).

Today’s passage is really setting things up for a particular “king of the North” who will rise to power in tomorrow’s reading. For today, spend time interceding in prayer for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who are caught in warzones: in the Middle East, Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan and South Sudan, and West Africa.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

29 July 2025

Daniel 10:1-11:1

Gus Cameron

29 July 2025

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, and it concerned a great conflict. And the understanding of the message was given to him in a vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. 3 I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the three weeks were completed.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.
8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless. 9 I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.
10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.”
And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling.
12 “Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.”
15 While he was speaking these words to me, I set my face toward the ground and became speechless. 16 And suddenly one with the likeness of a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of the vision, I am overcome with anguish, and I have no strength. 17 How can I, your servant, speak with you, my lord? Now I have no strength, nor is any breath left in me.”
18 Again the one with the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!”
As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
20 “Do you know why I have come to you?” he said. “I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I have gone forth, behold, the prince of Greece will come. 21 But first I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. Yet no one has the courage to support me against these, except Michael your prince.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

1 “And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, stood up to strengthen and protect him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Chapters 10–12 are the final and longest vision in the book of Daniel. Chapter 10 sets the scene, describing Daniel’s terrifying encounter with a glorious heavenly messenger.

Over the next few days, we will hear the message Daniel is given. It will describe earthly events that will happen after Daniel’s time, especially wars between kings and rulers during the Persian and Greek Empires. But the angel’s strange words in today’s passage show that behind these earthly events, there are spiritual forces and spiritual struggles that we can’t see.

Two things struck me as I read this. First, prayer makes a difference. The angel who speaks with him had been opposed by a spiritual “prince of the kingdom of Persia” (v 13) and had taken 3 weeks to break free … and it’s no coincidence that Daniel had been praying for 3 weeks (v 2-3, 12). God answers our prayers about the biggest spiritual matters.

Secondly, I remembered that while there is still a spiritual battle, Jesus has already won the war. Battles between good and evil angels sound pretty scary, but Jesus has defeated and disarmed every power and authority that exists by his death on the cross (Col. 2:15). We can struggle and pray knowing that God will answer, and that Jesus has triumphed (Rev. 5:5).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

28 July 2025

Daniel 9:20-27

Gus Cameron

28 July 2025

20 While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and that of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the LORD my God concerning His holy mountain— 21 while I was still praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and spoke with me, saying: “O Daniel, I have come now to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your petitions, an answer went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly precious. So consider the message and understand the vision:
24 Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
25 Know and understand this: From the issuance of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of distress.
26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing.
Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed. 27 And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

There’s a difference between being fascinated by something and being excited by it. I’m fascinated by how planes can stay up in the air. I’m excited when I fly on an overseas trip.

I’ve always found this passage fascinating. Here’s the short version of how I understand it. The “weeks” represent periods of seven years – so “seven weeks” is 49 years, and so on. The basic message was to prepare Daniel and his people for a much longer time of waiting and suffering ahead. At the start of the chapter, Daniel learned that the physical exile of the Jews in Babylon was nearing an end. But now God reveals that they will suffer a kind of spiritual exile that will last much longer. It will be centuries before God’s greatest plans for them are fulfilled.

On the surface, the timing of the “weeks” points to the same traumatic event that the previous visions have pointed toward: the arrival of a cruel Greek king who, in 167 BC, desecrated the temple in Jerusalem. But as we saw in our sermon on Mark 13, there were other, deeper fulfilments to come – and the deepest fulfilment of the “abomination that causes desolation” (v 27) was the cross itself.

That leads to the part which I find not just fascinating, but exciting. God’s ultimate purpose for his people, after the centuries of waiting, would be: “to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place” (v 24). As I read this again, I realised that God has done all these things, gloriously and completely, through the death and resurrection of Jesus for us – not just for the Jewish people, but for everyone who turns to Jesus in thankful trust.

The message about being prepared to suffer and wait patiently is still relevant to us today. But we get to hear that message knowing that all the best bits have already happened in Jesus. We can look in the rear vision mirror and see the event that gives us complete assurance and peace, so we can look forward with eager anticipation for the day when Jesus will return and raise us to life in his kingdom of peace and joy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our Senior Minister.

Gus Cameron

26 July 2025

Daniel 9:1-19

Gus Cameron

26 July 2025

1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes, a Mede by descent, who was made ruler over the kingdom of the Chaldeans — 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the sacred books, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
4 And I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed, “O, Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have acted wickedly and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments and ordinances. 6 We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, leaders, and fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, and all Israel near and far, in all the countries to which You have driven us because of our unfaithfulness to You. 8 O LORD, we are covered with shame—our kings, our leaders, and our fathers—because we have sinned against You.
9 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, even though we have rebelled against Him 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God to walk in His laws, which He set before us through His servants the prophets.
11 All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey Your voice; so the oath and the curse written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. 12 You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.
13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquities and giving attention to Your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it upon us. For the LORD our God is righteous in all He does; yet we have not obeyed His voice.
15 Now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and who made for Yourself a name renowned to this day, we have sinned; we have acted wickedly. 16 O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, I pray that Your anger and wrath may turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all around us.
17 So now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine upon Your desolate sanctuary. 18 Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion.
19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Duc

Daniel realised, from Jeremiah’s prophecy, that the exile in Babylon was nearing an end (Jer 25:11-12). In light of that news, he is prompted to pray (v1-3).

Daniel begins his prayer with praise for God’s greatness and faithfulness to his promises (9:4). Daniel then confesses his sins and the sins of the people (9:5) and calls on God’s mercy and compassion before he petitions God to act quickly to restore the city, the temple and his people.

Daniel’s impassioned prayer is a great model for how to approach God. As you pray today, try following Daniel’s pattern for prayer – Praise, Confession, Petition.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

25 July 2025

Daniel 8:15-27

Gus Cameron

25 July 2025

15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man calling from between the banks of the Ulai: “Gabriel, explain the vision to this man.”
17 As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified and fell facedown.
“Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”
18 While he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.
Then he touched me, helped me to my feet, 19 and said, “Behold, I will make known to you what will happen in the latter time of wrath, because it concerns the appointed time of the end.
20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat represents the king of Greece,[B] and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. 22 The four horns that replaced the broken one represent four kingdoms that will rise from that nation, but will not have the same power.
23 In the latter part of their reign, when the rebellion has reached its full measure, an insolent king, skilled in intrigue, will come to the throne. 24 His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men along with the holy people. 25 Through his craft and by his hand, he will cause deceit to prosper, and in his own mind he will make himself great. In a time of peace he will destroy many, and he will even stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be broken off, but not by human hands.
26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been spoken is true. Now you must seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”
27 I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was confounded by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Duc

In the hit sci-fi movie, the ‘Matrix’, there’s a scene where the lead character, Neo, sees the same black cat twice in succession. It was a case of ‘déjà vu’, where you feel like you’ve experienced the exact same event before – and in Neo’s case, it clues him to the fact that danger is just around the corner.

This second vision must have filled Daniel with that dreaded sense of déjà vu. Once again, he sees terrifying animals that symbolise powerful kingdoms. In this case, the two-horned ram represents Medo-Persia, and the goat is Greece. Daniel sees that the ram (Medo-Persia) will be an irresistible force and will become great (v 4) … that is, until the goat (Greece) arrives from the west. Then it is Greece which will become very great and conquer the world (v 8).

The vision then focuses on a ruler, a ‘little horn’, who would attack the ‘Beautiful Land’ of Jerusalem. He would set himself up against God, destroy God’s city, plunder God’s temple in Jerusalem, and persecute God’s people.

It’s no wonder that Daniel hears one angel ask another: ‘How long?’ How long will God allow this evil to endure? The answer comes: for 2,300 evenings and mornings (about 3½ years). But then God would act to deliver his people and restore the temple (v 14).

Although the timing is debated, this probably points to the same arrogant and cruel Greek king Daniel learned about in chapter 7 – a king called Antiochus who, in 167 BC, slaughtered the people of Jerusalem and desecrated the temple in Jerusalem. But as Daniel foresaw, God delivered his people and the temple was restored 3½ years later.

Even the mighty kingdoms of the Medo-Persians and Greeks were under God’s sovereign will – and by his will, they faded away. But just as God chose to love Israel, the most insignificant of all peoples, so he is continuing to build his forever kingdom – by choosing the weak things of the world to shame the strong and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are (1 Cor 1:27). What a joy and relief for us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

24 July 2025

Daniel 8:1-14

Gus Cameron

24 July 2025

1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one that had appeared to me earlier. 2 And in the vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa, in the province of Elam. I saw in the vision that I was beside the Ulai Canal.
3 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a ram with two horns standing beside the canal. The horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one grew up later. 4 I saw the ram charging toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against him, and there was no deliverance from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
5 As I was contemplating all this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came out of the west, crossing the surface of the entire earth without touching the ground. 6 He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and rushed at him with furious power. 7 I saw him approach the ram in a rage against him, and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him, and the goat threw him to the ground and trampled him, and no one could deliver the ram from his power.
8 Thus the goat became very great, but at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off, and four prominent horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven.
9 From one of these horns a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 It grew as high as the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the earth, and trampled them. 11 It magnified itself, even to the Prince of the host; it removed His daily sacrifice and overthrew the place of His sanctuary. 12 And in the rebellion, the host and the daily sacrifice were given over to the horn, and it flung truth to the ground and prospered in whatever it did.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, “How long until the fulfillment of the vision of the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host to be trampled?”
14 He said to me, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be properly restored.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Duc

In the hit sci-fi movie, the ‘Matrix’, there’s a scene where the lead character, Neo, sees the same black cat twice in succession. It was a case of ‘déjà vu’, where you feel like you’ve experienced the exact same event before – and in Neo’s case, it clues him to the fact that danger is just around the corner.

This second vision must have filled Daniel with that dreaded sense of déjà vu. Once again, he sees terrifying animals that symbolise powerful kingdoms. In this case, the two-horned ram represents Medo-Persia, and the goat is Greece. Daniel sees that the ram (Medo-Persia) will be an irresistible force and will become great (v 4) … that is, until the goat (Greece) arrives from the west. Then it is Greece which will become very great and conquer the world (v 8).

The vision then focuses on a ruler, a ‘little horn’, who would attack the ‘Beautiful Land’ of Jerusalem. He would set himself up against God, destroy God’s city, plunder God’s temple in Jerusalem, and persecute God’s people.

It’s no wonder that Daniel hears one angel ask another: ‘How long?’ How long will God allow this evil to endure? The answer comes: for 2,300 evenings and mornings (about 3½ years). But then God would act to deliver his people and restore the temple (v 14).

Although the timing is debated, this probably points to the same arrogant and cruel Greek king Daniel learned about in chapter 7 – a king called Antiochus who, in 167 BC, slaughtered the people of Jerusalem and desecrated the temple in Jerusalem. But as Daniel foresaw, God delivered his people and the temple was restored 3½ years later.

Even the mighty kingdoms of the Medo-Persians and Greeks were under God’s sovereign will – and by his will, they faded away. But just as God chose to love Israel, the most insignificant of all peoples, so he is continuing to build his forever kingdom – by choosing the weak things of the world to shame the strong and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are (1 Cor 1:27). What a joy and relief for us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

23 July 2025

Daniel 7:15-28

Gus Cameron

23 July 2025

15 I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this.
So he told me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
19 Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.
23 This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. 24 And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings. 25 He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
26 But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
28 Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Duc

Daniel’s terrifying vision leaves him feeling grieved and alarmed (v 15). He’s desperate for answers and reassurance – but even after he hears an explanation from one of the angels he sees standing there, his thoughts are still troubling him greatly (v 28).

Today’s passage also has a surprise. Yesterday, we had read that God would judge the four kingdoms and give dominion and his everlasting kingdom to “one like the Son of Man” (v 13-14). But in verses 22 and 27 of today’s passage, it is ‘the saints of the Most High’ – that is, all God’s people – who will inherit God’s kingdom.

If this will be the final outcome, why does Daniel respond with dismay? Maybe he is shaken by all the frightening things that need to happen beforehand.

Whatever the cause, Daniel decides not to ask more. We can learn from his wisdom in this. Sometimes, when someone is facing a hard situation, I’ve heard them say, “I really wish God would just make it clear to me.” But the Bible tells us that “the secret things belong to the LORD our God” (Deut 29:29). Daniel’s experience suggests that maybe God reveals to us just as much as we need to know at the right moments in time.

But God has also graciously revealed to us what we really do need to know. Today, we are reminded that God is sovereign over all human rulers, will save his people from persecution, and will ultimately establish his forever kingdom for them. Praise God!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

22 July 2025

Daniel 7:9-14

Gus Cameron

22 July 2025

9 As I continued to watch,
thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took His seat.
His clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from His presence.
Thousands upon thousands attended Him,
and myriads upon myriads stood before Him.
The court was convened,
and the books were opened.
11 Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time.
13 In my vision in the night I continued to watch,
and I saw One like the Son of Man
coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the Ancient of Days
and was led into His presence.
14 And He was given dominion,
glory, and kingship,
that the people of every nation and language
should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that will not pass away,
and His kingdom is one
that will never be destroyed.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Duc

If Daniel’s dream was a feature film, what we get with today’s passage is a ‘cut’ or ‘scene transition’. We move from yesterday’s earthly scene of four beasts rising from the churning sea, all the way up to the heavenly realm where God’s courtroom is being prepared for the beasts to face judgment.

The first to take his seat is the Ancient of Days, that is, God, in all his pure and fiery majesty. Then, God’s people in their thousands upon thousands gather before Him. As the heavenly court begins its session, the books are opened (v10). The four beasts, who seemed so threatening a scene ago, are dealt with so efficiently they appear almost insignificant.

Then the spotlight shifts to a new character, “One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven” (v 13). Unlike the animal-like beasts which come from the waters below, this human-like figure comes from above. He is presented to the Ancient of Days and is given power forever and an everlasting kingdom. Unlike the earthly kingdoms, which are limited and fleeting, this one will continue into eternity.

In the New Testament, Jesus gives himself the title ‘the Son of Man’. He said that one day he will return in power and glory riding on clouds, in fulfilment of Daniel’s vision (Matt 24:27-30). When he returns, he will raise back to life believers who have fallen asleep and gather up those who are alive to set up God’s forever kingdom (1 Thess 4:14-17). That’s the end scene God has planned for the feature film that is all of human history.

I’ve been avoiding reading or watching the news over the past few months. It all feels so overwhelming – the horrific, endless wars in the Middle East, the corruption and ugliness of politics in the West, and the economic and social challenges we face in our own country. But this passage is such a comfort. It’s a call not to despair about the beast-like kings that reject God and rule the earth, but to look up in hope, to wait expectantly for the triumph of God’s perfect kingdom when Jesus returns.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

21 July 2025

Daniel 7:1-8

Gus Cameron

21 July 2025

1 In the first year of the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
2 Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea. 3 Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
4 The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.
5 Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
6 Next, as I watched, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7 After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Susan Duc

Do you dream when you sleep? I rarely do. However, a few nights ago, I dreamed. It wasn’t a long dream, but it was filled with strange images I couldn’t quite make out and fragments of odd conversations with people from long ago. I woke up feeling unsettled and disturbed.

In today’s passage, the prophet Daniel describes his own vivid dream. But this is no ordinary dream. Daniel sees four terrifying beasts emerging from the chaotic waters. The four beasts symbolise four kingdoms that arose to dominate and terrorise the nations around them: first Babylon, then Media, Persia and Greece. Each was worse than the one before it.

Greece, the fourth beast, was the most ferocious of all. In the Bible, ‘horns’ are symbols of strength and power, and the fourth beast has ten of them. And still it grows another brutal ‘little horn’, with eyes like a man and who spoke arrogant words. This was a prophecy of a cruel Greek ruler, a tyrant who feared neither the Jews nor their God.

As these four beasts rose up from the churning sea and terrorised Daniel in his sleep, how might he have comforted himself? As he pulled his sheets up a little higher, Daniel might have remembered that God, his God, is sovereign over every evil power. It was God who stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves and the tumult of the nations (Ps 65:7).

We have an even greater comfort, supplied by another vision – from John in the book of Revelation. John saw the coming of Jesus, along with the final destruction of Satan and the making of a new heaven and earth. When Jesus returns, the sea of chaos and destruction will be no more. There will only be a holy city where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things will have passed away and God will make all things new (Rev 21:1-7).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

19 July 2025

Daniel 6:24-28

Gus Cameron

19 July 2025

24 At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound. 26 I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel:
For He is the living God,
and He endures forever;
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and His dominion will never end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
He performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth,
for He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Matt Radloff

Darius’ declaration of praise for God finds its place at the very end of the first half of the book. Over and over again, God has proved that he is mighty. God has shown that while kingdoms rise and fall, he remains in control. The kingdom of Babylon was crushed by Persia. And Persia too will eventually crumble into dust. Unlike the kings of this world, God endures forever. Unlike the nations that stand strong for a time, God’s dominion will never end. Unlike the gods of the world, Daniel’s God, our God, is the living God. The only right response for all the people of the world is to tremble in fear before him. He is totally unopposed and completely sovereign.

What’s more, the living, mighty God has shown that he actually cares for his people. Sometimes I think we can forget how amazing that really is. The eternal, all-powerful, fear-inducing God, cares about us. Throughout the book of Daniel, he’s shown that he can and he will save his people from the enemy. He shielded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fire when they refused to bow to idols. He closed the lions' mouths when Daniel refused the king's law and persisted in only praying to God. He delivers and rescues. He performs signs and wonders to save.

We can have real security knowing that the eternal, living God is with us. He delivered Daniel from the lions, and he has delivered us from sin and death through his son. One day, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that the Son, Jesus Christ, is lord. We can look forward to that day when the whole world will know that God alone saves. That he is the living God who has delivered his people.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

18 July 2025

Daniel 6:17-23

Gus Cameron

18 July 2025

17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. 20 When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Matt Radloff

“Has your God been able to save you?”. Darius’s question is an important one for all of us to grapple with. Is the God you serve powerful enough to rescue you? At the beginning of these verses, Daniel’s fate is apparently sealed as he’s locked in with the deadly lions. His situation is set by the heavy stone placed over what looks to be his permanent tomb. There’s no hope of an outside rescuer as the king's ring and the rings of his nobles outlaw any attempts to interfere. After the worst night of the king's life, he rushes to the den and asks, “Has your God been able to save you?!” As Darius hears Daniel’s reply, he learns about the power of Daniel’s God. About the power of our God, who alone has the power to save.

From God’s miraculous salvation of Daniel, we are reminded of the far greater salvation that God worked in raising his own son from the dead. Just like Daniel, Jesus was an innocent man sentenced to death. He was thrown into a hole in the ground, and a heavy stone was set across to bar the way. The authorities in Jesus' day also took measures to make sure no one could interfere. And yet God’s salvation of his perfect Son Jesus eclipses Daniel’s as He saves his innocent one, not just from the jaws of the lion, but from the jaws of death itself.

We can have confidence that the God who saves is on our side. The God who raises the dead to life is with us. And so, we have nothing to fear! Not even death. God answers Darius’ question, “has your God been able to save?” with a resounding “yes!” This is the confident hope that every one of us can have as God’s people. As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:11, “…if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

17 July 2025

Daniel 6:10-16

Gus Cameron

17 July 2025

10 Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God. 12 So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?”
The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
13 Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”
14 As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.
15 Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions.
The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Andy Rowland

Daniel, a Jewish exile and one of the 120 satraps of the Median kingdom, has had a trap laid for him by the other satraps and administrators because of the favour he has found in the king's eyes. His opponents know that he devotedly serves the Lord, praying three times a day, and so they have deceitfully tricked the king into signing a decree outlawing prayer to any God or man, except the king himself, punishable by being cast into a den of lions.

I am so thankful to live in a country where being a Christian and living it out wholeheartedly is not outlawed and punishable. That is not the case for many of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world, where the threat of death is a near and present one. Even still, there are cultural and legal difficulties that we face, and there will always be pressure from the world to give up on our faith in God and to fear man over God.

It is striking that Daniel does nothing different in light of the king's decree. Given the temporary nature of the decree, 30 days, I would be tempted to let it pass or continue in a more hidden way to survive without causing trouble. But Daniel knows that the king is in the wrong, and so he continues to serve and fear the Lord first, praying as he always did and knowingly walking straight into their trap.

Like Daniel and us, our Lord Jesus knows this temptation. As he faced betrayal and judgment by the jealousy of the Pharisees and Sadducees, he did not deny himself or hide from them. He continually feared God and obeyed him even before those who would kill him. But unlike Daniel, as Jesus was crucified, there was no one to deliver him, for he went to face the wrath of God, not man. And he did so for our sake.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

16 July 2025

Daniel 6:1-9

Gus Cameron

16 July 2025

1 Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss. 3 Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
4 Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel, unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever! 7 All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions. 8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Andy Rowland

Here for the third time, Daniel, an exiled Jew, finds favour with the king who occupies his homeland, and is appointed as a ruler over the enemy kingdom. This could be an occasion for him to neglect God and his people, to make the most of this very privileged position. It would be all too easy for him to assimilate into the culture and people around him, reaping all the potential benefits, and yet Daniel remains devoted to the Lord God and to his people Israel, as we will see clearly in Chapter 9.

Another opportunity Daniel has is to work half-heartedly, undermining the man who continues the occupation of Israel and exile of the Israelites. In such a position, it is so easy to only do what is necessary, working begrudgingly and selfishly.

As I've studied and worked, these have been very present temptations throughout my life, and many I've spoken to. It does take an extraordinary spirit to overcome it, and God has provided us with his very own spirit to do so!

Yet, because Daniel fears the Lord, he works hard and diligently. There's no deceit, no corruption, and no negligence in all he does. He isn't working for his own benefit; rather, Daniel is working from a fear and honour of God above men, even as he serves an enemy king. Colossians 3:23-24 helps me understand his work more clearly, as it reveals explicitly that the efforts of our labour and their rewards are not ultimately earthly, but will be given by God in heaven!

As Daniel's work prospers, he angers those who are working out of selfish ambition, for their own deficiencies are exposed. And the only way that they can get to him is by pushing into what makes him distinct, his love for God.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy is one of our Student Ministers.

Gus Cameron

15 July 2025

Daniel 5:18-31

Gus Cameron

15 July 2025

18 As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor. 19 Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.
20 But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit was hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven away from mankind, and his mind was like that of a beast. He lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind, setting over it whom He wishes.
22 But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways. 24 Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription.
25 Now this is the inscription that was written:
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN.
26 And this is the interpretation of the message:
MENE means that God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient.
28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel in purple, placed a gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed him the third highest ruler in the kingdom.
30 That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vincent Chan

It’s hard to imagine what it would have been like to be the King of Babylon. Babylon was the greatest empire of its time—nations and kings literally bowed down to it. Its wealth was staggering, almost otherworldly. Its influence and power were on a scale that’s hard to grasp, even by today’s standards. And to be its king was to rule it all. A single word from your mouth could shape reality for those around you. Cities rose and fell at your command. The King of Babylon was, in earthly terms, all-powerful.

And yet, two kings of Babylon reached two very different endings.

King Nebuchadnezzar, for all his might, humbled himself. He came to recognize that there was a Most High God who ruled above him. And because of that, he was restored. He experienced mercy.

But how different the ending is for Belshazzar. As we reach the conclusion of this chapter, we see that Belshazzar never repented. The writing on the wall was God’s judgment: his days were numbered, his kingdom was divided, and his reign was coming to an end. Belshazzar is about to learn that his power was not absolute—it was given to him by God, and just as easily, it would be taken away. The chapter ends with a quiet but devastating sentence: the great Babylonian empire is handed over as Darius the Mede takes control.

Hebrews 9:27 reminds us: “People are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” No matter who we are—whether kings or commoners—we will all one day stand before the judgment throne of God.

Have you turned to Jesus yet? At the start of His ministry, Jesus declared: “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). That invitation still stands today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vinno is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

14 July 2025

Daniel 5:10-17

Gus Cameron

14 July 2025

10 Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale. 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods.
Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king, 12 did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”
13 So Daniel was brought before the king, who asked him, “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? 14 I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.
15 Now the wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this inscription and interpret it for me, but they could not give its interpretation. 16 But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
17 In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vincent Chan

Two things really stand out in today’s passage.

Firstly, I was struck by Daniel’s situation. In the previous chapter, under King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was one of the most trusted advisors in the kingdom. But now, many years later, he’s older—and forgotten. It takes the Queen (likely the Queen Mother) to remind Belshazzar of who Daniel is. What a powerful reminder of how quickly human achievements and status can fade! Yet even when people forget, God does not change. God is still at work, and He will provide the answer Daniel needs. Our position in this life may rise and fall like shifting sand, but the wonderful promise of Scripture is this: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

The second thing that stands out is Belshazzar’s offer of rewards. He promises Daniel royal clothing, a gold chain, and a position as the third highest ruler in the kingdom if he can interpret the writing on the wall. These were powerful symbols of status and authority. But Daniel’s response is striking: “You may keep your gifts… but I will read the inscription anyway.” I’d like to think I would have the same resolve as Daniel—to say no to the rewards and riches of this world. But the truth is, worldly treasures are often deeply enticing. Even though we know the treasures of this world will rust, I often find it very hard not to store and invest in it.

And in light of that struggle, isn’t it good news that Jesus is the true and better Daniel? When Satan tempted Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:9), He didn’t give in. He rejected the offer and submitted to His Father alone. Jesus chose faithfulness over fortune. He gave up the glory of this world so that we could be part of His eternal kingdom. That’s how I can keep living for the kingdom of heaven—not by trying to be strong on my own, but by remembering my King. King Jesus gave up everything, so I could have everything in Him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vinno is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

12 July 2025

Daniel 5:1-9

Gus Cameron

12 July 2025

1 Later, King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he drank wine with them. 2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines.
3 Thus they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king drank from them, along with his nobles, his wives, and his concubines. 4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 At that moment the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. As the king watched the hand that was writing, 6 his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.
7 The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
8 So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him. 9 Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face grew even more pale, and his nobles were bewildered.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vincent Chan

Today we meet a new king—King Belshazzar. In verse 2, we’re told that Nebuchadnezzar was his father, though this likely means he was a descendant, not his direct son. Still, like Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar is marked by power and pride.

The chapter opens with Belshazzar hosting a feast for “a thousand nobles”—a way of saying there were more guests than you could count. But it’s not the size of the feast that reveals his pride. It’s the moment he orders the sacred vessels from God’s temple in Jerusalem to be brought out and used for drinking, all while praising gods of gold and silver. Belshazzar isn’t short on cups—he’s making a statement. He’s shaking his fist at heaven and telling God to shove off.

But Belshazzar’s arrogance quickly turns to fear when the famous incident of the handwriting on the wall occurs. That phrase—“the writing on the wall”—has become part of everyday language, describing a clear sign that trouble is coming. And in Belshazzar’s case, that’s exactly right. The writing reveals God’s judgment on his pride.

And pride really is the heart of the issue here, isn’t it?As I reflect on this passage, I’m reminded how deceptive pride can be. Sometimes it’s blatant—like Belshazzar’s feast. But more often, at least in my own life, it’s subtle and hidden. It can show up in how easily I look down on others. Or in how quickly I act as though I don’t need God’s help.

How are you managing pride in your own life? Let’s take a moment today to remember the cross—the place where all our pride is put to shame. And let’s ask God to help us pour contempt on every trace of it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vinno is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

11 July 2025

Daniel 4:34-37

Gus Cameron

11 July 2025

34 But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever:
“For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 All the peoples of the earth
are counted as nothing,
and He does as He pleases
with the army of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
There is no one who can restrain His hand
or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
36 At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

The letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament tells us that ‘the Lord disciplines the one he loves’ and ‘God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time.’ (Hebrews 12:6,10,11) God’s discipline of Nebuchadnezzar is a good example of this. God could have removed him from the throne forever or even taken his life, but, in his kindness, he chose to discipline him and restore him to the throne a changed man, a humbled man. But it was not pleasant – it took a long period of insanity and humiliation. In God’s love for us today he also disciplines us. Hebrews encourages us to see all suffering as discipline, as part of God’s training program designed to make us more holy. God is in control of all our circumstances, and he is using them to make us more like Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

10 July 2025

Daniel 4:28-33

Gus Cameron

10 July 2025

28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you. 32 You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”
33 At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

God gave Nebuchadnezzar a year to repent of his arrogance, but he did not. Because he refused to humble himself; God humbled him. In the New Testament book of Acts we see God bringing worse judgement on another ruler, Herod. We read, ‘because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.’ (Acts 12:23) Paul in his first letter to Timothy urges us to pray for kings and all those in authority. One good thing we can pray for them is that they will acknowledge God as ruler over all and as the One who has given them authority. It’s also good to ask that they will use their authority for the good of those they govern, especially the needy and the vulnerable. It’s not for nothing that we call the Prime Minister the Prime Minister, meaning the First Servant. Not only is he or she the first servant of the monarch, but he or she is also called to be the first servant of the people.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.

Gus Cameron

9 July 2025

Daniel 4:19-27

Gus Cameron

9 July 2025

19 For a time, Daniel, who was also known as Belteshazzar, was perplexed, and his thoughts alarmed him.
So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation alarm you.”
“My lord,” replied Belteshazzar, “may the dream apply to those who hate you, and its interpretation to your enemies!
20 The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth, 21 whose foliage was beautiful and whose fruit was abundant, providing food for all, under which the beasts of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air nested— 22 you, O king, are that tree! For you have become great and strong; your greatness has grown to reach the sky, and your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.
23 And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying:
‘Cut down the tree and destroy it,
but leave the stump with its roots in the ground,
and a band of iron and bronze around it,
in the tender grass of the field.
Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven,
and graze with the beasts of the field
till seven times pass him by.’
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:
25 You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.
26 As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by James Davidson

God warned Nebuchadnezzar that if he did not repent of his arrogance, he would humble him. He would spend a time not ruling but rather wandering the fields like an animal. He needed to humble himself and acknowledge God as the ultimate Ruler and to accept that he only ruled because God had appointed him. He needed to break away from his sins by doing what is right, and from his iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. We can become like Nebuchadnezzar. Arrogance can easily creep in, particularly if we are given any sort of leadership. We can begin to think that there is something special about us. We start taking pride in our abilities as if they were self-generated, not God-given. We can even kid ourselves that our salvation was partly our doing and that our transformation was partly our work. This can lead to all sorts of sin, for example, looking down on others and not caring for those in need or those under us. In that case, we need to heed Daniel’s warning to Nebuchadnezzar. We need to humble ourselves before God, confess our sins and acknowledge that our salvation and our transformation are all from him. We need to recognize that any gifts or abilities we possess are gracious gifts from God. We need to commit ourselves again to humbly serving others for Jesus’ sake.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James is one of our Assistant Ministers.