In every generation, the task of Christians is to work out how to live as God’s people in a world rebellious against him (John 17: 15-16).

The book of Daniel equips us for this task by giving us a worked example of a discerning disciple but more importantly points us to Jesus, who is the perfect discerning disciple for us. So, if Daniel 2 instructs us in how to be discerning about human wisdom and chapter 3, how to be discerning about human religion, chapter 4 helps us to be discerning about human authority. For if God is in control of all human authority, then all our lives are to be lived for his glory.