Be Faithful!

When you hear about the book of Daniel, what pictures come to your mind? It might be about his three friends in the fiery furnace. It may be about Daniel himself in the lions’ den. You may recall those stories with great enthusiasm and familiarity. However, there is a lot in the book of Daniel that most people don’t recall. Or they remember that there was a lot of stuff in the book that was just plain confusing.

I have taught Daniel and Revelation together at high school and college levels. Each of those books gives insight into the other. We have just finished a sermon series in Revelation. Today, we’ll begin a sermon series from the book of Daniel. Hopefully, we should benefit from going through Daniel, especially in view of the times in which we live.

After all, how do we live Christian lives in a culture which is not only unfriendly towards the things of Christ, but downright hateful to those things? Obviously, we cannot respond in kind or in a vindictive manner. That would contradict Jesus’ teachings to love your enemies. It is extremely difficult to be seen as loving and as a light if we are also firing missiles and throwing hand grenades at those who are opposed to us.

Today, we are going to start to lay a bit of a foundation, as we look at some young men, most likely in their late teens, who were out of their element and in a foreign land that did not look at God the way they did. In fact, these four individuals were without any guilt, yet they were also sent into exile and away from their homeland. How would they respond?

We, as God’s people, are placed in a world that is opposed to God. We sometimes get to experience things that are hurtful even though we’re not at fault. How should we respond? Francis Schaeffer wrote a book several decades ago, entitled “How Should We Then Live?” In view of the world in which we find ourselves, this is a very real question for those of us who are Christians; followers of Jesus Christ.

God is faithful and we need to be faithful. This is our focus for this passage today.

Before we get into the text for today, let’s understand the scenario. These four young men whom we shall be looking at today were from royal lineage. Yet, because of the sins of the nation, they were also going to be suffering, right along with the rest of the people. The fact that they were innocent, plus princely individuals did not remove them from this consequence. Because the Jewish people, as a nation, did not repent and obey the Lord, the prophecies of Jeremiah and others were going to come true; the Babylonians would come and take over and capture the people.

The Babylonian means of conquering a people were to take the best and brightest of the youth and bring them to Babylon. There, they would train and instruct them and attempt to make them leaders in Babylon, removing them from ever being used by their home nation. As we will read in verse 4, these young men were well-rounded and the cream of the crop. The whole purpose of the Babylonians was to take these young men, removing any vestiges of their Jewish heritage, transforming them to become Babylonians, as well.

How similar this is to what Satan wants to do with Christians. Satan doesn’t want us to be Christians in the world; he wants the world in the Christians. He doesn’t want us to be transformed and impacting the world; he wants the world to impact the Christian and conform us to be like the world.

Let’s take some time now and see if we can glean some lessons from the Book of Daniel.

Be Faithful Even In a Foreign Culture. - 1:1-2

Daniel 1:1–2 (NASB95)

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

As we start this series, we begin with a brief description which gives a little information about the history and events and people involved. Even though this is a book of prophecy, the style is completely different from the other prophetic books. It is almost like a biography about Daniel and his friends interwoven in this powerful prophetic book. The other prophets were specific in their ministry in relaying information from God to specific nations and people. Whereas, Daniel reads differently. In addition, his role was not that of a prophet, but rather a government official, as well as an historian. The time frame which Daniel is writing is the shortest of the major prophets; yet the content covers the most time and territory of any of the other prophets. Many scholars have also rated him as among the wisest and learned men, along with Moses and Solomon.

Here in the first 2 verses, we are given a synopsis of the historical setting. This is the first of what we know to be three sieges Babylon carried out against Jerusalem. Based upon the time frame and cross-referencing of 2 Kings 24 and 2 Chronicles 36, this would have taken place around 605 B.C. This capture of Jerusalem had been forewarned by several of the prophets. As we reflect upon what we know about the captivity, we recall that it was to be 70 years. This seems like a perfectly natural punishment God was going to give since the Jews had refused to participate in the Sabbath Day, as well as the sabbatic year in giving the ground rest. Now, it was going to get the rest it needed.

Another interesting twist is that Babylon was known as the center of idolatry and was considered one of the most wicked places in the world. How ironic that the Jews had chosen to practice idolatry in some of the worst forms. They had been warned by the prophets to forsake idolatry and worship God alone or they would be captured and taken away to a land with an unknown language. As you look at this downward spiritual slide, you can observe just how far away the people were being taken from their land which was their inheritance promised by God.

My friends, already, just from history, we are reminded that when a people chooses to ignore God’s Word and does whatever they wish, there will come a day of judgment. Theologian John Walvoord comments: Worldly saints do not capture the world but become instead the world’s captives.

Now for those who are very detail oriented, you might notice that the time frame appears to be different in Daniel chapter 1.1, than Jeremiah 25. However, that is easily understood in light of the fact that Daniel, who had been thoroughly instructed in Babylonian culture and procedures, when he wrote this, would most likely use the Babylonian way of reckoning time.

There is also some very intentional describing of what was done with some of the vessels of the house of God. Daniel states that Nebuchadnezzar brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. This was how the Babylonians let everyone know that they believed that their god was greater than any other god of any other nation.

Be Faithful Even Among False Teachings. - 1:3-7

Revelation 1:3–7 (NASB95)

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Here, the king has ordered the best and most elite of the royal young people to be taught the ways of Babylon. The king was, in essence, ordering for them to be brainwashed and taught how to think like a Babylonian, act like a Babylonian, and promote Babylon. Interestingly, he chose to use the brightest and the best. If they could be coerced, then others would follow in their steps. They also were to be of royal lineage and without any defects.

This training could be used by Babylon for several purposes. These Jewish prize students could be seen as hostages and possibly used for leverage if the Jewish people in Jerusalem got any ideas of rebellion against Babylon. These students also would be a constant reminder to the people that Nebuchadnezzar was capable of having the very best and no one could stop him. Plus, if the Babylonians were to have to deal with any Jewish affairs, these individuals would be the people to use because of their understanding.

Verse 4 states that these young men could have no physical issues or problems, had to be handsome, needed to be smart in all areas, and able to serve as leaders in the king’s court. Then the process would begin. They were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. This process would gradually separate their thinking away from the Jewish mindset, intending to make them behave more like Babylonians. This method of absorbing other cultures and reshaping them to serve the desires of their captors has gone on throughout history. It can even go on in what used to be considered a free nation, as we see today, in certain moral areas of “re-education and training.”

Even today, sometimes we are required to study things that contradict God’s Word, the Bible. That does not mean a person has to abandon their faith. To study and understand does not equate itself with full acceptance.

As we go on, we see the attempt to indoctrinate even more powerfully, as the king attempts to influence them to do that which would go against their religious training and beliefs. That may not have been his intention, though it would have resulted in the Jewish men to compromise. He offers them the best of that culture with their hospitality and dining. The food was such that Daniel and his friends would evidently feel that they should not partake in, as we’ll see later. One translation describes this as rich food. This was a provision from the Babylonians that was designed to enable these young men to have the best of the king’s provisions so that at the end of a three year period of indoctrination and training, they would be able to stand alongside others who were in the king’s personal service.

We may wonder why I have mentioned these four young men, and verse 6 lists only four of the many young people conscripted. Obviously, these four were the ones who did it right in God’s eyes. It stands to reason that the remainder were either not committed to God previously, or they succumbed to the pressure of the pleasures that the Babylonians offered them and they went over to the dark side, as it were. As a result, they were useless to God in His working.

Daniel’s name is found also in Ezekiel. We know that Ezekiel was a captive in Babylon, as well. But let’s take a little time to look at the significance of the names of these four individuals. We’ll look first at their Hebrew or Jewish names. Daniel’s name commonly means “God is judge.” Hananiah means “Jehovah is gracious.” Mishael means “who is he that is God?” And finally, Azariah means “the Lord helps.” Names mean a great deal, especially within the Jewish community. It would also seem to show us that their parents, who named them, had a close relationship with God. It would also indicate that these four men had a special relationship with God.

However, as part of the brain-washing, they would be given new names and identities. If the Babylonians could remove as many traces of their previous heritage, they would be more loyal to the cause of Babylon. Sadly, historians trace their names as giving credit to the false gods of the Babylonians. Daniel’s name was changed to Belteshazzar. This means “may Bel protect his life.” Bel was one of the chief gods of Babylon and is directly connected to Baal, who was the main god of the Canaanites.

Hananiah was given the name of Shadrach. Scholars suggest that when it is broken down, it would mean “command of Aku.” It seems to be in reference to the god Marduk, another Babylonian god.

Mishael is given the name of Meshach. There are discrepancies here, as the language is hard to interpret. Most suggest it means “who is what the moon god is?”

Azariah is given the name of Abed-nego which probably means “servant of Nebo,” who was supposed to be the son of the false god, Bel.

An observation that I want to make from these few verses is this: Though they were given names that referenced false gods, they did not follow after those false gods. Instead, they continued to serve the One Living and True God. My friends, it doesn’t matter what the world may try to do to us or how they may label us. We do not have to serve the god of this world. We continue to serve the Light of the world, Jesus Christ.

Final Thoughts

We are not of this world, yet we find ourselves in it. Daniel and his three friends were not of the pagan Babylonian world, yet they found themselves in it. The question facing all of us is how we will live out our Christian faith. Even though we experience life here as if we are foreigners, we must still be faithful to God’s commands and expectations, knowing that He is always faithful.

In this, we are also reminded that just because people claim to be following God, does not make it so. There will come a day of judgment and punishment. There is, of course, the ultimate judgment of condemnation to hell. Yet, there may very well be, as we’ve seen multiple times, and seems to continue to happen even now, that punishment sometimes comes on this planet. And as Jesus promised, we would have trouble in this world; we would be persecuted for righteousness sake; we shouldn’t be surprised when the world hates you. Daniel and his friends were innocent, yet still experienced being torn away from that which they loved. They still had the ongoing battle when others wanted them to surrender to the culture around them. But we, also, can take heart. Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. . . . I am with you always, even to the end of the age. . . . . I will never leave you nor forsake you. . . . . Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake. . . . Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of various kinds.

Not only should we be faithful in a culture which is foreign to the Christian which we find distasteful, at best; we are reminded that we must be faithful even among false teachings. The world, who hates Jesus, will also hate the Christian. We’re promised that in God’s Word. The world will try to label us and describe us as that which we are not. The Babylonians did that to Daniel and his three friends. The world is speaking about true Christians in very negative terms, labeling us as intolerant and hateful. For the follower of Jesus Christ, is there any description more untrue of us? Yet, rather than try to fit in and agree and change our belief system, we must be faithful to God and His Word. We can still do what we’re required to do in this nation without compromising who we are in Jesus Christ.

Some of you may be thinking of several situations, some of which have been a part of the news lately. You may be asking questions as to whether the responses of some Christians have been biblical or not. My friends, some of the answers will be found in the weeks and months ahead, as we continue our study in Daniel. Some of you already know the answers since you know God’s Word. Some of you are thinking ahead as to the responses which these four men make in the chapters ahead and you are able to put it all together.

Don’t allow the world or any individual who claims to speak for Christ shape your thinking. The only people who are speaking for Christ are those who are in total agreement with the Bible, the Word of God.

If we compromise and become just like the proverbial Babylonians, willing to compromise so as to fit into the culture or the teachings of the majority, we are of no value as a witness for Jesus Christ.

My friends, God is faithful. We must be faithful, as well.