Introduction

We have been studying the life of Daniel and his life example of what it means to live a faithful LIFE God.

It is easy to live a life of faithfulness when you’re surrounded by faithful believers. But what do you do when you find yourself living in a nation that is surrounded by immorality and pagan worship?

What are the results of living a consecrated life in an ungodly culture and what does that look like?

Are you able to stay faithful to what God’s word says and live it out?

These are some of the challenges that we are presented today in our culture and Daniel’s life is a prime example of what that looks like

Daniel 5:1-4

Daniel is living amid a pagan society. He is no longer home where he is surrounded by practices that goes against God’s word. The people of Babylon were people who worshipped false gods, practiced immorality, indulged in wealth and materialism, and thought themselves to be the most prestige nation of their time.

When we look at Daniel 5:1-4 we can see that the chapter begins with king Belshazzar throwing a great feast and he has invited about 1,000 guests.

They begin to party, and they begin to drink and sooner than later things begin to get a little out of hand.

As the king is enjoying himself the king orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem.

CONTEXT

The feast itself was to show Belshazzar’s to be the most powerful king at the time. To further demonstrate that power by taking gold and silver goblets that belonged to the Jewish temple.

It means that they were set apart to be used exclusively for worshipping the Lord in the temple. Belshazzar and his guests are guilty of blasphemy, which is the profaning or desecration of that which is used to worship Him.

It is also taking in vain the name of God, or the reviling of any of His works or deeds. It is strongly forbidden by God as dishonoring His character and reputation.

This clearly indicates that Daniel lived amid people that had no respect for themselves and no reverence for God.

Daniel 5:5-10

Suddenly in Daniel 5:5-10 a finger appears and engraves a writing on the wall of the banquet hall for all to see. It is a writing that they cannot understand. The king and all his guests begin to panic.

“Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.” - Da 5:6.

In Daniel 5:11“There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.”

Everyone is in panic mode, but the queen remembers Daniel.

Faithful in an Ungodly Culture

Even the most paganistic culture recognized the power of God over Daniel in his life.

Why was Daniel remembered at this moment? Was it because he had some sort of ranking in the government? Was it because he had some special talent? Was it because we fitted in with the people and culture? Was it because he was well liked and known within the community?

It was because Daniel was faithful to God. He was faithful when he dared not to eat from the king’s food, and he was faithful when he dared not to bow down to another god.

Your faithfulness to God is demonstrated not when everyone accepts what you believe but when everyone hates what you believe.

Your faithfulness to God is demonstrated when you stand on the biblical foundations of God’s word even when nobody else wants to do it. This is why it is very important to cling to God’s holy word.

If God says it’s sin, then it’s sin. Sin is anything that goes against the very nature of God.

You must live a life so consecrated unto God that when you stand firm on what you believe even the world will recognize your faithfulness unto God.

Christianity is not a belief based on feelings. Christianity is based on conviction.

Faithful in communicating God’s Character

Daniel is amid 1,000 guests and the king of Babylon.

But before he does this Daniel starts with a little monologue.

In verses 18-19 he reminds the king of the rise and prosperity of king Nebuchadnezzar.

In verses 20-21 he describes the cause and the consequence of king Nebuchadnezzar’s fall.

In verse 22-23 Daniel boldly confronts the king and Daniel says in verse 23, “but you have lifted yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.”

Application

If you want to live a faithful life amid an ungodly culture, you must accept and communicate the truth about who God is to an ungodly culture.

It is not what we say but how we say it. Nobody will come to Christ by being yelled at. We are called to communicate the character of God in spirit and in truth.

We must be able to save (with love) that God is a Holy God. That yes, he is a God of love, but he is also a God of justice.

A good judge would not be a good judge if he allows the criminal to go free.

And though God continues to extend his arms out in mercy ultimately those who refuse to repent will have to confront a just and holy God.

Daniel was not saying what he felt. Daniel was communicating to the king the truth about God.

How we communicate the character of God to the world will determine what we know about God himself.

God is not all about wrath wrath wrath. God is also not just about love, love, love. God is both. God is just because he is love and he is love because he is just.

If we are not able to accurately communicate in faithfulness in the love and truthfulness about God’s character, we will either find ourselves drawing people away from Christ because all we communicate about God’s character is wrath or we will draw those who believe that God is only a God about love.

Faithful in being true to the Word of God

Daniel is called there to specifically translate the inscription that was plastered on the wall of the banquet hall.

Can you imagine the pressure?

1,000 people have their eyes on Daniel all anxiously waiting to hear what the inscription on the wall means.

MENE: //God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end //

TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

PERES: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

Application

The gospel: The gospel is good news. Why is it good news? Because all those to fail to yield towards the good news will have to face the bad news.

You have him chosen to translate the word on the wall.

What is the word on the wall? The bible.

Will you speak the truth in love, in courage, in faithfulness or will you shy away?

Will you try to make Jesus more attractive to the world?

Will you present a Jesus that wants to offer the world a life of luxury, free of worry, no trials, a Jesus that wants to fulfill your dreams and just wants you to be happy?

Or will you present a Jesus who says, “whoever wants to follow me, must deny themselves, pick up your cross, and follow me”.

Daniel did not enter the room furious, screaming and causing a scene. Daniel was simply faithful to the text on the wall. He was not the one sending the message he was only the messenger.

The world wants to know the truth and they want answers to their problems, answers to their sufferings, answers to their confusion. Will you accurately read the inscription on the wall?

“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”