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We believers today could learn a great deal from Daniel with the challenges, obstacles and opportunities that we have in our modern society and culture. Daniel was living in Babylon and in a sense we are "living in Babylon" as well. I am using Babylon as a metaphor for culture and society. Daniel with the captivity was literally transported from his Jewish society right smack into the middle of the pagan Babylonian kingdom. The contents of the book of Daniel spans a time period from about 605 B.C. through 539 B.C. Using both narrative and prophetic revelation in Daniel, he encourages God's people to trust in God's providence and remain faithful no matter what happens since our Lord is in complete control. It might surprise you but as one New Testament scholar says, "Among persecuted believers all over the world, the two most favored books in the Bible are Daniel and Revelation." This is because both books teach that in the end God Wins. Now that's very encouraging to Christians.
Daniel 1:6-7 states, "Now from those among the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach and to Azariah, Abed- Nego." (Unfortunately, most people know their Babylonian names and forget about their Jewish names).
Daniel 1:8, "But Daniel proposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the King's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."
The four Hebrew teenagers (yes, they were very young when taken captive) needed to remain strong and solid in their beliefs and convictions. They were plucked from their families and their country and taken captive to the evil empire of that day, the empire of Babylon. Just like our culture and society today, the Babylonian customs and viewpoints were promoting the exact opposite of what Daniel and the other young Jewish men had learned in their homeland. For us today, the New Testament verse of Romans 12:2, is appropriate here- "Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." That happens for believers as we are constantly reading and studying the Bible, God's Word, and the Holy Spirit uses the Word in our lives.
Today, we live in the context of an increasingly non- Christian and secular worldview of everything in life. It is like the verse in Isaiah 5:20, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." It seems that many people from various institutions in our society who have an agenda the opposite of what God and his Word, the Bible declares, just keep speaking louder, expressing their false viewpoints but that does not change the fact that their foundation is faulty. Proverbs tells us 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death."
Believers make the statement that more believers must take a stand. What does that mean? Believers must live the truth, speak the truth and conduct their lives and make individual, family and all decisions based upon the truth. I did not count them but there are supposed to be over 220 verses in the Bible referring to the truth. When a person comes to Christ in salvation, John 8:32 says, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love, that we may as believers grow up in all things and mature spiritually in Christ.
Unfortunately, some believers get caught up in the emotion of the moment and argue with people with a spirit of rudeness and arrogance. The Bible says - "speaking the truth in love."
Yes, there is and will be pressure from every direction for believers just to give in and to conform to the mind-set of the world's agenda. We have all heard the expression- "just go along to get along." That is not what Daniel and his three friends did. The challenges that we are having are not brand new. Daniel and his three friends faced very similar challenges but they were packaged differently in the ancient pagan culture and society of Babylon and not promoted exactly the same way in our modern society.
Believers today say, how can I truly take a stand for God, Jesus Christ, the Bible and the truth at my place of employment or at the university or marketplace of society? Many just keep quiet about their beliefs about Jesus Christ even among their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and even on Facebook. Taking a stand and not allowing the indoctrination into falsehoods or rejecting the easy road of just assimilating in with the crowd just to fit in can bring some isolation but like Daniel, the believer is never really alone. They fear repercussions, such as loss of promotions or friends or their so-called status in life. They say it will get them in trouble. Remember, for taking a stand for his God and the truth, Daniel ended up in the lion's den? Daniel chapter six tells how God spared him. Daniel 6:23, "So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatsoever was found on him, because he believed in his God."
What lions are you afraid of? Proverbs 29:25, "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe."
So who would you rather fear, people in this temporary lifetime or Almighty God who you will face someday?
We encourage you to be a Daniel in 2024 and always, even as you live in this world that is becoming more and more like pagan Babylon. Speak the truth in love. As you come toward the end of your life and in eternity you'll be very glad you did. Blessings on you. - John 10:10
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Pastor Ron Shupe is retired but has been blessed by the Lord to pastor three different churches in Pennsylvania in his 47 years of ministry (Lancaster County, Sunbury and First Baptist Church of Juniata County, Mifflintown). He and his wife, Rita, live in the Mifflintown area.