Daniel: Uncompromising
I got the title Daniel: Uncompromising in December. With the title in hand, this post was to go up last week. There was just one problem, I did not have a post to put up. I started writing it, then stopped. Then started again and stopped again. I did not like what I was putting out and I never want to put out something for the sake of it. And I guess that is a lesson for me from Daniel.
Daniel never did anything for the sake of it. He never compromised himself because of pressure. He was willing to put his own life at stake, repeatedly, because of his personal convictions.
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility–young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace[…] Among these were some from Judah: Daniel […]
Daniel 1:3-6
Daniel grew up in a well to do family and enjoyed the luxuries his family accorded him. That is, until Israel was besieged by Babylon and he was taken into exile. From a high flying family, he became a servant.
From the royal courts of Israel to the royal courts of Babylon. Daniel was about to face a series of tests that would steer the course of God’s vision for his life.
I.Test of Identity
[…]He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table […] The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar […]
Daniel 1:4-7
New country, new language, new culture, new name, same Daniel. His new position granted him access to the best the land had to offer someone in his position. All Daniel had to do was fully assimilate and embrace his newfound culture. But this posed a challenge for Daniel. Would he completely forget the ways of his forefathers and their God? This was his first test. Did he pass this test?
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way.
Daniel 1:8
His resolve posed a challenge:
but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.
Daniel 1:10
Coupled with the Lord’s favour (Daniel 1:9) and wisdom, Daniel came up with a solution to this challenge:
Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink […] At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
Daniel 1:11-15
Daniel and his friends passed this test that the other Jews failed. How did God reward them?
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds […] The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding[…]he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
Daniel 1: 17-20
You may know Daniel’s friends by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 1:7).
I wonder what happened to the other Jews who forgot their ways. We never hear of them again.
Your Turn:
When presented with “great” opportunities, do you forget your identity in Christ? Do you abandon His ways, for the sake of “fitting in”, promotions, new titles, new jobs and contracts? Or like Daniel, do you embrace new environments while still maintaining your identity?
II. Test of Time
Daniel was already experienced and prepared for royal service…in Israel. But, he had no experience of royal service in Babylon. Hence he needed training.
[…] they were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’ service.
Daniel 1:5
Daniel did not take this time of training for granted. And as a result he stood out from his peers. As we saw from the previous test, God enabled him to understand all kinds of literature and learning. He could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
What happened after the three years?
At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar […] and he found none equal to Daniel[…] And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Three years of training enabled Daniel to serve under King Nebuchadnezzar, King Belshazzar, King Darius and King Cyrus.
Your Turn:
It could be said that Daniel’s training included all his life in Israel and the three years in Babylon. And while his training in Israel was sufficient to open the royal door of Babylon, it was not sufficient to equip him for service in what was the greatest empire in the world at that time.
What about you? Do you embrace your time in waiting and in training? Do you give your all in these times or do you murmur and complain as you “reserve” your best for the “exalted” position.
Your attitude to your time in training, which is often times difficult and frustrating, will not only determine how far you can go, but also your longevity in the positions of honour.
We shall pick up from here tomorrow 😊
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