Be like Daniel

The Babylonian captivity took place between 597 BC to 538 BC. The kingdom of Judah was conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar. The people did not have a vote or a fair election. Daniel and his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were selected to be renamed and to serve the new king. Daniel was renamed Belteshazzar. The others were renamed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego respectively.

They were Hebrews who were serious about their faith in God. Not only were their names changed, but they were also to adapt to a new culture with different beliefs. They were not given a choice. Many of us feel this way today. Our culture has changed, and we are being told we must conform, and we dare not ask questions or challenge the narrative. In Daniel's situation, disobedience could lead to death. As of right now, for us, challenging the claims of those in power can result in us being fired from our jobs, publicly harassed at restaurants, or being socially ostracized from our peers. Sometimes this leads to depression or even suicide.

While some claim trials build character, I agree with the statement trials reveal character. As we study the book of Daniel, we see events where he and his friends' convictions were tested. The first test was for them to abandon their strict dietary practices to partake of the king's food or wine. Daniel challenged the guard to a 10-day test. Daniel and his friends would eat only vegetables and drink water. At the end of the test, it was determined that these Hebrews were healthier than the other people.

Things were going well, and God was giving Daniel and his friends favor with the king. That was until the king decided to erect a statue and require all the citizens to bow to it. Even to this day, people of faith believe kneeling is a sign of submission to Lordship and will only kneel before God. We have seen Christian athletes ostracized for not taking a knee to protest law enforcement or our country. While Daniel was in the king's court, his friends whom he appointed to manage the province of Babylon got into trouble.

The decree was when the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and every kind of music, they were to fall down and worship Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue (Daniel chapter 3). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down. The threat was anyone who did not bow would be thrown into a fiery furnace. When people saw these men were not following the rules, they were reported to the authorities. Nebuchadnezzar was furious, so he had the men brought before him so he could demand they followed his orders.

What would you do if you were confronted by an authoritarian dictator who threatened your life? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had put their faith in God for many years, so they were prepared for this scenario. I love their response:

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." Daniel 3:16--18 (ESV).

The rest of the story is they were thrown into the furnace. It was so hot the men who threw them in burned to death, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not burn. The king remarked he saw not three, but four men walking around in the furnace unbound. The fourth person was a preincarnate appearance of Jesus. The three Hebrews were unharmed and did not even smell like smoke.

As a gospel song puts it, "they didn't bend, they didn't bow, and they didn't burn." Cultivate your faith and trust the Lord to get you through the trials. Start building your character now, you will be tested later.