While most of us remember Daniel from the Bible as the one in the lions’ den, there was a lot more to his life.
Throughout the first six chapters of Daniel, we learn about how to remain faithful in all circumstances. He ran into several trying situations that could have caused him to lose faith or bend from his beliefs, but Daniel stayed strong.
Through it all Daniel displayed his holiness. There are risks, reasons, and rewards for remaining undefiled by the world.
People who represent holiness are powerful tools in the hands of God. As they stand strong in the face of trials, they witness to the reality of the Lord and Savior. They inspire and challenge us to also stand strong for God’s truth and righteousness.
Daniel lived out genuine holiness. At great risk of losing his life, still he chose to remain undefiled by pagan Babylon.
I often think about what I would do when the bottom falls out of my family’s security, my finances, or my health. Or when things just go horribly wrong. I don’t like to think about it, yet still I know there will be a time when it will. I know I am not insulated from crisis. We live in a fallen world and, any of us can face crippling disappointment and disaster.
What was Daniel’s response to the collapse of his own circumstances? Through him, we get an example of what faithfulness to God looks like when Daniel bottom falls out.
Genuine faith remains strong in the middle of fire circumstances and uncertain outcomes.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniels friends) did not operate on the popular notion that faith is about having confidence in expected or desired outcomes. By their words and actions, they proclaimed a truly Biblical faith -confidence in a sovereign God regardless of any outcome.
In Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar needed a reminder of the limits of his greatness and glory. God gave him that reminder through a dream that terrified the king and he again called for Daniel to interpret the vision. The meaning was as simple as it was scary. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that he was going to fall greatly. And that he did when Nebuchadnezzar ultimately regained His mind and rule, he plainly stated what “the people’s, nations and men of every language who lived in all the world” needed to learn as a result of his fall.
Daniel made a declaration of righteous judgment.
In Daniel 5, Daniel flips chapter 4. Daniel used King Nebuchadnezzar’s conversion to affirm that the repentant reap the rewards of grace, however bleak their pasts. In chapter 5, Daniel uses King Nebuchadnezzar sacrilege to declare that the rebellious reap the consequences of wrath, however, secure their present. Two equally evil Kings demonstrated two equally vital messages. God’s complete pardon for the humble and God’s sure judgment for the proud.
Daniel had call to trust and live
Daniel was more than 90 years old when the events that led him into the lions’ den occurred. One might think Daniel received a little rest for his retirement years, but God was still using the faithful prophet. Age apparently has no barrier to spiritual usefulness. In Daniel’s case, gospel truths that have been building through the book of Daniel describing his life in Babylon had reached their climax.
No matter how God has made us, or whatever we see as our limitations, He can use our abilities to bring honor to His name.
From Pity to Praise 