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Daniel 1: Daniel's Babylonian Education
Charles R.
Biggs
Read Daniel 1:1-21
Introduction
The Book of Daniel is for the people of God of any age who are oppressed
and surrounded by a pagan culture- -Those who believe in God who are daily
threatened (many times in subtle ways) to forget their identity and tempted
to succumb to the ways and beliefs of the culture around them. Those times
when the people of God are seen as the minority and it seems that the
wicked truly prosper more so than the righteous! Daniel is a book that
encourages the people of God that God is faithful to his people and he is still
on the throne- - he is sovereign over all events that transpire, just
because his Righteous Kingdom
endures forever!
The people of God need to know that NO matter how ungodly are the rulers
and kings of this world, no matter how perverse or crooked the generations
seem, God rules providentially and sovereignly
over all of history. God's Kingdom is supreme over all other kingdoms of
men- - and his Kingdom will endure despite the increasing wickedness we see
around us from day to day! What great hope for all the people of God!
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Wisdom
from God taught Daniel that neither withdrawing from, nor becoming like
the world was wise.
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As Christians, we all feel and experience the challenges of being
the people of God in the midst of pagan cultures. Have you ever been
oppressed or persecuted as the people of God by your culture? What was your
response? There is a temptation to respond by withdrawing ourselves to our
own private religious world, and there is also the temptation of becoming
like the world. Wisdom from God taught Daniel that neither was the right
way- - neither withdrawing from, or becoming like the world was wise. It
was just in the midst of the world, that Daniel learned wisdom and
knowledge from God and ended up very wise and shining like the brightness
of the firmament in a pagan land. Daniel believed by faith, that in spite
of powerful and pagan nations, God's Kingdom endured forever and the wisdom
of God is greater than man's wisdom - even greater than the wisdom of the
Babylonians. God's wisdom is truth. God's wisdom is shown to us throughout
the Book of Daniel and I pray that you will appreciate God's wisdom in
Daniel's Babylonian Education found in chapter one of Daniel. May this book
of Scripture teach us all wisdom to be wise as Christians in our world and
culture!
Sermon
In our story, we find Daniel the Hebrew, along with all the people
of God, in the Babylonian exile. God will teach Daniel how to stand firm by
faith in the midst of a pagan culture. We read in the opening verses:
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of
God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the
treasury of his god.
From these verses, notice first in v. 2, something that might seem
contrary to our modern theological sensibilities. God allowed, or gave Jehoiakim and Judah into his hand. God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to take possession of his temple and his
people. He allowed the vessels of the House of God to be taken because of
God's punishment upon Israel for
their sins. From the very outset of our story, God has sovereignly
arranged the setting of our story. Even though God allows the exile of his
people, God remains King over the situation despite how Nebuchadnezzar
perceives his victory!
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But
despite what Nebuchadnezzar thinks about the
glory of his kingdom, God is providentially up to something, about which
we will have to wait until later in the story to find out!
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Now, Nebuchadnezzar was allowed to take
the vessels of the House of God and submit them to Marduk,
his own deity. In the ancient Near East, this was symbolic of one people
and their gods enslaving the conquered peoples and their god, as you may
remember when the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenant and submitted it
to their god Dagon. Nebuchadnezzar thought he had
won the battle against God's people- - and even against God himself! Keep
this in mind. But despite what Nebuchadnezzar
thinks about the glory of his kingdom, God
is providentially up to something, about which we will have to wait
until later in the story to find out!
After the setting of our story in verses 1-2, the plot begins in
verses 3-7 with King Nebuchadnezzar ordering Ashpenaz, the chief official (or eunuch) in the palace
to bring to him some Hebrew youths so that they could educate them in the
ways of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered this
so that he could strategically assimilate some Hebrew youths for service.
Daniel was taken from the nobility of Judah -
-those of great influence and power! Nebuchadnezzar
was making Babylonians out of the Royal Race of Judah, he was not so
interested in the "common country folk" of Israel- - but of the
influential in Judah; that is, King's and their sons, priests and their
sons, and prophets and their sons! We must understand, Nebuchadnezzar's
Kingdom had come- - now it was his goal to ensure his will would be done!
Think about it; this was an ingenious move on his part as a worldly
ruler. Nebuchadnezzar's thinking would be summed
up thus: "Make them like ourselves, make them Babylonians and use
their strengths to build our great city," then they will never again
be a threat in the future to the power and glory of Babylon. This
action assures not only faithfulness to the way of Babylon and
thus the King, but this is the cultural annihilation of a people's
identity. Removing a person's identity not only affects the individual, but
the person's heritage after them, long after they have died. Can you see
this ingenuity on King Nebuchadnezzar's part? In
some ways, annihilation of identity is a more severe and subtle tool of
destruction than imprisonment and death. Concerning Daniel and the people
of God, it was most important for them to know who they were, and to
remember their identity as the people of God even in the midst of this
religious and cultural assimilation.
These youths showed great promise for working for the glory of Babylon! They
were chosen from the "best of Judah".
Look at verses 3-4:
Then the king commanded Ashpenaz,
his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal
family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, handsome and skilful
in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and
competent to serve in the king's palace, and to teach them the letters and
language [lit. tongues] of the Chaldeans.
Daniel and the others youths were to be "Babylonianized"-
- that is why King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to
be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
He was saying: "Acculturate and also indoctrinate these fine
specimens- -and make them ours!" He was basically making them
"royal offers that they could not refuse"! For Daniel and the
other three youths to resist, would have mean only death for them.
Verse 4 says that the king's official was to teach them: "the
language and literature of the Babylonians….they were to be trained
for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's
service", verse 5 teaches us. This curriculum was to include the
Babylonian teaching on the occult, magic, the Babylonian deities, and
everything else that would have made them excellent citizens of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom.
To separate these men geographically away from their home was not
enough. They had to be made intellectually different; their identity must
be changed! They were not to be merely sojourners or exiles, but good and
outstanding citizens of the Kingdom of Babylon. What
the king wanted to do was to remove any identity that they brought with
them that would have made them unable to serve his demands. Yes, from one
perspective, this was ingenious of King Nebuchadnezzar!
He had a bold new plan for the annihilation of one kingdom of people and
the furtherance of his own kingdom, by assimilating the defeated kingdom.
You must understand here that there are two purposes trying to be
accomplished: the purpose of God and the purpose of King Nebuchadnezzar. The question that you ought to be
asking is: "Whose purpose, whose goal will accomplished?" Were
the people of God to remain distinct and the seed of Israel
continue, or was Nebuchadnezzar to
"create" as it were, his own people despite God's purposes? More
importantly, would God's redemption be able to be accomplished in spite of Nebuchadnezzar's strength and power?
The first step of this cultural assimilation was a name change. This
was extremely important and we want to understand why the youths accepted
this change without resistance. Although an extremely important "first
step" in assimilation, it was not important enough to resist- - yet.
There is a true element and portrayal of Hebrew wisdom being enacted
here. That is, Daniel was living by his memorization of the Book of
Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes! God's ways must be followed- - but wisely
in this world! Extermination for the Hebrew youths would not be the wisest
route for them to take! Wisdom gives discernment when there are not easy
answers, and we see Daniel living by God's wisdom here. The four youths had
to follow closely and shrewdly as they attempted to stand and preserve
their identity - -in spite of the tests and temptations of the Babylonians.
Here is an example of God's wisdom being practiced in a culture
which prides itself on knowledge- -but lacked true God-given wisdom! Do you
know how to use wisdom and discernment in the midst of a pagan environment?
Do you withdraw from every request made of you by a pagan or secular
environment, or do you pray and seek God's wisdom so that you can remain a
light in the world, without "hiding it under a bowl"? Do you seek
easy answers and methods by just separating from the culture and world, or
by giving in and becoming like the culture, or have you learned to use
wisdom so that you can truly be "in the world and not of it"?
Look at verse 6:
6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
It is significant that these were from Judah. You
might remember, that it was from Judah the
line of the seed of Abraham and David would continue. Judah was
important because of the covenantal promises made to Abraham and David. Now
the seed, or the offspring, the heritage of Judah would
be assimilated. Judah's
citizens and seed were to become Babylonians- - may it never be! Messiah
was to come from Judah's
seed and Messiah was to come and destroy all the nations such as Babylon that
oppressed God's people. How could Messiah be from the line of the Babylonians?
Not only had King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the
geographical area of Judah,
including the Temple where
God dwelled, but now he will attempt to destroy the people of Judah's
identity. King Nebuchadnezzar reigned sovereignly over Babylon- -
YHWH might call the shots in Israel, but Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon; or
so he thought!
The names of the Hebrew youths who are being assimilated are first
mentioned in verse 6. All four of the Hebrew youths have been named after
YHWH, the God of Israel- -But with the name change- -it is to make them
true Babylonians named after Babylonian gods (who are no gods at all).
Their names are Daniel (meaning: God will Judge or Vindicate ), Hananiah (which means: Yahweh has been gracious), Mishael (which means: Who is what God is), and Azariah (which means: Yahweh has helped).
What were their new Babylonian names to be? Daniel's identity and
name was changed to Belteshazzar (which is taken
from Bel, the god of Babylon,
rather than YHWH or El). Hananiah's name was
changed to Shadrach, Mishael's name was changed
to Meshach, and finally Azariah's
name was changed to Abednego. You must not miss
the importance and the power of this name change. Let me offer you an
example. When you mention these four youths when speaking of the Book of
Daniel, do you remember "Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah" or
do have you often referred to them as: "Belteshazzar,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego"?
If you are honest, I think most of us would call them by their Babylonian
names, except maybe for Daniel because we know the name of his book and
prophecy. You see the power of a name change, even the people of God
remember these four in Babylonian language. The name change was obviously
accepted without much struggle, but wait- -there is a limit to what these
four will allow.
Look at verse 8, "But Daniel…" and the plot
thickens! "But Daniel"- - this is a frightening thing to read.
King Nebuchadnezzar is one of the most powerful
men in the entire world at this time, you do not "but" King Nebuchadnezzar! To resist him would be futile: death or
suicide might be a better path to take, but not for these four! In spite of
this, the courageous Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal
food and wine, so he asked permission from the royal official, so that he
might avoid defiling himself in this way, as the end of verse 8 teaches.
This does not teach that Daniel was too religious or proud to
associate with Babylonian things. What you do want to understand about
Daniel's avoidance of the food and wine, we will take up later in our
story. For the moment, we see here Daniel's submission, but also his
courage in resisting such a mighty king and ruler as the great Nebuchadnezzar. You see that Daniel wisely appeals to
the king, while drawing the lines as to what his conscious will allow him
to do. At this point in the narrative, because Daniel has brought
objections to King Nebuchadnezzar, you ought to
be gripped with anticipation as to how this story's tension will be
resolved. But relief comes in verse 9!
In verse 9 we read "Now God had caused the official to show
favor and sympathy to Daniel." This is the first mention of God in the
narrative since the historical setting in v. 2, but he has been
"behind the scenes" providentially all the time! This relieves
some of our tension as to whether Daniel and the youths will survive. More
importantly, will the people of God lose their identity in the midst of
this crooked and perverse generation of Babylonians? Notice that even
though God has granted favor to Daniel, the chief official is afraid of his
own lord, the king, he says in verse 10.
You can understand the chief official's dilemma. He wants to please
his king, he's worked hard to get where he is and he is not going to let
some youth from Judah foul
up his tenure at the palace. Additionally, he knows the truth about
"butting" king Nebuchadezzar- - death!
Sure, he likes Daniel and all, but he is in quite a quandary. At the end of
verse 10, we have his reasons for being apprehensive about Daniel's request.
He says to Daniel: "Why should he [that is, King Nebuchadnezzar]
see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would
then have my head because of you?" The chief official's chief concern
is that by feeding Daniel and the youths the royal food and wine, he would
be giving them the most healthy meal that they could possibly imagine!
These foods have been approved by king himself, they are the finest
foods and wines in the land! Nothing but the best of Babylon for the king,
and nothing but the best food and wine for those who are to be like the
king and serve him in the palace (these youths were to be "made in the
image" of King Nebuchadnezzar). Healthy food
and good wine will produce the greatest achievement of physical perfection
for these young lads. The concern of Daniel in contrast is different from
the chief official. While the chief official feared his lord the king -
-Daniel fears God alone! The chief official was frightened by man, Daniel
had courage and "feared God and honored the king"! Daniel truly
understood the wisdom of God and therefore had discernment and the right
perspective on things! Daniel even knew ultimately, that the king's heart
is directed by his God, according to the Hebrew Proverbs he had memorized!
Let us consider the temptation of the food and wine that Daniel
resisted. As we consider this, think about how this is a temptation that
appeals to the passions and lusts of Daniel and the others. These are very
subtle and deceptive "hooks" to get Daniel and his friends one
step closer to becoming true Babylonians. Sure the sumptuous food and wine,
only the best of Babylon,
would have tasted wonderful. This was "four star" cuisine (think
of the greatest food buffet your eyes have ever seen! Sure, Daniel could
have enjoyed this sumptuous fare- - he could have ate and drank to his
heart's content. He could have raised his leg of beast and glass to the God
who created all these things; he could have remembered that whether he ate
or drank, or whatever he did- - he would do it for the glory of God - -but
there was a greater problem. This problem was one of idolatry.
The name change Daniel could live with, but the worship of false
gods is not an option. Additionally, the partaking of the king's food
sacrificed to idols and the sitting of Daniel at the king's table would
have placed the youths in a covenantal relationship with King Nebuchadnezzar and his gods. At this time in history,
pagan nations offered the first fruits of their foods to their false gods
and idols. To partake in the foods was to dine with the deities as it were.
In addition, to sit at the King's table was more than a mere privilege. For
at this time in the Near East, to sit at the table of the king, symbolized
a covenantal relationship (as we read in the Books of Samuel, when Saul's
family were invited to David's table, this was more than a mere meal, but a
"cutting" of a covenant). Daniel was not against the food and
wine, neither against the honor of sitting at the table of a king, he was
against what these two things represented. He knew that they were subtle
"hooks" to cause him to disobey his God. Daniel chose wisely and
the LORD gave him wisdom in order to escape this temptation. Do not
misunderstand the narrative, this would have been a great temptation for
anyone…especially when the king's servants would have wheeled these
delightful meats and wines before their very eyes. The mere appearance and
smell of these flavorful foods would have been enough to make even the
strongest man's mouth water with anticipation.
So we learn the wisdom and spiritual discernment that God gave to
Daniel in order to see through the subtle temptation, and avoid entering
into a covenantal relationship with the foreign gods of Babylon. In
verses 12-13, Daniel says: "Please test your servants for ten days;
give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our
appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat
your servants in accordance with what you see." Basically, Daniel's
request is: "You want our outward appearance to fit the physical
requirements of your lord, but our LORD can provide that appearance despite
our partaking of these sacrificed foods."
Daniel is learning that God's wisdom to him gives him also the
ability to be obedient despite the fact he will not partake of what
normally brought a healthy appearance and fine, physical young man. Daniel
is learning the art of the appeal. That demanding anything of a sovereign
is neither courageous nor wise, but appealing to that noble is the way of
God. In fact, the appearance that God would give to them by faith was the
appearance that truly was "fit for a king." So the chief official
agreed to this test and tested them for ten days. Do you see Daniel's
courage here? If he "failed the test", it is probable that the
chief official would have had Daniel's head before he offered his own neck
to Nebuchadnezzar!
In verses 15-16, we learn that at the end of ten days the sons of Judah
looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the
royal food. So even though their names were changed and they were taught
Babylonian doctrine, they would draw the line and just partake on
"poor man's food" and water.
Notice in verse 17, This is the second time in the actual narrative
that the LORD is mentioned. In verse 9, the LORD granted favor, now in
verse 17, the LORD gave the Hebrew youths "knowledge and understanding
of all kinds of literature and learning". In addition to their
assignments in the Babylonian textbooks, the LORD gave them a divine
liberal arts education! In the midst of a Babylonian education, even there
the LORD is faithful to his people! We can truly appreciate the fact that
God was faithful in the midst of captivity, during the education of four
young Israelite-Babylonians!
Here, we see God himself educates Daniel with true knowledge and
wisdom. God himself preserves Daniel from false and worldly knowledge, but
he also teaches him wisdom in that education. Not only that, but God will
use Daniel's education for the remainder of his ministry and will allow him
to be promoted to the position of power under the King of Babylon until
Cyrus, King of Persia defeats the Babylonians in the latter part of the 6th
century BC (ca. 538/539). Just like Moses who was educated in all the
wisdom and knowledge of Egypt many
years before him, so Daniel also is gifted with an education in the midst
of a perverse generation so as to show forth God's glory in a dark place
for the next fifty years of his life!
In verses 18-21, we learn that after graduation, the king called for
the youths to be brought into his presence. He spoke to all the young
graduates, but he found none who were equal in appearance and learning than
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah; so they entered the king's service.
In fact, the king sought these four to answer his questions in every matter
of wisdom and understanding. Where his magicians and enchanters failed to
supply the necessary answers, four Hebrews were able to answer "ten
times better" according to verse 20.
What a great story of God's faithfulness! Even in strange and
foreign territory, even in the midst of acculturation and indoctrination,
God was faithful to preserve the identity and heritage of four Hebrew
youths. How much more is he able to preserve his people in all times in the
midst of the same kind of challenges and oppression!
When Israel would
have read the Book of Daniel after the Exile, they would be under the
oppression of yet another nation. Although the people of God had returned
geographically to their land after the Exile, they were still under
greater, foreign nations and powers. It was an unstable situation for them
both culturally and intellectually as a people. The question after the
people of God returned from Babylonian captivity, would have been:
"Who am I and how do I keep my heritage as an Israelite?" Their
identity as the people of God was constantly threatened by surrounding
cultures. They were constantly threatened to forget their heritage and to
be acculturated and assimilated, particularly during the time of the
Greeks! With all of the cultural temptations and trappings, how was the
Remnant of Israel going to resist the temptation (subtle or obvious) of
becoming like the culture that surrounded them? How were they going to remain
an Israelite in more than name, but also in their identity? Is there a
difference between the people of God and those of a wicked and perverse
generation that rule over them?
From the historical story of Daniel, we must not dare to merely
think of how we should "dare to be a Daniel." There is much more
going on here in light of the rest of redemptive history. We must notice
how God is bringing in his Kingdom in the Book of Daniel. (Follow me in a
historical review to see God's great providential hand in history): You
will remember, God had used Assyria in
722 BC to destroy the Northern Kingdom of Israel; he has used Babylon in
587 BC to destroy the Southern Kingdom of Judah. These were judgments
because the people of God failed to live in obedience to God's covenant he
had made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt many
years before this. As the prophets foretold, the nations have become God's
instrument of judgment against a disobedient Israel (cf.
Deut. 28).
The uncircumcised hearts of the people of God remain unable to keep
the covenant God had made with them! This judgment by the nations are part
of the curses of Deuteronomy for failure to abide by the LORD's commandments. But as the name "Daniel"
means, God is the ultimate judge! God, in spite of proud and powerful kings
such as Nebuchadnezzar and the mighty nation of Babylon, the
God of Israel is also at work. God is slowly and subtly undermining and
judging these nations as chapters 7-12 of Daniel will later reveal.
We learn from the Book of Daniel that God has established Daniel as
the "3rd most powerful" in the Kingdom of the Chaldeans
because he granted Daniel favor ("3rd most powerful is the position
under the King and his son). Against "all the odds" the Great God
of the "odds" is providentially preserving his people in the
midst of a wicked and perverse generation, in the midst of all attempts at
acculturation and indoctrination, God is true and faithful to his word! He
is faithful to his people- - the seed of Abraham, because God keeps his
promises to his people. And as you may remember, he has done this numerous
times before!
God will preserve his people in spite of threats to their identity
and temptations that surround them in their culture. He preserved the
remnant under the most powerful nations in the world, and in spite of all
their temptations toward God's people and their force, their identity is
preserved as the people of God. The nations are in God's control, how much
more those who God loves with an undying love! As the nations would find
out, God is judge: As Babylon would find out, Persia and
the Medes, as Alexander the Great, the Greeks, and even under Roman
oppression, those who were like a beast with great iron teeth! In spite of
the power and majesty of all these nations, God ruled them with an iron
scepter. So the people of God exist under perpetual oppression after the
exile: Persia, the Medes, the Greeks, then the mighty Romans, but they are
preserved by the providence of our great God!
In fact, in the midst of the "glory of Rome," when King
Herod ruled over Judea, and Israel still remained subjected and oppressed
by pagan nations- -a child is born. Not the typical or even expected
deliverer of God's people! This child would be delivered and preserved from
death as an infant, at the hands of Herod the Great. He would be born in
the most unlikely, most obscure little town some thirty miles south of
Jerusalem in Judea. He would live his life in humble conditions, not in a
palace like Daniel, but in a town of no reputation. Then this one would die
a death under the mighty power of Roman rule- - the most heinous death
imaginable, the prolonged death of anguish on a Roman crucifix, the lot of
criminals and those who would challenge Rome's rule and authority.
Perhaps in the acculturation of the Roman crucifix, where Jesus
loses his identity, and becomes a mere common thief and criminal, this
would be the end of God's preservation of the seed of Abraham. Perhaps now,
the people of God have been entirely wiped out in this one Israelite. NO!
God raised this Jesus from the dead and placed all principality and power
and authority under his feet!! God raised this Jesus from the dead and
seated him at God's right hand and he will judge the world when he returns!
Like Daniel, Jesus Christ was submitted to a foreign power; like
Daniel, Jesus Christ resisted both the Roman acculturation and the
"religious culture" of his day in order to keep God's teaching in
the law, but he did it perfectly; like Daniel, God gave Jesus wisdom and
authority above all his teachers; like Daniel, Jesus Christ was escalated
to a high position, but not in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar,
but to the very throne room of God- - God's right hand.
Like Daniel, it was Jesus Christ who God used to inaugurate his long
expected Kingdom on the earth in the midst of other powerful nations. Jesus
Christ overcame death, hell, and the Devil who was behind all of the
powerful kingdoms of this world! Like Daniel who would later see the Son of
Man coming on the clouds, so Jesus Christ saw himself coming on the clouds
to enact ultimate and final judgment! God is faithful, he preserves his
people, and he is Judge of all the earth! In fact, in the Book of the
Revelation, Jesus Christ destroys all the kingdoms that set itself up
against God and his Anointed One, including the Great Harlot of Babylon!
Let the church say: "Babylon the Great has fallen!"
As the people of God today, no mater how oppressed and no matter how
long God allows wicked nations to rule; no matter how much our culture
subtly tempts us and tries to make us "in the image" of the
world, remember that God's Kingdom reigns over the world!
As the people of God today, we should neither seek to withdraw from the
world - -neither to be like the world, but pray for wisdom and discernment
to shine as witnesses in a dark world! It is just "in" the world,
that Christ rules his people and commissions them to go- -as witnesses!
As Jesus prays in John 17- - and the LORD always hears the prayers
of his son: "Father, I pray that you might not take them out of the
world, but keep them in the world, and protect them from the evil
one." This is our true battle. It is just in the midst of perverse and
crooked generations that God brings in his Kingdom- -despite the sins of
his people, and the wickedness of pagan nations! For the gospel is for
Christians, but also the pagans that God has chosen to make us his church.
So let us not withdraw from the world as the religious hypocrites of
Jesus' day- - neither become like the world as some did during the Exile to
Babylon, but let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds from God's
Wisdom! Remember, we are the disciples of He who ate and drank with pagan
sinners - -and we have Christ's message of salvation for all the world to
hear and obey! Every knee will bow and confess on the Day Jesus returns,
but while we wait, as his ambassadors, we must implore men to be reconciled
to God! Look today away from yourselves and the problems that surround in
your culture, and look to our gracious and Sovereign God revealed to you in
Jesus Christ.
Let us remember the words of wisdom revealed in Proverbs 3:
”Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
And you will find favor in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with
all your heart;
lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct your paths.”
This Proverb is a perfect summary of Daniel Chapter one, and a perfect way
of wisdom for us to remember as the church today!
CRB
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