That was a big test for anybody to face, even Daniel. (Daniel 1), Theme A: God Will Overthrow Pagan Kingdoms and Replace Them With His Own Kingdom (Daniel 2), Theme C: Humbling and Overthrow of the Pagan King (Daniel 4), Theme C Revisited: Humbling and Overthrow of the Pagan King (Daniel 5), Theme B Revisited: Sufferings, Yet Rewards, for Faithful Witnesses to God in the Meantime (Daniel 6), Theme A Revisited: God Will Overthrow Pagan Kingdoms & Replace Them With His Own Kingdom (Daniel 7), Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, Theme B: Sufferings, Yet Rewards, for Faithful Witnesses to God in the Meantime (Daniel 3). If You Follow God, Accusations against You Will Be Proven False At the start of Daniel 6, we see that Daniel was a man of God whom several, including King Darius, respected and appreciated. ``For calamity from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty I can do nothing. If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much; If I have looked at the sun when it shone Or the moon going in splendor. 15. Abraham and his wife Sarah struggled to trust God, but learned the value of faithfulness when they submitted to Him. Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel - Daniel 1:8-9 ``Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good. LESSON 1 - LOYALTY AND FAITHFULNESS REWARDED - Daniel 1:1-21 `Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom. He exemplifies fearless faithfulness to the Lord, and there are countless lessons that we can learn from him. What was so special about Daniel in the Bible? As the famous proverb says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. ``He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place. ``Do not say, `We have found wisdom; God will rout him, not man.'. Faithfulness to the Lord despite temptation is an essential quality of Christian leadership. When the test was over, Daniel and his friends were not merely healthy, they were healthier than all the young men who were eating the kings food (1:15)! The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions' den. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Why did God protect Daniel from the lions? These are the people to whom he wants us to do good. 3:8-12). Make a Commitment to Pray With Your Roommate or Significant Other. What lessons can we learn from Daniel? One key element to Daniels success in this area is his use of accountability. God is faithful in comforting you. 8. Living with Lions: The Story of Daniel Previously, they served as models of how to thrive by following God in a hostile environment. ``For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon, And would uproot all my increase. Daniel was arrested and thrown into the lions' den. Womansclubofcarlsbad is a website that writes about many topics of interest to you, it's a blog that shares knowledge and insights useful to everyone in many fields. Rev. ``If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust. 2023 Womansclubofcarlsbad. Yes! You really ought to dig into Daniel with a Bible study and commentary to learn about this character for yourself, but for starters, here's 12 biblical facts about Daniel that don't get a lot of screen time in church. The interpretation of the dream is that the king shall be driven away from men and will eat in the fields like a beast, living like an animal, removed from his glorious status as king. Daniel: God's long-term plan for the world - OverviewBible 32. All the events of Daniel's . Daniel rejoiced, giving glory to the Lord who kept him safe. otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone might invite you to eat of his sacrifice. Gather a band of brothers and sisters, and together seek faithfulness and obedience to the Lord. The book of Daniel is about how God shows His everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of Israel's greatest prophets. In our suffering we gain and we . Thats a pretty good story the story of both Daniel 6 and Jesus the Messiah. God is faithful to forgive sins. 1:9-13 There were risks to Daniels desire not to defile himself. Being a Faithful Person of God. - I don't know that people like you and me can fully grasp what it would have meant for a Jewish young man to have to leave his land. The chief eunuch (named Ashpenaz, 1:3) worried that it would cost him his life if Daniel and his friends didnt eat the assigned food and became unhealthy. There was a lesson here for Daniels earliest readers. Have you discovered a congregation to call home? 39. Peter Pace, The Truth as I Know It, interview by Al Erisman and David Gautschi, Ethix 61 (September 2008), referenced online at blog.spu.edu/ethix/2008/09/03/the-truth-as-i-know-it. As James says, God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble (James 4:6). And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. It is due to Daniels complete dependence on God that God allowed him to endure, and it is the responsibility of all Christian leaders to exhibit this same faithfulness to the Lord as Daniel did. However, we would be wrong to think that this huge, life or death crisis was the first test Daniel ever faced. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. 37. What was the unique ability given to Daniel by God? Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. So, the risk was less intense. ``For he has not arranged his words against me, Nor will I reply to him with your arguments. And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth. ``Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men. (Video) 1. 31. What are the characteristics of God's faithfulness? This is the "land" where he wants us to dwell, at least for now. It is written: When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open towards Jerusalem. ``If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath. Lesson #1: Leaders Like Daniel Encourage Integrity amidst Temptation 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 this way. What You Can Learn from Daniel's Spiritual Discipline This is where he calls us to practice, cultivate . Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Let briars grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed instead of barley." But we could be ordered to do something that we cannot do in good conscience. God knows everything we are going through at this very moment and everything we will go through in the future. Regrettably, however, the very dream that led Nebuchadnezzar to recognize Gods hand on Daniel may also be what incited the king to build a golden image that he required all his subjects to worship (Dan. They inspire and challenge us. What can we learn from Daniel in the lion's den? Who says to a king, `Worthless one,' To nobles, `Wicked ones'; Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands? What was God's promise to Daniel? ``He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.". : firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty : conscientious. He was known by everyone for his piety and for his faith in God, and in consequence he had many enemies. God blessed Daniel with the gift of interpreting dreams, and he rose to leadership positions within the Babylonian and Persian governments. God Rules: Ezekiel, Daniel Author: Ray C. Stedman Read the Scripture: Ezekiel, Daniel The two prophecies of Ezekiel and Daniel are found back to back in our English Bibles, and the men who wrote these prophecies were contemporaries during the days of the exile of Judah and Israel. Daniels continual devotion to prayer empowered him to live the life of faith and leadership that we read about in this great book. Humility is an essential characteristic of a godly leader. Daniel said he was lying with his face to the ground when he felt someone touch him, and he was brought to his hands and knees. What are the characteristics of God's faithfulness? ``But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words. Used by permission. He sees the "great sea" stirred up by the "four winds of heaven," and from the waters emerge four beasts, the first a lion with the wings of an eagle, the second a bear, the third a winged leopard with four heads, and the fourth a beast with ten horns, and a further horn appeared which uprooted three of the ten. Even so, Daniel and his friends were about to suffer under a renewed fit of Nebuchadnezzars arrogance. But, while Daniel could do nothing about his outward circumstances or the name forced upon him, in the integrity of his heart he knew that he served only one King and held to one worldview. Daniel Bible Study - Living Your Faith under Pressure What we need today are godly people who will offer society divine alternatives. To be a godly leader is to be a humble leader. Working as a Christian is not another shortcut to success, but instead brings the constant danger of suffering. ``My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.". What do you call people who like to drink? As a result, Daniel was thrown into a lions' den to be devoured. These events unfold precisely as Daniel had spoken. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. ``For that would be a lustful crime; Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges. ( Psalm 37:3) The people and responsibilities in front of us are where God wants us to trust him. Daniel held a very high office in the court of King Darius in Babylon. So Righteous - Faithfulness in Exile [Daniel] - Tim Mackie (The Bible Project), (Video) Do Not Compromise Your Faith! What are the seventy weeks of Daniel? Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den. Daniel faithfulness to God was always instantly rewarded, God was not going to leave him in the strange land. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Although he knew that disobeying a decree meant death, he would not give up his faith, even for his own life. What Kind of Place Is Jesus Preparing for Us? Thats because, even though they were living in an earthly kingdom, their allegiance was to a heavenly King. Daniel 1 (English Standard Version): 1 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. You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work. He also witnessed the fulfillment of Jeremiahs prophecies concerning the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon. 4 Legendary Lessons in Leadership from Daniel - 95.9 The Fish In any case, there may well come a day when we recognize that we must make a radical change, such as saying, No, being fired, resigning, blowing the whistle or standing up for someone else. Even as he said it, I was reminded of the over-confident bravado of apostle Peter as he talked big on the night Jesus was arrested. After years of successfully bridging the tension between the pagan environment of the Babylonian court and their fidelity to God, they faced a situation where no compromise was possible without violating their integrity. ``If my land cries out against me, And its furrows weep together; If I have eaten its fruit without money, Or have caused its owners to lose their lives. Knowing that Daniel was faithful to his God, they knew that they could convict him, and have valid reason to cast him into the lions den. I. Daniel's Deportation and His Faithfulness to God ( 1:1-21) 1:1-7 Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Judah in 605 BC was the first of his three invasions and deportations that ended in the exile of Judah. General Peter Pace, a former chairman of the U.S. militarys Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said, What I have come to really admire is something I call intellectual courage. We explore what the Bible has to say about the purpose of your work with guest Tom Lutz. Salem Media Group. ``Therefore He knows their works, And He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed. How did Daniel show faithfulness to God? (2023) There was a deep seated, in the core of who he was, understanding that God was Holy and that he was called to live a holy life before God! So, not only do we learn that habit of faithfulness. 22. Participate in Virtual Mass Every Sunday. 10. God Rescues Daniel from the Lions (Daniel 6) | Bible.org Although we do not know exactly what he prayed forhe . Why did God protect Daniel from the lions? Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. The law explicitly taught, for instance, that they could not eat foods offered to idols (see Exod 34:15). For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know. The faithfulness of God is demonstrated by sacrificing His one and only Son, Jesus, for those who come to Him. What was Daniel's main message? Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. How did Daniel show faithfulness to God? In this case, Daniel was supposed to be lunch for the lions, but God had other plans. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles feathers, and his nails were like birds claws. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just, and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. ``But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, ``Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed. Each new day is another opportunity to start again to place my trust in God and focus on surrendering my circumstances. The Bible offers guidance for a Christian view of wealth and how wealth can be used for God's redemptive purposes. How did God bless Daniel and his friends? (See Bible Dictionary, Daniel.). Later, in Babylon, he courageously refused to eat the kings food, which had been offered to idols and therefore violated Scripture (Ex. What are the seventy sevens in Daniel 9:24-27? May my wife grind for another, And let others kneel down over her. You need to know in advance what your walk-away conditions are and practice your resignation speech for every job you take, was the advice of a long-time Harvard Business School professor. Let my shoulder fall from the socket, And my arm be broken off at the elbow. ``Behold, I belong to God like you; I too have been formed out of the clay. Even though Daniel experienced suffering, anxiety, humiliation, and persecution as a captive of the Babylonians, God had a plan for Daniel's life. 5Then these men said, We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.. 1. In the fourth chapter of Daniel, we see this principle in action as the proud King Nebuchadnezzar is utterly humiliated. Explore what the Bible says about God's calling and your work. Then, we need to trust in what it says. They all refused to compromise with sin or to betray God by letting Him down or taking Him for granted. Daniel had clung to his faith so consistently that when he was cast into the lions den, the prospect did not ruin him. God's wisdom is pervasive in the book of Daniel. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. ``However now, Job, please hear my speech, And listen to all my words. The king spoke and said to Daniel, ``Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.". Daniel: Forward by Faith - In Touch Ministries Why was he favored above others? It is due to Daniel's complete dependence on God that God allowed him to endure, and it is the responsibility of all Christian leaders to exhibit this same faithfulness to the Lord as Daniel did. Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Guests Maya Adolf and Jamie Sturm started an employee-led educational group to foster racial understanding in their workplace. What are the causes of adversity, and how should we view it? ``I even paid close attention to you; Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job, Not one of you who answered his words. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. What does this show about God's faithfulness? 21 Daniel answered, "May the king live forever! If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan, Because I saw I had support in the gate. Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. The Global Message of Daniel | ESV.org Knowing that remaining faithful to the Lord would result in being cast into the lions den, Daniel responded by spending even more time in prayer to God. But the real answer to that question is that if you are faithfulnowin thesmalltests you face at school or work and are willing to be disapproved of, or laughed at, for the sake of Jesus, then God will give you the grace you need to pass the life or death tests that might arise in the future. When Darius the Mede took over the Babylonian kingdom, his leaders recommended that none shall worship anyone other than Darius. Please send me newsletters, announcements, and other important communications from InTouchMinistries. How does the story of Daniel point to Jesus? Subscribe to print, email, and mobile updates and well send free resources directly to your home and inbox. We witness Gods answers to prayer and increasingly depend on Him until we have a personal history of His trustworthiness. What is the first step to show the faith in God? For example, we are able to be loyal in our relationships here on Earth and truly love others. ``His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones which were not seen stick out. Obeying the Lord in little things prepared Daniel to trust God with his life. A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. ``Refute me if you can; Array yourselves before me, take your stand. Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries, and a New York Times best-selling author. How can you totally give your faith in God? `For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.'". In God's wisdom, Daniel was brought to Babylon to give counsel. Daniel did more than just refuse the kings food. The fact that we may be doing Gods will should not lead us to expect God will prevent us from facing the consequences imposed by the powers that be. Indeed, there is no indication that he ever even knew of it. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned. He exemplifies fearless faithfulness to the Lord, and there are countless lessons that we can learn from him. `Behold, He invents pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy. Growing in Our Love of God and Learning: Lessons from Daniel ``They are dismayed, they no longer answer; Words have failed them. God blessed Daniel and his friends. But, along the way, Daniel would face a crisis of worldview and truth that would pit him against the most powerful human king and kingdom on earth. They played off of the kings resurgent pride and accused Daniels friends of failing to worship the image (Dan. The heavenly Father who protected Rex Worthy through childhood still empowers him today. Theres a lesson here for Christians, too. Let me sow and another eat, And let my crops be uprooted. What is significant about Daniel in the Bible? Then Daniel spoke to the king, ``O king, live forever! a faithful employee. Why did the king respect him so much? To prove faithfulness in a culture that is hostile to the Lord, it is essential that you do not isolate yourself. In difficult circumstances, those who call on the Lord discover He is all they reallyneed. ``He will sing to men and say, `I have sinned and perverted what is right, And it is not proper for me. They were the cream of the crop, the best of the best. The faithfulness of the prophet Daniel - Real Christianity That is very rarely the way that God operates. Proud member ``I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. Israel had disobeyed God and suffered for it in exile, but God stood ready to bless his people when they obeyed and trusted him. Then these men said, ``We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.". Embrace God's gift of friendship and form a deeper relationship with Him. ``Have I covered my transgressions like Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom. Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, And kept silent and did not go out of doors? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One. Daniel: Faithful in All Circumstances | Christian Bible Studies