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Daniel, The Prophet of Hope and Faith

Faith is a spiritual attribute that makes one to believe in an occurrence without precondition or even certainty. Just hanging on a promise. It could not have been easy for Daniel and his friends to face the lion’s den or the fiery furnace respectively if not for their unflinching trust in a God that delivers. Mind you, these were captives, with every reason to doubt God that allowed them to be enslaved for sins that they did not partake in.

The Sovereignty of God

Life can be tough. It has always presented men with challenges. In the year 2020, the world faced the Coronavirus pandemic. It reared its face as we began to settle into tapping the fruits of the new year. A confusing situation that puzzled everyone about who or what to believe as everyone worried about personal safety and ways to avoid being infected. Folks were freaking out at work, not sure whether to continue coming to work, to work when at work in case they may be contaminated, or whether the relevant authorities would just close the workplace to prevent further spread though transmission of the virus.

Everyone is assumed infected. A nursing mother was so seriously weighing the implications of missing work versus picking up an asymptomatic infection to pass on to her little and innocent baby. This is a time when people who care wonder whether God exists while others get the opportunity to mock at believers. Even quoting or misquoting the Bible. The very foundations of social existence remain under threat for all persuasions. Even the faithful are so confused that non-believers didn’t even know what to believe.

In such times, it takes men of strength like Daniel to redirect us to God. As we all tried to calm the nursing mother from going hysterical, a female colleague began to express her romantic desires for another lady. She was so lost and intense in her emotions that she openly expressed the desire to cheat on her current girlfriend to savor this other woman. When she found out that the other woman had a boyfriend, the admirer began to devise ways to displace the boyfriend just to introduce her to lesbianism. All in open glare of the office space irrespective of communal social challenges.

This irritated the nearly hysterical mother of two co-worker more intensely because of their apparent lack of concern for the social emergency. The unbothered lovers cooked up another potential source of evil that may speed disease transmission without concern. More sober people asked why God was allowing this pandemic that leaves man so helpless and increasingly confused every waking minute. Life, you might say. Yet, the lesbians give us an insight into how it could have been so easy for people to have neglected God in their everyday affairs in the days of Daniel despite the captivity.

The situation in the time of Daniel was similar. Daniel, as a young man must have had nothing to do with the sins that made God to send the Jews into Babylon for punishment (2 Kings 24:9-16). Daniel was not just an intelligent young fellow; he was a noble. A young man with many opportunities and well-brought up with faith in God built on solid foundations. A prince in the lineage of David and probably a candidate for the Messiah the nation was trying to identify from human calculations. A man of righteousness recognized by the scriptures in the order as Noah and Job whose prophetic ministry was acknowledged by Jesus Christ (Ezekiel 14:14; Ezekiel 14:20; Matthew 24:15). That was how highly Daniel presented himself and was rated by man and God.

Prophet Daniel’s ministry, even from the high political offices that he held in a foreign government strengthened the faith of the captives that God remains in control of the affairs of the heaven and, the earth irrespective of the social challenges to people’s destinies, forces of nature and that He cares for His people. Daniel was to serve four contradicting governments over seventy years. Daniel’s life as a governor ministered to his fellow captives about the same time that prophet Ezekiel ministered directly within the community. Daniel shows us that we should spend more time trying to understand the will of God rather than worrying about how we should live under the leadership of people who remain clueless about the will of God.

God promoted Daniel by helping him to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s two dreams. Daniel’s inner caucus of friends were delivered from the blazing furnace while God saved Daniel himself from the lion’s den. We need this type of faith endowed by Holy Ghost to courageously face each day in these perilous times. The Corona virus pandemic will go away but we will continue to face routine social challenges from thieves, kidnappers, tornadoes, terrorism, assassins, and other agents of darkness. We need proximity to our God who reveals deep mysteries of darkness with His light (Daniel 2:22).

Social Implications of Daniel’s Life

Delinquent Carelessness Is Not Entitled Childhood

Daniel and his prominent friends demonstrated that youth is not about being carefree or about deliberate carelessness that allows one to make mistakes for adulthood to correct. Clearly, no matter how young or small a group may be, even within a nuclear family, wisdom commands respect. When young people demonstrate wisdom in decision making it places social trust in their leadership abilities on a trajectory. Daniel and his friends proved that even in unfavorable and unfair climates, just like Joseph, conditions can be managed to one’s advantage without losing or mortgaging personal values and integrity. More importantly, you do not know who may be watching.

For example, with all that was going on, God used the queen to recommend Daniel. Point is, she knew about Daniel all this while. Yet, she did not try to bypass protocol. She waited until all the close advisors of the king had failed before she smartly went in to offer her counsel to the king. She had a good dossier of Daniel’s credentials and appeared ready to risk her status before the king for it. But more to the point, the recommendation attests to Daniel’s character, divine wisdom, knowledge and skills in spiritual interpretation (Daniel 5:10-12). That singular reference altered life for Daniel and his friends, as they were transformed from wandering slave princes into palace counsellors.

Faith is a spiritual attribute that makes one to believe in an occurrence without precondition or even certainty. Just hanging on a promise. It could not have been easy for Daniel and his friends to face the lion’s den or the fiery furnace respectively if not for their unflinching trust in a God that delivers. Mind you, these were captives, with every reason to doubt God that allowed them to be enslaved for sins that they did not partake in. Yet, despite all the dynamics of their environment, these servants of God remain unshaking in their faith and God used their faith as a pivot to save kings and kingdoms (Daniel 3:29; Daniel 4:34).

Studying builds one character and skills set. The book of Daniel confirms that these four folks fellowshipped together and studied the scriptures together. They spent their days seeking to understand God and to know His will. The strength of their faith proved the sovereignty of God above all situations and caused the most powerful men on earth to submit their nations to Him. Daniel was studying the book of Jeremiah when he got the inspiration to pray for the end of Judah’s captivity in Babylon (Daniel 9:2).

Daniel made godly choices in the type of people to associate with, the food he exposed himself to and his prayerful lifestyle which continue to be a model for many even unto this day. He openly challenged a reversion to idolatry and proved the superiority of his God. Decisions like these are suicidal in nature in his circumstances when dealing so closely with court officers. It takes trust in God to openly confess them. Yet, it is the armor against temptations and prevailing apparent commonsense behavior or social fads.

Daniel served as president in four kingdoms at the specific request of each of the four kings over those kingdoms. It was not a continuum or assumed position that transferred from one kingdom to the other. The high office was earned with each reign. He served the Babylonian empire under King Nebuchadnezzar and his grandson, Belshazza. He was also invited to serve the Medo-Persian empires by Kings Cyrus and Darius. In all, he remained steadfast in his faith, persecuted by powerful but jealous peers, and overcame them all. He remains an unbeatable pillar of Christian faith proving that panic saves nothing. However, unshakeable trust in God is great gain for the gospel.

God Is in Control – Daniel’s Diary

While Ezekiel encouraged the exiles with the promises of God within the community; Daniel proved that strong character and godly behavior trump the trappings of high office. In addition, that, even in captivity God’s does not abandon His people. His diary or log as it were, becoming records that cannot be ignored as the history of a people carry the all-important of message of God’s sovereignty, as He oversees the affairs of heaven and the earth.

Daniel’s record contains testimonies of landmark victories of the God of Israel when challenged by authorities and, other gods. These writings reinforce the Christian belief that God’s light reveals deep secrets hidden by darkness (Daniel 2:22). This is the only explanation for Daniel’s redreaming of the kings dream and going on to offer an interpretation for it. How else could Daniel have known what the king dreamt about days ago, redream it, and then interpret the dream if not provided by the mysterious God that he trusted?

Set in Babylon during the captivity by Nebuchadnezzar and the reign of his successors Daniel’s diary appears to be a record of doubles that are always in parallel. The book of Daniel tells us stories about what he witnessed during those days as well predict the future including end-time events. He included a direct prediction of the coming of the Messiah. It also accounts for disgraced or terminated men who became arrogant against God because of the favorable positions that they had in life while plotting to eliminate faithful servants of The Most High God. The book also gives us an insight into how recognizing God and, praising Him for who He is can make the difference between elevating men or turning them into destructively violent power-hungry beasts. The book written in two languages; Aramaic and Hebrew talks about two types of dreamers; kings and prophet Daniel.

The book of prophet Daniel begins in chapter one in the Hebrew tongue with how the recently exiled princes from Judah, in fact of the lineage of David were put under pressure to give up their Jewish identity and faithfulness to the Torah by the Babylonians. Their resistance glorifies God as they emerged stronger and smarter than other princes who ate the king’s portion.

In chapter two, we read the classic story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the king’s trouble with it until Daniel was called in to interpret the king’s dream. Daniel did not only re-enter the king’s head to reproduce his dream, but Daniel also produced the interpretation of it. Nebuchadnezzar had the first warning about how a series of four kingdoms starting with his own will rule the world with violence, but that God has a plan for an impending kingdom that will establish God’s authority on earth and in heaven. Chapters two to seven are written in Aramaic.

Chapters three and six are similar in other respects. They give further accounts of how God’s people are persecuted and punished for choosing God over men. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into to the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down and worship the gold statute of Nebuchadnezzar. In chapter six, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for refusing to pray to King Darius as god over the God of Israel. In both instances, the plotters satiated the king with their own blood as God’s children testified of His majesty and ability to save.

In chapter four, God showed Nebuchadnezzar what was about to happen to him if he did not repent from his arrogance. One year later he went mad, was driven into the bush according to the interpretation of Daniel. When he repented seven years later God restored his sanity and returned him to his throne. In chapter five, Belshazzar also dreamt and saw a writing on the wall. David interpreted this dream also and made clear its meaning. However, since Belshazzar chose not to repent, he was assassinated that same night and Darius took the kingdom from him to begin the Medo-Persian kingdom.

Chapter seven records how Daniel tried make meaning of a series of dreams and visions he began to experience. Even Daniel, the master interpreter did not understand his own dreams. This series of dreams and encounters with angels continued through chapters eight to twelve, except chapter nine. They talk about future events. That Jesus Christ referenced some of the incidents in these visions confirm that they mainly refer to prophecies for the future. John in the book of Revelations also refers to the imagery used by Daniel to explain his own visions.

Therefore, these chapters are prophetic in nature, and we must continue to be on guard for their fulfilment. A recurring theme is that opposing kingdoms and powers tended to target the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as their spiritual agenda. However, God destroys all of them and sets up His own government over the nations with His prince sitting on His right.

In chapter nine, we see Daniel back on his knees interceding for the release of the Jews from captivity according to God’s promise to prophet Jeremiah. We also see God’s reply that since the people remain adamant in their sins, they had an extension of four hundred and ninety more years to repent.

Lessons For Parenting

Building the faith and trust of God in our children can be rewarding for producing victorious futures for them. The message learnt from Daniel and his friends who are the main actors in his diary includes how to handle times when men need hope in God to make sense of unfavorable social conditions. Even though, nations continue to struggle for supremacy and control of the world today, Daniel makes us realize that the kingdom of Christ will eventually come to replace and surpass all these kingdoms. A belief in the future government of Christ strengthens our faith and hope that God will see us through in challenging times.

Apart from interpreting dreams for kings, Daniel had his own dreams some of which are detailed in chapters 7-12 of his book. Even the interpreter did not understand them all. Yet, his visions reveal the promise of the Messiah with spiritual authority to overpower and overshadow all earthly authorities. These dreams show the interconnectivity of landmark spiritual events pointing us towards the eternal kingdom of God. They teach us that God is in control of all history. The captives were to be patient and continue to faithfully trust in a God able to deliver them rather turning to worship strange gods.

They were also to be careful in accepting the temptations of society’s way of life to guide our morals. For example, it can be deceptive to wonder why these pagan nation should continue to enslave Israel.

Interplay of Supernatural Forces

The record of Daniel is not a tale of courage to defy authorities. It encodes a strong interplay of non-physical might, physical violence and wicked imaginations that invokes God’s intervention. God’s involvement in mysterious ways enforced the submission of men of might and, forced them confess the supremacy of God.

Just like many other pagan kings, God apparently chose to use Nebuchadnezzar to prove this point. It is believable with hindsight God did not only test Abraham with Isaac at the altar, but God chose to kill His only Son. The pure evidence of a celestial with human blood in His veins to secure salvation for us through the grace. It takes supernatural prowess for one man to attempt to redream another man’s dream, to make plain its meaning and then to witness the events happen and record them for history.

Nebuchadnezzar was not the only king that Daniel served but he was the greatest of them of all. His successors only needed to keep the kingdom intact after his demise. Just like David did all the work for the future of Israel. Nebuchadnezzar conquered nations. He took land, he took their riches, he controlled princes and their subjects, he controlled lives.

However, Nebuchadnezzar had a unique characteristic, he allowed his captives to keep their idols and their gods. In fact, it is suggested that he consulted with some of these other gods to help him become more prosperous. It worked well until counsellors encouraged him to become a god above all other gods. Hence, his clash with the God of Israel. That clash with The Creator turned him into a beast and in many instances elicited his confession that the God of Israel remains supreme (Daniel 2:47; 3:28; 4:37). In fact, his inability to kill Daniel and his three friends proves that this greatest of kings did not really have power over life and death. On the other hand, his arrogance made him to suffer insanity for seven years, a condition so bad he could not live among men anymore.

Reviewing the timelines of Daniel’s revelations, we must consider ourselves lucky to have God’s word freely available to guide us into the truth of His existence and will. We may not physically see how God is working but we have testimonies from historical records that supernatural events govern physical reality. Matters with physical manifestations are evidence of matters settled in the celestial. Victory begins with understanding God’s word and His will, trusting Him even in those challenging times. The opposite is pride and as we learn from Nebuchadnezzar which invites God’s wrath.

King Cyrus freed the Jews from captivity and encouraged them to return home (Ezra 1). King Darius reinforced the ruling of Cyrus and threatened those who disturbed the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem or the return of the Jews with death (Ezra 6).

Strengths In Self-Awareness And Fellowship

Young prince Daniel and his friends are outstanding examples of dedication and commitment to faith in the Almighty God. They proved that serving God in the face of adversity is rewarding. They refused and, they found ways to resist the social pressures of ungodly living. Even in captivity their strengths shone, and they were treated with dignity. They were not the only princes and nobles captured by Nebuchadnezzar, but their spirituality made them triumphant in the face of adversity.

Friends contribute to making life enjoyable and making difficult times bearable. Hardships test enduring friendships and strengthens or breaks them. These friends shared the true love of God. In addition, these friends shared a commitment to each other. They did not allow earthly pleasures and temptations to break their bond or faith in God, even in the face of death. None of them compromised their pact in the moment of truth before a blazing inferno. Instead, they confessed the ability of God to save them from the inferno or die in the fiery furnace if that happened to be the will of God.

Such defiance of death in the face of options is rare courage that embodies a strong message for all young people. They did not betray each other. It is easier to rejoice in the victory of surviving the fire. However, to remember that their detractors died in the same fire shows that the fire was as real as the set up. Therefore, as believers we can trust God to expose the wickedness of evil planners and, to bury them in disgrace.

Point is, when we leave God out of our relationships, the suggestion is that those relationships can fulfill the needs that God would otherwise meet. A family that disdains God assumes that they have the capacity to take care of themselves. Funny how the corona virus pandemic has proved that such assumption is false by throwing everyone into a panic. Yet, God says that the people who know their God shall do exploits and that no evil shall befall them (Daniel 11:32; Psalm 91). It translates that evil incidences will occur, but you need God to prevent it in the supernatural before it disrupts the physical.

Our relationship with God should be strong enough to attract people to want to become our friends. This band of faithful friends first showed up when they resisted eating the food portions allotted by the most powerful but ungodly king. They shared a friendship tested by hardship, success, wealth and even death. They remained unwilling to compromise their faith in God in the face of death, proving the supremacy of a saving God even, from a blazing fiery furnace that roasted others.

For Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to openly confess in court and say to the face of the most powerful king on earth, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" and stood by themselves and, those words knowing what the punishment will be is reflective of their faith in God. But it is also a strong testimony to the fact that they have jointly experienced strange interventions of God that bolsters their confidence in the God’s ability to save (Daniel 3:16-18).

An exemplary lifestyle begins with obeying God and making trusting Him for ability to fulfil our true purpose of existence a lifestyle. The rewards include peace and direction from God Himself particularly when life throws unusual challenges at us. We must disobey anyone who asks us to disobey God and His commandments. Our primary allegiance must be to God (Daniel 3:16-18).

Summary of Lessons Learned

Persistence in Prayer Is Staying Power

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not the only princes of Judah taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. In addition, there were princes from other nations that Nebuchadnezzar had acquired before the people of Judah. Yet God chose the lifestyle characteristic of these four men to distinguish them in a foreign land. We saw this type of elevation based on a strong personality also in Joseph who sojourned in Egypt.

In the 70 plus years of Daniel’s servitude in high office, he remained loyal, truthful, uninterested in the personal glory associated with his high office but concentrated on persistent prayer. Persistent and relentless prayer is a Christian characteristic that we cannot be ashamed of but embrace in order to successfully serve God and, man wherever we find ourselves (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). He did not allow the bondage to make him work against his slave masters but relied on a God that delivers.

Are there other gods? Yes, there are many other gods, and they provoke God’s the jealousy. God’s name is Jealous (Exodus 34:14). Are there powerful and arrogant men in authority? Even when we do not understand it, there are always undeserving men in authority over us. Yet, we are not called to disrespect them or be disloyal to them. The tales of Daniel and his friends make us to realize that God shows up for prayerful men who trust Him implicitly. However long the suffering may appear to take God always shows up. Man can choose the path of holiness and steadfast prayer or be distracted by the unrooted fashionable social trends whose fruits are always trouble.

We can trust God to faithfully see us through any trials. He was faithful to Daniel, his three friends and his nation. He delivered them from the fiery furnace and the lion’s den. God cares about His people and is never far from them. Our role is to remain faithful to Him. Daniel teaches us that faith in God is power. It strengthens us as it reminds us about God and redirects us to God. Daniel, as a young man may have had nothing to do with the sins that resulted in the Jews being sent into captivity in Babylon, yet he remained steadfast in faith proving the Almightiness of God even, in times of trouble.