Posted on 8 Comments on Faithful to the Core

Faithful to the Core

The narrative in Daniel 6 gets very personal for Daniel, as it did in chapter 1. It put Daniel’s faith front and center, challenged not that time by the king’s edict per se, but by jealous colleagues. Co-workers sometimes place us in challenging situations because of jealousy and envy. Our fate is more so loss of sleep, stress, and even loss of job. Daniel faced the real threat of loss of life. In retrospect, the menu dilemma in chapter 1 (https://robert-a-l-blake.com/integrity-without-exception-daniel-the-narrative/) was a preparation for this final showdown. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not on the scene. They had had their crisis remedied by God’s grace in chapter 3 (https://robert-a-l-blake.com/god-delivers-us/), because they displayed that they were faithful to the core. Now it was Daniel’s turn.

Daniel: Faithful to the Core

Daniel was in the habit of praying three times each day. This was his lifestyle, which, I feel, is stronger than habit as it shows what was at his core, a relationship with God. He realized God was with him and had been with him through every aspect of life. He didn’t give the decree for king worship any thought, because it ran against the grain of who he was as a child of God. The only One worthy of worship was and is the Creator God. By continuing his visible relationship with God despite the challenge of death, Daniel proved he was faithful to the core.

This is truly a lesson for today. God has called us to be His children and promises to be with us wherever we are and in whatever situation. He asks us for faithfulness to His cause, not just a verbal surrender, but to the core. 

Prayer

Creator God, to Whom we owe all allegiance, You have been faithful to us in every aspect of our lives. Please, keep us faithful to You so that we will receive a crown of life (Revelation 2:10). We ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus, amen.

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Posted on 1 Comment on A Rich Legacy

A Rich Legacy

Chapter 5 of Daniel brings in elements from previous chapters. For example, chapter 1 introduced the captivity of Daniel and his colleagues. Chapter 2, gave a visual allusion to the gods of metals which preceded the perpetual golden statue in chapter 3. In chapter 4, last week, we witnessed yet another failure of the so-called wise men (https://robert-a-l-blake.com/a-lesson-in-humility/). We find, though, that Nebuchadnezzar had left a rich legacy, which was scorned. The scene in Daniel 5 starts abruptly, without a historical introduction.

Belshazzar’s Last Party

A seemingly uninterpretable message written by a bloodless, not to mention disembodied hand, perplexes the current king, Belshazzar. This occurred during a celebration of sorts. True to tradition, he turned to his court counselors to interpret the message. In Daniel’s rebuke of King Belshazzar, he referenced Nebuchadnezzar’s fall from grace in the preceding chapter. Belshazzar was the son or more likely grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. However, he apparently was not a student of history or a subscriber to it. It is clear, though, that he was not oblivious to what had transpired in the relatively recent reign before him. Daniel rebuked the king’s knowledge base in verse 22. “You knew this, yet you became defiant anyway”, I paraphrase.

Belshazzar’s actions showed arrogance to the nth degree, as he disrespected the God of heaven. Some historians note he knew that the Medes and Persians had surrounded the city. In an act of either drunken insanity or overconfidence, he threw a lavish banquet, anyway. Neglect or divine intervention left the security gates open. Probably the latter, as Isaiah had prophesied it in chapter 45 verse 1. The nation God used to discipline His chosen people was now being punished by God via the Medes and Persians. This was because they had neglected the sovereignty of God.

A Rich Legacy

In chapter 4 of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar’s parting statement was a wonderful testimony from a contrite follower of God. That sentiment obviously did not trickle down to Belshazzar and he, as well as his nation, suffered the dire consequences. It is another lesson for us today. Aligning one’s own life with God is not enough. One must instruct and influence the next generation. That is truly a rich legacy. 

Prayer

Our dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for the rich legacy You have given us through Your Son. Help us to share this Gift with our family and those closest to us. In doing so, we continue to enjoy Your blessings. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

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