The Testimony of One Righteous Man Among the Heathen
Daniel 9:9-10 - “To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.”
The Prophet Daniel, as a young man was taken captive and was brought to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Despite being surrounded by the heathen and being introduced to a lavish and privileged lifestyle, including the King’s meal and comfort, he remained faithful to the Lord. There was never a time that he compromised his faith. He refused to accept whatever was being offered to him that would displease God.
In Babylon, Daniel was a captive. He was forced to serve a heathen king, but he stayed true and committed to his faith in God. He served the King of Babylon well, without compromising his faith and his love to serve and worship God. His testimony showed and proved that while in the land of the heathen, a faithful servant of God could remain spiritually strong and true to his commitment. Together with his 3 friends; Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego, they were able to point the Babylonian kings to the only true God.
Our devotional passage today contains the heartfelt prayer of Daniel, expressing his humility and love to the only true God. He prayed on behalf of the Jewish people. In his prayer, he recognized the guilt of the Jewish people, without any justification and excuses. Instead, he magnified God’s perfect justice as He dealt with the sins committed by the Jewish people, that resulted in the Babylonian captivity.
In the midst of all the difficulties and the false allegations being thrown at them by the subjects of the King, Daniel remained thankful for the Lord’s mercies and His forgiveness. His righteous behavior and godly response to the Lord’s chastisement and discipline should encourage us to be strong and faithful in accepting God’s will, whatever it takes; especially in facing the consequences of our sins.
Daniel and his 3 friends were not direct participants in the sins of the Jewish people. They were among the collateral victims. But despite their innocence, they were selfless and willing to suffer for the sake of the guilty. What an amazing love for God and for the chosen people.
Conclusion:
The Christian life is full of challenges and often in need of self-sacrifice. It is a life not to seek comfort and self gain, but to obey and serve God by sharing the power of the gospel.
As Christians, our life is Christ. We cannot choose and pick the results and the harsh realities we face daily. But whatever the Lord allows in our lives, our acceptance of His perfect and permissive will must be our desire and we must never allow our commitment to God to change.