Daniel // Week 4
As Daniel’s story moves forward, the contrast between the rulers of Babylon and Daniel becomes more stark. The power claimed by the prideful Babylonian kings proves fragile in light of God’s authority. We observe the consequences of unrepentant pride and power-grabbing, and it doesn’t end well for King Nebedchadnezzar and Belshazzar.
This is first seen when Daniel interprets Nebedchadnezzar’s dream from God. Here is what he says,
“...This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” (Daniel 4:31-32)
Nebedchadnezzar refused to acknowledge God and does not see that the royal power he possesses is small in comparison to God’s sovereign rule. Nebedchadnezzar used the power he did have to oppress the Israelites and participate in self indulgence – until God humbled him.
Unfortunately, the lesson Nebedchadnezzar learned was not passed to his successor. Daniel chapter five shows a new king, Belhazzar, throwing a self-indulgent party where they belittled the holy temple of Yahweh by using the goblets from the temple to drink out of. At this party he also brought his wives and concubines, I’m assuming, for entertainment.
In a similar manner that Nebedchadnezzar did, King Belshazzar chose a path of self indulgence, neglect for human value, and hate for Daniel’s God. But again, God uses Daniel’s faithfulness to humble the Babylonian king and display God’s power.
Daniel is honored and Belshazzar is slain only for another king to rise up and oppress the Isrealites who refuse to bow down to the Babylonian king, landing Daniel in the lion's den.
At this point, Daniel has been through it. But no matter how dark his situation in Babylon gets, he continues to humbly offer himself as an instrument of God’s kingdom. As an exile in Babylon, Daniel accepts that allegiance to Yahweh means immense sacrifice and trust in God.
Daniel’s allegiance to Yahweh has already earned him two death sentences – and we are only halfway through the book! It is clear that Daniel knows that his life is a living sacrifice to God. Daniel could’ve chosen the “safe” path of assimilation to Babylon, but instead, he chose the path of sacrifice, trusting that he was safe because he was in God’s hands.
Daniel is doing what Romans 12:1 calls offering himself as a “living sacrifice – holy and pleasing to God.” It goes on to say that this is “true and proper worship.”
True worship, to God, is sacrifice. As we read about last week, idols are constantly grasping for and demanding our attention. We worship idols when we give them our attention and look to them to fulfill us.
But worshiping God as Daniel did requires us to sacrifice by giving up these idols and the acceptance that comes with assimilation to the dominant culture of our world. For Daniel, refusing to worship idols also meant sacrificing his physical safety as he went to the lion’s den. This type of humble sacrifice and dedicated worship of Yahweh stands in contrast to the self-indulgent idolatry of the kings of Babylon.
Jesus himself is the ultimate example of worship through sacrifice. He trusted God’s plan as he went to the cross to be the sacrifice that set us free from the power of sin and death. For Jesus, worshiping God was not glamorous. Rather, it was painful, difficult, and completely sacrificial.
As followers of Jesus, we follow Him into this sacrifice, trusting that God will care for us even through pain. In our sacrifice, we cling to a God who sacrificed first and who experienced more pain and loss than we ever will.
The humble and sacrificial worship of Daniel points us to Jesus, the new and better Daniel, who went into the pit of death on our behalf, only to come out three days later as a witness to God’s power over everything.
In what ways has worshiping God required you to sacrifice? What have you had to learn to trust Him with?
Talk with Him about these things. Remind yourself of why you choose to sacrifice. Mourn the things that have been difficult to release.
Where could God be calling you to sacrifice or release an idol in order to worship Him more fully? Bring this to God and meditate on Jesus’ example of humble release.
As we read the story of Daniel this week, let us remember that to worship is to be a sacrifice.
