Daniel: The Mega-Themes

 DANIEL: The Mega-Themes 

1) God is in Control

 

            Throughout scripture one thing is very clear ... God is all-knowing and in complete control of all world events. There is nothing he is not aware of and no one who is ruling over Him. If a ruler denies or defies God, He removes them. God WILL overcome evil ... NO ONE is exempt. Those who follow Him shall be delivered.

            Even though many nations seek to control the world now, one day Christ’s Kingdom will replace all the kingdoms of this ungodly, sin-filled world. As believers we must have the courage to keep our faith in God who controls everything.

 

2) What is the Purpose of Life?

 

            Daniel and his 3 friends are shining examples of dedication and commitment as they stood for their God in the face of ungodly opposition. They were determined to serve their God in spite of any daunting circumstances that came as a result of their righteous stance. The reason they didn’t give in was because they had a well-defined purpose in life.

            Our first allegiance is to be to the author of our faith and creator of man’s first breath. Our true purpose in life is to trust and obey God and God alone. We should NOT obey anyone who would like us to disobey our God. We are to stand strong in our faith in spite of our circumstances for God is aware of all we think, say, and do and also what will take place in our lives. Trust God always and lean heavily on Him.

 

3) Perseverance

 

            70 years!! That is how long Daniel served God in a foreign, hostile land. The key for him was consistency. He never let the laws of Babylon cause him or his 3 friends to compromise their faith and trust in God. 

Their witness was evident when Daniel’s 3 friends were tossed into a furnace for not bowing down to an image of the Babylonian King. A fourth body was present in the walk in furnace which was their Lord. They came from the furnace that had been ordered to be 7x hotter than usual without even a singe mark on their clothing. Upon examination they didn’t even smell of smoke. A miracle seen first-hand by ungodly people. This caused King Nebuchadnezzar to decree the following: Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.” That came from an ungodly King in a foreign land. The uncompromising testimony of the prophet and his friends turns men’s hearts to God.

I don’t think many people today understand how urgently important it is to have a high level of integrity. The American Heritage Dictionary tells us that integrity is: “A steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.” Daniel and his friends were living out the Mosaic Law in front of the ungodly and they were blessed because of it. So pray without ceasing daily and be content wherever God places you as you seek to serve Him.

 

4) God’s Faithfulness

 

            Daniel’s life found favor with his God. Because of his steadfast obedience to God’s Law he was delivered from execution, a den full of lions and enemies who hated him because of his beliefs. This book is evidence that God cares for his people and shows incredible patience when dealing with them.

            Because God has been faithful to us we can trust Him to see us thru any and all trials. Because of His faithfulness we should be steadfastly faithful to Him.

 

            The message from Daniel is very clear ... live a life that honors God and blesses others and you will have a wonderful life, followed by an eternity to continue to praise and serve our Lord. We can use the lives of all the prophets as a supplement to the life of Christ as our template to Godly living. Up next is the book of Hosea. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible