Faithfulness

Observations from the Book of Daniel
Lessons for our daily walk with God
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The Book of Daniel is often called a prophetic book, or apocalyptic literature, as it contains much concerning the end times in the visions of Daniel and in his interpretation of the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar. Jesus refers to Daniel as a prophet in Matt 24:15 when He speaks of the abomination of desolation of which Daniel had visions about concerning the end times. And much of the second half of Daniel parallels things from the Book of Revelation and Jesus' teachings about the end times in the Gospels. I love the picture of the Eternal Kingdom that the Lord reveals in chapters 7 & 12 particularly, and I hope to delve into that soon.

But for now I want to look at this book from a different perspective - one of faithfulness and obedience.

Firstly Faithfulness: Both God's faithfulness to those who trust in Him, and the faithfulness we- as those whom He has chosen and set apart for Himself - are to have toward Him.

Faithfulness

FAITHFULNESS (Webster's 1828)　
1. Fidelity; loyalty; firm adherence to allegiance and duty; as the faithfulness of a subject.
2. Truth; veracity; as the faithfulness of God.
3. Strict adherence to injunctions, and to the duties of a station; as the faithfulness of servants or ministers.
4. Strict performance of promises, vows or covenants; constancy in affection; as the faithfulness of a husband or wife.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."- Heb 10:23

"Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!

For the LORD preserves the faithful,

And fully repays the proud person.

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the LORD."- Psalm 31:23-24

May we, whenever we read the Old Testament Scripture, look at these Biblical accounts of the prophets, kings and patriarchs not as just historical events, but as examples of how we, as Jesus' disciples here in the 21st century, should be living our lives: in faithfulness and devotion to a holy, righteous and loving God. We find some of the best examples of this in the writings of Daniel, of whom it was said, "he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him."

The following verses are from a Psalm of King David, but they describe very accurately the steadfastness, boldness, and faithfulness that four young Hebrew men, in the midst of the world, had toward God. We will see these characteristics displayed in their lives as we read through the first few chapters of the book of Daniel.

"Vindicate me, O LORD,

for I have led a blameless life;

I have trusted in the LORD

without wavering.
Test me, O LORD, and try me,

examine my heart and my mind;
for Your love is ever before me,

and I walk continually in Your Truth."- Psalm 26:1-3


DANIEL CHAPTER 1

The book begins with Judah being conquered by the Babylonians. Now God Himself allowed this to happen, as Daniel writes later, "because of the unfaithfulness which they committed against (Him)" (Dan 9:7)

UNFAITHFULNESS (Webster's 1828)
n. Neglect or violation of vows, promises, allegiance or other duty; breach of confidence or trust reposed; perfidiousness; treachery; as the unfaithfulness of a subject to his prince or the state; the unfaithfulness of a husband to his wife, or of a wife to her husband; the unfaithfulness of an agent, servant or officer.

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god." - vs 1-2

Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, had been warned by the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah. God spoke to the prophet concerning Judah and the destruction He would bring upon them unless they heeded His words and turned from their wicked ways. Our God is always faithful to provide us an opportunity to repent and stay His hand of judgment upon us.

"Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."
"Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each will turn from his wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this people by the LORD are great."

- Jer 36:2-3,7

But Jehoiakim and his prince's refused to listen and repent, and when God spoke again, judgment came...
"And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘Thus says the LORD: "You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and cause man and beast to cease from here?’" 30 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: "He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will punish him, his family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed."’"

- Jer 36:29-31

When the Lord speaks to us, do we hear? Do we heed His Word? When He sees us straying from His path, or making bad choices, He will warn us. Do we pay attention to the check in our spirit? Will we listen to the advice of a brother in Christ? Whether we do or not often affects not only ourselves but those around us - our family, our friends, even our nation. As we read above, Jehoiakim's decision to ignore God's word's of warning and His commands affected not just himself, but his family, his servants, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all the men of Judah. These men of Judah included Jeremiah, his godly scribe Baruch, as well as young Daniel & his companions.

So here we see the setting in which Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (or Belteshazza, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) lived, and walked faithfully with God. Taken into captivity, their lives having been affected by the poor choices of their rulers.

"Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against him, and bound him in bronze fetters to carry him off to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also carried off some of the articles from the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations which he did, and what was found against him, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. Then Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place."

- 2 Chron 36:5-8

Friends, look around you... we are in a society that, as a whole, has refused to listen to the Word of God. We have refused to repent and turn from sin. Even those in the church, who have one foot in the world, say -
"Is not the LORD in our midst?

Calamity will not come upon us." (Micah 3:11 )

Yet the Lord would say -
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Cor 10:12 )

Unlike several of the kings and characters in the Old Testament, we MUST take the Word of God seriously. The faithfulness of God does not negate His judgment upon those who are willfully disobedient. Even us Christians, who have accepted the blood atonement and been forgiven for our past sins, will come under God's judgment if we choose to disobey Him or ignore His Word to us. Jesus' death and resurrection did not nullify His Fathers charge to us to "Love the LORD your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands always." (Deut 11:1) Under the New Covenant Jesus tells us, "obey My commandments", to "deny ourselves, pick up our cross daily and follow Me", and to "love God with all our heart soul mind and strength."
The choice is always ours. To obey or disobey. To be faithful to God, or just do what pleases our own selves. To "fear God and keep His commandments", or "do whatever is right in our own eyes." Those whom God had set over Judah and Israel had the same choice. Yet they thought they would stand, heeded not God's word, and so fell...
"Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

They would have none of My counsel

And despised My every rebuke.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil. "- Prov 1:29-33

Now surely we can be secure if we are totally surrendered to Christ, and striving to walk in holiness as He commanded. But can a Holy God overlook the willful transgressions and unfaithfulness of a people He has called to walk with Him in holiness and righteousness? Has not He called us to "be holy as He is holy", and to "walk worthy of our calling"?

Let me put it this way - Should a husband accept or tolerate his wife's adultery? Could a man or woman remain united to a spouse who was continually unfaithful, no matter how much they loved them? Indeed God loves us far more than a husband and wife can love each other, but His love will never excuse or ignore unfaithfulness, especially among those who are called by His Name as a wife is called by her husbands name.

"For your Maker is your husband,

The LORD of hosts is His Name;

And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;

He is called the God of the whole earth."

- Is 54:5

"But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to Me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD."- Jer 3:20

The church today speaks of a secure relationship to God, and of revival. And truly God desires and has promised a great outpouring of His Spirit upon mankind. But again, can a faithful God pour out His blessings upon an unfaithful people? As He said to His people back then, I believe our Maker is saying to us, His church, even now... "You have polluted the land with your harlotries and your wickedness."
"Therefore the showers have been withheld,

And there has been no latter rain.

You have had a harlot’s forehead;

You refuse to be ashamed."

- Jer 3:2b-3

This Word given to Israel is the same Word He is speaking to us today. Will we be ashamed of our unfaithful deeds, repent before the Lord our God, and turn from our wickedness? Or will we despise His rebuke as king Jehoiakim, and reject His correction.

Unfaithful deeds and attitudes. All that God declares will not inherit the Kingdom of God- "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and the like" (Gal 5:19-21) - is what stripped the promised kingdom from the Israelites.

We must remember that these in Judah and Israel were God's chosen people, whom He had saved and called to be a light to the Gentiles. Yet they fell because of disobedience. Today we have some who would say to us that our eternity is secure, that God does not see nor will He judge us. Dear friends, "This is what the LORD Almighty says:

"Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;

they fill you with false hopes.

They speak visions from their own minds,

not from the mouth of the LORD.
They keep saying to those who despise me,

'The LORD says: You will have peace.'

And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts

they say, 'No harm will come to you.'"- Jer 23:16-17
"They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed."

- Eze 13:6

God's judgment will come first to the Church, "Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace" (Eze 13:10), and particularly to the shepherds "Who swear by the name of the LORD, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness." (Is 48:1)

Believing in something does not make it true, no matter how much we want it to be so. Peace and joy and security come only when we are faithful to Him from Whom comes "every good and perfect gift." (James 1:17)

The job of leaders and rulers is to seek out The Truth, and "teach (God's) people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean." (Eze 44:23)

It was not the devil who surprised an unsuspecting innocent people and brought an enemy upon them. It was the Lord, Himself, who delivered His people into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. It was because of the blatant unfaithfulness of a people who knew better that "the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into (Nebuchadnezzar's) hand."　
You may ask... 'why would a loving, faithful, God allow His people to be taken captive by the enemy?' Many are asking that same question today.

I believe God's question to us is... 'Will you love Me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Will you be faithful to Me?' For...
"My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,

That they may dwell with Me;

He who walks in a perfect way,

He shall serve Me."

- Psalm 101:6

May we be found among those who are faithful.

"O Love the LORD, all you his saints!

The LORD preserves the faithful

but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the LORD!"- Psalm 31:23-24

to be continued...

next... Called By Name