What would we do if we were faced with the same situation as Daniel? Would we refuse it or try to make the best of it? Would we seek counsel from our friends or from our Lord ? Would we rea son that it might not be as bad as we think or would we say that it was wrong? We are faced with much the same problem today as Daniel was then. In fact, our problem is more subtle than was that o f Daniel. Our intellectual, physical, and spiritual lives are always in conflict with Satan and his mighty host. He is at war against us and the God we serve. How important it is for us always to remember that “ greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4 :4 ). How important it is for us to seek counsel from the Lord in His Word for the problems that we face today. How important it is that the culture, way of life, and spiritual indifference o f this world not rub off on the believer dedicated to do the will of God. This is exactly what Danied did. In fact, he “ pur posed in his heart that he would not defile himself” (Dan. 1:8). He did this, of course, by convincing the king that God’s way was the best way. Instead o f compromising, he witnessed and God rewarded his courage and faith. Another outstanding characteristic of this Old Testament prophet was that he knew the Word of God. Of course, it is true that he did not have all o f the Bible we have today. But what he did have, he studied well, knowing both its contents and im plications. For instance, he said that he “ under stood by books the number of the years, concerning which the Word o f the Lord came to Jeremiah, the prophet, that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Dan. 9 :2). This proph ecy, for many even at that time, was an obscure prophecy found in Jeremiah 25:11. But Daniel knew it for the prophecy was plain and clear. He also knew that at this time he had been living in Babylon for almost 70 years. He knew that the time was at hand for the fulfillment of the promises of God. He could have said, “ There is evidently noth ing to do since God is going to accomplish His pur pose.” But Daniel, the man o f God, realized his own responsibility. The knowledge of God’s Word made him see his responsibility in light of it. The believer today has not just a part o f but rather the complete Word o f God. Our Lord has privileged him to see the events shaping up that have been predicted by the holy Word of God. Cer tainly the believer today like Daniel o f old has the responsibility of living in the light o f what God has directed. We are not only to know God’s Word but also to demonstrate it as well. This man Daniel, however, was also a great man o f prayer. His prayer life was demonstrated not
just in time of crisis but was consistent in that he prayed day by day. Even after he knew what it might cost him by being cast into a den of lions, he continued regularly to pray unto his God (Dan. 6:10). He was not trying to show off for he regu larly did it, and he was not a coward for he con tinued to do it. The result, of course, would seem terrible by almost any standard, but God’s hand did stop the mouths of the lions and all this bore witness to a heathen king. Daniel prayed in time o f need as well. When the king’s wise men could not reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, they sent for Daniel. The first thing, how ever, Daniel did was to have a prayer meeting with his companions (Dan. 2:18). The results of such a prayerful and devoted life unto the Lord gave peace to Daniel and the sharing of God’s program with a heathen king and millions of believers. Daniel also prayed on behalf of his sin and the sins of others. He pleaded to God for his own people and confessed his failing o f heart and soul. His words “we have sinned, we have done wickedly” (Dan. 9:15) were hard for any man to utter, and yet this is the way for spiritual blessing and power. Because propitia tion was not then made, Daniel pleaded his case unto the Lord. However, now that we stand after the cross, all that our God asks us to do is simply confess our sins, for “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un righteousness” (I John 1 :9). But how hard this is to do even though we know the truth so well. Certainly all o f this is the responsibility o f one living in the light of the Word o f God. The Prophet Daniel stood at a time in history when he had but a partial revelation o f God’s future plans and programs. But for this man, prophecy was not just something to study or write about; it was a way of life. He realized not only the privi lege but also something of the price for knowing God’s plan for the future. The world has changed considerably in the past 2500 years, but we still need to learn this impor tant lesson o f a life lived in the light o f prophetic truth. We are in a sense more privileged than Daniel, for today we have the completed Word of God. We are living in a day in which many events foreshadow the coming of our Lord. It was to us that the Apostle John wrote that “when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure” (I John 3 :2-3). Prophetic knowledge produces not only con fidence in our Lord, stability in living, but also re sponsibility for purity o f life and worldwide wit ness. Daniel learned this lesson for the day in which he lived. Will we do as well in ours? HU
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TH E KING'S BUSINESS
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