Book of DanielUzorak
Have you ever turned on the TV and started watching a movie that’s halfway over? I think that reading the Bible can feel like that sometimes. It’s easy to open up a Bible Reading Plan and start reading something only to feel like there are parts of the story that you’re missing out on.
With that in mind, let's set the scene of what you just read. The Book of Daniel takes place during a period of time known as the Babylonian Exile. In the 6th Century B.C., after over 400 years as a nation and years of disobedience, Israel was conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. In all of their conquests, the Babylonians had a very strategic approach to maintaining order by using something called "Cultural Deception." This allowed for the captured people groups to keep their practices and some of their culture but, at the same time, would target the best and brightest of their youth to be enlisted in the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. They were to be immersed in Babylonian education and culture for the ultimate purpose of being put in leadership roles over their nation. This tactic essentially eroded a nation’s identity from the inside out.
This is the context for our story in Daniel. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were all hand-picked to be indoctrinated into Babylonian culture. They were to receive a Babylonian education, eat Babylonian food, and be given new Babylonian names. Daniel, which means "God is my judge," was renamed Belteshazzar, meaning "Lady, protect the king." Hananiah, which means “Yahweh has been gracious,” was renamed Shadrach, meaning “Command of Aku” (the Babylonian God of the moon). Mishael, which means “Who is what God is?” was renamed Meshach, meaning “Who is what Aku is?” Azariah, which means “Yahweh has helped,” was renamed Abednego, meaning “Servant of Nebo” (the Babylonian God of wisdom). Each name change aimed to redefine who they were and whom they worshiped.
The same is true for you and me in our world today. Though not as overt, we live in a world that aims to redefine and redirect our worship. Everything from our social status, political ideology, career paths, personal pleasure, power, and success can serve as our source of meaning and purpose in life. Yet, despite these labels, Daniel and his friends held firm to their true identity. They knew that even though King Nebuchadnezzar attempted to redefine them, there was a true and greater king who identified them as something different. They knew that the only person qualified to determine the identity of creation was the creator.
Culture will shift, and labels will come and go, but our identity in Christ will endure.
Prayer:
Lord, help me remember that no matter the pressures and changes in my life, my identity in You remains unchanged. Grant me the strength to hold onto who I am in Christ, even when faced with challenges and temptations. Amen.
Sveto Pismo
O ovom planu
This 30-day plan will take you through the first 6 chapters of the Book of Daniel.
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