Daniel: Humble Servant, Faithful God - Resisting Pagan Programming

Sunday, we take another step into the life of Daniel and his three companions. The text presents the king’s effort to reprogram these men into qualified courtiers. The first change is alluded to in the commissioning of the chief eunuch to choose and prepare these men. Daniel, and the others, appear to have joined the company of the eunuchs. While a sensitive issue, we’ll seek to understand the impact on Daniel. The prophet had warned Hezekiah that this would happen. (2 Kings 20:18) This would potentially fit with the specifics of their selection. Next, we see them learning the literature and language which points to a full immersion into their cultural values and reasoning. Then he supplies a lavish lifestyle of the king’s food and wine, which seems to be about dependence and the development of materialism, an “eat, drink, and be merry” philosophy. Finally, we see them renamed after the deities of the Babylonian religion, separating them from the Abrahamic Covenant with Jehovah.

All these tactics are subtle efforts that the evil one uses to assimilate us into the paganism of our culture, negating our influence and the message of the gospel. What’s inspiring in the text are the words, “Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself.” It’s important to note the one tactic that Daniel resisted: consumerism (a facet of materialism). This is more than an inspiring story of resistance, it’s a message of covenant loyalty between Daniel and God. Daniel, “God is my Judge” retains his identity as a child of God’s covenant with Abraham. Join us Sunday as we consider this text.