(2) Godly parents taught the Word of God - They named their children with God honoring names. If Daniel was 15 in 605BC, it mean roughly the first 10 years of his life would have been during this time when the Word of God was once again prized in Jerusalem. (1) Revival of interest in the Word of God - There was a "revival" under King Josiah when the "book of the law" which had been lost in the house of God (the temple) was discovered (2Ki 22:8-11, 23:3-4). Why? How would this have been possible? The answer is not directly stated but there were at least 3 things that could help understand their ability to resist indoctrination. And yet as discussed below in Daniel 1:8 these four took an uncompromising stand. First, recall that most scholars place their age at around 15 which is certainly not a time when one would expect young men to manifest the strength of character to resist the sophisticated Babylonian brainwashing and not compromise their ethical and moral standards! Furthermore, consider the risk associated with resisting the will of Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful pagan king in the world! And consider how taking a no compromise stand would surely jeopardize the chance for advancement in the Babylonian court. So how were Daniel and his three friends able to remain committed to God and keep from caving in and compromising with the Babylonian brainwashing (Daniel 1:3-7)? Let's take a look at the cultural and historical context for clues. The exhortation from the writer of Hebrews would be apropos to believers today.Īnd we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Daniel's commitment was so sincere and steadfast that Jehovah Himself testified that "Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst (the kingdom of Judah facing impending divine judgment), by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves," declares the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 14:14, 20). But sadly commitment to the moral and ethical standards of the Holy God of the Universe is not so "in vogue" as evidenced for example by the high percentage of marital partners who fail to remain committed to their covenant marriage vows. And yet as we study the book of Daniel, we discover that Daniel's commitment to the Covenant keeping God as a young man "set the sails" of his life for the remainder of his time on earth. Commitment describes the person who is willing to give their time and energy to something that they believe in. It is the act of binding oneself to a course of action. Commitment is the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose. When you pray, do you focus on God’s nearness and eagerness to respond to you?Īdvent Answered Prayer Christmas Courage Delight Dreams Faith Focus Forgiveness Freedom God's Attention God's Communication God's voice Hope Intercession Intimacy with God Joy Loving Yourself Missions Peace Prayer Provision Rest Spiritual Growth Spiritual warfare The Beauty of God The Father Heart of God The Love of God Trust Victory Archivesįollow Feeding On Jesus on WordPress.Commitment is a word we hear frequently in our modern culture ( see graph of frequency of use since 1800). I highly recommend the rich resources they provide for free on their site! A wonderful tool for studying His nature through His written Word is the website,. Seek, and you will find.Īs you draw near to God, the most important way He will reveal Himself to you is through His Word. Meditate on who He is: a rewarder of you. What is that thing that you have most intensely desired in your lifetime? He longs for you far more passionately than that (James 4:5). He wants intimacy with you far more than you yourself have ever desired anything. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Sink your soul down luxuriously into the assurance of His loving response to you. Those who come to Him, He will never turn away. Use the eyes of your heart to look at Jesus, at His smile welcoming you ( Eph. Focus on the truth of His “very present” closeness (Ps. He is waiting there for you, eager for time with you. Believe that He got there to your meeting spot even before you did. When you come close to Him, do so with the underlying assumption that you will be rewarded. Approaching Him is the context of this same verse: “He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” He delights to reward our diligent seeking of Him. God is a “rewarder.” This means that rewarding us is not just something He does. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb.
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