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| To Part 3 |
But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do
not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.
It would be naïve for us to think that the wise men of Babylon were ecstatic over Daniel being made the chief administrator over them (Dan 2:48). That position may have been vacated during they began killing the wise men (Dan 2:13) by royal decree to destroy all the wise men of Babylon (Dan 2:12) prior to Daniel’s intervention (Dan 2:16). How quickly they forgot if it was not for the new chief, they would all be dead, including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, but Yahweh would not allow Daniel & Co. to be touched by Nebuchadnezzar because as powerful a king that he was, the Creator God was Sovereign.
What is at the very core of a but if not faith is being Scripture-centric, not
just academically but applying the truth in the crucibles of life. It is not an
arrogant attitude of foolish religious men exerting and magnifying their egos,
“No one is going to tell me what to do!” Their response wasn’t calculated or
rehearsed; it was not a consensus between them but a natural byproduct of their
individual love for Yahweh (Deut 6:5). They were unified in their belief; they
were a godly team going down as one for God’s glory.
It would be naïve for us to think that the wise men of Babylon were ecstatic over Daniel being made the chief administrator over them (Dan 2:48). That position may have been vacated during they began killing the wise men (Dan 2:13) by royal decree to destroy all the wise men of Babylon (Dan 2:12) prior to Daniel’s intervention (Dan 2:16). How quickly they forgot if it was not for the new chief, they would all be dead, including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, but Yahweh would not allow Daniel & Co. to be touched by Nebuchadnezzar because as powerful a king that he was, the Creator God was Sovereign.
There are probably several reasons why the wise men of Babylon were not too thrilled with the king’s appointment of Belteshazzar (Daniel). The main motivator, in my opinion, was Daniel’s theology. The theological head over Babylon’s field of religion, which was comprised of nothing but polytheists (a belief in many gods), was a monotheist (a belief in one God)!
These men of the dark arts knew after their inability to tell the king’s dream almost cost them their very lives (Dan 2:5) that they could not request an audience with the king and give him their list of grievances on why his selection of Belteshazzar as chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon could not serve the best interest of the king, who himself is a polytheist, nor the empire. The only solution in their mind was creating an opportunity where a decree by the king would go against the law of God of Daniel & Associates, thus exposing the “hypocrisy” of their loyalty to their God over the king and his empire.
This tactical mindset happened twice in the book of Daniel. The first attack was sourced in religion mainly and involved Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the conspirators were the wise men of Babylon (Dan 3:8-12). Daniel was the primary target on their radar and his friends were secondary during the “Bowing On Nabu Day,” but he was not in attendance much to their disappointment; I am sure of it.
The second assault was political in nature and affected Daniel only, and his conspirators were the governors and satraps (Dan 6:4). Daniel was on the radar of his enemies during the “Thirty Days of Royal Petitions Only” under the Medo-Persian rule of Darius. Let’s look ahead at Daniel’s B.I.N. moment first to discover a shared tactic, and then we will return to Babylonian rule under Nebuchadnezzar and take a look at the B.I.N. moment of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah with Part 5 remaining and into the final article in Part 6.
When Medo-Persia took over the Babylonian kingdom in October 539 B.C. under Darius (Dan 5:31; 6:1),3 Daniel’s enemies under the new regime still could find no corruption in his conduct of government affairs; so, they attempted to find a way for him to violate the king’s mandate because it conflicted with the law of Daniel’s God (Dan 6:5). So, they tricked Darius into putting a 30-day moratorium on praying to a god or man, except to the king. All petitions are to be directed to Darius only during that period of time.
Flattery snookered the king into making an irreversible foolhardy decree. It could not be altered according to the law of the Medes and the Persians. Anyone found violating this edict, under pain of death, would be cast into the den of lions (Dan 6:7). Daniel’s enemies knew that he customarily prayed and gave thanks before his God three times a day. He had been doing this for quite some time (Dan 6:10). The setup was obvious.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God [knowing that he violated the king’s decree under pain of death, I might add], as was his custom since early days. His actions were transparent, not secretive (Dan 6:11).
With a B.I.N. kind of faith, Daniel made the intentional decision to continue his daily prays and thanksgiving to God, knowing the repercussions that his position would not immune him from being thrown into a den of lions. His relationship with God was more important to him than life itself. This was Daniel’s B.I.N. moment. Surely, he had to have known that if Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had experienced their B.I.N. moment, his B.I.N. moment was future. It wasn’t a matter of if but when; this is the nature of spiritual warfare, ongoing on this side of eternity.
Such subterfuge was the result of King Darius thinking of setting him [Daniel] over the whole realm (Dan 6:3). I can think of two governors and 120 satraps who were against that notion by the king. Why did they go through so much trouble? Well, it was a dangerous notion to oppose someone highly regarded by the king.
(Dan 6:4) So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him (emphasis mine).
(Dan 6:5) Then these men said, We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God (emphasis mine).
This was the case for the entire tenure of Daniel & Associates! Though it was not mentioned in the first incident, it is logical to assume they performed their duties to Nebuchadnezzar with impeccable service. The plot against them by the wise men of Babylon had to have concluded that the only way they were going to successfully get rid of Daniel & Co was to get the king to issue a decree that violated the law of their God.
This is why I think this animus was probably choreographed by pro-polytheists from the wise men of Babylon because there were certain Chaldeans who came forward and accused the Jews (in this case, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) for disregarding the king and not falling down and worshiping the golden image of Nabu (Dan 3:8-12). These Chaldeans were part of the wise men of Babylon (cf. Dan 2:2, 4, 5, 10-12), bingo!
Prior to the “Bowing On Nabu Day,” Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah obviously observed protocols in the administration of their duties working for Daniel and respectfully bowed and served King Nebuchadnezzar in the royal court, acknowledging his authority and faithfully carrying out their duties, but this was not an act of worship for Neb claimed no god status.
Bowing before this golden image was strictly forbidden by Mosaic Law and tantamount to idolatry. It is possible Daniel & Associates were the only Jewish men of that Dan 3:2 group who did not compromise their beliefs, and God honored that commitment and their B.I.N moment.
If they were other Jews in leadership within the empire and in attendance that day (Dan 3:3), then they were bowing for there was no mention of anyone being thrown into the furnace but Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego during the dedication ceremony. What was to be a celebration of solidarity and exposing disloyalty to the king within the leaders of the empire turned out to be a PR nightmare for the king; he so deserved it, but a great thing for Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel!
Monotheists represented a threat to the empire in the mind of the wise men; they desperately wanted Nebuchadnezzar to reach that same conclusion. They wanted the head of the snake on “Bowing On Nabu Day,” but they had to settle for the body, Daniel’s trusted consorts. In their mind, it would create a “domino” effect. If the head is still attached, it has to go with the body. The wise men wanted to restore the king’s faith and favor in them once again since the dream debacle (cf. Dan 2:11-13, 27 and 2:49). So much for showing their gratitude that their lives were spared by the God of Daniel and his three friends!
Given the fact as we know it, there was an expectation of all of Neb’s subordinates to fall down and worship this golden image of Nabu after the band struck up the new Babylonian tune, “Yes, we’ll gather at the image, the beautiful, the beautiful image” (Dan 3:5). Allegiance to Nabu was tantamount to allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar. Neb bought into that concept hook, line, and sinker which explains his fury and rage on a sunny and happy day in celebration of Nabu.
We do not want to overlook the blatant brutality of these ancient rulers endowed with unchecked powers unless Yahweh puts the brakes on their activities as in the furnace or in the den of lions, but all four still entered into the danger. Neither of them knew if this was the “it.” Neb was the most powerful ruler in the ancient world; men like him had the power of life and death with no earthly accountability, impatient in wasting time to win the affection or allegiance of their subjects; they demanded it or else. The binary rule of a tyrant was either/or, quite a simplistic governance.
(Dan 3:20) And he [Nebuchadnezzar] commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
They were all in now. A B.I.N. kind of faith is one that thrives in the furnace or outside of it, within the den of lions or outside of it. It doesn’t respond to the heat emanating from the circumstances of life or that which wanted to savagely consume you. These godly men were already committed to purity in holiness before Yahweh and passionate in their love and loyalty to Him and to Him alone. What we have here is a testimony of a B.I.N. kind of faith of three men that is rare and marvelous, indeed! What beauty came forth out of hell-like conditions! Daniel shared the same quality of faith as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, a but if not faith.
Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Darius was grieved that he was duped into making a decree prohibiting any prayers to any god or man, except for petitions to Darius himself. Daniel’s enemies took advantage of the king, and he was greatly displeased with himself (Dan 6:13-23). You know what happened to the men (along with their families!) who wrongly accused Daniel (Dan 6:24).
Darius ended up making a favorable decree similar to Nebuchadnezzar (Darius: Dan 6:26-27; Neb: Dan 3:28-29). Rom 8:28 comes to mind. But if it didn’t become a reality, these men would have entered into the maelstrom anyway. My faith stature is about, say, 2 inches right now compared to these spiritual giants of a B.I.N. kind of faith.
Though they were forced to leave Judah for Babylon in 605 B.C., Daniel & Associates remained godly men in a very pagan culture. You say we have no trouble with idolatry in America or it being part of a world system in opposition to God? America’s ethics and morality are declining. With the motto, “In God We Trust,” we have to stop and ask, “Which God or god, does this have reference to?”
Have we stopped bowing to the god of self-centeredness? Are we sacrificing all for the god of materialism? Idolatry is anything that competes with the will of God for our lives; it doesn’t have to be made of stone, wood, or metal. It can be a soft idol, like the worship of self, the love of money, control, a Judges 21:25 mindset, etc. Idolatry leads to a world of hurt. Samaria knew in 722 B.C. Judah realized it in B.C. 605, 597, 586.
You shall have no other gods before Me... you shall not bow down to them nor serve them… (Ex 20:3, 5a).
What part of that are we unclear about? At times, my friends, it may seem like we are losing for doing right when all others are doing wrong and prospering and having fewer issues. Regardless of what others who claim to be Christians think, say, or do, our rule of life, our moral compass, are the Scriptures in or out of B.I.N. moments.
This was the determination of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They ran on a B.I.N. faith. Is this not what we should do, treating the Word of God as the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and practice until we R.I.P. or are raptured. A B.I.N. kind of faith in its public expression coincides precisely with the teaching of Scripture. <><
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3. The historicity of Daniel has been challenged for many moons because there is no historical evidence of the existence or reign of Darius the Mede outside the biblical record. I have my opinion, but it is not the scope of this article to unfold the arguments concerning Darius who took over Babylon at the tender age of 62 (Dan 5:31; cf. Dan 6:28).
What I do know is this; should any evidence be uncovered in the future that a person by the name of Darius began ruling Babylon in 539 B.C., the critics of the Bible will simply drop it like a hot potato and go on to the next controversy without apology.
Their worldview approach is not to seek the truth but to find where the biblical record is in error because they are dead certain the Bible is a creative work of man. Few, if any, of the critics of Scripture will ever admit they were wrong. When the Hittite civilization was ever mentioned in the biblical record, there was a wave of criticism from the “intellectual” elite because there was not any historical evidence validating the biblical record.
Once the Hittites were found to exist in ancient history, the critics went silent without apology for demeaning those who believed in the biblical record over the lack of historical evidence. The critics simply went into the next mode. Such conduct was and still is appalling. Their only objective is going to the next supposed error. It is striking to me that this is precisely the same Mode of Operandi of one of our political parties today along with the complicity of social media and the majority of news outlets. If it wasn't for hypocrisy, there would be no standards, right?
Over the years, I have seen this time and time again with liberal mindsets attacking the Word of God. As long as Satan, who is the father of lies, remains on the prowl, such destructive criticism will continue unabated: next, next, next, to ad nauseam without apology. This is how they unashamedly operate, and that’s my story, and this one particular “deplorable” is sticking to it! <><
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| To Part 5 |
