DAY 339

YES AND NO!

Daniel 1 & 2 and 1 John 4

You might be thinking, “Oh no, another prophet during this time period. Well yes and no. Yes it is another prophet, and yes it is during this time period, but no, it is not a prophet speaking to the Jewish people, but instead one who speaks to the Babylonian king.

Let’s just review some world history: The book of Daniel opens with Nebuchadnezzar on the throne. The Babylonian dynasty has replaced the Assyrian. They were established as the dominant power when they defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish in 605 BC (we read about this at the end of Jeremiah). Nebuchadnezzar succeeded his father in 604 BC. He continued his father’s conquests and conquered Judah and sacked Jerusalem in 587-586 BC to include carrying off some its occupants…Daniel being one.

To press further in world history, Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC. His sons and grandsons were not very effective as leaders and there was a revolt, but the long a short of it is that by 539 BC the Babylonian Empire fell to the Persians under Cyrus’ rule (and after this the Near East was ruled by a succession of Persian rulers until its overthrow by Alexander the Great in 331 BC…enough with world history).

So we read of Daniel who is carried off by Nebuchadnezzar, but is still there for the first year of King Cyrus, (see v.21…so from 586 to say 539 BC…47 years!). Chapters 1 and 2 have to do with Daniel’s time with Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel’s “yes and no.”

Daniel and his companions say, “yes” to the king with respect to attending the three years of training (which sounds a bit like assimilation), but they say “no” to the food. They will not defile themselves. This “yes and no” living serves Daniel well. Then of course we have the dream with the successive kingdoms (which is one reason I offered some world history). Again Daniel says “yes” to answer the king (and save his life and the lives of others), but notice his says in effect a “no” to the king when the king asks if he can make known the dream and its interpretation. Daniel says “no, he cannot, but the Lord God in heaven can and has!”

Daniel brilliantly presents and interprets the dream as God lead him to do through a vision. He is promoted and all works out well…curious that our reading from 1^st John 4 discusses testing the spirits…The point today for me is that Daniel has found a powerful way to live in the middle of a culture and not be overtaken by it…and because he has found a way to do this, he is able to bear witness for God. They co-operate but do not compromise…that is their “yes and no.”

Perhaps a model for us in this day and age: what culture are you immersed in? Is it Christian or is it a secular culture? If it is a secular culture, then how might you co-operate but not compromise? Notice Daniel did not scold the king, rather he kept himself separate to a degree, and then used an opportunity to present God.

Oh by the way, 1^st John is beautiful, just read it and drink it in…perfect love casts out fear!