Main Idea: God’s people are to be in the world but not of the world.
A Quick Backdrop:
Daniel was a prophet during the Babylonian captivity, like Ezekiel was.
The book of Daniel opens by situating him amongst the first wave of captives (Dan. 1:1-2). They were taken from Jerusalem when King Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C., before he destroyed the city thirteen years later. Daniel was in Babylon until the reign of Cyrus, the Persian king who conquered Babylon (Dan. 1:21).
A Look at the Text:
After the Judean captives were taken to Babylon, the king commanded his chief eunuch to gather a group of the finer young captives from the Judean nobility to his palace (Dan. 1:3-4). There, they would then be taught the literature and language of the Babylonians (Dan. 1:4).
Amongst that company were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were all renamed with Babylonian names (the latter three are the famous Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). For three years they were to be instructed in the ways of the Babylonians, and they would be provided for with daily food by the king (Dan. 1:5).
To this, Daniel refused the king’s provision, asking for them to be given vegetables to eat instead (Dan. 1:8-13). When the chief of the king’s eunuchs doubted the idea, Daniel, in faith, told them to try it for ten days and then test them (Dan. 1:12-13).
Not only did their plan work as regards the food, but God grew them during this season, giving them great understanding (Dan. 1:17). As such, when they were tested after the three years, Daniel and his three friends were found to be incomparable in wisdom and understanding (Dan. 1:18-20).
Bringing it Home:
Daniel’s time in Babylon is a helpful picture for what it looks like to be “in the world” without being “of the world.”
Daniel and his friends were taken to be indoctrinated in the ways of the Babylonians and assimilated into their culture, yet they held fast to their consciences. In faith, they refused the king’s food that was, for some reason or another, unlawful for them to eat. Geographically, they might have lived in Babylon, but they were still going to live for their God.
Today, as believers, we find ourselves living in a world that in countless ways rejects God—a modern Babylon. There will certainly be times when obeying man would require disobeying God and vice versa. In these moments, we must remember where our primary allegiance lies.
At the same time, we should not yearn to escape the world.
Just as Jesus once prayed for His disciples, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). The world is the mission field. Yet the believer cannot reach the world by being like them. Instead, we must resolve to maintain our Christ-honoring distinctiveness as we strive to obey God’s Word in the midst of a world that has rejected Him.
Challenge:
Am I looking for an escape more than resolving to be faithful where God has uniquely placed me?