BIBLICAL CHARACTER OF A YOUTH (PART 3)
( D A N I E L )
Romans 15:4
" For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, ..."
This is the concluding part of our series on the man Daniel which we began on 19/10/2022
Daniel was a youth who gave himself entirely to the service of Jehovah even at a time and place when serving Him was at its lowest ebb. He stood as a lone candle burning and shining in the dark. He was also comparable to a candle burning in the winds. Everything and everybody around him was anti-Jehovah! Yet, God could find a man in Daniel to trust and use. God is even now looking for youths to trust, so He could use them in this dark generation of ours. Will you make yourself available?
What were the other things about this Daniel that made him outstanding in his time, so much so that the king, even king Nebudchadnezzar on one occasion fell on his face to worship him, his captive-slave (Daniel 2:46). {Visit https://wordfortoday.netlify.app/ for our writing published on 19/10/2022 for the other factors that made the man Daniel thick in his generation.}
Let's continue from where we stopped:
(5) Daniel took risks for God, at the expense of his life. When he requested to be given vegetables instead of eating the king's meal, he knew he was at the risk of being out of the king's favour and eventual death should he be found haggard looking at the end of the ten days trial period (see Daniel 1:12-13). Furthermore, when he deliberately went to prayers even after he knew that the decree forbidding prayers had been signed into law, Daniel was taking a risk for God (see Daniel 6:10). In both of these instances and that of the three Hebrew children that refused to bow to king Nebudchadnezzar's golden image, God did not fail him/them as He showed up mightily on his/their behalf, with victory. As a youth, are you afraid to take risks for God? Then, CONSIDER DANIEL!
(6) Daniel refused to be corrupted in his dealings with others, especially in the discharge of his duties as a state official. Hear the Holy Ghost's testimony about Daniel: "Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him" (Daniel 6:4). Translated to our time, this means that as far as Daniel was concerned, you could not bribe him with money, or with your body or with your daughter or with cars or houses in choice locations in the world. Neither could you succeed using "long legs'' with Daniel. Daniel was very conscious of the presence of Jehovah, even in far away Babylon. Remember that Daniel lived at a time when every Israelite was made to believe in the presence of Jehovah only in Jerusalem; hence at prayer time, he opened his windows facing the location of God's holy city (Daniel 6:10). How much more should we fear God today, who we know not only to be everywhere, but in us and with us? (see 1Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 13:5). I pray that Daniel will not rise up in judgment with this generation of youths on the last day! (Lk 11:31,32).
(7) Daniel had the testimony from angels that he was a man greatly beloved of God (Daniel 9:23; 10:19). What could have earned Daniel this epitaph of being greatly beloved of God? Besides these reasons currently under discussion and probably others not mentIoned herein, l have discovered that Daniel warmed his way into Jehovah's loving heart by loving Israel his country and taking time to pray for the city of Jerusalem. Daniel, being a man of the Scriptures, knew too well Psalm 122:6-9, which enjoins us to pray for and seek the peace of Jerusalem. Besides, by books he understood that the time of Israel's freedom from Babylonian captivity had drawn close; so, he went into prayers (Daniel 9:2-19). Daniel never wanted the repetition of the blunder in Egypt where Israel stayed beyond God's stipulated period of 400 years, by 30 whole years! (Genesis 15:13-14; Exodus 12:40-41). Why would God not love such a man dearly?
Like the Israel of old, the Church is God's people of today. You cannot love and be concerned about the people of God (the Church) and God will not raise you up and bestow on you anointing and gifts to be a blessing to humanity. This was Daniel' secret of secrets that made him who he was! Let's take these things seriously and we'll be better for it in our time.
God bless your day!
PRAYER:
Dearest Heavenly Father, give me a good testimony that will be spoken of long after my departure from this sinful world, in Jesus name, amen.