
Daniel is a fascinating figure. At a young age, he was taken captive to Babylon. Along with his friends, he was enrolled in a three-year Babylonian training program meant to erase their Jewish identity and turn them into loyal Babylonians, fit to serve in the king's court. But there was something special about Daniel and his friends.
In the Bible, Babylon is more than just a city; it symbolizes rebellion against God, idolatry, immorality and human pride. When Daniel and his friends were taken there, they came to a kingdom steeped in idolatry, immortality and wickedness. Not only that, but they were also enrolled in Nebuchadnezzar’s school, to be taught the Babylons godless philosophy.
Nebuchadnezzar was serious about wiping out their Jewish identity. As part of their re-education, they were given new names.
Daniel, which means "God is my judge," was renamed Belteshazzar, meaning "Bel (a Babylonian god) protects the king."
His friend Hananiah, meaning "Yahweh is gracious," was called Shadrach, meaning "servant of Aku" (another Babylonian god).
Mishael, meaning "Who is like God?" became Meshach, meaning "Who is like Aku?"
Azariah, meaning "Yahweh has helped," became Abednego, meaning "servant of Nebo" (another Babylonian god).
It’s easy to understand that these name changes were highly offensive to Daniel and his friends. It must have been tough for them to sit in Babylon's classrooms, day after day listening to teachings filled with occult philosophy. We can only imagine how challenging it was for them to stay faithful to God in such an environment.
Yet, Daniel and his friends did not break under the pressure, nor did they display a victim mentality. On the contrary, they quickly rose to positions of influence. Before long, Daniel became the leader of all the wise men in Babylon (Daniel 2:48).
Living Godly in a Godless Culture
Babylon, in many ways, can be compared to today's culture – a culture in rebellion against God, where human pride is celebrated. A culture filled with immorality and idolatry, determined to influence churches and believers to conform to its ways.
Unfortunately, many Christians today lack the resilience that Daniel and his friends had. They often fall into the temptation of defiling themselves with the "king's delicacies" (Daniel 1:8) and easily adopt their new "Babylonian names."
One thing worth noting in the book of Daniel is that whenever Daniel refers to himself, he always uses his Jewish name, "I, Daniel," and when he speaks of his friends, he uses their Jewish names as well. It was like a subtle but firm resistance against the pressure to conform to the Babylonian culture.
They did not act like oppressed people, nor did they display any signs of a victim mentality. Yet, they didn’t lead protests in the streets of Babylon, nor did they organize uprisings against the godless culture they lived in. But while they didn’t march in protest, they made it very clear where they stood and what they refused to participate in.
A great example of this is when King Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden statue and ordered everyone to worship it. Even though Daniel and his friends worked for the king and obviously did their jobs well, they made it clear that they would not obey the king's decree to worship the statue – even if it meant death. Fearlessly, they stood tall and told Nebuchadnezzar:
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” – Daniel 3:16-18
The one who bows before God can stand upright, even before a narcissistic and mad ruler.
As we see in Daniel 2, Daniel and his friends were people who understood the power of prayer. Because of this, they were not intimidated by Nebuchadnezzar’s fury or threats.
At first, it looked like Daniel's friends were doomed, but God has the power to turn impossible situations into victories for His glory. In the end, Nebuchadnezzar commanded that everyone worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He declared, “I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” (Daniel 3:29).
Perhaps one reason we don’t see as many "godless kings" turning to God today is that we conform to the culture before God has a chance to deliver us from the “fiery furnace.”
We see the same when King Darius issues a decree that anyone who prays to any god or man other than the king for the next thirty days would be thrown into the lion’s den (Daniel 6:8). Daniel did not protest, but he was not willing to compromise either. This led to him being thrown into the lion’s den, but it was in this situation that God displayed His power so clearly that Darius ended up proclaiming:
“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” – Daniel 6:26-27
What Was Daniel’s Secret?
There is no doubt that we have much to learn from Daniel and his friends today. Like us they lived in a godless culture, yet they desire to remain faithful to our faith. But instead of letting the culture change them, Daniel and his friends received a special grace from God to have influence in the midst of a pagan culture.
Yes, there were people who hated them, and others who secretly plotted to remove them. Their decision not to compromise often placed them in situations where all hope seemed lost. But it was in those very situations that God showed His power. In the end, those who sought to remove Daniel and his friends were the ones who tasted their own medicine – whether in the fiery furnace or among hungry lions.
What Gave Daniel and His Friends Their Bold, Fearless Faith?
When we read about Daniel and his friends, it becomes very clear what the secret behind their unshakable faith was.
1 He had decided beforehand to live a godly life
One of the first things we read about Daniel is that he had "resolved in his heart not to defile himself" (Daniel 1:8). Daniel’s decision to live a holy life was not a spur-of-the-moment choice, but a predetermined stance.
This decision led to many challenges, and sometimes it seemed like he was risking his life by refusing to compromise. But it was precisely because he held fast to this decision that God could use him so powerfully – even in a culture marked by idolatry and immorality. The result was that Daniel was able to turn the demon-worshiping Nebuchadnezzar away from his pride. In his repentance,
Nebuchadnezzar declared:
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.” – Daniel 4:37
If we want to live holy and righteous lives in the midst of a godless culture, our attitude towards society’s wickedness cannot be a spontaneous impulses. Daniel knew what kind of culture he was entering and the challenges it would bring. But he was prepared and ready to stand firm when the temptation to compromise arose.
2 He had a committed prayer
Daniel’s prayer life was neither random nor based on how he felt that day – and it definitely wasn’t reduced to a quick 15-minute devotion before work. It says he prayed three times a day, and this was a routine he was not willing to compromise.
When a law was passed forbidding prayer to anyone but the king for thirty days, the first thing Daniel did was go home to pray – but not to the king (Daniel 6:10). Instead of closing the windows, drawing the curtains, and making sure no one could see him, he opened the windows wide. It was almost as if he was saying, "Look, I am praying – and I am praying towards Jerusalem."
Many Christians today might say, "It's only thirty days, let’s not make a big fuss." And if we are going to pray, we might think, "Let's do it in secret for the next thirty days, so no one notices." After all, Jesus did say, "... when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private." (Matthew 6:6).
But this was not Daniel’s attitude. Even though he worked for the king, it was God he served. He did his best to serve the king well, but when he heard about the law, his actions were clear: The king was not Daniel’s highest authority – and he had no intentions of hiding that.
3 He Had Godly Friends
If you’re familiar with Daniel’s story, you know that it’s not just about him. He had three close friends – Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. When things got tough, the first thing Daniel did was to contact his friends – not just to talk about how terrible things were, but to pray together.
Daniel did not have a superficial relationship with his friends. When Nebuchadnezzar promoted him, the first thing Daniel did was ensure that his friends were promoted too. It says that because Daniel asked the king his friends were placed in charge of the affairs of Babylon (Daniel 2:49).
Today, we see many “anointed” preachers making strong proclamations, but when we look at their friends, it’s often clear that they lack strong, godly friendships. You might be able to survive as a “lonely Christian” without a Christian community, but I believe it’s difficult to grow and develop as a believer without a fellowship of godly friends.
As Christians, we live as foreigners in a strange land, and if you want to live a holy life in a world full of ungodliness, you need friends who can stand with you – something Daniel understood very well. Daniel’s strength didn’t come only from his relationship with God, but also from the fact that he shared his faith with friends who had the same relationship with God.
What Can We Learn from Daniel?
Daniel teaches us that it’s possible to live a holy life in a godless world, and the secret to doing so becomes clear when we read his story. He had already made a clear decision to live a holy life; he had a committed and disciplined prayer life, which he wasn’t willing to compromise, even if it meant death; and he understood the importance of having godly friends.
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