There were four Hebrew children that were chosen because they were unblemished, well favored, wise, with knowledge and understanding: Daniel, Hnanaiah, Mishael, and Azariah (also known as Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego renamed after the king’s gods. When we think of these four Hebrew children that we learn about in the book of Daniel, we often think about the stance they made that landed them in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3) or the lion’s den (Dan. 6), but even as young children, when they were first captured to be groomed to become reeducated and become part of the King’s learned men, these children, though surely they felt fear, they did not bow down to fear.
It was an honor to eat the King’s meat and drink his wine, to enjoy the king’s delicacies. The four Hebrew children, though, decided that it is better to offend the King and die, than to disobey God and live…even with the pleasantries that the King’s palace promised. They refused to eat the king’s bounty because it had been sacrificed to idols, and instead they requested that they be tested on a diet consisting of only pulse which is vegetables and legumes. What would you give in exchange for your soul? (Mark 8:34-38)
In our society, people would have pronounced the Hebrew children as bigots, narrow minded, religious zealots, and fanatics. I’m quite sure they would have thrown in a few racist superlatives, as well. The media would rip them to shreds, and they would without a doubt “dox” them by announcing to the whole world who these Hebrew children are and where they live that dare to do something different, to not comply with mandates and rituals and laws. The media would hound them, and encourage their neighbors and families to act with the self-righteous, virtue-signaling, rebellious hostility to try to force the Hebrew children into compliance. They would feed them to the liberals with a little salt and pepper for extra flavor.
Today, don’t people already judge the mere act of eating and drinking as too small of a matter to be of any importance? Why should the four Hebrew children sacrifice the pleasures of food and drink? Afterall, don’t people say, “when in Rome, do as the Romans?” What is wrong with a little meat and a little drink? We have to blend in to make any difference in this world. No! That is in direct defiance of what the Bible tells us. We are told to stand out, to be a separate and holy people (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18). We are told that even a little leaven, leavens the whole lot, in other words, just a little sin corrupts completely (Galatians 5:9).
Even at his young age, Daniel knew God judges by God’s standards, not ours. What God calls sin, IS sin. Disobedience to God, even in what we may think is a small thing is still disobedience to a Holy and Righteous God. Disobedience, no matter how small, is still sin. What seems unimportant to us, may be very important to God. Doesn’t God know how many hairs are on our head (Luke 12:7)? It is so easy to accept and obey God’s laws when it is convenient to do so, while we reject others because it requires some sacrifice on our part. God wants to know who is faithful in the little things? IF you can’t be faithful in the little things, you will NOT be faithful in the big things (Luke 16:10).
As we read in the book of Daniel, we understand just how God honors our obedience to His will. God honors the sacrifices we make to obey His laws. God rewards liberally with blessings when we seek God’s approval rather than man’s approval.
Challenge: We, as God’s people who call ourselves by His name, NEED to stop being afraid to stand up and stand out! We are called to be set apart, to be that city on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matt. 5:13-20). If you keep trying to hide your candle under the bushel, your bushel is going to burn. Put your candle in the candlestick and hold it high to give light to a world that is getting darker and darker every day!
