Daniel 1:2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Peter Masters was a British commando who was part of the D-day invasion against Normandy and Hitler’s Atlantic wall. He had an extreme secret. He wasn’t British and his name wasn’t Peter Masters. He was Jewish, and he had been given a cover story and a new name in order to protect him in case he fell into the hands of the Nazis.
Throughout time and history, God’s people, the Jewish people, have been scattered throughout the entire world with different names, different backgrounds, and different faces. Sometimes others have not known they are Jewish, yet as a whole these people have thrived and done remarkably well. Sometimes these Jewish people have had to learn to “play the game” of the land wherein they found themselves.
The same is true of God’s people both Jew and Gentile who have put their faith and trust in God’s Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. So many times wherever we find ourselves, we know the game that we have to play in order to survive. Daniel reminds us that you can either play the game or you can just trust God.
When Daniel was taken captive in 586 B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar and the conquering Babylonian army, Nebuchadnezzar tried to do three things with Daniel and others like him, captives who were smart and strong. He taught them the learning of the Chaldeans, he nourished them for three years, and he gave them names. These were not Jewish or godly names. They were names of pagan gods. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, for instance, were not their given names, but names given to the three Hebrew children by Nebuchadnezzar.
Very quickly, Daniel discovered he could either play the game by ingratiating himself with the court or he could live by conviction and trust God. Now what came of all this is evident because Daniel outlived three kingdoms and four kings. While Daniel courteously appealed to the man in charge of the captives like himself, he did not defile himself with the king’s meat which was not fitting for a Jewish young man. Daniel said, “Just test us.” What gave Daniel the conviction to trust God and to not play the game in order to further his own agenda, his own life?
Well, three times in Daniel 1 the Bible makes it clear that God was in control. This sets the theme for the entire book. Verse 2 says, “And the LORD gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand.” God gave His own people to Nebuchadnezzar whom God had once called “my servant Nebuchadnezzar.” Nebuchadnezzar took the silver and all the vessels of the house of God and brought them before his god, as if his god had given him victory. His god had not. The Bible says, “The Lord gave…”
Verse 9 says, “Now God had brought Daniel unto favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.” This is not a matter of Daniel being charming. This is a matter of God. God brought Daniel into favor for a reason which unfolds in the book of Daniel and beyond. Verse 17 says, “As for these four children [Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego], God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” Again, that is laying the groundwork for what Daniel would be given by God.
In short, Daniel knew that God was in charge. No matter who reigns, God rules. Today, whether it is your family, your work, your peers, or your friends, you can play the game. You know the level of honesty, the concessions, and the cultural norms that you have to agree to or else you won’t be furthered in your career, social life, or some other area. You can play the game or you can just trust God.
In order to trust God you must know what God has said. Conviction comes by knowing what God has said, and courage comes by living on your convictions. But you have to know what God has said. Once you know what God has said, you have to decide if you are going to play the game or trust God. Daniel trusted God and he thrived. You should trust God, and if you do, God will see to it that right prevails.