Nowhere in the Bible do we get a clearer picture of the nature of Babylon than in the book of Daniel. The book bears the name of its author, one of the most prominent exiles who was forced to march to Babylon when King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem nearly six centuries before the birth of Christ.

 

            Studying Daniel’s story—and his devotion to the Lord—will help us to learn how God’s servants can live boldly, yet graciously, in a godless culture. Throughout the book of Daniel, we are reminded that earthly kingdoms will come and go, but what’s done for the Kingdom of God by His children will endure for eternity. 

 

            Good men such as Daniel and his three godly associates did not prevent the fall of Babylon. That was not their purpose. But they did prevent themselves from falling into the lure of compromise that would have swept them into perdition along with Babylon. Standing up for God in Babylon was not easy. It took enormous courage, conviction, faith, endurance, and prayer. And that’s what it will take, today, to save us, this country, and the world from an increasingly godless generation that is bent on following the ways of Babylon into destruction.

 

            So what do we do? What actions can we take? How do we stand up today in our own Babylon-like culture?

 

Six Ways to Stand Up Today as Daniel Did in His Culture:

 

  1. Be faithful: Honoring God and His Word, day in and day out, as a reflection of His holiness is the best way to influence a culture of ungodliness. “Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding’” (Daniel 2:20-21).

 

  1. Be gracious: Show gracious restraint and respect to authority even when our Christian beliefs may conflict. “Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm” (Daniel 6:3).

 

  1. Be vigilant: Pray for God’s intervention and guidance in matters we feel are beyond our control. “Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).

 

  1. Be steadfast: Trust in God and have unwavering faith and resolve that He is in control and will deliver the ultimate victory. “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him” (Daniel 6:22).

 

  1. Be strong: Ask God to give us the strength, yet humility, to demonstrate God’s message to our culture in truth with grace, love, and compassion. “But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days” (Daniel 2:28).

 

  1. Be consistent: Changing our culture will not be a sprint, but a marathon. Daniel was consistent and so should we be.  “Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus” (Daniel 1:21). 

 

Though an exile in a foreign land, Daniel and his associates never strayed in their faithfulness to the Lord—despite their being ample opportunity to do so. Instead, they remained steadfast in their own customs such as dietary regulations and worship practices. But by showcasing the six characteristics we discuss above—faithfulness, graciousness, vigilance, steadfastness, strength, and consistency—these young men exemplified what it meant to stand up for God and His ways in a culture that is chaotic and destructive.

 

As a result of his actions and dedication, Daniel was greatly used by the Lord to display His absolute sovereignty to Babylon—and King Nebuchadnezzar. By persevering in the Name of the Lord, Daniel eventually rose to a position of power in Babylon, where he was able to do even greater works for his God.

 

When we feel as if all hope has been lost, we must remind ourselves of the book of Daniel. By capturing his qualities and implementing them in our own lives, we are also able to live boldly, yet graciously in a godless culture.


David Jeremiah is the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church and the founder and host of Turning Point for God. For more information about Dr. Jeremiah or Turning Point, visit www.DavidJeremiah.org.