Thriving In A Hostile World
Pastors Leslie & Adeline Chua
“Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.”
Our culture is getting increasingly hostile toward the Christian faith.Christians who practise their faith seriously cannot fail to notice this concerning trend. Many are feeling the pressure.
As the moral values in our society continue to plummet, it will become harder for Christians to stand their ground. Biblical and conservative values are largely frowned upon. They are viewed as old-fashioned, and incompatible with the time. For instance, to hold the view that abortion and homosexual lifestyle are morally wrong is considered intolerant. In the future, such a view would potentially be deemed as hate-speech.
The sooner Christians, especially the young ones, learn that our beliefs and values are opposite to those of the world, the better. If you live by them, which you ought to, you will stand out like a sore thumb, and nobody is going to like you.
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Things will get worse
as we march toward the end of this present age.
The spirit of lawlessness is going to be manifestly at work.
Christians should expect persecution. ____________________________________________
Jesus warned that the world would hate you, just as it hated Him. Jesus said, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). This is not an encouraging word. Nevertheless, it is the truth.
If you have not experienced this hate or any kind of push back at all, you are probably having a cosy friendship with the world. You identify with its ways and values. Be careful because “friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).
Things will get worse as we march toward the end of this present age. The spirit of lawlessness is going to be manifestly at work. Christians should expect persecution.
Given the hostile outlook, how can Christians live? How can we thrive and shine for Jesus?
Daniel & His Friends
The lives of Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, provide us with a template of how to thrive in a hostile environment.
These teenage Jewish boys were thrust into a terrifying alien world when King Nebuchadnezzar raided Jerusalem and carried them to Babylon. Because of their noble background and fine academic qualities, they were taken to the king’s palace to be trained to serve in the Babylonian court.
King Nebuchadnezzar was an astute ruler. Instead of disposing of the cream of the crop of his enemy, he treated them well, trained them, and then co-opted them to serve in his sprawling administration.
For three years, Daniel and his friends were educated in the Babylonian language, literature, and philosophy. This was an immersion programme to assimilate them into the Babylonian culture and way of thinking. Basically, the boys were indoctrinated. New names, bearing the signatures of the Babylonian gods, were given to them.
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They were counter cultural.
Yet, they thrived in their hostile environment. ____________________________________________
These four young lads had a culturally, intellectually, and spiritually more challenging experience than most people ever experienced. Despite all this, it is amazing how they responded. They did not succumb to the ways and follow the values of the Babylonians. They continued to march to the drumbeats of the Lord their God and followed His direction.
They were counter cultural. Yet, they thrived in their hostile environment.
How did they accomplish that? What did they do?
Drawing the Line
First, Daniel and his friends drew the line on the sand. They resolved to control their appetite by abstaining from the delicacies of the king’s table lest they became defiled (Daniel 1:8).
Though they were young, they were God-fearing and clear-minded. They would not defile themselves with the king’s food. Probably because the food was not kosher. That is,it was either sacrificed to other gods or unclean.
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If you cannot not control your appetite,
you would lack the will power
to control other human impulses,
including vices. ____________________________________________
Notice that their resolve was made on the simplest of things, namely, food. The ability to control your appetite speaks volume. Have you ever wondered why gluttony is considered as one of the seven deadliest sins? Because it is no small matter. If you cannot not control your appetite, you would lack the willpower to control other human impulses, including vices.
Nearly all sensual temptations go through the eyes.The appetite of our eyes is insatiable. The inability to control the eye-gate has serious implications for our soul. The apostle, John, cautioned about “the desires of the eyes” (1 John 2:16).
Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6:22).
You must train your appetite. The lack of self-control will dull your spiritual senses and renders you spiritually ineffective.
I learned an old English proverb during my primary school days. A small leak will sink a great ship. In the same way, a little compromise today will likely lead to a bigger sin later. Our conscience gets numb to sin progressively if we are not careful.
Therefore, decide in your heart to walk faithfully in the ways of God. Do not turn to the right or left. Do not let sin have a foothold in your life. Draw the line of resistance in your heart and determine never to cross it. Not even by a bit.
Refusing to Bow
Second, Daniel and his friends refused to bow to pressure, even when it meant death.
We are familiar with the pressure to conform, whether it is to the behaviour of our peers or cultural standards. The punishment for non-conformity is usually subtle but tangibly felt. Most people fear rejection or being disadvantaged in some ways.
Hananiah, Mishael and Abednego experienced worse. King Nebuchadnezzar issued a decree. If they did not bow down to the golden image, which the king had set up, they would be thrown into a burning furnace.
Despite the threat of death, the three boys were adamant not to bow their knees to the golden image. Nebuchadnezzar liked them. So, he gave them a chance to change their minds, but they refused to comply with his order.
Obey the government? Not when it contradicts the clear teaching in the Scripture.
They were prepared to die. They testified that they would only worship Yahweh God.
Daniel 3:16-18 (ESV)- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”So, they were thrown into the furnace.
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The hostile culture wants you to bend your knees
and bow your heart to its dictates,
but you cannot give in. ____________________________________________
Miraculously, God intervened and saved them. They were not burnt at all. The king was astonished. He issued a royal statement praising God and he promoted the 3 young men.
The hostile culture wants you to bend your knees and bow your heart to its dictates, but you cannot give in. You must not compromise your allegiance and loyalty to our Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot compromise your biblical beliefs and values.
Stand firm on your Christian faith and convictions!
Testifying Boldly
Third, Daniel and his friends testified of their God boldly in the face of opened hostility.
They testified with their lives. They also testified with their words when given the opportunities to do so. Sometimes, as we notice in their stories, these opportunities presented themselves under extremely perilous circumstances. One wrong move or word and they would be dead. Yet, they did not shrink from their gospel responsibilities. They understood their calling to be a light in a dark world, and they were prepared to put their lives on the line.
Recognise the significance of their task. They testified to the king and court officials of the Babylonian Empire. In the bible, Babylon represents the embodiment of evil and rebellion against God and His purposes since the Tower of Babel incident.
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Yet, they did not shrink from their gospel responsibilities.
They understood their calling to be a light in a dark world,
and they were prepared to put their lives on the line.
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These young lads were equal to their tasks. They were courageous. We have noted the bravery of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. What about Daniel?
When King Nebuchadnezzar had a second dream, it disturbed him greatly. Daniel interpreted the dream, which was a bad omen for the king. Nebuchadnezzar would lose his senses for seven years until he acknowledged that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will” (Daniel 4:25).
Imagine telling the king that and explaining that the reason behind the divine judgement was his pride.
Daniel was diplomatic but he revealed the interpretation of the prophetic dream without sugar-coating its meaning.
He went further and beseeched the king to repent – “Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity”(Daniel 4:27).
God’s Rewards
Daniel and his three friends drew the line on the sand, refused to bow to pressure and testified boldly of God.
Because they were faithful to God and to their calling, God rewarded them richly.
God gave them knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Daniel was given insights into mysteries, dreams, and visions of all kinds. Their standard was ten times better than their contemporaries.
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God gave them knowledge, understanding and wisdom…
God also blessed them with favour and honour. ____________________________________________
God also blessed them with favour and honour. They were promoted to become the king’s advisors. Every crisis turned into an opportunity where they got promoted further. Daniel soon became the ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men.
Marching to a Different Drumbeat
Followers of Christ have always been counter-cultural since the beginning of Christianity. It is never easy to be a square peg in a round hole, but that is how it is. We march to a different drumbeat, and we listen to a different voice. We are not afraid of intimidation, and we will not be deterred by persecution.
The days ahead will become darker. Hostility against Christianity will increase. This is a given. But let us resolve to be faithful in our calling to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
When we draw the line on the sand, refuse to bow and testify boldly of God and the gospel of His Kingdom, we will shine like stars. His favour will be upon us and we will thrive.