The Book of Daniel is one of the best datings back to time and history. The story tells about a period of almost three hundred years in Biblical history. It is a very interesting book, full of lessons, and it teaches us how God can be with us even when we are in crisis.
Daniel changed his name and his life because he was not satisfied with what he knew. He was determined to know more. He wanted to see the truth with his own eyes, even though it might hurt his own people. And as an act of faith, he chose to share these truths with others in other lands.
If you’ve been around here at ProBlogger for a while, you’ll know that I am fascinated by the book of Daniel. Daniel had everything going against him, but he still kept his faith and desire to serve God and honour him in the mess of circumstances he found himself in. Think about it – one minute he was a prince in a palace, and the next he was forced to eat the food of cows, horses, and dogs! We might not be thrown into such dire circumstances, but we can still learn lessons from what Daniel did.
Lessons From The Book Of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book of the Hebrew Bible. The book is composed of two parts, an introduction (chapters 1-6) and the main body (chapters 7-12), both in Aramaic, with some Hebrew and Aramaic expressions. It is written in a poetic style and has many visions.
The book deals with the life of Daniel, a prophet who lived during the Babylonian captivity of Israel. He reveals the divine meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue made up of four metals, the interpretation of King Belshazzar’s mysterious handwriting on the wall, his own career under Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian, as well as apocalyptic visions concerning God’s kingdom and its enemies.
The book has been read differently by Jews and Christians over time, but it has been influential in both faiths because it is considered to be prophecy that was fulfilled by later events such as Jesus’ crucifixion.
Have you ever played a game called Scruples? It’s a popular board game from the 1980s that asked the players questions regarding everyday ethical and moral dilemmas. For example:
- Your boss gives you expensive front row tickets to a hit play. You forgot to mark the date on your calendar and missed the performance. The next day your boss asks, “How was the play?”
Do you admit you missed it?
- You buy a cocktail dress for a special occasion. You wear it once and realize that you have little further use for it.
Do you return the dress as unworn and ask for a refund?
- A troublesome employee applies for a position in another department. You’re relieved.
When asked, do you give a glowing reference so the transfer can go through?
Testing Our Integrity
We are all confronted with situations and difficult decisions which test our integrity. But unlike the board game, the choices we make in reality have consequences which affect our daily lives: our character, our careers, our self-image, and our relationship with God.
We are tested on a daily basis with situations much like the game:
Do you lie about being able to meet a delivery deadline in order to win a business contract?
Do you steer a customer to purchase a product that is not the best fit for their needs, but will help you achieve a quota or receive a larger commission?
Do you scroll through your social media or make personal calls during work hours, in order to stay connected?
Is it okay simply because everybody else does it?
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3 Lessons from Daniel about Living a Life of Integrity
What Is Integrity?
Integrity can be a slippery word to pin down. In fact, it reminds me of an old joke:
You invite a philosopher into the room and ask, What is integrity? He says, Integrity is what you’re like when nobody’s around.
Next, you invite a businessman and ask him, What is integrity? And he says, Integrity is giving your word and keeping it.
Finally, you invite a lawyer into the room and ask, What is integrity? He quickly goes to the windows, pulls down the shades, and shuts the door. Then he comes over and whispers, What do you want it to be?
In actuality, integrity is derived from the root word “integer.” In math, an integer is a whole number (1, 2, 3, 4) as opposed to a fraction. So the idea of integrity concerns wholeness, completeness or entirety.
It’s also related to another word – integrated. Therefore, integrity is when all aspects of our lives are integrated and working together as a whole. A person who says one thing but does another is fragmented. That’s called hypocrisy. A person who does one thing today but does a contrary thing tomorrow is also fragmented. That’s called duplicity. But a person who speaks and acts with integrity has consistency, and has all aspects of life working together as a whole.
As Christ followers, we should naturally be people of high integrity, but many struggle with living out what they believe. Instead of being examples of faithfulness and consistency, people often wind up being examples of hypocrisy and duplicity.
We’ve all heard of Christian leaders who have preached holiness from the pulpit, only to come crashing down because of scandal. It is beyond disappointing, to be sure. But integrity is something we often demand from others, but don’t necessarily demand from ourselves. We talk the talk, but fail in the walk.
On Sunday, we say it’s better to serve than be served, yet on Monday we are self-promoting and demanding managers over our employees.
On Sunday, we affirm righteousness living, but on Monday, we cut corners, fudge expense accounts, use the company copy machine for personal jobs and break traffic laws.
Why do our actions so often contradict what we say we believe? I believe the answer is because there are just some things we don’t know.
Lessons from the Life of Daniel
“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it … Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king … But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:1, 3-5, 8).
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3 Lessons from Daniel about Living a Life of Integrity
- When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn, Trust in God’s Plan
Daniel was one of the young men taken back to Babylon to be trained as a civil servant. He was from a family of high social status, strikingly handsome and intelligent. In Judah, his life would have been quite predictable. He would go to a great school and then on to glittering success in whatever field he chose. He would have a great marriage, live in an enviable home, raise a wonderful family, occupy a prominent place in the temple and do great things for God.
But Daniel’s life took an unexpected turn. In a minute, Daniel lost his culture, his family and his friends. He would have to speak a foreign language and live and die in a foreign land as a slave to a tyrant.
Have you ever found yourself in Babylon before? Babylon is that place you end up when life does not turn out the way you planned. Maybe it happens when your marriage ends abruptly, or your big break fizzles out. Maybe it happens when an intimate friend wounds you deeply. Maybe it happens when you look around and it doesn’t appear like God is moving on your behalf the way you prayed.
We all find ourselves in Babylon at times, cut off from the life we planned for, prepared for and expected. It is at these times that we face the most difficult tests of our integrity. Will we toss character aside, take matters into our own hands, and respond in an un-Christlike manner? Or remain faithful and trust for God’s provision and protection?
Daniel did not throw in the towel on integrity; he didn’t get entangled in duplicity or hypocrisy. He chose consistency and he chose to live out loud what he believed. Daniel the prisoner, the foreigner, the teenager determined that he was going to live with integrity and do what was right in the eyes of God. And he refrained from eating the king’s food because the meat was from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods. He put his trust in God’s plan for his life!
When life takes an unexpected turn and you find yourself living in Babylon, and you are tempted to compromise your integrity, you need remember that God still has a plan for your life.
“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
…even when it doesn’t look that way.
God’s plan for us is better than our own plans for us. If you read the whole book of Daniel, you will find out that God’s plan for him was to impact and change Babylon, the most powerful kingdom on the earth at that time. Daniel trusted in the plan of God for his life, and he knew that God shows himself strong through people of integrity.
Leadership Lessons From The Book Of Daniel
The book of Daniel renders the story of Daniel perfectly from his youthful age to his old age one striking thing we see as we read the book of Daniel is his willingness to stand. Daniel refused to give in not even once to the temptations that were contrary to his faith his life teaches us the power of starting well. A good start will necessarily guarantees a good ending.
Daniel started strong, staying relevant all through, and finished strong. Never was he not in the time light. He was a man great wisdom, sought after by all the kings who ruled in his time. This 7 lessons from Daniel about faith will reveal some of the secrets for this life of relevance and lesson we can learn from his life about our faith.
DANIEL WAS A MAN TRUE TO HIS PRINCIPLE (DAN. 1:8)
Daniel was obviously a man who loved and obey God, from his young age his life’s principle has been developed in life with God’s expectation. Every time the opportunity presented itself for him to prove his allegiance to God, he grabs him with both hands. He was unwilling to compromise, he was true to his believes.
DANIEL HAD UNSHAKABLE TRUST IN GOD (1:11-13
Daniel’s life reveals the endless possibilities that awaits a man who dares put his trust in God. God is faithful and those who will trust him will see it. Daniel shows great respect to the stewards responsible for his diets. He explain things making him realize he was not going to have the diet as prescribed, instead something else be given to him. He trust God to come out even better are more nourished than those who had the exorbitant meal, commendable and should also challenge us to cast surrender our life totally to God’s care.
HIS FAITHFULNESS BROUGHT HIM EXCELLENCE
At every instant, Daniel was always 10 times better than his mates, God was with Daniel no doubts, and his life was full of excellence and honors. There was none as wise as he was. Daniel faithfulness to God was always instantly rewarded, God was not going to leave him in the strange land.
DANIEL USED HIS INFLUENCE TO THE GLORY OF GOD
In Daniel chapter 2, after he interpreted the dream of the king, the king was astonished and for once he proclaimed there was no God greater than the God of Daniel, when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. Unhurt and unharmed. The king made a decree that no one serve any other God but the God of Daniel. God wants us to use what he has given to us to draw men to him.
DANIEL’S CHARACTER WAS UNQUESTIONABLE
Daniel was a perfect man as it were, has his promotion gowns jealousy from his enemies grew. They knew he was a man of unquestionable character. No allegation will hold against him. His enemies made the king to pass a decrees that we affect his faith. Knowing, he will not compromise thy sought to destroy him but Daniel as usual came out clean. Honesty and truth are very crucial in our dealing with God and man. Bible says “when a man’s way pleases the Lord even his enemies is at peace with him.” Well, for Daniel’s enemies they were all destroyed.
GOD WAS HIS UTMOST PRIORITY
For Daniel, God was his utmost priority and nothing was going to change that, Daniel understood the consequences of breaking the king’s order, and he was ready to break them again and again every time they are contrary to the other of the king of Kings. Even in the face of Death, Daniel did not deny God. He was thrown into the lion’s den, but God saved him. When we put God first God will put us first in all our endeavor.
GOD IS ALWAYS PLEASED WITH THE RIGHTEOUS
Daniel life depicts (Isaiah 3:10), it is always well with the righteous and they always eat the fruit of the land. Due to Daniel’s great wisdom, he served as advisers to different kings until his old age. God is always ready to decorate our lives with his blessings every time we choose to stand for him
What Is The Main Message Of The Book Of Daniel
The main message of the book of Daniel is that God is in control. God is the sovereign ruler over nations and kings. He uses His people to accomplish His purposes, even in the midst of wicked persecution.
The book of Daniel contains many historical references and prophecies about future events that were fulfilled during the time period in which they were written. The book also has many parallels with other biblical books such as Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Zechariah.
The book also teaches us that we should not fear what man can do because God will always be with us and provide our needs when we are faithful to Him.
The main message of the book of Daniel is that God is in control.
Daniel and his friends had many trials and tribulations during their lives, but they always kept their faith in God. They knew that no matter what happened to them, God was always watching over them and would protect them from harm.
The book of Daniel also teaches us about the future of Israel and how it will be restored as a nation at the end of time.
The book of Daniel is a wonderful story of how God works in the lives of His people. It shows us that God is able to use anyone, no matter how young or old, how rich or poor, what nationality or race, what sex or social standing. This book teaches us about the character of God and about His power as well as His love for us.
The main message of the book of Daniel is that God loves His people and will do whatever it takes to preserve them from harm. He is sovereign over all things and will work things out for their good!
The book of Daniel is a collection of stories about people who trusted God when they were in difficult situations. They were faithful to him, even though they were mistreated by their enemies.
The book shows us how we can be faithful to God when we are in difficult situations. It also shows us how Jesus Christ will come again, and that he is coming soon.
The main message of the book of Daniel is that God is in control of human history and will bring it to a conclusion according to His will. The book has three parts: Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the king’s madness, and the four kingdoms.
In Chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a great tree with large branches that was cut down and thrown into the fire. A band of iron and bronze (representing Babylon) subdued it and made it grow again (Dan 2:33).
The second part of the book begins with Nebuchadnezzar being driven from his throne because he had become proud and arrogant (Dan 4:28-31). A new king named Belshazzar ruled over Babylon in his place (Dan 5:1-5). Belshazzar invited his nobles and guests to a banquet while they drank wine from the sacred vessels taken from Jerusalem during its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar. It was at this moment that a hand appeared out of nowhere and wrote on the wall saying that Belshazzar would be killed that night by Darius, king of Persia (Dan 5:25-30).