This post is written by Shaq Hardy and is published as a companion to Unit 16, Session 2 of The Gospel Project for Adults Vol. 6 (Winter 2022-23): From Captivity to Restoration.
The first chapter of the book of Daniel is an incredible story of faithful resolve in a seemingly impossible situation. In Daniel 1 we see that as a part of the Babylonian captivity, King Nebachudnezzer had young men of royal and noble decent brought into his palace in order to indoctrinate them on the ways of the Babylonians. This essentially spelled disaster for Israel’s way of life. But Daniel and his friends, who were a part of this group of royal and noble young men, resolved to not allow themselves to be defiled before God.
Today, even though we are not facing what Israel faced in the Babylonian Captivity, we live in a world that is constantly asking us to compromise on what we believe. Our ability to compromise is literally at our fingertips every single day. But our resolve must be to remain faithful to God. God will reward our faithfulness in ways that we can’t even begin to imagine. Ultimately, God’s reward for faithfulness is an eternity with His Son without the stain of sin. But for now, we live in a broken world full of broken demands on our lives. But God’s word reminds us that faithfulness to God is worth it.
Here are 3 things that we see in Daniel 1:8-21 that God rewards us with when we are faithful to him:
1. Favor
In verses 8-10, Daniel and his friends resolve to not defile themselves with the king’s food and wine. But they didn’t allow their resolve to cause them to disrespect anyone in the king’s household, most of all the chief of the eunuchs. It’s really important to note that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah didn’t do anything extreme or public in their attempt to abstain from the food or the drink. They, with honor and respect, asked the chief of the eunuchs if they could not defile themselves. Something else important to note is that his response was no. But in verse 9, we also see that God had given them favor in his eyes. He didn’t grant their request, but he also didn’t report them to the king which could have gotten them in a lot of trouble.
Even though our faithfulness to God may not always get us what we’re asking for, when we’re faithful to God in the face of pressure, our chances of being granted favor in the sight of people is far greater when we show people that we honor and respect them.
2. Relationship
In verses 11-16 we see Daniel and his friends rewarded with what they were seeking, the ability to not defile themselves with the king’s food and wine. This was the greatest reward they received because they weren’t just attempting to adhere strictly to the law, they didn’t want to be defiled before God. Meaning that they wanted to remain in right relationship with God.
When we are faithful to God in the face of pressure, our faithfulness strengthens our relationship with God by allowing us to see that we can trust Him to be faithful. Our faithfulness doesn’t save us; Jesus’s faithfulness is what saves us. Our faithfulness simply helps us to live the way God made us to live, in a relationship with Him.
3. Kingdom Advancement
In verses 17-21, God rewards the faithfulness of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, in ways that they probably hadn’t imagined. But everything that God had gifted them with, he gave them in order to advance God’s mission of making his name known in all the earth.
One of the greatest rewards that we receive for remaining faithful to God are opportunities to advance the kingdom of God. Every gift, reward, blessing, or whatever you want to call it, that you receive from God is meant to point to God. God desires to use you and all that he has given you to bring salvation to those around you. So remain faithful to God, and watch him do things in and through you that you may never have imagined doing. As John Piper is often quoted saying, “God, at any given moment in your life could be doing 10,000 things, and you may be aware of three of them.”[1]
Shaq Hardy and his wife, Racheal, live in Asheville, North Carolina, where they are committed to faithfully serving the high school students of Biltmore Church. He is currently a student at Southeastern Seminary and is passionate about being a part of life-change, whether through sharing a sermon or through intentional life-on-life discipleship.
[1] John Piper, “God Is Always Doing 10,000 Things in Your Life,” Desiring God, Jan. 1, 2013, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/god-is-always-doing-10000-things-in-your-life.
