Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Daily Bible Reading - January 5 - Sin
It would be great if the Bible ended at Genesis 2 - man and woman in a sinless, deathless, curse-less paradise. But it doesn't. Instead, in Gen. 3 Adam and Eve sin, and the rest of the Bible in one way or another deals with that fundamental problem. And as Gen. 4 shows, the problem sin only gets worse, destroying man's relationship with his fellow man as well as with God. Isn't great to then turn to Mark 2, where in the story of the healing of the paralytic Jesus proves that "the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins." And indeed, all of Jesus' miracles (nature miracles, healings, exorcisms), demonstrated His great power over Satan, and His ability to undo the curse of sin on mankind. So much of Genesis is bad news - it is good to read some good news with it!
Daily Bible Reading - January 4 - Beginnings
The first day's reading focuses on two great "beginnings." The first is the creation of the world, in Gen. 1-2, and the second is "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God," in Mark 1. Since it is through Jesus that we can become a "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17), placing these accounts side by side is a great reminder of the power of God over the material and the spiritual. And of course, the Bible also portrays God the Son as the agent of physical creation, just as He is of the spiritual creation (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:15-16).
Daily Bible Reading - Intro
Many of you have used the great daily Bible reading schedule assembled by Mark Roberts. Four years ago I introduced it to the church here, and I decided to make it a point of emphasis once more this year. I am going to do some blogging through the readings. I am a little behind already, so I am going to post a couple of thoughts about the first three readings today.
Incidentally, Happy New Year! I am going to try to be a more consistent blogger this year, but I make no guarantees!
Incidentally, Happy New Year! I am going to try to be a more consistent blogger this year, but I make no guarantees!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Acts: Authorship, Date and Purpose
AUTHORSHIP
Testimony in early church history is very straightforward that Luke, the beloved physician and traveling companion of Paul, wrote the third gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.
The evidence in the text supports this tradition:
-Based on Luke 1:1-4, the author was not an eyewitness but was associated with eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and ministry.
-Based on Acts 1:2, the author was not an apostle.
-The author joined Paul at Troas in Acts 16:10, the first use of "we" in the book.
-The style and quality of the Greek suggests the author was well educated.
-The author includes himself in the company of Paul during the Roman imprisonment at the conclusion of Acts.
Using Paul's epistles written during this time (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), we can compare who was with Paul during this imprisonment, and eliminate those mentioned by name in Acts from the list of potential authors (since the author simply refers to himself in the first person ("we"). That process very quickly leaves only a handful of people who could have written the book, with Luke the obvious choice.
Luke is mentioned by name only three times in the NT (Col. 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Tim. 4:11). From Colossians 4:14 we learn that Luke was a physician, and since Paul did not list Luke in the group of Jewish companions in Col. 4:11, we can infer that Luke was a Gentile. And of course this matches what we deduced earlier: the author was a well-educated man who was not an apostle but who was associated with them.
DATE
The Book of Acts ends with Paul's imprisonment in Rome for two years, which based on other factors of chronology must be dated around AD 62. At that point the book abruptly ends, making no mention of the crucially important events that followed quickly:
RECIPIENT
Luke-Acts is written to the "most excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:1-3). Other than the fact that such a description - "most excellent" - was used of one with social standing, nothing is known of the recipient of Luke-Acts. Based on Luke 1:1, where Luke speaks of what has happened "among us," it is possible that Luke is including Theophilus in the Christian movement. Some have suggested that Theophilus was a recent convert, and that Luke was writing (at least in part) to explain the movement he had recently joined.
PURPOSE
As we discussed last week, Acts is doubly parallel. It is parallel in its entirety with the gospel of Luke, and its two halves (Acts 1-12 and 13-28) are parallel to each other. So the content of Acts is clearly written with a view to showing the continuation of the work of Jesus in the lives of His disciples, and to show that Paul was following the same course of ministry as Peter.
But what prompted Luke to write this book? I would like to suggest that while Acts serves many purposes, the specific occasion that prompted its writing was Paul's trial. This book served as a virtual legal brief in preparation for Paul's trial at Rome, exonerating the Christian movement in general, and Paul's ministry in particular.
In the first half of Acts, Luke shows that the early believers were held in high regard by the populace (2:47), and that opposition was limited to the Sadducees (4:19-21; 5:17-18). This all changed with the trial and murder of Stephen, which was precipitated by "false witnesses" (Acts 6:13). At the end of the first half of the book, James was murdered by Herod Agrippa, and Peter imprisoned, only to miraculously escape, while Herod was struck down by God (as even Josephus reported).
In the second half of Acts, Luke is insistent that Paul's ministry followed the law, and that for the most part the disturbances that clouded his ministry were caused by the same kind of disgruntled Jews who harassed Christians in Acts 1-12. Notice these key episodes:
Testimony in early church history is very straightforward that Luke, the beloved physician and traveling companion of Paul, wrote the third gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.
The evidence in the text supports this tradition:
-Based on Luke 1:1-4, the author was not an eyewitness but was associated with eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and ministry.
-Based on Acts 1:2, the author was not an apostle.
-The author joined Paul at Troas in Acts 16:10, the first use of "we" in the book.
-The style and quality of the Greek suggests the author was well educated.
-The author includes himself in the company of Paul during the Roman imprisonment at the conclusion of Acts.
Using Paul's epistles written during this time (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon), we can compare who was with Paul during this imprisonment, and eliminate those mentioned by name in Acts from the list of potential authors (since the author simply refers to himself in the first person ("we"). That process very quickly leaves only a handful of people who could have written the book, with Luke the obvious choice.
Luke is mentioned by name only three times in the NT (Col. 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Tim. 4:11). From Colossians 4:14 we learn that Luke was a physician, and since Paul did not list Luke in the group of Jewish companions in Col. 4:11, we can infer that Luke was a Gentile. And of course this matches what we deduced earlier: the author was a well-educated man who was not an apostle but who was associated with them.
DATE
The Book of Acts ends with Paul's imprisonment in Rome for two years, which based on other factors of chronology must be dated around AD 62. At that point the book abruptly ends, making no mention of the crucially important events that followed quickly:
- the outcome of Paul's trial
- the fire in Rome in AD 64 and subsequent Neronian persecution
- the martyrdom of Peter and Paul around AD 67
- the destruction of the temple in AD 70
RECIPIENT
Luke-Acts is written to the "most excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:1-3). Other than the fact that such a description - "most excellent" - was used of one with social standing, nothing is known of the recipient of Luke-Acts. Based on Luke 1:1, where Luke speaks of what has happened "among us," it is possible that Luke is including Theophilus in the Christian movement. Some have suggested that Theophilus was a recent convert, and that Luke was writing (at least in part) to explain the movement he had recently joined.
PURPOSE
As we discussed last week, Acts is doubly parallel. It is parallel in its entirety with the gospel of Luke, and its two halves (Acts 1-12 and 13-28) are parallel to each other. So the content of Acts is clearly written with a view to showing the continuation of the work of Jesus in the lives of His disciples, and to show that Paul was following the same course of ministry as Peter.
But what prompted Luke to write this book? I would like to suggest that while Acts serves many purposes, the specific occasion that prompted its writing was Paul's trial. This book served as a virtual legal brief in preparation for Paul's trial at Rome, exonerating the Christian movement in general, and Paul's ministry in particular.
In the first half of Acts, Luke shows that the early believers were held in high regard by the populace (2:47), and that opposition was limited to the Sadducees (4:19-21; 5:17-18). This all changed with the trial and murder of Stephen, which was precipitated by "false witnesses" (Acts 6:13). At the end of the first half of the book, James was murdered by Herod Agrippa, and Peter imprisoned, only to miraculously escape, while Herod was struck down by God (as even Josephus reported).
In the second half of Acts, Luke is insistent that Paul's ministry followed the law, and that for the most part the disturbances that clouded his ministry were caused by the same kind of disgruntled Jews who harassed Christians in Acts 1-12. Notice these key episodes:
- In 16:20-21 Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed in Philippi after casting out an unclean spirit. When the magistrates ordered their release the next day, Paul refused to leave until his rights as a Roman citizen were acknowledged, striking fear in the hearts of the magistrates, who apologized to Paul for his treatment.
- In 18:12-17 the proconsul Gallio refused to hear the case brought against Paul by Jews in Corinth, dismissing their complaints as arguments over Jewish law.
- In 19:35-40, the town clerk of Ephesus quelled a riot that was sparked by Paul's preaching about idolatry by insisting that the proper legal process be followed.
- In 21:33-39 and 22:24-29, the commander in charge of the garrison in Jerusalem rescued Paul from a mob and learned that Paul was a Roman citizen (which caused him to be alarmed since he had threatened to beat Paul).
- When a plot to murder Paul was uncovered in 23:12-22, the commander (who is finally named - Claudius Lysias), wrote a letter to the governor in Caesarea in 23:26-30 explaining the need to transfer Paul (while admitting that Paul had done nothing worthy of punishment).
- In 24:10-21, Paul defended himself against his accusers before Felix, challenging his accusers to name any charge against him that would stick (other than his defense of the resurrection).
- In 25:6-12, Paul again declared his innocence (this time before Festus), and invoked his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to Caesar.
- In 25:13-22, Festus explained the case to Agrippa and Bernice, admitting that Paul was innocent.
- In 26:30-32, Festus, Agrippa and Bernice concurred that Paul did nothing deserving imprisonment.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Introduction to Acts
Tonight I am starting a class on the Book of Acts. Here are some introductory notes.
I. The Genre of the Book of Acts
A. The last several years have seen a scholarly consensus that Acts falls somewhere in the continuum of ancient historiography, particularly Hellenistic history (Witherington 39-51).
B. Greco-Roman historians had three goals: to be truthful, useful, and entertaining (Aune 95).
C. Ancient historians had a point of view, but were careful to present accurate history.
D. Literary forms of Greco-Roman history (Aune 89-95):
1. Prefaces (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1), which secured the good will of the audience while gaining their attention and disposing them to receive instruction. Hellenistic histories often contained:
a. Requests and dedications
b. Comments on the value of history
c. Mention of predecessors (often critical)
d. Assurance of impartiality
e. Methodology
f. Reasons for the choice of subjects
2. Episodes connected to form a unified composition.
3. Speeches, which often explained motives. Speeches comprise approximately 30% of Acts.
4. Digressions, many times explanatory in nature (as in Acts 23:8).
II. The Characteristics of Narrative Literature
A. Recent scholarship has paid greater attention to the literary features of the narrative sections of the Bible.
B. Typical ingredients of narrative (Osborne 153-173):
1. A narrator (in the case of Acts sometimes in the first person).
2. Narrative time (not necessarily chronological).
3. Plot, usually centered around conflict of some kind (in Acts, it is the opposition to the spread of the gospel).
4. Characters (in Acts, secondarily Peter and Paul, primarily the Holy Spirit).
5. Setting (particularly in Acts this is geographical).
6. Literary techniques such as irony, comedy, repetition (two conversion stories are told three times: Cornelius and Paul; and three times Paul says he is going to the Gentiles – 13:46; 18:6; 28:28).
III. The Structure of the Book of Acts
A. Many ways to analyze the structure
1. By geography (Jerusalem – Judea and Samaria – End of the earth)
2. By evangelism (Jews, transitional, Gentile)
3. By evangelists (Peter, Philip and Barnabas, Paul)
B. Key to structure: Luke’s summaries (6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20).
C. On this basis, here is a suggested structure:
1. Peter, Apostle to the Jews (Acts 1:1-12:24)
a. The gospel in Jerusalem (1:1-6:7)
b. The gospel in Judea, Galilee and Samaria (6:8-9:31)
c. The gospel begins to reach Gentiles (9:32-12:24)
2. Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles (12:25-28:31)
a. The gospel in eastern Asia Minor (12:25-16:5)
b. The gospel in western Asia Minor and Europe (16:6-19:20)
c. The gospel in Rome (19:21-28:31)
IV. Narrative Parallels in Acts
A. Parallels between Luke and Acts. Remember that Acts is volume two of a two-part work. As Luke weaves his narrative, there are many parallels between the gospel and Acts:
1. Both have a preface dedicated to Theophilus (1:1-4; 1:1-5).
2. Both mention the coming of the Spirit at the beginning (3:22; 2:1-13). Luke mentions the Spirit more than all other gospel writers, and Acts could rightly be called the “Acts of the Holy Spirit.”
3. Both contain an opening sermon which sets the tone for the rest of the book – particularly the theme of rejection by Jews and the acceptance of Gentiles (4:16-30; 2:14-40).
4. Both mention a lame man healed by the authority of Jesus (5:17-26; 3:1-10).
5. Both mention conflicts with leaders of the Jews (5:29-6:11; 4:1-8:3).
6. Both mention a centurion who was well regarded by the Jews sending men to ask for help (7:1-10; 10:1-34).
7. Both mention a resurrection in connection with a widow (7:11-17; 9:36-43).
8. Both conclude with proclaiming the gospel to the nations (24:47; 28:29-30).
B. Parallels between Peter and Paul. There are many parallels in the narrative of Peter’s work and Paul’s work:
1. Both sections record a special manifestation of the Spirit (2:1-4; 13:1-3).
2. Both sections contain a major sermon after the manifestation of the Spirit (2:14-40; 13:16-40).
3. Both sections describe the healing of a man lame from birth (3:1-10; 14:8-13).
4. Both contain a stoning instigated by the Jews (6:8-8:4; 14:19-23).
5. Both describe a mission to Gentiles (10-11; 13-21), which some Jews found controversial.
6. Both sections describe imprisonment around the time of a feast (12:4; 21:16); a Herod (12:5-6; 25:13); an escape (12:6-11; 23:12-35); an abrupt conclusion with little information about the fate of the apostle (12:17; 28:30-31); a final statement about the success of the word of God (12:24; 28:30-31).
C. Parallels between Jesus and Paul. Luke seems to make a special effort to parallel the experiences of Jesus and Paul.
1. Both set their face to go to Jerusalem, where suffering awaits them.
a. Seven references in Luke (9:51-53; 13:22; 13:33; 17:11; 18:31; 19:11; 19:28).
b. Seven references in Acts (19:21; 20:22; 21:4; 21:11-12; 21:13; 21:15; 21:17).
2. Both face similar experiences once in Jerusalem:
a. Initially a good reception (19:37; 21:17-20a).
b. Visit to the Temple (19:45-48; 21:26).
c. Opposition from Sadducees, support from scribes (20:27-39; 23:6-9).
d. Seized by a mob (22:54; 21:30).
e. Slapped (22:63-64; 23:2).
3. Both faced four trials, before the Sanhedrin (22:66; 23:1); a governor (23:1; 24:1); a Herod (23:8; 25:23); and a governor (23:13; 25:6).
4. Both were declared innocent three times by Gentiles (23:4, 14, 22; 23:9; 25:25; 26:31).
5. A centurion has a favorable opinion or relationship with both (23:47; 27:3, 43).
D. Some conclusions we can draw about the purposes of Acts. Based on the narrative devices Luke uses, here are some key themes in Acts:
1. The apostles were continuing the work initiated by Jesus to bring the gospel to all, including the Gentiles (Luke 2:29-32; Acts 28:28).
2. The work of the apostle Paul in taking the gospel to the Gentiles was as legitimate as Peter’s work in taking the gospel to the Jews.
3. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
Bibliography
Aune, David E. The New Testament and Its Literary Environment. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987
Kurz, William S. Reading Luke-Acts: Dynamics of Biblical Narrative. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1993
Mattill, A.J. “The Jesus-Paul Parallels and the Purpose of Luke-Acts: H.H. Evans Reconsidered.” Novum Testamentum 1995: 15-45
Osborne, Grant R. The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Downers Grove: IVP, 1991
Talbert, Charles H. Literary Patterns, Theological Themes, and the Genre of Luke-Acts. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1974
Witherington, Ben III. The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Living As Exiles - Lessons from the Book of Daniel
Introduction
I believe there are aliens on our planet. They look like normal human beings, but in fact they are under the control of a leader who is not on planet earth. And His goal is world domination. And His alien underlings are on a mission to bring everyone in the world under His control! They are everywhere – there are some in America, even here in Middle Tennessee. In fact, there are many right here in this room! I am one of them!
Well of course I am not referring to little green men – but to Christians. Scripture uses the language of “strangers and aliens” to describe our status as Christians who live in a world that is not truly our home. Passages like 1 Peter 2:11, which in the NASB says:
Other versions say: “sojourners and exiles” (ESV).
Since the New Testament often uses descriptions of Israel in the OT to describe the church, it only makes sense that the NT writers would also employ the language of the exile to describe the status of Christians living in a world whose values and morals are foreign to them. As the old spiritual says, "This World Is Not My Home I'm Just as Passing Through." We are natives of this world, but we have been transformed by Christ, raised and seated with Him in heavenly places.
Or to put it as Paul does in Philippians 3:20, our citizenship is no longer here, but in heaven.
The passage that I especially want to focus on as we think about being exiles or aliens is 1 Peter 2:11-17:
In this passage Peter gives three basic commands to his readers, the “sojourners and exiles” living in the world but not of the world.
First, he tells them “abstain from the passions of the flesh.” One of the most difficult things Christians in the first century faced was the vastly different outlook their culture had on human sexuality versus the standards of godliness and holiness. Perversion was not only pervasive, in some of the pagan religions perversion was a religious duty. First century Greco-Roman culture was even more saturated with the lurid and obscene than our own time, if that’s imaginable. So it was crucial to remind the early Christians, as Peter does, that one of the primary ways our alien status must demonstrate itself is in the area of moral purity.
Second, he tells them to “keep your conduct among the Gentiles [in other words, pagans] honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” The early Christians were indeed spoken against, slandered as atheists because they denounced the officially sanctioned gods of the state; haters of mankind for shunning social gatherings like the gladiatorial contests at the Coliseum, as incestuous cannibals for gathering in private with their “brothers and sisters” to eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus.
In that climate, it was imperative that the early Christians live in such an exemplary way that there could be no shred of truth to any allegations of dishonorable behavior. But the goal of this concern for Peter is not their own personal exoneration – it was so that when they were vindicated, their accusers would become confessors, and glorify God on the day of visitation.
There is a third command in this passage. First, abstain from fleshly lust. Second, keep your conduct honorable. And third, “be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him.” It would be very tempting to think as a Christian in the first century that since Jesus and not Caesar was the real Lord and King, that you could just ignore what Caesar said. Among the Jews, some took this a step further and openly and violently rebelled against Rome. But that is contrary to what Jesus taught His followers, whom He commanded to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Matt. 22:21).
Indeed, not only should Christians obey the law and pay taxes, but also as Peter says at the end of verse 17, “honor the emperor.” “Honor” is a deeper, higher response than grudging obedience. And this kind of respectful citizenship is part of what Peter calls the “will of God” in verse 15, and living as “servants of God” according to verse 16.
So as aliens, Peter says we are to live in purity; behave honorably; serve respectfully. What I would like to do now is look at a book written during Israel’s own period of exile, and see how Israelites living in a foreign land conducted themselves in the very way Peter exhorts all of us to live. And the classic illustration of how to live as exiles is the Book of Daniel.
Daniel
Let’s begin our look at the story of Daniel with a little historical background. The last years of the kingdom of Judah were marked by political vacillation, as the leaders of the nation had to decide how to deal with the growing threat of Babylon. Some leaders chose a pro-Babylonians policy, while others tried to stand up to Babylon (spurred on by promises from Egypt of assistance, which never came). The last of the righteous king of Judah, Josiah, refused alliance with Egypt, and actually went to war with Pharaoh Neco, losing his life in the process. The Egyptians retaliated by removing Josiah’s son – Jehoahaz - from the throne, replacing him with a king of their choosing, his brother, Eliakim, whom he renamed Jehoiakim. Needless to say, this did not sit well with Egypt’s rival to the north, Babylon, and in 605 BC its new king, Nebuchadnezzar, marched in Jerusalem. As 2 Kings 24:1 records: "In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years."
This is where the story of Daniel begins. Daniel 1 says:
Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to take some of the royal family and nobility, which served a dual purpose. On the one hand these young men essentially became hostages, giving the Babylonians leverage in case Judah rebelled again. And on the other hand, these boys would be useful tools for diplomacy.
The fact that Ashpenaz, “chief eunuch” (1:3), was given charge may imply the boys were to become eunuchs, as Isaiah prophesied (“And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon,” Isa. 39:7). They were to be the cream of the crop in every way according to verse 4, and to prepare them for the future role as government officials, they were immersed in Babylonian culture (1:4-7), including a new language, a new diet, and new names.
Since naming something or someone is an act of authority, it was common practice in the ancient world to re-name a foreigner under your sovereignty (Joseph became Zaphenath-panea, Gen. 41:45; Haddasah became Esther 2:7).
Just as many Hebrew names contain the name of God (El for Elohim, or iah for Yahweh), the new names given by the Babylonians reflect their many gods:
-Daniel (God is my Judge) – Belteshazzar (Lady of Bel protect the king)
-Hananiah (Yahweh is gracious) – Shadrach (fearful of God or command of Aku)
-Mishael (Who is what God is?) – Meshach (I am of little account or who is like Aku?)
-Azariah (Yahweh is a helper) – Abednego (servant of Nebo)
Imagine being a thousand miles away from home, immersed in a completely foreign culture. As exiles in a climate so hostile to their convictions, how could Daniel and his three friends maintain their commitment to God? What we will see in Daniel are the very same principles we saw in 1 Peter. Though Daniel and his friends lived centuries before Peter wrote his letter, the same fundamental principles apply in their day, in his day, and in our day.
Abstain From Fleshly Lusts
First, consider Peter’s admonition to abstain from fleshly lusts, to live in purity. The issue of purity comes front and center immediately in the Book of Daniel.
Daniel did not want to eat the royal diet because he believed it would defile him. Why did he fear this? Part of the reason may be the kosher laws in Leviticus 11. Since the Law gave a strict guideline for what could be eaten, Daniel may have felt the safest course in a strange country may have been to avoid everything but vegetables and water. This doesn’t seem to fully explain why Daniel did not want to drink the wine, which was allowed under the Law, but it may have been a big factor in his concern.
Another issue to keep in mind is the connection in the ancient world between food and idolatry. Even in the NT period Paul had to warn the Corinthians about eating in pagan temples. Perhaps Daniel thought that the meat and wine would have been part of pagan sacrifices, and he did not want to be defiled with eating something used in idolatrous worship.
And it may have just been that Daniel wanted to reserve one part of his life from Babylonian influence so that he would not become completely defiled as a pagan. He spoke their language, learned in their schools, bore their name. At least he could draw the line at what he ate.
Whatever the specific issues were in Daniel’s mind, he was convicted about the need for purity, and God blessed him as a result.
Daniel knew there was a war for his soul, that he needed to take drastic measures to make sure he did not defile himself. Do we have the same vigilance in our determination to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul? What measures have you taken to protect yourself from impurity?
It is very tough to be a Christian, to be an exile. Those of you going back to school, if you go to a school like I did, will find very few friends who will share your convictions about holiness. How seriously are you going to take the war you are in? What steps will you take like Daniel to protect your virtue? Because if you don’t realize your are in a fight, you have no chance to win.
Conduct Yourself Honorably
There are two stories in Daniel that are great illustrations of what Peter talked about in 2:12 – turning slander into praise through honorable conduct. Both are stories involving idolatry.
In Daniel 3 Nebuchadnezzar set up an image (perhaps inspired by his dream in Dan. 2) which he demanded be worshipped, at pain of death.
As devout believers, Daniel’s friends could not obey this command, which quickly came to the attention of some of the Babylonians:
This enraged Nebuchadnezzar, who ordered them brought in to face his interrogation.
What conviction! We don’t need to make a lengthy explanation – we will not bow down, and though our God can save us, even if He doesn’t, we will not compromise!
You can imagine Nebuchadnezzar is not used to being told no, and he explodes in a furious rage.
And you know the rest of the story. The boys are unharmed - to the extent that their clothes don’t even smell like smoke! And not only that, but God sent an angel to be with them, a true "day of visitation," which Nebuchadnezzar was astonished to see. And just as Peter said, by behaving honorably in the face of accusations, these young men led a pagan king to glorify God:
The other story that illustrates this truth comes much later in the time of Daniel, at the end of the 70 year captivity. The Persians conquered Babylon in Daniel 5, and in Daniel 6 the new Persian leader retained Daniel in his administration. I have no idea how old Daniel was at the start of the book, but by Daniel 6 he was 70 years older – maybe he was close to his 90s.
The Persians were pagans just like the Babylonians, and in Dan. 6 they issued a decree demanding prayers be made to the Persian king. But this decree was prompted by jealousy:
Can you think of a better description of honorable conduct than this?
And once more, Daniel refuses to bend his beliefs to conform to his surroundings:
And once more, a pagan king imposes a severe penalty for disobedience, ordering Daniel into the lion’s den. But early the next morning when he came to see what happened, Daniel greeted him:
Daniel’s actions were blameless, in the words of Peter, his behavior was honorable. And the result once more was praise in the “day of visitation”:
Notice – it wasn’t just that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego or Daniel were vindicated, though they were. In fact Daniel’s accusers get the treatment they sought for him. But the real issue is that God was glorified – by pagan kings no less!
We are in a foreign land, and if your friends know you are a Christian, you better believe they are looking for opportunities to attack your conduct. Why? Maybe the same kind of jealousy that prompted the Chaldeans and Persians to snitch on Daniel and his friends. What a wound it is to the name of Christ when will give them ammo! It is tough to live under that kind of scrutiny, but the payoff is enormous! Leading unbelievers to glorify God!
So our goal should be that if we are attacked, it will be for the same reasons as Daniel: we shall no complaint against Shane unless we find it in connection with his God. And then by our faithfulness, lead our friends to glorify our Father!
Be Subject
It may very well be that the toughest thing Peter told his strangers and exiles to do was to be subject to every human institution. Tough because their leaders were often corrupt and demented (that’s what years of inbreeding does to people!). And these instructions are even tougher for us, because we live in a nation born in rebellion to monarchy.
But imagine how tough it was for Daniel and his friends. The Babylonians were their enemy. Took them hostage – fancy way of saying they kidnapped them. During the time they were in captivity, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem twice more, undoubtedly killing some of their loved ones, sacking their capital city, and destroying their temple.
How would you have felt about the Babylonians? Would you have protested? Formed a resistance movement? Tried to assassinate the king?
Daniel and his friends did just the opposite. They served the king with loyalty and brilliance.
And after Daniel interpreted his famous dream in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel, who in turn promoted his friends:
When the regime changed hands, the Persians also recognized Daniel’s stellar leadership:
Why do you think Daniel and his friends gave such devoted service? What did Peter say: 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake …16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
They did it for the Lord’s sake, as servants of the living God.
We have a unique situation in our country in that theoretically we are the government. We are a democracy, a special kind, a representative democracy – a republic. We delegate to those we elect, and we owe them the kind of respect Peter says every human institution deserves. Not just when we like the leaders, or agree with them.
Isn’t embarrassing to see the news reports about chaos and violence at these townhall meetings? The complete lack of civility and respect for people of different opinions? Isn’t hard to reconcile that kind of conduct with 1 Peter 2, or Paul’s request for prayers I 1 Tim. 2-
So much of the dialogue in our political process today is dominated by who can be the loudest, the most hysterical, who can distort the other person’s position to the most grotesque extreme.
This is unbecoming of Christians. And this is why I say this could be the most difficult thing the Bible teaches about being exiles. Because I have opinions, strong ones, about politics, and about our leaders. And I often disagree with them. But I don’t respect them for their sake – I respect them for the Lord’s sake – just like Daniel.
Conclusion
As far as we know, Daniel never returned to Jerusalem. He lived out his life as an exile in a foreign land. But even if he had made his way back to Jerusalem, he would not have been home. Because his home, and ours, is with God.
The only thing that remains of the kingdoms Daniel served is artifacts in museums. Babylon and Persia are no more. And some day, all that will be left of the republic now known as the United States of America will be displays in a museum. That is just the nature of human history. But since we are not ultimately citizens of America, but rather our citizenship is in heaven, we have nothing to be afraid of. We are exiles, members of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, serving a King who will never be deposed by an enemy, but who will some day defeat every enemy and subdue every rebel.
I believe there are aliens on our planet. They look like normal human beings, but in fact they are under the control of a leader who is not on planet earth. And His goal is world domination. And His alien underlings are on a mission to bring everyone in the world under His control! They are everywhere – there are some in America, even here in Middle Tennessee. In fact, there are many right here in this room! I am one of them!
Well of course I am not referring to little green men – but to Christians. Scripture uses the language of “strangers and aliens” to describe our status as Christians who live in a world that is not truly our home. Passages like 1 Peter 2:11, which in the NASB says:
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Other versions say: “sojourners and exiles” (ESV).
Since the New Testament often uses descriptions of Israel in the OT to describe the church, it only makes sense that the NT writers would also employ the language of the exile to describe the status of Christians living in a world whose values and morals are foreign to them. As the old spiritual says, "This World Is Not My Home I'm Just as Passing Through." We are natives of this world, but we have been transformed by Christ, raised and seated with Him in heavenly places.
Col. 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Or to put it as Paul does in Philippians 3:20, our citizenship is no longer here, but in heaven.
The passage that I especially want to focus on as we think about being exiles or aliens is 1 Peter 2:11-17:
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
In this passage Peter gives three basic commands to his readers, the “sojourners and exiles” living in the world but not of the world.
First, he tells them “abstain from the passions of the flesh.” One of the most difficult things Christians in the first century faced was the vastly different outlook their culture had on human sexuality versus the standards of godliness and holiness. Perversion was not only pervasive, in some of the pagan religions perversion was a religious duty. First century Greco-Roman culture was even more saturated with the lurid and obscene than our own time, if that’s imaginable. So it was crucial to remind the early Christians, as Peter does, that one of the primary ways our alien status must demonstrate itself is in the area of moral purity.
Second, he tells them to “keep your conduct among the Gentiles [in other words, pagans] honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” The early Christians were indeed spoken against, slandered as atheists because they denounced the officially sanctioned gods of the state; haters of mankind for shunning social gatherings like the gladiatorial contests at the Coliseum, as incestuous cannibals for gathering in private with their “brothers and sisters” to eat the body and drink the blood of Jesus.
In that climate, it was imperative that the early Christians live in such an exemplary way that there could be no shred of truth to any allegations of dishonorable behavior. But the goal of this concern for Peter is not their own personal exoneration – it was so that when they were vindicated, their accusers would become confessors, and glorify God on the day of visitation.
There is a third command in this passage. First, abstain from fleshly lust. Second, keep your conduct honorable. And third, “be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him.” It would be very tempting to think as a Christian in the first century that since Jesus and not Caesar was the real Lord and King, that you could just ignore what Caesar said. Among the Jews, some took this a step further and openly and violently rebelled against Rome. But that is contrary to what Jesus taught His followers, whom He commanded to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Matt. 22:21).
Indeed, not only should Christians obey the law and pay taxes, but also as Peter says at the end of verse 17, “honor the emperor.” “Honor” is a deeper, higher response than grudging obedience. And this kind of respectful citizenship is part of what Peter calls the “will of God” in verse 15, and living as “servants of God” according to verse 16.
So as aliens, Peter says we are to live in purity; behave honorably; serve respectfully. What I would like to do now is look at a book written during Israel’s own period of exile, and see how Israelites living in a foreign land conducted themselves in the very way Peter exhorts all of us to live. And the classic illustration of how to live as exiles is the Book of Daniel.
Daniel
Let’s begin our look at the story of Daniel with a little historical background. The last years of the kingdom of Judah were marked by political vacillation, as the leaders of the nation had to decide how to deal with the growing threat of Babylon. Some leaders chose a pro-Babylonians policy, while others tried to stand up to Babylon (spurred on by promises from Egypt of assistance, which never came). The last of the righteous king of Judah, Josiah, refused alliance with Egypt, and actually went to war with Pharaoh Neco, losing his life in the process. The Egyptians retaliated by removing Josiah’s son – Jehoahaz - from the throne, replacing him with a king of their choosing, his brother, Eliakim, whom he renamed Jehoiakim. Needless to say, this did not sit well with Egypt’s rival to the north, Babylon, and in 605 BC its new king, Nebuchadnezzar, marched in Jerusalem. As 2 Kings 24:1 records: "In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years."
This is where the story of Daniel begins. Daniel 1 says:
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 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, 4 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. 5 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. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to take some of the royal family and nobility, which served a dual purpose. On the one hand these young men essentially became hostages, giving the Babylonians leverage in case Judah rebelled again. And on the other hand, these boys would be useful tools for diplomacy.
The fact that Ashpenaz, “chief eunuch” (1:3), was given charge may imply the boys were to become eunuchs, as Isaiah prophesied (“And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon,” Isa. 39:7). They were to be the cream of the crop in every way according to verse 4, and to prepare them for the future role as government officials, they were immersed in Babylonian culture (1:4-7), including a new language, a new diet, and new names.
Since naming something or someone is an act of authority, it was common practice in the ancient world to re-name a foreigner under your sovereignty (Joseph became Zaphenath-panea, Gen. 41:45; Haddasah became Esther 2:7).
Just as many Hebrew names contain the name of God (El for Elohim, or iah for Yahweh), the new names given by the Babylonians reflect their many gods:
-Daniel (God is my Judge) – Belteshazzar (Lady of Bel protect the king)
-Hananiah (Yahweh is gracious) – Shadrach (fearful of God or command of Aku)
-Mishael (Who is what God is?) – Meshach (I am of little account or who is like Aku?)
-Azariah (Yahweh is a helper) – Abednego (servant of Nebo)
Imagine being a thousand miles away from home, immersed in a completely foreign culture. As exiles in a climate so hostile to their convictions, how could Daniel and his three friends maintain their commitment to God? What we will see in Daniel are the very same principles we saw in 1 Peter. Though Daniel and his friends lived centuries before Peter wrote his letter, the same fundamental principles apply in their day, in his day, and in our day.
Abstain From Fleshly Lusts
First, consider Peter’s admonition to abstain from fleshly lusts, to live in purity. The issue of purity comes front and center immediately in the Book of Daniel.
1:8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
Daniel did not want to eat the royal diet because he believed it would defile him. Why did he fear this? Part of the reason may be the kosher laws in Leviticus 11. Since the Law gave a strict guideline for what could be eaten, Daniel may have felt the safest course in a strange country may have been to avoid everything but vegetables and water. This doesn’t seem to fully explain why Daniel did not want to drink the wine, which was allowed under the Law, but it may have been a big factor in his concern.
Another issue to keep in mind is the connection in the ancient world between food and idolatry. Even in the NT period Paul had to warn the Corinthians about eating in pagan temples. Perhaps Daniel thought that the meat and wine would have been part of pagan sacrifices, and he did not want to be defiled with eating something used in idolatrous worship.
And it may have just been that Daniel wanted to reserve one part of his life from Babylonian influence so that he would not become completely defiled as a pagan. He spoke their language, learned in their schools, bore their name. At least he could draw the line at what he ate.
Whatever the specific issues were in Daniel’s mind, he was convicted about the need for purity, and God blessed him as a result.
9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king." 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 "Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see." 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
Daniel knew there was a war for his soul, that he needed to take drastic measures to make sure he did not defile himself. Do we have the same vigilance in our determination to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul? What measures have you taken to protect yourself from impurity?
It is very tough to be a Christian, to be an exile. Those of you going back to school, if you go to a school like I did, will find very few friends who will share your convictions about holiness. How seriously are you going to take the war you are in? What steps will you take like Daniel to protect your virtue? Because if you don’t realize your are in a fight, you have no chance to win.
Conduct Yourself Honorably
There are two stories in Daniel that are great illustrations of what Peter talked about in 2:12 – turning slander into praise through honorable conduct. Both are stories involving idolatry.
In Daniel 3 Nebuchadnezzar set up an image (perhaps inspired by his dream in Dan. 2) which he demanded be worshipped, at pain of death.
4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace." 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
As devout believers, Daniel’s friends could not obey this command, which quickly came to the attention of some of the Babylonians:
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
This enraged Nebuchadnezzar, who ordered them brought in to face his interrogation.
14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 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. 18 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."
What conviction! We don’t need to make a lengthy explanation – we will not bow down, and though our God can save us, even if He doesn’t, we will not compromise!
You can imagine Nebuchadnezzar is not used to being told no, and he explodes in a furious rage.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.
And you know the rest of the story. The boys are unharmed - to the extent that their clothes don’t even smell like smoke! And not only that, but God sent an angel to be with them, a true "day of visitation," which Nebuchadnezzar was astonished to see. And just as Peter said, by behaving honorably in the face of accusations, these young men led a pagan king to glorify God:
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way."
The other story that illustrates this truth comes much later in the time of Daniel, at the end of the 70 year captivity. The Persians conquered Babylon in Daniel 5, and in Daniel 6 the new Persian leader retained Daniel in his administration. I have no idea how old Daniel was at the start of the book, but by Daniel 6 he was 70 years older – maybe he was close to his 90s.
The Persians were pagans just like the Babylonians, and in Dan. 6 they issued a decree demanding prayers be made to the Persian king. But this decree was prompted by jealousy:
4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5Then these men said, "We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."
Can you think of a better description of honorable conduct than this?
And once more, Daniel refuses to bend his beliefs to conform to his surroundings:
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, "O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked." 13 Then they answered and said before the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."
And once more, a pagan king imposes a severe penalty for disobedience, ordering Daniel into the lion’s den. But early the next morning when he came to see what happened, Daniel greeted him:
22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm."
Daniel’s actions were blameless, in the words of Peter, his behavior was honorable. And the result once more was praise in the “day of visitation”:
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: "Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions."
Notice – it wasn’t just that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego or Daniel were vindicated, though they were. In fact Daniel’s accusers get the treatment they sought for him. But the real issue is that God was glorified – by pagan kings no less!
We are in a foreign land, and if your friends know you are a Christian, you better believe they are looking for opportunities to attack your conduct. Why? Maybe the same kind of jealousy that prompted the Chaldeans and Persians to snitch on Daniel and his friends. What a wound it is to the name of Christ when will give them ammo! It is tough to live under that kind of scrutiny, but the payoff is enormous! Leading unbelievers to glorify God!
So our goal should be that if we are attacked, it will be for the same reasons as Daniel: we shall no complaint against Shane unless we find it in connection with his God. And then by our faithfulness, lead our friends to glorify our Father!
Be Subject
It may very well be that the toughest thing Peter told his strangers and exiles to do was to be subject to every human institution. Tough because their leaders were often corrupt and demented (that’s what years of inbreeding does to people!). And these instructions are even tougher for us, because we live in a nation born in rebellion to monarchy.
But imagine how tough it was for Daniel and his friends. The Babylonians were their enemy. Took them hostage – fancy way of saying they kidnapped them. During the time they were in captivity, the Babylonians attacked Jerusalem twice more, undoubtedly killing some of their loved ones, sacking their capital city, and destroying their temple.
How would you have felt about the Babylonians? Would you have protested? Formed a resistance movement? Tried to assassinate the king?
Daniel and his friends did just the opposite. They served the king with loyalty and brilliance.
1:18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
And after Daniel interpreted his famous dream in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel, who in turn promoted his friends:
2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.
When the regime changed hands, the Persians also recognized Daniel’s stellar leadership:
6:3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Why do you think Daniel and his friends gave such devoted service? What did Peter say: 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake …16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
They did it for the Lord’s sake, as servants of the living God.
2:20Daniel answered and said:
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
23To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter."
We have a unique situation in our country in that theoretically we are the government. We are a democracy, a special kind, a representative democracy – a republic. We delegate to those we elect, and we owe them the kind of respect Peter says every human institution deserves. Not just when we like the leaders, or agree with them.
Isn’t embarrassing to see the news reports about chaos and violence at these townhall meetings? The complete lack of civility and respect for people of different opinions? Isn’t hard to reconcile that kind of conduct with 1 Peter 2, or Paul’s request for prayers I 1 Tim. 2-
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
So much of the dialogue in our political process today is dominated by who can be the loudest, the most hysterical, who can distort the other person’s position to the most grotesque extreme.
This is unbecoming of Christians. And this is why I say this could be the most difficult thing the Bible teaches about being exiles. Because I have opinions, strong ones, about politics, and about our leaders. And I often disagree with them. But I don’t respect them for their sake – I respect them for the Lord’s sake – just like Daniel.
Conclusion
As far as we know, Daniel never returned to Jerusalem. He lived out his life as an exile in a foreign land. But even if he had made his way back to Jerusalem, he would not have been home. Because his home, and ours, is with God.
The only thing that remains of the kingdoms Daniel served is artifacts in museums. Babylon and Persia are no more. And some day, all that will be left of the republic now known as the United States of America will be displays in a museum. That is just the nature of human history. But since we are not ultimately citizens of America, but rather our citizenship is in heaven, we have nothing to be afraid of. We are exiles, members of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, serving a King who will never be deposed by an enemy, but who will some day defeat every enemy and subdue every rebel.
Heb. 13:14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Who Killed More - God or Satan?
Who killed more people in the Bible, God or Satan? According to a chart that has circulated for several years around the internet, Scripture records 2,038,344 killings by God, compared to Satan's meager death toll of 10 victims. Of course these totals are intended to have shock value, seemingly making God a much greater villain than Satan. What should believers make of such numbers?
In the first place, there is no question that the Bible depicts God as a holy God, whose abhorrence of sin and desire for justice is such that at times He imposed severe penalties. In fact, I will go so far as to stipulate that the numbers reflected in charts like the one I linked above are correct. God did indeed take many human lives in Scripture.
However, like many statistics, this one can be very misleading if not placed in its proper context. It is unfair to pick these numbers out of the Bible without interpreting them in the context of the overall biblical message. Here are some key considerations:
1. The Bible does not teach that God arbitrarily or capriciously killed people. It teaches that He did at times impose the penalty of death on those who deliberately and defiantly broke His laws.
2. The Bible teaches that God desires that the wicked should repent and live rather than face such consequences. "As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11).
3. Since God created humanity with free will, it is our choice as to whether we will be blessed or punished. The fact that many people in Scripture chose the course that led to punishment says more about human sinfulness and recalcitrance than anything else.
Further, the notion that Satan only killed ten people in Scripture (the family of Job) is a grossly unfair reading of the Bible. Scripture teaches that Satan wreaks havoc in the world in many ways.
1. He tries to entice humanity to rebel against God, thus facing God’s judgment. The very first story of temptation – Adam, Eve, and the forbidden fruit – is a classic illustration of this point. God gave Adam and Eve a rich garden full of wonderful things to eat, with one restriction. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). What did Satan then do? He came to Eve and said, "You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). He deliberately lied to entice Adam and Eve to eat and then die. No wonder Jesus said of the devil in John 8:44, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Did God evict Adam and Eve from the garden when they ate so that they would die? Yes. But is God culpable on the same level as Adam, Eve, or Satan? Of course not. When the state makes a law, and that law is broken and the state imposes a penalty, do we blame the state? No, we blame the criminal. And in the case of God’s judgment, the immediate blame should go to those who choose to break the Law, and to Satan for his part in aiding and abetting.
2. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that Satan has limited power to use the forces of nature to cause harm. In fact, the ten people mentioned in the chart that Satan killed were actually victims of “a great wind” according to Job 1 – but obviously a wind that Satan manipulated. Such suffering is not limited to the Old Testament. Jesus encountered a woman who was bent over for 18 years with a crippling disease in Luke 13, but according to Jesus, it was Satan who had bound her with this condition (Luke 13:16).
3. Further, Scripture teaches that Satan not only entices humanity to rebel against God, but also to do harm to one another. It was Satan who entered the heart of Judas to entice him to betray Jesus, for instance (John 13:2). In that light, every example of man’s brutality against his fellow man is a reflection of the work of Satan.
For these reasons, the number 10 is hardly an accurate body count for Satan. In reality, he is liable for every one of those people God punished for sin, and in addition, he is responsible for many more deaths which are the result of disease, disaster, and inhumanity. How could you begin to place a number on that?
Now someone who is a skeptic may question why God created us in the first place, why He endowed us with free will, or why He created Satan with free will, who then uses that will to do the horrible things that he does. Those are good questions worthy of deep contemplation (quick answers: God decided to create beings who could choose a relationship rather than function as robots, and at the end of time He will put the world to rights). But there is nothing inherently contradictory with the basic concepts of God’s holiness, justice, and judgment and our free will.
Finally, the Bible teaches that God is not only a God of justice, but also a God of love and mercy. Such love in fact that He gave His own Son to pay the price for sin, to settle the demands of justice, so that we do not have to face His judgment but can receive mercy. Only by looking at the full landscape of God’s character can we truly make sense of the portrait of God in Scripture.
In the first place, there is no question that the Bible depicts God as a holy God, whose abhorrence of sin and desire for justice is such that at times He imposed severe penalties. In fact, I will go so far as to stipulate that the numbers reflected in charts like the one I linked above are correct. God did indeed take many human lives in Scripture.
However, like many statistics, this one can be very misleading if not placed in its proper context. It is unfair to pick these numbers out of the Bible without interpreting them in the context of the overall biblical message. Here are some key considerations:
1. The Bible does not teach that God arbitrarily or capriciously killed people. It teaches that He did at times impose the penalty of death on those who deliberately and defiantly broke His laws.
2. The Bible teaches that God desires that the wicked should repent and live rather than face such consequences. "As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11).
3. Since God created humanity with free will, it is our choice as to whether we will be blessed or punished. The fact that many people in Scripture chose the course that led to punishment says more about human sinfulness and recalcitrance than anything else.
Further, the notion that Satan only killed ten people in Scripture (the family of Job) is a grossly unfair reading of the Bible. Scripture teaches that Satan wreaks havoc in the world in many ways.
1. He tries to entice humanity to rebel against God, thus facing God’s judgment. The very first story of temptation – Adam, Eve, and the forbidden fruit – is a classic illustration of this point. God gave Adam and Eve a rich garden full of wonderful things to eat, with one restriction. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). What did Satan then do? He came to Eve and said, "You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). He deliberately lied to entice Adam and Eve to eat and then die. No wonder Jesus said of the devil in John 8:44, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Did God evict Adam and Eve from the garden when they ate so that they would die? Yes. But is God culpable on the same level as Adam, Eve, or Satan? Of course not. When the state makes a law, and that law is broken and the state imposes a penalty, do we blame the state? No, we blame the criminal. And in the case of God’s judgment, the immediate blame should go to those who choose to break the Law, and to Satan for his part in aiding and abetting.
2. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that Satan has limited power to use the forces of nature to cause harm. In fact, the ten people mentioned in the chart that Satan killed were actually victims of “a great wind” according to Job 1 – but obviously a wind that Satan manipulated. Such suffering is not limited to the Old Testament. Jesus encountered a woman who was bent over for 18 years with a crippling disease in Luke 13, but according to Jesus, it was Satan who had bound her with this condition (Luke 13:16).
3. Further, Scripture teaches that Satan not only entices humanity to rebel against God, but also to do harm to one another. It was Satan who entered the heart of Judas to entice him to betray Jesus, for instance (John 13:2). In that light, every example of man’s brutality against his fellow man is a reflection of the work of Satan.
For these reasons, the number 10 is hardly an accurate body count for Satan. In reality, he is liable for every one of those people God punished for sin, and in addition, he is responsible for many more deaths which are the result of disease, disaster, and inhumanity. How could you begin to place a number on that?
Now someone who is a skeptic may question why God created us in the first place, why He endowed us with free will, or why He created Satan with free will, who then uses that will to do the horrible things that he does. Those are good questions worthy of deep contemplation (quick answers: God decided to create beings who could choose a relationship rather than function as robots, and at the end of time He will put the world to rights). But there is nothing inherently contradictory with the basic concepts of God’s holiness, justice, and judgment and our free will.
Finally, the Bible teaches that God is not only a God of justice, but also a God of love and mercy. Such love in fact that He gave His own Son to pay the price for sin, to settle the demands of justice, so that we do not have to face His judgment but can receive mercy. Only by looking at the full landscape of God’s character can we truly make sense of the portrait of God in Scripture.
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