“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” – 1 Corinthians 15:33
Continuing our study in Daniel, today we will learn more about the title character and others mentioned throughout this book. Daniel, is of course, the main character of the book, which covers his whole life, because it’s not just about how you start but how you finish. He’s faithful to God at the beginning and faithful to God at the end. Today, he’d be considered a victim of human trafficking, and he was abused, hungry, dehydrated, exhausted, and forced to walk 700 miles as a prisoner of war. He didn’t create or cause the disobedience, but this shows that sometimes innocent people suffer. Sometimes this is true for you as well.
Another main character is King Jehoiakim, a horrible king ruling over God’s people. He ruled the nation that belonged to God, but he defied, disobeyed, and disregarded God and, quite literally, set the Word of God on fire. If the Word of God is absent, the spirit of Babylon can be present to fill the void, and that’s what happened here, metaphorically and physically. The people loved him, but God despised him.
The ruler of Babylon’s name was Nebuchadnezzar, and, in that day, Babylon was the strongest empire in the world. Culture was booming, construction and expansion were constant, interest rates were low, and approval ratings were high. He had all the power in the world and wanted to be worshiped as God.
Among other important characters in the book are Daniel’s friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, or as VeggieTales calls them Rack, Shack, and Benny. They, like Daniel, are godly young men and remain resolutely loyal to the Lord.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s devo where we discuss four important observations about Daniel.
Do you have other godly people in your life? If not, take some time to pray and ask for God to show you the godly people around you.
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