This article on Daniel 1 is about the antithesis of church and world, and our youth and the attack of Satan.

Source: Una Sancta, 1998. 5 pages.

Daniel 1 – Hell Hopes to Overpower the Church

Read Daniel 1

Someone once called the book of Daniel: Partisan Literature. In that book we find the prolonged battle between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent … something of that terrible struggle that began in paradise and will not end before our Lord Jesus returns on the clouds of heaven and His enemies will lie as a footstool before His feet. The book of Daniel is not only partisan literature in the way we know it, relating to a period of war wherein a great many people refuse to succumb to an overpowering enemy, but instead stand up in resistance and continue to resist. It is not a book like we know them, about resistance in the last war … literature which only relates to the past. NO!

Great Powers will Rise🔗

Partisan literature in the book of Daniel! From it the church learns that great powers will rise up … but also about that great Stone, not hewn out by human hands, and which will pulverise each and everyone of those powers.

Daniel also receives visions, from which we learn in chapter 8 that they point to times yet far removed. That is why Daniel is to seal them until these times have come. The same is true for chapter 12, where we read in verse 9: Go your way Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Those are the times in which these words are to be read, so that the church will be armed. Partisan literature! When the king arises of which the book of Daniel says that he will attach the honour of the Most High, and will endeavour to destroy His service and His people … then that book is to be opened.

It was indeed opened … during the times of Antiochus-Epiphanes, that king who desecrated the temple by placing there a statue of Zeus, the chief god of the Greeks. This King wielded an absolutely anti-Christian reign of terror. He persecuted all who sought to abide by the law of Moses. He burned the books of the law, and killed mothers who had their children circumcised together with their children.

That is when this book was opened, and it strengthened the church in her resolve to resist the concentrating powers of hell.

The book of Daniel is a book for the end of time. It was a book for the time of that ungodly king … and it has its continuation in the New Testament book of Revelation. But it deals with the same topic: that one anti-Christian world power. This book has objective to equip and encourage the church, when her struggle which began in paradise, reaches its peak. The book of Daniel is still a book of current affairs.

I hope to point out that hell hopes to overpower the church by launching an onslaught on her youth. I will do so under these parts:

  • The onslaught on that youth by Satan

  • The resistance of that youth through the Spirit

  • The crowning of that youth by God

Onslaught on the Church Youth by Satan🔗

Our chapter takes us back to the year 602BC. It was a difficult time for the church. After the death of pious king Josiah, the clouds on Israel's sky became black indeed! The young king Nebuchadnezzar was in the process of establishing his kingdom. And in him rose from the sea of nations one of the beasts which would become a real threat to the church of Israel. For Nebuchadnezzar also stretched his greedy hands towards the land of Israel, to the remnant that had remained there after the exile of the ten tribes. Initially king Jehoiakim succeeded in buying off the worst, but in the end he revolted and the city Jerusalem fell.

Nebuchadnezzar had, for the greater part, brought the temple treasures to Babylon. Yes we read: Shinar! That is the old name also used for the place where the people said: Let us build a tower, the top of which will reach into heaven. Shinar – we also come across that name in the prophecies of Zechariah. It is the land to which Madam Godlessness is exiled. Babylon … the place which diametrically opposes Jerusalem … Always!

Jerusalem Threatened🔗

Jerusalem is threatened by Babylon. Jerusalem, the city of God, the capita! city of the kingdom of heaven on earth is opposed by Babylon … the capital city of hell … the land of godlessness … the realm of darkness.

We find that antithesis right up to and throughout the book of Revelation. But by then we know that there is a lot more going on than just a war between nations, the main topic of world-history books.

What we see here is the struggle of Genesis 3 … the life and death struggle between the Seed of the woman and that of the serpent.

Between the kingdom of heaven and the realm of darkness. Between the Church and hell!

When the church weakens, hell increases in power. The gates of hell try to prevail against the Kingdom.

When things go from bad to worse in the church, when people stray away from God's
Word, when they forget about the service of the Lord, it is then that the opposing power of hell can and do advance!

Hell uses every means at its disposal to destroy the church! That was also the case in Jehoiakim's days: the nation once delivered out of Egypt, was taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar. Once God's almighty arm delivered it from the devil's slavery … and now, through its own fault, it is once again in Satan's power.

Targeting the Youth🔗

Nebuchadnezzar defaced the temple, he took away its treasures and placed them in the temple of his own god. That, however, was not Nebuchadnezzar's main objective. Monetary value was not really important to him. What was important was the youth of the exiled nation. He who has the youth has the future of a nation! That was why the king issued the decree that certain young people, those of royal lineage, princes from Jerusalem, be brought to Babylon. These young boys were the bloom of the nation. They were to become its leaders. They were the ones to be brought to Babylon … not to be put in prison … on the contrary! Prison is where they would resist and oppose the conqueror of their people. No! Instead they were to become attendants at the king's court. These young people of around 14 years of age, would be raised as pages and be completely brought up in the atmosphere of Babylon … saturated with the culture and spirit of Babylon. They were to study Babylon's culture, indeed they were to become Babylonians! They were to become leaders, who would eventually see to it that the life-style of Babylon also took root among their own people! If they were successful the exiled nation would eventually integrate with the Chaldeans, i.e. with the Babylonian nation.

Integration🔗

For three years these boys would be educated by the state. And in that period they would be pried loose from everything that might remind men of Israel. That is also why they received new names. No longer could they bear a name which included the name of Israel's God. They were to become true Babylonians. They were to be neutralised, to be indoctrinated. They needed to lose that peculiar character of the church. Also the name of the circumcision, which brought to mind God's covenant! That was why their food came directly from the royal table … which did not take into account the food-laws of Israel.

The difference which existed between the youth of the church and the youth of the world had to vanish completely. That is what Babylon set out to do … Babylon, the realm of godlessness … the citadel of Satan! A diabolical onslaught was launched against the youth of the church. Satan used the gates of hell in an attempt to overpower the church … and her youth was the first to come under his attack.

It was them he wanted to bring on par with the youth of the world. They had to participate with the youth of the world in everything they did … live exactly like Babylon's youth and not separate themselves from them. They had to put their trust in the world, and not in God's promised Messiah! They had to be lured away from the Seed of the woman and return to Satan's camp, and with diabolical cunning Satan set out with a seemingly insignificant thing: the eating of certain foods. Fruit, cakes and wine which had been dedicated to idols. Was that really so bad? It didn't really matter, did it? What could be wrong with it? Surely they didn't have to abstain from everything?

Indeed, a diabolical onslaught!

It always begins with small, insignificant things, so the youth will let itself be integrated. Why can't they participate? It's not that bad is it? Do you have to be suspicious of everything? Going with friends to the pub or disco, is that so bad? Surely eating and drinking together has nothing to do with faith! But Satan knows better. He can use it as a beginning. A beginning of being equal to the world. To breathe in the same atmosphere … take on the same attitude … wanting to belong … not wanting to stand alone!

Gradually poisoning them, so they no longer can nor want to discern, that is how Satan alienates covenant children from the covenant! That is how he lures the off-spring of the covenant people away from the church! Having boyfriends or girlfriends from the world … wanting to be the same … that is what causes the youth of the church to be lost forever!

The devil is well aware of that. King Nebuchadnezzar knew it too! The same food … different names … insignificances … but it was the beginning!

The world knows it … Satan knows it … but the covenant children, do they know it???

The Resistance of that Youth through the Spirit🔗

This is our second point, for we also read that Daniel resolved not to defile himself by partaking of the royal food and drink, which the king also consumed. He asked the chief of the eunuchs if he could be exempted from defiling his body. Daniel … a boy of 14, saw the danger! He knew that the Lord, Israel's God, forbade such actions. Through the working of the Holy Spirit he was allowed to discern it, and resist Satan's attack.

When we think of Daniel's valour in faith, we think of the lion's den, and we stand amazed at his wonderful courage! But we forget that he needed just as great a faith in refusing this food and wine! This attack was far more subtle, more cunning. Yet Daniel did not want to defile himself.

He would not let himself be integrated! That needed the courage of a lion! He separated himself … he stood alone! Yes, he was given three friends to stand with him … but where were the rest; all those other pages-in-training? No, not the ones from other nations … the ones from Israel? They ate!! They believed that Daniel was overreacting.

Do you really have to make such a fuss? Must your faith in God include everything? Surely, it is a matter of give and take? And added to that, you ruin all your chances if you refuse! There goes your beautiful degree or diploma, your career! Surely you have to consider that! This concerns your future. After all faith alone is not going to provide you with a living!

Did partaking of these meals really mean that you denied the faith of your fathers? Nebuchadnezzar knew it … Satan knew it … and Daniel discerned it and resisted this integration with Babylon. The courage which Daniel displayed in the lion's den was no greater that the courage displayed here! Here he stood directly opposite the devil, who went around like a roaring lion! Daniel realised that Satan could slay you … not by persecution … not by force … but by champagne!

Instructed by die Holy Spirit Daniel realised that he would defile himself if he shared in all that the court had to offer, and he was on guard … Daniel and his friends saw themselves robbed of their name of circumcision, but they would not let themselves be robbed of circumcision itself! That is living from and out of the Spirit! Everyone who truly seeks the Lord and His service, who knows that the Lord requires recognition in all of life, he will also recognise these subtle onslaughts. It seemed so unimportant … eat the same food as the others. It did not appear at all dangerous. It seemed to be such a harmless decree, with no malice intended! But Daniel and his friends realised that joining in with Babylon meant giving up their faith. That was what brought about Daniel's reaction; an act of faith … at the table!

He refused to be initiated into Babylonian life. He recognised the danger of being saturated with the spirit of Babylon. Therefore he abstained from it. He made a polite request. When Aspenaz, the chief of the eunuchs was afraid to comply, Daniel suggested in faith – a trial period of ten days. In a period of three years that would not be a deciding factor. Their request was granted, and instead of stipulated royal food and drink, they received only vegetables and water: A very sober meal indeed … but after the trial period they were in better condition than all the others! Despite the fact that they dared miss out on a great deal and were satisfied with much less, they were in better condition. They did not lag behind! The youth of the church is never short-changed when they deny the joys of the world! You never loose when you refuse to deny your baptism!

On the contrary! Whoever holds fast to the sign of baptism and therefore will not join the youth of the world, is actually blessed by the Lord. Oh, it might seem as if you have to miss out on an awful lot. Daniel and his friends ate and drank nothing else but vegetables and water for three long years … sober indeed. They denied themselves much, while others said it wasn't necessary. What was wrong with it? Why over-react? But they knew about circumcision and the covenant. They discerned die attacks of Satan and refused to deny their circumcision. That was why they could not let themselves be made equal to the Babylonian youth. It is still the same today. No-one with the name of God on his forehead can let himself be made equal to the world by accepting the pleasures of the world. Not the older people, and not the young people either.

Yet, how many do let themselves be roped in? What is wrong with a particular TV program? But without any effort at all Satan brings about a decrease in the Men's or Women's Bible study clubs. What is wrong with a football or soccer match? But at the same time Bible study at the youth club is neglected. What is wrong with going to a pub? What is wrong with going out to dinner with people who don't have the sign of the covenant on their foreheads? The devil tries to integrate us with the people of the world … he does that by forcing on us the interest of the world. He uses the press, radio, TV videos to saturate us with the spirit of the world. He loves it if we no longer dare to stand alone!

Indeed, if old or young allow him to do that, then a large section of the church will go down into the abyss. The world knows it … Satan knows it … but do the people of the church know it too?

The Crowning of that Youth by God🔗

Yet, resisting these onslaughts of Satan can only result in blessings. We read in Daniel 1 that these four young people who held fast to God's laws received from Him wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Later on all of them would take up important positions. The others, who had been afraid to spoil their chances, disappeared from history … but Daniel and his friends were given wisdom and understanding. The Lord Himself crowned these young people. They missed out on nothing. The opposite was true. The gifts they received contributed to the failure of Satan's onslaughts. They received these precious gifts from God so that in the future all might know that the struggle against sin, in keeping with God's Word, instead of causing a loss, always pays the richest dividends!

When Satan launched a powerful onslaught on the youth of the church, in an attempt to bring her down, then the Holy Spirit worked faithfulness in the hearts of that youth and so they were crowned with His Divine blessing!

Daniel and his friends did not know that beforehand. All they did was act in faith. They believed that the gates of hell could never overpower the church. Though she had been sent into exile because of her sins, the prophet Jeremiah had once proclaimed that God's anger would one day cease. For the church of Israel had the promise of the coming Messiah. This promised Saviour was the actual reason for Satan's attempt to bring down the youth of the church. Still today he launches onslaught after onslaught. And therefore the book of Daniel can be resistance literature. In the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Old Testament Anti-Christ, it served to uphold the people when he endeavoured to integrate Israel with the people of the world, to saturate it with the spirit of heathendom. At that time they took courage from Daniel's example. The people saw from that example that Satan never wins!

Today as well, a terrible onslaught is launched against the church. The world wants to integrate and indoctrinate us. They try to bring us under the influence of the spirit of the world. The question is now: What do we do? Do we discern that spirit … or do we fail to see harm in it? Today Satan focuses especially on the youth of the church. He wants to integrate them, to make them the same as the youth of the world. They have to live the same life-style of the world, seek the same entertainment as the world's young people.

They have to attend the pubs, spend time together, and share the same literature and TV. Daniel knew it … does our youth know it as well? Do they know that the sign on their forehead is not compatible with the food and drink of the world? Do they realise that the sign of baptism actually distinguishes them from the youth of the world? If they do not … it may cost them their faith.

Are they aware that Satan's onslaught on the youth is in fact an onslaught on the church herself?

Do they realise that, by way of the champagne bottle, hell as yet seeks to overpower the church?

Do they realise that the Kingdom of Christ will certainly come? Look at the book of Daniel, it contains the resistance literature for today. Time has gone on … and the beasts of Revelation have come up.

The book of Daniel is resistance literature, especially for today, because Christ did come, and he crushed the head of the serpent. There is no way in which Satan can ever be successful, but he can still bruise the heel of the church … crush those who live so close to the world.

Satan can no longer win. The deciding battle has been fought and won by Christ. But if we let ourselves be integrated with the world … we could still be lost, young and old, let us watch and pray!

May this resistance literature make us ready and willing unto battle. For Christ is victorious! That is certain! His Kingdom will come, and he who conquers with Him will receive the crown of life.

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