Mar 2, 2012
Daniel
Everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed. (Daniel 6:26 NLT)
The following is a worship profile of Daniel from the Praise and Worship Study Bible from Tyndale House Publishers. I highly recommend this study bible for all who want to learn more about biblical praise and worship.
Daniel
The exile of God's people to Babylon and their further dispersion throughout the Mediterranean world presented many dangers to them. One was that the Jews might assimilate the culture and beliefs around them, thus losing their own spiritual and cultural identity as God's chosen people. Another danger was that if they remained faithful to the Lord, they might lose their lives. Either way, this pressure threatened to eliminate the Jews' worship of God. It is in this context that Daniel sets an important example for worshipers everywhere.
Daniel the Worshiper
Daniel's example is one of faithful worship in the midst of threatening settings, as illustrated by the story of Daniel being thrown to the lions (Daniel 6:1-28).
Clearly, the God whom Daniel worshiped is the Lord of history, for God ultimately controls history and is actively at work in it to help his people. Because of this, Daniel and his friends could remain faithful and confident in the face of death by fire or beast, and they could rest in God's sovereignty despite the constant turmoil of political change.
Learning from Daniel
In several instances in the book of Daniel, kings and officials worship the Lord because his servants are obedient to their calling (2:47; 3:28; 6:26-27). This can encourage us to maintain a faithful witness even in the face of opposition.
The foundation of Daniel's confidence and faithfulness was rooted in regular prayer and worship (6:10).
As we look at the lives of Daniel and his friends, we can see that God is faithful to those who follow him. He will rescue us, be it in this present life or in the life to come.
Following the Example
In a fallen world, worshiping the Lord can be hazardous to your physical health. Those who are blessed with religious freedom may have difficulty identifying with this. But there are many believers who live under governments that are hostile to Christianity and experience persecution daily. Daniel calls God's people to be faithful worshipers in whatever circumstances they may find themselves. God enables us to do this by promising to be with us and to provide for all our needs, both temporal and eternal.
Psalm 122:1
I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." (HCSB)