The Trademark of God's Leaders Series - Faithful Over a Long Duration

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

As we begin a new year, I want to begin a new series. In this episode and the next several, I want to look at some of the leadership characteristics of the Old Testament prophet Daniel.

Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were some of the first Israelites deported to Babylon following the fall of Judah. In chapter 1, verse 4, he is described as a “young man;” he was probably a teenager at the time.

His was undoubtedly a difficult situation.

 His nation had been disobedient to Jehovah,

 Consequently, they had been defeated by the Babylonians

 He and others were deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, a distance of more than 1400 kilometers

 He did not know the language or customs of the Babylonians

And yet … scripture makes no mention of Daniel being in despair. There is no record of any complaints. His is certainly an example for us to follow.

However, in this podcast I want to focus upon something else that greatly impresses me about Daniel … his complete faithfulness to the Lord over a very long period of time.

The Bible, and historians, record that the fall of Jerusalem occurred in 605 BC. Shortly thereafter he began a three-year training period for service under King Nebuchadnezzar. Years later he served under King Belshazzar, and even later he continued to serve in the King’s court; this time under Darius.

Daniel 9:1 makes reference to the first year in the reign of King Darius, and, again, historians tell us that this took place in 539 or 538 BC. Let’s do some quick math. Daniel, a foreigner, and a Jew, served approximately 66 years under three Babylonian kings!

How is this possible? I believe that chapter 6, verses 4-5 provide the explanation.

“At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally, these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.””

Daniel was faithful in his work (trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent), and he was faithful to his God (to the point of being thrown into a den of hungry lions).

As we begin a new year, I want to encourage us to be faithful like Daniel. Be faithful over a long period of time. Press on in the King’s service. Demonstrate trustworthiness. Avoid negligence and corruption. Let us honor God in all we are and in all we do.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.