Faithful Servants Needed

Was this a nightmare? Or was this really happening to him? He had grown up around royalty and was one of several young men growing up in and around the palace in Jerusalem. He had been very well educated and had excelled among his peers. He was a devout Jewish believer. The prophet Jeremiah was prominent around Jerusalem and the king’s court. Daniel had heard the warnings from Jeremiah that God would judge their city and nation if they didn’t turn back to God. But was it actually happening now? In his lifetime? While he was still a teenager?

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was implementing his plan of conquering Jerusalem and Judea. In this first deportation of Jewish people, he had given this order: “And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.” (Daniel 1:3-4).

Daniel met this description and became one of the captives.

Now, he was in Babylon with several other young Jewish men. Everything was strange: the language, the people, the dress, the customs, and all the surroundings. Uncertainty filled the air.

They changed his name from Daniel (God is my judge) to Belteshazzar (the keeper of the hidden treasures of Bel). By this name change, the Chaldeans intended to make him forget his God. The Chaldeans fed them a new diet of the king’s food – which was contrary to the diet God had commanded for the Jews.

Daniel and his three friends decided not to defile themselves with the king’s meat and wine. In an act of faith and courage, he requested a test from Ashpenaz. Give them pulse (vegetables) and water to drink for ten days to see how they compared in appearance to the Jewish captives who consented to the king’s diet. Ashpenaz agreed to the test. Daniel and his three friends passed with flying colors. They continued with pulse and water through the entire three-year training program. When Ashpenaz brought them to commune with the king, he found them ten times better than all his magicians and astrologers.

God gifted Daniel to understand and interpret visions and dreams. In Daniel 2, he declared and interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image that portrayed four world empires followed by the final empire of God. In chapter four, Daniel interprets the dream of the tree cut down. Daniel boldly and humbly told the king that he was the cut-down tree. Nebuchadnezzar would become like a beast for seven years. This judgment would continue until the king knew that the most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (Daniel 4:25). Daniel then warned the king to repent so this would not happen to him. He didn’t repent, and the dream became reality. After that time, the king said, “I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever,  whose dominion is  an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:34)

Nebuchadnezzar died, and his descendant, Belshazzar, was conquered and killed by the Medes. Darius, the Mede, took over the kingdom and promoted Daniel to be the first of three presidents. Out of jealousy, his colleagues looked for a way to kill Daniel and could find no fault in him. They conspired in a plot and convinced Darius to decree that no one could pray to any god for 30 days. They must pray only to Darius. Darius signed the decree. Daniel knew about the new decree but continued praying to his God thrice daily with his windows open toward Jerusalem. The conspirators spied on him and reported it to the king. The soldiers threw Daniel into the den of lions, but God sent his angels to shut the mouths of the lions. The king rescued Daniel from the den the next morning, and his enemies were thrown into the den. The lions quickly devoured them.

The testimony of Daniel was this: “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.” (Daniel 6:4)

God is looking for faithful men and women. “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man, who can find?”  (Proverbs 20:6). There is a shortage of faithful men. “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Psalm 12:1). Paul instructs Timothy to find faithful men and prepare them for the ministry. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2). The Faith Chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11, relates briefly the stories of several faithful men and women.

God requires faithfulness in His servants. “Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2). So, what does it mean to be faithful?

OUR SUPREME EXAMPLE OF FAITHFULNESS IS GOD. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;).” (Hebrews 10:23). “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9). “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” (1 Thessalonians 3:3),

The Bible does not give a direct definition of faithful. Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines it as “to be trusted, reliable.”  (p. 402). The word faithful describes God – who keeps His promises. After asking in Proverbs 20:6, “a faithful man, who can find?” the next verse says, “The just man walketh in his integrity.”  To have integrity means to be perfect, complete, unblemished, sincere, and honest, showing a pattern of good works. The only one who perfectly meets that standard is Christ, “who was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15). Yet Paul tells us to be followers or imitators of God and Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-2).

As we look at faithful men and women in the Bible, they trusted God completely and were dependable and reliable. They trusted God in unbelievably difficult situations (Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Paul & others). When they made a promise, they kept it. If they said “yes” to God’s call, they remained faithful. They committed themselves wholly to God.

These are the last days. In this 21st century, people have been extremely reluctant to commit themselves to service for the Lord. We can commit to a 10, 15, or 30-year mortgage, to a seven-year car loan, or to make an expensive vacation trip, but we waffle about committing to the Lord’s service. We don’t know if we can tithe, be faithful as a Sunday School teacher, or commit to some ministry. In daily life, we commit to all sorts of things but somehow don’t connect that same concept of commitment to the Lord’s work.

What about you? “Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”