Daniel and the “Wise Men”

“I never thought about this before,” I said to Lynne as we were discussing a book someone had recommended to us. “Thriving in Babylon” by pastor Larry Osborne presents a unique portrait of Daniel the Prophet. I have always loved the book of Daniel, but like most students of Scripture, I tended to look more at the prophetic passages of the book than I did the historical portions.

I have made it a practice to read through the Bible every year for most of my Christian journey. It is amazing the way the spirit of God will illuminate a passage you may have read many times over. That happened as I once again read Daniel. Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, spent three years being indoctrinated in the Babylonian culture. At the end of the three years, they found favor with King Nebuchadnezzar and served in his court.

Scripture tells us the Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, and he “commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams” (Daniel 2:2, ESV). Long story short, the king would not tell the “wise guys” the details of his dream. When they balked, he ordered all of them to be slain, including Daniel and his friends. When Daniel heard of the king’s command, he requested time to seek the interpretation of the king’s dream. God gave Daniel the interpretation. What happened next is what I find amazing.

“Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: ‘Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.’”  (Daniel 2:24, ESV)

If I had been in Daniel’s place, I’m not sure I would have extended that much grace to the wise men of Babylon. These were the guys that no doubt advised Nebuchadnezzar on his campaign against Jerusalem, which resulted in Daniel and his friends being brought to Babylon, castrated, and forced to serve this pagan king. If I had interpreted the dream for the king, I’d have advised the king to get rid of the deadbeats. Not so Daniel.

Daniel knew, and I have since learned, that God’s ways are not our ways.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)

God’s grace and mercy are not something found only in the New Testament. They show throughout the Old Testament and are demonstrated by those who walked in God’s pathways. Scripture tells us:

“Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.” (Romans 2:4, ESV)

In this polarized society in which we live, it is easy to treat lost people like they are the enemy, especially when they are antagonistic towards our Biblical standards. When Jesus saw the multitudes coming to Him, He had compassion on them because “they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36, ESV). Scripture is replete with exhortations to Christians to show God’s love. Jesus gave us the principle to live by.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, ESV)

The next time the thought crosses my mind to figuratively “kill all the wise men,” I need to remember the example that King Jesus gave us when, on the cross, he said,

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34, ESV)

If we lived like Jesus did, maybe, just maybe, we might have as great of an influence on our generation as Daniel had on his.

What say you, Man of Valor?

Adapted from Men of Valor Devotional by Ron Helle, 30 August 2024