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Out with the Good; In with the Bad

Pastor Bill Farrow

Daniel 1:6-7  

[6] Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. [7] To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.

(Verse 6-7) We have been discussing the effect of the culture and other pressures on Daniel and his three friends. We have observed that there were tremendous pressures upon them from all sides. There was a new home, new freedom, new knowledge, and they were exposed to new influences. There were new customs, a new diet, new friends, and a variety of new goals to be pursued. All of these were powerful in and of themselves, but taken together they tell us that the goal of the Babylonians was to redefine the entire person of the captives and turn these Jews into Babylonians. The change of the names bears this out.

New Names (6-7)

The culture of Babylon, as defined and set by the King, was essentially trying to completely reshape the entire person of the captives from Israel. They redefined or tried to remove everything that distinguished them as Jews and mould them into Babylonians. This was entirely in line with the general strategy an invader would use on the country they conquered. They would try and erase any sense of national pride and identity. In the long run, this made the conquered people much easier with which to deal.

In Jewish and eastern culture the name of an individual was considered to be descriptive of the entire character and being of that person. One's name was considered a treasure and was seen to be an extension of their very identity. It makes perfect sense, then, that a part of any attack on a people would include an attack on their name as an ego thing on the part of the attacker. Their desire would be to destroy and demoralize the conquered, and there was no better way to do that than to take away their identity. The change of their names served to complete that purpose.

What we actually see here is twofold. The removal of their Jewish name removed their prior identity and the giving of the Babylonian name was an attempt to impose a new, contrary identity in its place. The Babylonians wanted to see both of those ends achieved. It was not enough for them to adopt Babylonish customs; they also he to be stripped of their Jewish customs as well.

This is an incredible picture of what the world tries to do to believers. It tries to subvert us and erase our identity as believers. It's aim is to cause us to forsake our Christian identity and embrace a worldly one. This is why it is not sufficient, to the world, that we simply be worldly. We must stop being Christian as well.

The Bible tells us that the world hates every appearance of the presence of God in their presence. They cannot abide even the mention of God in their midst. It is not sufficient that the world tempt us to sin and comprise. We must also forsake any alliegance to God and especially any declaring of His character that might remind them of their accountability to Him. It is OK if God is one more choice among many; but the minute we speak of the true Gospel's exclusive nature, they show their nature as God haters and persecutors of His children. We should understand and expect this on their part.

I need to prepare myself to face their attacks and to fend off their attempts to force us to forsake our Christian identity and embrace a worldly one!