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Daniel Continued…

Pastor Bill Farrow

Daniel 1:21

21  And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

(Verse 21) - And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus - When the proclamation was issued by him to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, Ezra 1:1. That is, he continued in influence and authority at different times during that period, and, of course, during the whole of the seventy years captivity. What an amazing thing this is.  We have seen that God gave Daniel great ability and unequalled gifts for ministry. Now we see that he gave him longevity and persistence as well.

As to longevity, we know Daniel was taken in the first deportation in 605 B.C. He may have been as young as 12 or so but was almost certainly no older than 18. If, as is said here, he persisted until the reign of Cyrus - that adds 70 years to his age, yielding the ripe old age of 82 to as old as 88 at the time mentioned. This was an exeptional age for the time.

Further, we are told that he continued as member of the court all through that time. His influence was long-lived and persisted even past the time when the Kingdom of Babylon disappeared. He outlasted both the King who selected turn and the Kingdom he served. This is extra-ordinary! As with Solomon, it seems that God lengthened his life and granted him continued influence and ministry throughout his long career.

It is not necessarily implied that he did not "live" longer, or even that he ceased then to have influence and authority at court, but the object of the writer is to show that, during that long and eventful period, he occupied a station of influence until the captivity was accomplished, and the royal order was issued for rebuilding the temple. He was among the first of the captives that were taken to Babylon, and he lived to see the end of the captivity-"the joyful day of Jewish freedom."  What a tremendous day that must have been for him. At long last that which he had longed for, waited for and prayed towards had finally arrived. We can only imagine his joy at seeing God finally accomplish the promised return to the land he had left so long before .

It is commonly believed that, when the captives returned, he remained in Chaldea, probably detained by his high employments in the Persian empire, and that he died either at Babylon or at Shushan.

It is of great importance to me that God enabled Daniel to have effective ministry throughout his whole life. It is of great comfort that God uses men; and that He continually has use for them throughout their lives. Ministry is a never-ending matter; one that continues on until God is through with us; regardless of age.

I need to be committed to serving God throughout my whole life until God is through with me. It e determines when I am done, not I.