914: Suffering in Babylon

Let's review what we have learned so far in our Success in Babylon series we began five weeks ago. Our focus for the series is Daniel in Babylon to learn how we can be as successful in our spiritually-hostile environment as he was in his. To date, we have learned that:

1. Daniel was in Babylon not by choice, but by conscription.
2. Daniel and his friends had a bright future in front of them, but it suddenly change and they had no say in the matter.
3. When they got to Babylon, they were given new names, transformed into eunuchs, and forced to assimilate into a new culture.
4. Even through all their suffering, Daniel and his entourage refused to eat the king's food, staying true to their heritage and values as Hebrew men.
5. God blessed their commitment and they were promoted into the king's service because God's ways always ultimately lead to success and promotion.

You can read any of the previous entries before you on to read this week's lesson.

DRINK THE CUP

Before we move on to Daniel 2 next week, I want to look at one more concept in Daniel 1, which is one that is implied but not specifically mentioned and that concept is suffering. We read in Daniel 1:8, "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way." It would be simple to read through Daniel 1 and not take a moment to reflect on what these young exiles went through emotionally to get to Babylon.

These young men had seen their homeland and Temple invaded and destroyed by foreigners, things some prophets had predicted would never happen. Perhaps they saw their families killed, or they at least were separated from their loved ones when they were taken to Babylon, never to see them again. These captives had to walk the 600 miles to Babylon from Judea, and were probably not given the best of treatment. All these events would add up to significant trauma that they would have remembered for the rest of their lives. 

In the midst of all that, they refused to drink wine from the king's cup because they had their own cup to drink from, and it was the cup of suffering. Jesus had His own cup of suffering to drink from and he implied that anyone who followed Him would have their own cup as well:

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down,asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” "You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them.“ Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father" (Matthew 20:19-23, emphasis added).

Later, Jesus addressed His own cup of suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will'" (Matthew 26:39). The cup was a reference to the agonizing suffering Jesus was about to endure, and Jesus knew it was going to be a struggle even for Him. Yet He endured and we are instructed to do the same:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1-3).

GET READY

When I spoke in prison settings, I reminded the inmates that part of their lot was suffering, something many of them had either experienced or committed crimes to avoid. Either way, they were going to have to deny themselves, pick up their crosses, and follow His example--and that was going to cause them to suffer. The same is true for you, regardless of what situation you find yourself. If you are going to fulfill your life purpose and be true to the Lord's will, you will suffer. Paul understood this and rejoiced in the privilege to do so: "Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church" (Colossians 1:24).

Daniel was successful in his Babylon because he embraced suffering and did not allow it to deter him from serving God. He was not bitter and he willingly gave the best of who he was to his captors, as we will see in later Memos. Can you do the same? Can you give your best to your Babylon as you serve your Nebuchadnezzar? Can you follow Christ not only when the blessings flow, but also when the sufferings abound? I close with this admonition from Hebrews:

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come  and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved (Hebrews 10:32-39).

Have a blessed week.