March 2007 chaplain's corner
The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.
Chaplain’s Corner – March 27, 2007
Rev. Rich Hines
Be A Godly Chaplain In a Pagan or Secular Setting
This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as
their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or gospel minister
in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the
United States.
All Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the
Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.
All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is
placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations
from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help
apply the text to today’s culture.
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make
a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.
It’s an exciting time to be a Christian. This is especially true for those in
full-time gospel ministry. I say that because times are changing. It’s a
different world and a different American society than we knew just a few years
back.
In my lifetime it's gone from being by and large, a Judeo-Christian society
that honored moral absolutes, to being post-Christian. Then, to giving itself
to complete diversity and being post-modern in thought, to most recently -
being more and more, ANTI-CHRISTIAN. Fueling it all is an all out love of self
and sin.
In the last 50 years biblical Christians have gone from being looked up to, to
being feared, from being thought of as good for society, to being thought to be
hate-mongers and dangerous to our society.
Chaplains, especially those that minister in government run facilities, face
new difficulties and increasing challenges from the current political climate.
So this question should be asked: Can a true man of God and minister of the
gospel of Jesus Christ function as a godly Chaplain in such a pagan and secular
setting? The answer is absolutely, yes! I think we have a wonderful example of
such a man. He lived and ministered God’s truth in the courts of pagan
governments 2600 years ago.
So this month, let’s briefly look at who he was, and how he was able to
maintain a godly ministry and not compromise the truth. He was the prophet
Daniel. He served in the highest court of at least seven pagan kings. By
exposure to Daniel, some of these kings came to know some of the truth of the
real God.
For instance, in Daniel 3 and 4 King Nebuchadnezzar bowing to His sovereignty,
called Him "The Most High" and "The Most High God." In
Chapter 5, Daniel declared the same name to describe the true God to King
Belshazzar. In Chapter 6, King Darius, trusting He had power over certain
death, called Him "the Living God."
Daniel was who he was because of the reality of the true God in his life. By
comparison, if Jesus Christ truly lives in and through you, then you too dear
Chaplain, can be as faithful and true - or as godly as Daniel was.
The same Most High and Living God Daniel served, you and I are to serve. He's
the God who has all final authority and power and victory over sin and death
for all who follow Him.
He (as Jesus) is the one that said "I am the First and the Last. I am He
who LIVES, AND WAS DEAD, AND BEHOLD I AM ALIVE FOREVERMORE. AMEN. AND I HAVE
THE KEYS OF HADES AND OF DEATH. (Rev.1:17,18).
In just a few days - like the Apostles of old, we should be giving
"witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 4:33) Because
He lives we should never fear what mere men can do to us.
Now let’s look at Daniel who became a godly Chaplain in a pagan government. In
Daniel Chapter 1, he’s seen as a captive teenage Jewish boy - it says:
8 But Daniel PURPOSED IN HIS HEART THAT HE WOULD NOT DEFILE (to soil, or to
desecrate) HIMSELF with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine
which he (King Nebuchadnezzar) drank ...
With every one of us it all begins in the heart. Daniel had a true heart
commitment to the true God. We can and should know and embrace solid biblical
theology – but more than just knowing the right facts, we need to EMBRACE THEM
WITH OUR TOTAL BEING. That’s what’s meant in the Bible by statements like we
find in Daniel 1:8, “Daniel purposed in his heart...”
The food prescribed for the captive Jewish teenagers, called the “king’s
delicacies,” contained items forbidden by God’s dietary law for His covenant
people,
To the Babylonians, this was a contest of gods. Having conquered the Jews, the
Babylonians thought their god’s were superior and stronger than the God of the
Jewish nation. Daniel and his three friends all had names that reflected the
true God and His nature, but the pagan Babylonians first strategy was to change
all that, TO CHANGE THEIR IDENTITY.
The endings of the Jewish youth’s given Hebrew names said something about the
true God, “El,” or the great “I AM,” Yahweh - referenced by the ending “Ah.”
The Babylonians gave DaniEL, HananiAH, MishaEL and AzariAH new names that
reflected the names of their pagan god’s: Bel, Aku and Nebo (this is explicitly
stated in by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:8).
Like those teenage boys of old, Christian Chaplains always need to be on guard
against allowing the pagan and secular culture around them to influence their
identity and thinking.
A heart commitment to not compromise always shows itself in crisis situations
by a bold stand for the truth. Note the teenage Daniel’s action coming out of
his heart commitment:
11 So Daniel said to the steward ...
12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to
eat and water to drink.”
13 “Then let our appearance be examined before you, … and as you see fit, so
deal with your servants.”
14 So he (the steward) consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten
days.
15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in
flesh than all the young men who ate the king's delicacies.
This is not a case for vegetarianism. Rather, God supernaturally honored their
active faith by making them notably superior, both physically and mentally.
Here in Chapter 1 we should observe THREE KEYS to Daniel’s godly character.
First, he PURPOSED IN HIS HEART TO KEEP THE TRUE GOD FIRST PLACE IN HIS LIFE.
We need to do the same.
Second, note how RESPECTFUL HE WAS OF THOSE IN AUTHORITY OVER HIM (verses 12,13
and see it again in Daniel 4:19).
And thirdly, verses 12,13 show us HIS ABSOLUTE TRUST IN GOD THROUGH A TOUGH
TRIAL. This kind of faith is also on display with Daniel’s three friends
Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) in Chapter 4,
when they faced the threat of the fiery furnace.
God honored the faith of Daniel and his friends – so we read:
17 As for these four young men, GOD GAVE THEN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL in all
literature and wisdom; and Daniel HAD UNDERSTANDING IN ALL VISIONS AND DREAMS.
Coming into Chapter 2, the inspired text still pictures Daniel as a very young
man (in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign). Here we see more of God’s
work in young Daniel’s life and character. Like Daniel here, a godly Chaplain
ALWAYS GLORIFIES GOD AND NEVER SELF.
Here King Nebuchadnezzar in a brash yet calculated display of his authority,
demanded that the wise men of his kingdom tell him the dream he had, and what
it meant. He even added that failure to do so would result in a terrible death
and humiliation. No one was found who was able to do such a thing. The king
also promised great gifts and honor to the man that could fulfill his demands
(2:5,6).
Then, young Daniel stepped up to the plate. Note it in Daniel 2:27,28 -
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret
which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and
the soothsayers CANNOT DECLARE TO THE KING.
28 "BUT THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN WHO REVEALS SECRETS, and He has made
known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days."
Here, Daniel DIDN’T TAKE CREDIT FOR WHAT WOULD FOLLOW, IN GIVING THE KING THE
ANSWER HE SOUGHT - BUT GAVE ALL CREDIT AND GLORY TO GOD ALONE.
By God’s power and presence, Daniel rightly reviewed the details of the king’s
dream and gave him the Most High God’s interpretation (see verses 31-45). Then
we read:
45 ..."The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and
commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. (to honor
his God)
47 The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods,
the Lord of kings, (in other words - the absolute Sovereign One) and a revealer
of secrets,
48 Then the king promoted Daniel.
The promotion by Nebuchadnezzar may have still been when Daniel was a teenager!
Yet Daniel took no credit – nor the bribe of riches and honor (compare Daniel
5:17 where Daniel is an old man). Throughout his life and ministry Daniel
CONSISTENTLY KEPT ON POINTING ONLY TO THE TRUE GOD. That’s something we also
need to do.
Chapter 6 begins after the fall of the Babylonians to the Medes and Persians in
539 BC. By this time some 66 years had passed since Daniel was taken captive as
a youth in 605 BC. He was now in his eighties. That’s something to think about,
as we see more of his consistency. Here we read:
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to
be over the whole kingdom;
2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps
might give account to them, SO THAT THE KING WOULD SUFFER NO LOSS.
As King Darius took over the large empire, HE WANTED SECURITY. He needed
reliable, loyal men that would not be self-seeking to be in charge of all his
local territorial rulers (the satraps) and oversee them. He wisely chose Daniel
to be one of them. Furthermore we read on in verse 3 -
3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself ABOVE the governors and satraps, (this
implies some time and observable job performance) because AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT
WAS IN HIM; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. Next
we read:
4 SO THE GOVERNORS AND SATRAPS SOUGHT TO FIND SOME CHARGE AGAINST Daniel
concerning the kingdom;
WHY did they seek a charge against Daniel? Obviously, they wanted TO GET RID OF
HIM. If you serve as a genuinely godly Christian Chaplain, it should not
surprise you if even most in your facility want to get rid of you! This will be
a reality as society gets more pagan and secular.
But what was the motive of these 122 men? Jealousy and envy may have played a
part as they heard about Darius’ plans to promote Daniel over them all. But I
think it was even more than that. They were pagans and Daniel was a servant of
the True God.
As a faithful consistent believer, Daniel’s moral character must have been a
bright light against their darkness and sin. Those in moral darkness hate the
light and therefore try to get rid of it.
They probably feared that Daniel’s excellent and honest character would by
contrast, EXPOSE THEIR dubious motives and cramp the way they wanted to
operate. So they moved to find fault in him, especially in his job performance,
-
4 … but they could find no charge or fault, because HE WAS FAITHFUL; nor was
there any ERROR OR FAULT FOUND IN HIM.
Wow! That’s a message on how to silence evil critics. Be the best employee and
live a life that no charge can stick to. This is precisely what the Scripture
means when it says to Christians:
“For this is the will of God, that by DOING GOOD you may put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men – as free, yet NOT USING LIBERTY AS A CLOAK FOR VICE,
but as bondservants of God.” … “having a GOOD CONSCIENCE, that when they defame
you as evildoers, those who revile your GOOD CONDUCT in Christ may be ashamed.”
(1 Peter 2:15,16 and 1 Peter 3:16).
Daniel was CONSISTENTLY HONEST AND PURE, A MAN OF ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY. He lived
a holy life consistent with the Holy God he proclaimed. Therefore HE DID HIS
DAILY JOB AS IF HE WAS WORKING FOR GOD and not for sinful men. We need to do
the same.
Continuing to look at Daniel 6 we read:
5 THEN these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel
UNLESS WE FIND IT AGAINST HIM CONCERNING THE LAW OF HIS GOD."
Again, WOW! Daniel’s life and job performance was so excellent the only way
they could “get him” was IF THEY COULD MAKE HIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
SOMEHOW ILLEGAL.
Wouldn’t it be something that would truly glorify our God, if the only thing
anyone could have against us was in our personal practice of our love for and
devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ? Think about this: there are places on earth
today, where if you’re caught with a Bible, or in a meeting worshiping Christ,
you’d be arrested. How would you serve as a Chaplain there?
The text in Daniel 6 continues:
6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, ... (here they lied
and included Daniel in the word “All”)
7 "All ... have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to
make a firm decree, THAT WHOSEVER PETITIONS ANY GOD OR MAN FOR THIRTY DAYS,
EXCEPT YOU, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 "Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it
cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does
not alter."
9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
So it became illegal for 30 days to pray to anyone else but to King Darius. But
our godly Chaplain was not at all on the horns of a dilemma. Daniel wasn’t
casting about in his mind how he could stay out of trouble and still honor the
true God. Many thoughts have been offered, but note what verse 10 says:
10 Now WHEN Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his
upper room, with the windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees
three times THAT DAY, AND PRAYED AND GAVE THANKS BEFORE HIS GOD, AS WAS HIS
CUSTOM SINCE EARLY DAYS. (since he was a youth – note his consistency)
Of course the plotters caught him, turned him in and forced King Darius to give
the order to throw him into the den of lions. But God delivered him through a
holy angel’s power, and was thus vindicated to the pagans as the ultimate true
God.
In this incident we again see Daniel’s consistent, vital relationship with God
and his total trust in Him. So, what were the keys to Daniel being a godly
minister, and what are keys for you being the same in a pagan setting?
1. He purposed in his heart to keep the True God first place in his life.
2. He was respectful of those in authority over him.
3. He always gave honor and glory to God for his gifts and abilities, and for
every accomplishment for good around him.
4. He was honest and pure – a man of absolute integrity, who did his work as if
for the Lord and not man.
5. He was consistent.
6. He maintained a lifelong vital daily relationship with the Lord.
7. He trusted God through everything.
My prayer is that we all would dare to be like Daniel. If we really and
consistently put our Lord first every day - we will stand out and be used by
Him, even in this dark and Christ rejecting time. God’s light will shine in the
darkest places we visit and minister to.