How should Christians respond to an unjust, tyrannical government? In our increasingly polarized political climate, this is the question that all too many Americans ask, no matter who currently holds office. But a casual glance at history should put all of our breathless panic into perspective. For if you want to see a truly wicked, oppressive government in action, you need look no farther than today’s reading.

Think about it. As a Babylonian, Nebuchadnezzar was a worshipper of all sorts of false gods. He had invaded the Promised Land, killed many of God’s people and carried the rest off into exile. He forced some of them to serve him as bureaucrats (1:3-5), and threatened to kill others who refused to worship an image of himself (3:6). No matter which political party is in power, American Christians face nothing even close to this kind of persecution.

So, how did God’s ancient people respond to such genuine religious oppression? In the first place, the most faithful of them maintained their commitment to personal purity. Now, we don’t know why Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah objected to the kind of food served in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. But they refused to compromise their faith in order to fit into a godless society (1:8). They asked to be served a different diet, and God rewarded their faithfulness with greater health than all their peers (1:12-15).

But we also see the four friends being willing to use their God-given gifts to improve the society around them, regardless of the injustice of their situation. They entered the service of an obviously wicked king, and demonstrated time after time that their advice was superior to that which any of the godless heathen around them could offer (1:19-20). Daniel was even willing to use his miraculous ability to interpret dreams to save the lives not only of his godly friends, but of the king’s godless counsellors as well (2:16-18).

And what was the result of such steadfast service of man and faithful devotion to God? Even wicked King Nebuchadnezzar realized that the God Who allowed Daniel to reveal and interpret dreams, “is a God of gods and a Lord of kings” (2:47).

So, no matter what we may think of whoever occupies the White House or the governor’s mansion, will we seek to maintain our purity of heart and mind in an increasingly godless world? Will we use our God-given gifts to bless the wicked world around us? Will we pursue obedience to God, regardless of the social or legal consequences that may come our way? Will we in all these ways shine the light of Christ into the darkness? Or will we keep looking to merely political solutions to solve all our moral problems?

Daniel 2:20-23 (NASB)

20 Daniel answered and said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him.
21 “And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to men of understanding.
22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.
23 “To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For Thou hast given me wisdom and power; Even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee, For Thou hast made known to us the king’s matter.”