While studying the book of Daniel this week, many of my study materials talked about looking for the parallels between ancient Babylon and our world today. My thoughts turned to Daniel and his friends and their unwavering faith while living in the wicked city of Babylon. The question I asked myself was "what had these young men been taught by their parents in order to spiritually survive in Babylon?" Even though there is no direct answer to this question, through their stories we can infer a lot about the values these boys were taught in order to stay strong in a culture that was very different than the homes they'd been raised in.
They knew their true identity (Daniel 1:7). Even though Babylon labeled them with new names, they stayed true to who they were. In a devotional given to the Young Adults in May 2022 Pres. Nelson said "I believe that if the Lord were speaking to you directly tonight, the first thing He would make sure you understand is your true identity.11...the way you think about who you really are affects almost every decision you will ever make." (Choices for Eternity)
They knew their covenants (Daniel 1:8, 3:12, 18, 6:10-11). Refusing to eat certain foods and worship idols shows that these boys had been taught different standands than those living in Babylon and they were not going to lower their standards to try and fit in. Pres. Nelson recently said "The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way." (Overcome the World and Find Rest)
They knew the power of prayer (Daniel 2:16-19). When faced with the challenge of revealing and interpreting the king's dream, Daniel turns to God in prayer and invites his friends to pray with him. Pres. Nelson has said "If you are not also seeking the Lord through daily prayer and gospel study, you leave yourself vulnerable to philosophies that may be intriguing but are not true. Even Saints who are otherwise faithful can be derailed by the steady beat of Babylon’s band." (Make Time for the Lord)
They knew how to recognize Gods’ hand in their lives (Daniel 2:19-23, 28). When the king's secret is revealed to Daniel in a night vision, the first thing that he does is give thanks to God in heaven. Pres. Eyring gave a talk in 2007 titled "O Remember Remember" where he shared an experience that strengthened his testimony regarding the importance of recognizing Gods hand in his life. He said "As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done...that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew...[I] urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It will build our testimonies."
They knew how to have faith in God's will (Daniel 3:17-18, Daniel 6:23). When the four friends each faced the death penalty for not obeying their mortal king's request, they all relied on their faith that by obeying their Heavenly King they could be saved. Elder Maxwell once said "As one’s will is increasingly submissive to the will of God, he can receive inspiration and revelation so much needed to help meet the trials of life."(Swallowed up in the Will of the Father)
Pres. Boyd K. Packer spoke to the youth of the church 10 years ago and said "You are growing up in enemy territory... the adversary has infiltrated the world around you. He is in homes, entertainment, the media, language—everything around you." (How to Survive in Enemy Territory) We are living in modern day Babylon, surrounded by a culture that continues to move further and further away from the teachings of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful that the scriptures and our latter-day prophets and apostles give us guidance and direction in helping us know the best strategies on how we can confidently live in this world and still enjoy happiness and hope for better things to come.
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