“The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar…” – Daniel 1:7
Do you know who you are in Christ? Despite the enemy’s attempt to rewrite his story, Daniel was able to reject the temptations placed in front of him, all because he knew where his loyalties lay.
Daniel 1:7 says that the chief changed Daniel’s name to Belteshazzar. This is a pretty common tactic the enemy likes to use, to relabel God’s children. He loves to try to convince us that we are something other than who God created us to be.
Remember, Daniel’s name meant “God is my judge.” And yet, the enemy said, “Oh no! We can’t be having that.” So what did he do? He relabeled him and said your name will be known as Belteshazzar, which literally meant, “Protect the life of the king.”
So, get this…they not only gave him a new name with a new meaning but in doing so, they presented him with a new loyalty. Daniel was told that he was to be loyal to the king, not to God. He must obey the king and be a servant to the king.
Here is what we know about Daniel. Most likely because of his elite upbringing, he was quickly identified as being special, gifted, and smart. So as a chosen servant of the king, he was placed in some sort of educational system where he was taught the ways of the Babylonian culture, and he was provided a food diet that would have been like the king’s diet.
Daniel 1:5 tells us, “The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king.”
But if you keep reading, verse 8 says, “Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself.”
Despite the temptation and the opportunity for temporary pleasure, Daniel did not forget where his loyalties lay. As a faithful servant to God, he did not succumb to what man placed in front of him.
Is Satan tempting you? Are there opportunities, pleasures, or people being placed in front of you that you know go against God’s plan for your life? When it comes time to make that decision, where do your loyalties lie?