Daniel – Godly Living in a Hostile World

Many books have been written on the prophetic chapters of Daniel but fewer that consider the character of the man that God used and the lessons that can be learned from his life and testimony. On that ground alone this book is to be welcomed.

The author draws the parallels between Daniel’s experiences and that of modern situations. From the opening chapter, he emphasizes the real difficulties of facing the ‘Babylonian Brain-Washing Machine’, and ‘The Flattery of Selection’ and yet maintaining a relationship with those, such as Melzar, who had the responsibility of carrying out the king’s command. He considers how Daniel turned times of crisis into times of opportunity through united prayer and dependence upon God. The book is not comfortable reading. The writer’s comment, ‘We must avoid music which has Satanic and idolatrous undertones as it will destroy our spiritual life’ is a telling one, ably exemplified from the situation that faced Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Similarly, the task of telling Nebuchadnezzar that he would ‘go completely out of his mind, and start behaving like an animal’, or of delivering the message of coming judgement to Belshazzar, was far from easy. Yet, as the writer stresses, ‘Daniel never flinched from his responsibility’.

William Burnett is to be commended for this insightful and practical treatment of the life of a great man of God who served in the most hostile of environments. A prayerful reading of this work could produce much of lasting spiritual fruit in the life of any believer.