Civil disobedience is an active refusal to obey certain laws of a government or occupying force without resorting to physical violence. In other words, it is an active refusal in a passive manner. We saw examples of this principle in Mahatma Gandhi and the some of the leaders of the Polish Solidarity movement. For most Americans, the term became real when we witnessed the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. What started as peaceful demonstrations against unjust laws became a nationwide riot when people on both sides forgot the principles of the movement.
Daniel 6 (NIV)
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Daniel and three of his countrymen had been taken as slaves when the Babylonians captured Judah. As part of a grand experiment, they were chosen to take part in a training program to prepare them to become advisors to King Nebuchadnezzar. In time, they proved to be among the most trusted of all the kings’ wise men and magicians. It wasn’t easy being a public person in a pagan land if you were a follower of God. Daniels three friends found this out when they refused to bow to a statue of the king. He tied them up and threw them in a superheated furnace. When God allowed them to exit the furnace unscathed, the king acknowledged the one true God. Two kings later, Darius the Mede took over the country.
When King Darius took over, he organized the kingdom into provinces ruled by princes. Daniel was chosen to administer the provinces along with two other men. Since Daniel was basically as slave, there was considerable jealousy directed at him. So much so that some of the officials of the king’s court were out to get him. The only thing they could think of that they could use against him was his religion. They talked the king into ordering a 30 day “Worship the king” festival. During that time, no one could worship anyone or anything but King Darius. This sounds like déjà vu all over again.
In this passage, Daniel, on hearing of the decree, went about his normal routine. He went into his prayer room and prayed to his God, just as he had always done. He didn’t go out on the street and draw a crowd to see what he was doing. He didn’t pick up a banner and carry it to the palace. In obedience to the commands of God, he prayed. We know the rest of the story. The satraps returned to the King and told him what had happened. The king got mad at himself for ever making such a ridiculous decree, but he felt he had to enforce it. After telling Daniel, “May the God that you worship continually take care of you,” the king had him thrown into a pit full of lions. We know that Daniel spent the night with a bunch of lions and walked out unscathed.
Was the act of Daniel, as well as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, civil disobedience? It has all the earmarks. These men even appear to have read Mahatma Gandhi’s “Rules for Civil Resistance.” In spite of the similarities, I don’t think the actions of these men had anything to do with disobeying civil authority. They were acting out of obedience to their spiritual authority – the God of the Universe. The fact that this put them at odds with a pagan king was a consequence – not a conscious act. The actions of these men of God and the actions of all those who followed them were not meant to incite unrest or change governments.
We must act out of spiritual obedience to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is always personal. As long as we remain true to The Word, God will take care of the consequences.
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