Wilberforce Bible Study #3 “Companions”

Ice breaker : Have you ever been in a small group (a prayer group, bible study group or support group) where you felt that you could share one another's burdens? How did that affect your Christian walk?

Introduction : As John Donne wrote, “No man is an island,” meaning that we all have important relationships that nurture and sustain us. Nowhere is this more true than when we are trying to accomplish something significant for God. No one can do it on his or her own. Wilberforce relied on many others to accomplish the goal of ending the slave trade and slavery itself.

Today we will look at the biblical basis for teamwork as it works in a highly charged political and ethnic environment. While Daniel was clearly seen as the leader of this team, he needed his companions, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In this passage of Scripture the very essence of the dynamics of political engagement is found. It focuses on an apparently small issue but one that is based on major principles, ones that lead to major and sometimes monumental changes in the lives of individuals. While such changes are very significant for anyone, they are particularly important when they result in changes in national leaders because these changes, while individually initiated, expand to affect the population of a nation, and sometimes other nations that see the results of the changes. Remember that Daniel and his companions were foreigners and were taken to Babylon as defeated captives of war.

Read Daniel 1:1-20.

1. Why were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in the king's service?
2. What is the problem that Daniel is trying to resolve? Why is the issue of food so important to Daniel? (See Deut. 14:3-21) Contrast this with the fact that Daniel does not take a stand on being renamed after a pagan god.
3. How does Daniel approach the issue of the food laws?
4. Do you think Daniel consulted with his companions before embarking on his quest not to eat defiled food?
5. What do you think was the importance of having four test subjects for the vegetarian diet?
6. What made the official agree to the food test? What does it mean in verse 9 “God had caused the official to show favour”?
7. How does God reward the faithfulness of the four companions?

Application : Daniel was faithful to God in refusing to defile himself with the king's food. Through this small example of faithfulness, God blessed Daniel and his companions with wisdom and understanding. In particular, Daniel went on to the highest positions of government. He became a trusted advisor to several kings in succession. But he did not accomplish these things without a strong commitment to God and the support of his friends.

1. What role did Wilberforce's “companions in the battle” play? Do you think he could have accomplished what he did in making slavery illegal without the Clapham sect?
2. Do you currently have a support group of trusted Christian friends?
3. How do the principles of this passage apply to the situation in your country? How would they apply in a highly charged political and ethnic environment such as Israel and Palestine , Afghanistan or Iran ?
4. What concrete steps could you take this week to support someone or a group that is fighting injustice?
5. If you are already engaged in this kind of work, share some of your needs with the group. If you are not, who are some brothers and sisters in Christ who share your burden? What would it take to seek God together as to the role you might play as a team?