“Going Against The Grain” Or “God’s Non-Conformists” (Part 2) by Alicia Fulmer

In this second part, we’ll continue to look at others in the Bible who upset the status quo of their day and how God blessed them when they made a stand for Him!

DANIEL (Daniel Ch. 6)

Daniel was an upsetter of the status quo in his refusal to obey the rule that was set forth by presidents and other leaders in King Darius’s kingdom.  They were simply jealous of Daniel’s high level of authority given to him by the king so they wanted to sabotage him. They knew the only way they could get him in trouble is to make a rule that he would be inclined to disobey.

What rule would Daniel most likely disobey?  A rule that prohibited praying to his God!!  So, these governors made a decree that no one in the kingdom was allowed to ask a petition of any god or man for a thirty-day period, except of King Darius, or they would be thrown in the lion’s den. However, Daniel defied that rule!  He upset the status quo! 

Daniel 6:10  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Daniel disobeyed the unreasonable law because he wanted to please His God, Jehovah, rather than please ungodly, oppressive men.  Because of his boldness and determination to obey God rather than the toxic and dysfunctional leaders in King Darius’s kingdom, God protected Daniel even after he was thrown in the lion’s den! 

 The Three Hebrew Boys (Daniel Ch 3)

The three Hebrew boys of Daniel chapter 3 were upsetters of the status quo.  Their Hebrew names were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah but, while in captivity in Babylon, they were given the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 

During their captivity, there was a law made by the governors of the land that whenever certain music was played with certain instruments, everyone in the kingdom had to bow down and worship a golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had made of himself.  If anyone refused to obey this law, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace! 

Everyone in the kingdom seemed to fall in line and obey the law — everyone EXCEPT the three Hebrew boys! 

Daniel 3:7-9  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.  (8)  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.  (9)  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.

Daniel 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

While the large masses of people were willing to fall in line and obey the oppressive king’s rule out of fear of being punished, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were willing to stand out!!  They fearlessly made a stand against the toxic king and refused to obey his law.

Daniel 3:16-18  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.  (17)  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.  (18)  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

While everyone else went along with what the king demanded, the three Hebrew boys did what God commanded them to do which was to not worship or bow down to any idols and to have no other gods before Him!  It took courage for them to go against the grain and refuse to do what everyone else was doing to appease the evil king!

Their boldness and obedience to their God caused the Lord to protect them WHILE they were in the furnace so that they were not harmed!

Daniel 3:26-27  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.  (27)  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Jesus

And finally, Jesus our Savior was definitely an upsetter of the status quo…so much so that He was crucified.

Jesus “broke” the rules created by the Jewish leaders of His day. 

But, doesn’t the Bible talk about obeying the laws of man????

Yes it does.  The Bible says in Romans 13:1-2  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  (2)  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Obeying man’s laws is of God to the extent that those laws help keep the peace and keep people safe without infringing on their personal rights and liberties in an extreme or unnecessary way.  Laws created by man are meant to help preserve the safety and peace in society, not to be an unnecessary burden in people’s lives.

Jesus broke the trivial, oppressive, and overbearing rules created by the Jewish religious leaders such as the high priests, chief priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees. He knew they were extreme rules that were only made for the purpose of controlling people and keeping them in bondage.  

So, how did Jesus upset the status quo during His earthly ministry?  In many ways!

First, He didn’t fall in line with the Pharisees’ oppressive rules.  The Pharisees demanded the Jews follow the commandments and traditions that THEY created just so that they could have a sense of undue power over the people.  Yet, the Pharisees were not really even perfectly adhering to their own rules. 

Some of these traditions that Jesus did not keep were:

a) Ritual handwashing before meals: Matthew 15:1-2  Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,  (2)  Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

b) Allowing His disciples to pluck kernels of wheat on the Sabbath because they were hungry: Matthew 12:1-2  At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.  (2)  But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

c) He even dared to HEAL on the Sabbath! Matthew 12:9-14  And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:  (10)  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.  (11)  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  (12)  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.  (13)  Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.  (14)  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

Secondly, Jesus upset the status quo with His teachings!  The religious leaders of the Jews were all about oppressing people with the commandments of the Law of Moses as well as with their own traditions and rules. They were definitely not trying to help people or liberate them. They only wanted to use the Law of Moses and their own traditions as a way of constantly intimidating, guilt tripping, and keeping people in line.

However, Jesus wanted to not only help the people by healing them physically and casting devils out of them, but He also wanted to liberate them spiritually by teaching them the bigger picture of what the Law of Moses was designed to do. 

In other words, He wanted the people to understand what the purpose and meaning of the Law of Moses actually was so that it would not just be a burden to them, but so that it would make more sense to them and they would then experience more spiritual freedom.     

Matthew 12:7  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.  

In this verse, Jesus was responding to the Pharisees finding fault with His disciples for plucking kernels of wheat on the Sabbath.  He was explaining to the rigid Pharisees that God is merciful and compassionate and values the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of men more than perfect adherence to the letter of the Law!  

Thirdly, Jesus upset the status quo and went against the socially accepted flow by openly and frequently rebuking and humiliating the Pharisees, scribes, and chief priests for being hypocrites!!

Matthew 23:1-7  Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,  (2)  Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:  (3)  All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.  (4)  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.  (5)  But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,  (6)  And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,  (7)  And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Matthew 23:23-24  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.  (24)  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Because of Jesus’ bold teachings, His defiance toward the oppressive ways of the Jewish religious leaders, and because He called out and exposed the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders, they DESPISED Jesus and wanted to destroy Him!!  They eventually had Him crucified by the Roman government. 

In conclusion, Jesus and the other men listed in this article are still teaching us today! They are teaching us through their lives that there is something more important than falling in line with an oppressive, toxic, and dysfunctional environment; especially one that rewards maintaining the status quo.

They show us that it is better to be bold, brave, and willing to make a stand in order to upset the status quo, especially if the status quo is not pleasing to God.

So, let us follow their examples and also be willing to upset the dysfunctional status quos in our lives!