The Old Testament holds many lessons for man today. The law of Christ is what man should be following today, but lessons can be learned from studying the Old Testament.
Paul wrote about this idea to those at Rome (Romans 15:4). Looking at the lives of those who were faithful to God can and will help a person live true to God today.
Every person alive has the opportunity to do what is right. As is seen on the newscasts each evening, not everyone takes advantage of the opportunities to do what is right. Some determine to do wrong and forget right.
Society wants to blame such bad choices on the things around the individual. In some cases, perhaps, this might be true. A person may have been raised not to seek out things that are good. However, most of the time the individual determines what they will do.
When it comes to knowing what to do in a time of persecution or turmoil, Daniel serves as one to whom a person should look.
When Daniel is first introduced, he is a slave who has been taken from his homeland by a ruthless nation. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked the city of Jerusalem on three different occasions and took away many of the people captive. Think of Daniel’s situation, taken from his homeland and family, enduring the life of a slave, yet in all that happened, he determined to do what was right in God’s sight. He had to have strong teaching at home to be able to make his decision to follow God no matter what the consequences.
When he and the others arrived in Babylon, he was placed in a type of training program. He as well as some others were considered to be intelligent and able to work in the kingdom of Babylon in the future. They were given certain privileges, one of which was special food from the king. Daniel, knowing God’s law concerning food, knew he was not to eat certain foods. Many in his place might have gone along with the crowd and not made any waves. But Daniel was determined to do right. He made an agreement with those in his charge not to eat the king’s food. but to eat simple food (pulse and water) and not to violate the Jewish law concerning food.
His determination to do right brought great blessing to him from God.
Today, many hardships can face a person. It is so important that one have the determination to do right, no matter what comes. In order to do what is right, a person must know what is right. God’s word is the only place for man to go to find out what is right.
God, from the time he began dealing with man, has desired two things. First that man has a right relationship with him, and second, that man has a right relationship with man.
When the New Testament is studied, one will find that this line of thought is carried over to present day. Jesus said, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:30, 31).
So back to the question, "What is right?" Obey God according to his terms given in his word. Treat your fellow man as you would want to be treated. Daniel did just that, he chose to follow God.
God’s word tells how to be pleasing to God, obey the gospel by having faith, repent of sins, confess before men that Jesus is the Son of God, be baptized for the remission of sins and live for God. If one will do these things, he or she can accomplish the second thing (treating others as they would be treated) in living faithfully to God.