Noah, Daniel, and Job - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

"Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness," says the Lord God.
Ezekiel 14:12-14 NKJV

Noah, Daniel, and Job
The prophet Ezekiel served the Lord while living in Babylon with other Jewish captives. Daniel was already in Babylon too, forced into royal service. The kingdom of Judah still existed, but unrighteousness was rampant. Only about five years after Ezekiel received this message, Nebuchadnezzar came against Judah one final time. Jerusalem was conquered, more Jews were captured, many were killed, and the temple was destroyed.

Despite such conditions, the Lord still valued individual testimonies of godliness, naming Noah, Daniel, and Job as compelling examples of those who faced spiritual enemies and lived as overcomers.

Noah lived in a world filled with violence and corruption, yet the Lord called him "righteous before Me in this generation" (Gen. 7:1). Through his obedience, Noah inherited the righteousness that comes by faith (Heb. 11:7), and indeed it is our faith that overcomes the world (1 Jn. 5:4-5).

Then, Daniel can be regarded as one who overcame the devil. Despite attacks, accusations, and even demonic activity, the allegiance of his heart remained firmly dependent on God.

And third, Job is one who overcame the flesh. His personal integrity was affirmed by God Himself (Job 2:3), and his record of personal righteousness (Job 31) is a remarkable catalog of self-discipline.

These three were not sinless, of course; yet God specifically acknowledged them here. Still, we also notice that overcoming can be a lonely business. If these men had lived in Judah during Ezekiel's time, they would have had very few companions. Nevertheless, they are helpful models for us as we seek to be overcomers in our time as well.

-- Stephen Campbell