Principle: He who controls the dictionary controls the world.

Introduction: If the principle seems abstruse, it is not. It is rather quite simple but simultaneously profound. Follow me. I am currently reading through the book of Daniel again. For those unfamiliar with the book, it is both a history book but also a book of prophecy and apocalyptic literature. Many, many commentaries have been penned about the book of Daniel, some of them solid and others quite bizarre. I am about as conservative as they come, so you’ll not get any whacko ‘insights’ from me. I wish only to focus for today on a few verses from the first chapter of Daniel. Here’s the historical context: Due to the sin and recalcitrance of Israel and Judah, they had been invaded, conquered, and exiled. Daniel and other Jews (many folks are nominally familiar with the history of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, e.g.) were taken as prisoners and exiles to Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon (present-day Iraq). And when chapter one of Daniel opens, here’s what is so significant: Nebuchadnezzar does two things to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. He indoctrinates them in the literature and language of the Chaldeans (Dan 1:4) and he changes their names to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan 1:7).  

Do you see why that is so important? Because he who controls the dictionary controls the world. These boys were now exiled away from home; they were being indoctrinated with the worldview of a pagan system; and their names were changed. Nothing has changed, you see. We’re again in a world where we are being forced to deny reality and call people what they’re not. Up is now down; down is up. Men vanquish women’s sports because we can’t say what a woman is nowadays for fear of being labeled an extremist or Hitlerian. We’re told men are ‘birthing persons’ now and that we should get our wisdom from Hollywood starlets with an X account and an opinion about world economies. Does anyone else just look around some days (okay, every day) and go, “Huh? What? These people?”

Encouragement:  A lot of people know Daniel 1:8, and for good reason. Here’s the text: “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.” That may sound like a small thing, but it’s not. It is crucial. Daniel knew the war he was in was much more than physical. He was now exiled, he was now being indoctrinated with paganism, he was even commanded to change his diet. But Daniel purposed in his heart, if you will, he resolved not to capitulate, not to defile himself. Why? Because Daniel was wise; he knew that he who controls the language of a culture controls the world. When you have a culture where words are policed and you’re forced to affirm madness as sagacity, you know you’re amidst utter folly. This is one of the many reasons and ways Daniel is so instructive for our day. May God be pleased to raise up wise warriors like Daniel in our time.