Another Brick in the Wall

Prayer

Daniel 1:3–8 NIV

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

A few weeks ago Amy and I were in Clearfield and ran into an FFA club from up near Erie Pa who was on their way home from the PA Farm Show…and it got me thinking about my time in FFA in highschool.

FFA Taught me a lot…taught me about Roberts Rules of Order but it also helped me memorize things.

High School: The FFA Creed

I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds – achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so–for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

I want to try a little experiment this morning…

If you know this say it along with me…

Older Generation:

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed

Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed

Then one day he was shooting for some food,

And up through the ground come a bubbling crude

(Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea)

Well the first thing you know old Jed's a millionaire

Kin folk said Jed move away from there

Said California is the place you oughta be

So they loaded up the truck and they moved to Beverly

(Hills that is, swimming pools, movie stars)

My Generation:

Now this is the story all about how,

My life got flipped-turned upside down,

And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there,

I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air.

In West Philadelphia, born and raised

On the playground is where I spent most of my days.

Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin all cool,

And all shootin' some B-ball outside of the school.

When a couple of guys who were up to no good,

Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood.

I got in one little fight and my mom got scared,

And said "You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air."

Alright, one more.

Bada Dat Dat Da… _________________

It’s it amazing what gets programmed into our brains and just stays there, most of the time unchecked. And it comes out when something reminds us of it.

Memorization is a powerful education tool but the problem with memorization is that it doesn’t teach us how to think…it teaches us what to think.

Back in 1976 Pink Floyd released a song called “Another Brick in the Wall, pt 2” It gained massive international traction and fame as a protest song about the injustices within the education systems. We don’t need your education, we don’t need your thought control. No dark sarcasm in the classroom…and the rally cry…hey teacher leave those kids alone has been sung by many generations in protest for the past 40 years.

The year I graduated high school, the heavy metal band Korn covered the song and gave it a renewed passion and battle cry for an entire new generation. And I do not doubt that within the next 10 years, it will find a new artist and an entire new generation that will reignite the passionate cry of youths in protest of the injustices they experience within the education system.

And one of the largest issues with our education systems today is the same problem that Daniel and the boys were facing back in Babylon. The education wasn’t teaching people how to think…it was teaching them what to think. And there is a huge difference. Today I want to take a fresh look at Daniel 1:3-8 and talk about the Strategies of the Enemy, and how Satan has strategically highjacked our education systems to drive out critical thinking and implant a system that truly indoctrinates students to be another brick in the wall.

Daniel 1:3–8 NIV

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

STRATEGIES OF THE ENEMY- Babylonian Education Tactics Used in Our Society

ISOLATION-

Took them away from their family. Removed them from their heritage. They were specifically selected for their appearance, pedigree, and knowledge to be set apart to be trained and taught. But not only were they taken from their homeland…they were removed another level, and taken away from the other exiles as well so that they could be trained and taught. So they could be discipled in the way of Babylon.

And we don’t have to look very far to see how the enemy still uses this tactic of isolation in our school systems. Especially our colleges and universities, which have been placed on these pedestals of pedigree. In these institutions of higher learning where our children are being swept away they are introduced to a severely liberal ideology.

According to the American Enterprise Institute… The best picture we have comes from  Abrams’s 2017 survey  of a nationally representative sample of roughly 900 “student-facing” administrators. He found that liberal staff members outnumber their conservative counterparts by the astonishing ratio of 12:1. Only 6% of campus administrators identified as conservative to some degree, while 71% classified themselves as liberal or very liberal. Of the three constituencies on campus, the political skew of administrators is the most marked.

As Abrams wrote in The New York Times in 2016, “It appears that a fairly liberal student body is being taught by a very liberal professoriate — and socialized by an incredibly liberal group of administrators.” Taken together the data clearly  illustrate that liberals are overrepresented in the faculty as well as among the students and administrators.

Understand… I am not saying that being liberal is akin to following the enemy. I believe Jesus would have some harsh words for the extremes of either political parties, but what I am saying is that the enemy uses isolation and this policical climate to attack many students who have a fringe faith.

So it’s no wonder that after we send students away from home and off to college, many of them never return.

According to a 2019 article published by lifeway research…

The five most frequently chosen specific reasons for dropping out were: moving to college and no longer attending (34 percent); church members seeming judgmental or hypocritical (32 percent); no longer feeling connected to people in their church (29 percent); disagreeing with the church’s stance on political or social issues (25 percent); and work responsibilities (24 percent).

Almost half (47 percent) of those who dropped out and attended college say moving to college played a role in their no longer attending church for at least a year.

“Most of the reasons young adults leave the church reflect shifting personal priorities and changes in their own habits,” said McConnell. “Even when churches have faithfully communicated their beliefs through words and actions, not every teenager who attends embraces or prioritizes those beliefs.”

Among all those who dropped out, 29 percent say they planned on taking a break from church once they graduated high school. Seven in 10 (71 percent) say their leaving wasn’t an intentional decision.

We can look back on the experience of COVID to remind ourselves of how destructive isolation can be. It is an effect strategy of the enemy of our souls and we need to be on the lookout for it.

INDOCTRINATION-

Learn the new culture…

Daniel 1:4 NIV

4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.

Scripture tells us that they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The goal was to immerse them in this new culture and teach them where the beliefs originated. They were supposed to replace what they had learned in Israel with this new and “superior” knowledge. Since the Babylonians were able to defeat and conquer the Israelites, the Babylonian gods and culture must be better

Indoctrination is telling people what to think not how to think. It’s passing off theories as objective truth.

Teaching people how to think for themselves is a lot harder. And that’s why our news broadcasts have changed so much that they are telling you their version of what happened and what you should think about it. And here is an entire panel of experts that you need to listen to so you know what to think about this topic.

Knowing how a subject is being taught is more important than the subject itself because it is teaching the students how to approach not only that subject, but every piece of information they encounter. The teacher’s methods of teaching often pass on the teacher’s worldview even if it isn’t explicitly stated. Often we discuss what the child learned when we should be discussing how it was taught to get a full picture of the teacher’s worldview.

One of the greatest benefits of COVID was that it gave the parents the opportunity to know what was being taught and how it was being taught in their children’s classrooms. It gave them an opportunity to examine the books that were being assigned for their children to read and it called many of them to action to reform the schools.

ASSIMILATION-

Daniel 1:5 NIV

5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

Eat our food, drink our wine. After you have learned our language, history and superiority, after you have made Nebuchadnezzar your new God. Then we will bring you into service.

Bullying is effective, and despite years of anti-bully slogans and seminars, many resorted to that same old tactic during COVID. There was so much pressure from peers and administrators that forced students to comply with “guidelines” that they now know to go against the grain is to ask for trouble. This applies to the pronoun choices of their classmates, sharing a bathroom or locker room with a child of a different biological gender, and even their status in the classroom based on the color of their skin. We have been taught to “go along to get along” or else…

Assimilate or change or else. This is the way we do it. And if you don’t follow our ways, then you’re on the out.

And lastly…

CONFUSION

- Identity

Daniel 1:7 NIV

7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

The name “Daniel” means “Elohim is my Judge.” Elohim is the common name for the Hebrew God. To him was given the name “Belteshazzar,” which means “Bel’s Prince.” Bel was the principal god of Babylon. The name “Hananiah” means, “Yahweh has been Gracious.” “Yahweh” is the formal name of the Hebrew God. To him was given the name Shadrach, which means “Friend of the King.” The name, “Mishael” means, “Who is like Elohim?” To him was given the name “Meshach” which means “Worshipper of Shach.” The name “Azariah” means “Yahweh Has Helped.” To him was given the name Abednego, which means “Servant of Nego.”

The Babylonians expected that the Hebrews would forget their God. They even gave the young men of Israel new names that referenced pagan gods. But Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah never forgot their true identity in the God of Israel.

Today, a kids are being faced with an identity crisis. They are being taught that men can be women. Than women can be men. That you don’t have to be either. Because Gender is a societal construct…it’s a spectrum and you belong on this spectrum.

And if I child cannot trust the basic idea that a major part of their identity is that their biological sex is meaningful then what can they trust?

So we know the issues… And the strategy is effective. We can label it different things today, different ideologies. Name it whatever you want. These attacks of the enemy com in various names and within many different systems, be it Marxism, Idealogical Social Justice, or CRT or even unnamed, but we must realize that

You’ve heard it said that we are in the word but not of the world. But I want us to reframe that statement of old today.

We learned last week that all of this is within God’s providence. He is the one that placed Daniel and the boys in Babylon for their time and he is the one who has placed us here during our time.

What are we supposed to do about all this?

Romans 12:1–3 NIV

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Parents…It’s your responsibility to disciple your children. To teach them and to call them to a transformative relationship with Jesus Christ.

We are all called to offer ourselves as a living sacricice to our God. And that is our worship. That we do not conform to this world and it’s patterns but that we are called to have a renewed mind by the Word of God.

And I am not going to tell you what to think, or what to do about raising your children, or grandparents, how to influence your own children so they can engage this battle for our kids.

What I am going to do is present you with the options.

Option 1: Take your kids out of the system.

Completely viable and honorable. We did this for a year while we were up in Erie and I do not regret it for a single day.

Protect our children, provide an opportunity for them to be sheltered for a season

Homeschool- Private School

Either option is a good one.

Option 2: Keep your kids in the system (but become their advocate)

Keep them there but engage the battle. Recognize that this world is run by the enemy and therefore you need to take an active role in reviewing what they are learning. Discipling them. Training them. Because just bringing them to church and leaving their religious education in the hands of the youth leaders or pastors for a couple hours a week isn’t enough.

If your an average attender and Your student comes

John 15:18–19 NIV

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

John 17:17–19 NIV

17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.