Daniel 1:1-21 | Living in Exile

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time, if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus, or are with our friends at First Presbyterian Church in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

Sometimes I’m asked why I always say God loves you and I love you too. Years ago, I was reading a book written by a retired pastor. And in the book he said, “No one hears the words God loves you or I love you enough.” And — from that moment on — I decided that I’d always tell people that God loves them. And that I love them too.

So — if you forget everything from today’s sermon — remember that God loves you. And that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re beginning a new series today. We’re going to spend time in the book of Daniel from now through most of the summer. Last year I asked the elders if there was a book of the Bible or a biblical theme that they felt I should preach on this year. And the consensus was the book of Daniel along with the theme of living in exile. So that’s what we’ll be looking at over the next few months.

But — before we turn to the book of Daniel — let’s first talk about this idea of living in exile. There are two ways we can interpret the spiritual state of our country. One interpretation is to view the US to that of Israel in the Old Testament. Many who hold this view consider the US to have a special relationship with God similar to what we see Israel having in the Old Testament — as if God has established a special covenant with the United States — even though this covenant isn’t found in the Bible.

This interpretation is what’s given rise to ideas like Christian nationalism or making America godly again. But we must remember that even Israel failed at being a godly nation — and so did Judah. And it would be the pinnacle of arrogance and pride to think that we — the US — is somehow able to overcome what the nations of Israel and Judah failed to accomplish.

The other way to interpret the spiritual state of our country is through the lens of exile. Where we — those who follow Jesus — are living in a land who’s values, beliefs, and morals are like living in a foreign nation compared to the values, beliefs, and morals of our faith. Where we reside as citizens of the US — but our true citizenship is of another land.

Folks who hold the first view have to see that — if Israel is your interpretive lens of the US — that we’re not living in the times of King David or Josiah — but are living in a time similar to that of Ahab or Manasseh. And this is no recent situation — there has always been biblical unfaithfulness in our country — abortion for the past 60 or so years — the murder of unborn image bearers — or slavery — the ungodly treatment and ownership of people made in the image of God — our biblical unfaithfulness as a nation — like Israel — can be traced all the way back to our beginning. For you can’t compare us to Israel and not remember the many times when the nation distrusted God, failed to obey him, delighted in idolatry, practiced child sacrifice, and abandoned worshiping God — we don’t get to pick the spiritual highlight years of Israel’s history without acknowledging their unfaithful years. Similarly, we can’t retell our nation’s history with only positive highlights without acknowledging how we’ve had a rebellious and ungodly streak as well. No person is without sin — and no nation is without sin either.

Yet all of this applies for those who interpret the US as a land of exile. God’s people were just as faithful — and unfaithful — in exile as they were when they lived in the Promised Land. They worshiped other gods while living in exile and while living in the land God had promised to them. You see — ultimately it matters very little which lens you prefer to use to interpret the spiritual condition of our country. Both provide opportunities for faithfulness or unfaithfulness. For there’s little difference between what we read of in Israel’s history under the reign of Ahab and Manasseh compared to Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus.

And there’s very little change in our country when we turn to political leaders — regardless of their party — and the government to bring about God-honoring moral change. This is why I know you feel the pressure to value what our culture tells us to value — to chase after what everyone is chasing after — regardless of who’s elected as president, governor, or local representatives. Because our nation has turned politics into a religion — and it demands that we bow down in submission to its idols. But politics isn’t the only religion of idols in this land that we’re living in.

Think honestly about how and why sports have taken over the lives of our children and families. It’s an religion with its idols — it is. And what’s scary is how many of you will be offended by me saying so. For idols demand our allegiance — they require us to defend them — to get angry when they’re called out for what they are — a competing religion. Same is true for political parties and leaders, social media, sexual identity, nationalism and many other religions of our culture.

So — now that our idols are all offended — and things are a bit uncomfortable — if you’re wondering — I lean towards this moment in our nation’s history being similar to that of living in exile. I don’t see any political leader uniting our country towards biblical repentance and worship of God — for that’s not the role of the government in our nation. The call for biblical repentance and worship of God doesn’t come from a political leader in our country — it comes from God’s people. Not from a political king — or president — but from God’s Word proclaimed and obeyed by his people. That’s how a nation like the US is ultimate made godly. Not through politics — though — as we’ll see — living faithfully in exile has many political implications — but by God’s people taking him and his Word seriously and living obediently in response.

So — my hope — as we being this journey in Daniel — is that we’ll all wrestle with — and be encouraged by — the opportunity that’s presented to us in this moment of history. What opportunity is that? To be people who choose to be faithful to our Savior, Jesus Christ, as we live surrounded by pressures and temptations to choose unfaithfulness by turning our backs on him.

LIVING IN EXILE

So let’s begin our time in Daniel by exploring one way we can be faithful in exile. We’re in Daniel chapter one — and we’ll be reading the entire chapter — so be prepared for lengthy readings of Scripture during this series. In fact — consider reading long section of the Bible as an act of faithfulness as we live in exile. Where we will not compromise the reading, studying, listening to, hearing preached, and being men and women of God’s Word — even as we’re told to abandon God’s Word in this land of exile — let’s be people who choose to stand firm and who delight in hearing from our God.

And — in case you still need time to find the book of Daniel — it’s important for us to recognize something we want to avoid in this series. And that is turning the book of Daniel into a bunch of moral stories that we’re to model our lives after. One author helpfully explains what I mean. “Most have been taught to read them as tales intended to encourage believers to “Dare to be a Daniel,” to live for Christ in a hostile world. That is indeed part of their purpose: they provide models for believers living in an alien world as to how they can both serve the culture in which they find themselves and at the same time live lives that are distinctive from that culture. They encourage believers to remain faithful, no matter what the cost. Yet the reality is that few of us can really claim to come close to the standard set for us by Daniel and his friends: we are all compromised in many ways by the pressures of our environment. It is important therefore to be reminded at the same time of the one greater than Daniel who has perfectly lived the exilic life of service and separation for us, Jesus Christ.” (Iain Duguid, xiii)

So we’re going to learn many ways to be faithful — but we must be careful to not neglect the fact that our faithfulness is secondary to — because it’s birthed from — Jesus’ faithfulness to us. Daniel isn’t meant to teach us to tighten our belts and double-knot our shoelaces so we try extra hard in our own strength to be faithful people. How we live matters — it matters a lot — but only when how we live is a response to what Christ has first done for us. So — though I definitely want us to be challenged to live faithfully — conviction to live faithfully is much different than just being beaten up by a preacher. So we’re all going to recognize ways we’ve compromised and failed to be faithful in exile. We’re all going to be challenged and inspired to live more faithfully. But may our failures and our being inspired both lead us into a greater dependence upon Christ and his Spirit in us and not into a people who “act religious while rejecting the power that can make us godly.” (2 Tim. 3:5a)

Now — the opportunity for faithfulness — that this chapter provides for us — is the opportunity to explore what it means to live holy lives in exile. God calls and commands his people to be holy — to be different and set apart — because of the values, beliefs, morals he’s called us to live by. We see an example of this in the key verse of the first chapter of Daniel — which is verse eight.

Daniel 1:8 (NLT)

8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.

Daniel — and his friends — refused to defile themselves — to make themselves unholy — by eating and drinking what was provided by the king. God had given his people laws and regulations that they were to follow in order to be his holy — set apart — people. And this included guidance on what they could and couldn’t eat.

Jesus brings clarity to defilement and holiness when — one day — he said to his disciples…

Matthew 15:17–20 (NLT)

17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart — that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Here Jesus tells us that defilement isn’t something that only happens to us — it’s something that’s part of us. Thus — the caution for all of us who are living in exile — is to know that our hearts are naturally prone to follow the values, beliefs, and morals of our culture. It’s only when we’re given new hearts — what’s called the new birth — that we now have the supernatural help we need to live holy lives in an unholy culture. And — though we’re now free to live holy lives — the temptation to defile ourselves is still within us. So we must be wise — cunning — not spiritually sleep walking — for the enticing lure of unholiness is always trying to pull us away from faithfulness to our God.

GOD’S JUDGMENT

Now — let’s look at how Daniel’s story begins — and see what it means to be holy in exile. We’re in verse one.

Daniel 1:1–5 (NLT)

1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.

To catch us all up with where we are in the history of God’s people — after the people of God had entered and conquered the Promised Land — they quickly commit what is theologically called apostasy — they turned their backs on God — no longer worshiped and served him alone — and stopped trusting in his faithfulness. God — rightfully so — gave them over to the consequences of their sin. They suffered defeat by other nations. The explored depths of depravity that God’s regulations and laws were meant to protect them from experiencing — like child sacrifice. Dark periods in the people of God’s history. Yet God — because of his great love and commitment to his people — God raised up men and women who acted as rescuers for the people — they’re called the judges. These judges called the people to repent and turn back to God and live holy faithful lives.

Now — here’s a few hundred years of the people’s history in a nutshell. They’re faithful for a period of time — usually a brief period of time. Then they abandon God and turn their backs on him. They experience the consequences of their sin and rebellion. God sends his messengers to call the people to repentance and faith. The people respond. They’re faithful for a brief period of time. And rinse and repeat — over and over and over and over again.

Daniel begins by reminding us of a warning that God had graciously given to his people years earlier: “A time of exile — seventy years — of living in a foreign land will be your experience if you don’t repent and turn back to me in faith.” Spoiler alert — they don’t turn back to him. Thus our book opens with the beginning of this warning coming true.

Babylon — led by Nebuchadnezzar — conquers Jerusalem and the nation of Judah — Israel was conquered about a hundred years earlier. And God is who’s behind Babylon’s victory over his people — that’s what we see in verse two! This doesn’t mean that God approves of everything that the king or Babylon will do in their defeat of God’s people — just that God takes sin seriously — especially the sin of his people — and will use whatever means he deems necessary to draw his people back to him.

Now put yourself in the sandals of the people being forced to live in a foreign land. What do you think it was like for them to live in exile? Foreign language. Foreign food. Foreign religions. Everything is unfamiliar to you. You’ve got no money. How are you going to find work? Or a place to live? You’re the lowest in society. The locals look down at you because you’re the conquered people — they’re the conquerors. Maybe they treat you like you’re less than human — because you’re a foreigner in their land.

With so much shock and change and such an unsettled situation — what kind of priority is your faith going to have? What values are you going to hold fast to? Beliefs? Morals? What’s going to happen to your identity as this new place — it’s beliefs, values, and morals — starts to assimilate you into it?

Two quick ideas to consider.

One, this is the experience of the immigrant — of the outsider. Followers of Jesus have freedom to differ in their views regarding immigration policies in our country. What Christians do not have freedom to differ on is in our view of immigrants themselves. They are people made in the image of God who are to be loved, cared for, treated with the dignity that all image bearers are to be given — and — they’re people who need to hear the gospel. And God has called and commanded us — his people — to never allow our political policies to keep us from being faithful proclaimers of the gospel to all people.

Second — and admittedly if you’re older you’ll probably relate to this more — but can’t you see how — for the follower of Jesus — living in the US is like living in a foreign land? Regardless of your view of our nation’s Christian roots — most people call the age in which we live — post-Christendom. Meaning we’re now living in a culture that’s moved on from Christian beliefs, morals, and values. This transition has been going on for decades — if not longer. And — though this shift includes views regarding human sexuality and identity — topics conservative Christians rightfully see as incongruent with our faith — post-Christendom brings subtle shifts to the culture in which we live — like our children’s team sports commitments and soft — to not so soft porn — now being normal and acceptable in shows, movies, and books.

God’s Spirit — who lives in all who follow Jesus — raises the holiness alarm in our hearts for all these paths of defilement. But are we listening or are we accommodating? Daniel refused to accommodate — he refused to defile himself.

GOD GIVEN IDENTITY

Let’s return to the text — we’re in verse six.

Daniel 1:6–16 (NLT)

6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. 8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” 11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.

It’s easy to pass right by an important idea — in these verses — in regards to a challenge we face living in exile: I’m talking about the challenge of language.

Language is powerful and culture is constantly using language and redefining words to direct our beliefs, values, and morals. And there’s a cultural pressure to conform to these new definitions. But — as God’s people — we must not only be aware of this — but also allow God’s Word to be what defines the language we use and what our words means. What are some words that have been redefined in recent times in our nation? Marriage. Evangelical. Tolerance and intolerance. What it means to be civil and respectful. Or — as I recently learned — someone in Findlay recently referred to a group of people as cockroaches. What an appalling word to call people who are made in God’s image.

Something I found convicting — as I studied Daniel — is how we refer to Daniel as Daniel — his Hebrew name — but refer to his friends as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — not by their Hebrew names — but their Babylonian names. And here’s why this convicted me.

Their original Hebrew names had deeply religious meaning. Daniel means “God is my judge”. Hananiah means “Yahweh is gracious”. Mishael means “Who is like God?” Azariah means “Yahweh has helped”. And — one of the first things to happen to them in exile is the chief of staff giving them Babylonian names. Names — by the way — with deeply religious meaning of their land of exile. Daniel is renamed Belteshazzar which means “Bel’s prince”. Bel refers to the Babylonian false god Marduk. This is a strategy — to rename is to impose a new identity. From “God is my judge” to “Marduk’s prince.”

Hananiah is renamed Shadrach which means “Friend of the king”. Imagine the disgust you’d have if you — having no choice in the matter — were renamed “Joe Biden’s friend” or “Donald Trump’s friend” — whichever one offends you more. And that’s the name you must respond to.

Mishael is renamed Meshach which means “Guest of the king” — after Shadrach — you probably get what being named Meshach would mean. And Azariah is renamed Abednego which means “Servant of Nebo”. Nebo is the son of Marduk — the false god of Babylon. Another deeply religious name.

Identity is all the buzz in our culture. We’re told we can create for ourselves whatever identity we want — there are no rules — no limitations — to our identity. Fan bases are cultural identities. Whether it be a college team, groups formed around a book or movie series, or those who follow Mr. Beast. Health and beauty is a profitable industry that feeds off of our desire for particular identities. Sexual identity, political identity, musical artists followers and so on are all ways that people are renaming themselves. This is what’s normal in our culture. But is it holy?

This isn’t just unholy — it’s ungodly — as this is an act of rebellion against his authority as our Creator. As Creator — it’s God’s role to give us an identity. Nowhere are we to create our own identity — instead — we’re to live out of an identity that’s been given to us — even while we live in exile. We’re still Daniel — God is my judge — and Hananiah — Yahweh is gracious — and Mishael — who is like God — and Azariah — Yahweh has helped — even when this land of exile uses other language.

What identity has God given his people? There’s many aspects to our identity — but the one we’re focusing on today is our call to be holy — to be set apart — no matter the pressures we face to defile ourselves by being unfaithful.

Finally — a comment on Daniel’s diet. When Daniel is viewed as a moralistic story — we take passages like this and turn it into a fad diet. But — as one author has said — “Ultimately, the story isn’t about giving up bacon and proving vegetables are healthier; the story is about holding onto a covenant identity in a pagan culture.” - (Postcards from Babylon, 58)

The diet was about identity — about what it means for Daniel and his friends to be faithful in exile. Us copying their diet — and not their commitment to holiness in exile — would at best be foolishness.

GOD’S CALL

Finally — with their goal being to live holy lives according to the God-given identity that was theirs — these four young men now understood what they had been called to as they live in exile.

Daniel 1:17–21 (NLT)

17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. 18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.

With a God given identity, aptitudes, and special abilities — these four young men worked for the king who had conquered their people. This tells us that separating ourselves from culture — building some sort of isolated community separated from others — isn’t the answer to holy living in exile. That you can be holy and be an active citizen in the land in which you live. You can work in government — even though politics can never be your religion. You can be a member of a political party — though you can never pledge your sole allegiance to a party or a political leader. You can work as a teacher in a public school or for the police or for the military — you get the idea — while being faithful to your God. Living out of the identity he’s given you in the calling he has for you.

Will there be challenges? Absolutely! Just wait until you see what Daniel and his friends encounter when their commitment to holiness comes in conflict with their land of exile. Yet — we see that holiness is possible. We don’t have to cave. We don’t have to be absorbed by the beliefs, values, and morals of our culture. And we don’t have to hide or separate ourselves into some weird Christian commune in order to be faithful.

CONCLUSION

And the reason why we don’t have to do these things is because Christ has come and revealed to us what it means for God to so value his people’s holiness. For Jesus came to earth to die as the sacrifice that would wash his people — making them clean, and spotless, and holy. On the night that he was going to be betrayed and arrested and — ultimately — murdered as a holy sacrifice for the sins of his people…

Matthew 26:36–46 (NLT)

36 Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 40 Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 42 Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look — the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

Daniel’s story begins with he and his friends having to trust in God’s judgment upon them and his people for their sins. They’re conquered by the Babylonians and forced to live in exile. On the night of his betrayal — just hours before he would experience the pain and brutality of death on a cross — Jesus trusted in God’s judgment. He desired for the cup of suffering — the cross — to not be what must happen — but he submitted himself to his Father’s will — that the cross is how our sin must be judged.

Daniel and his friends — though renamed — remembered and lived out of their God-given identity. Jesus never forgot who he was — the Son of God — the Son of man. The Savior of the world. His enemies mocked him — people spit on him — soldiers whipped him — all kinds of false words were said about him — but he knew who he was — he trusted in his God-given identity.

And Daniel and his friends trusted in God’s call on their life as they served the king of Babylon. Working for the one who conquered your people and homeland had to be incredibly difficult, conflicting, and challenging. But their confidence was that this was God’s will for their lives. Yet — though inspiring to us — their call doesn’t compare to Jesus was called to — what he faithfully accomplished for us in love. For God’s call on his life was to live in perfect obedience — the one true holy life — so that he would die as a perfect substitute and sacrifice for the sins of all who believe in him. Who — in believing in him — are giving the calling of living holy and faithful lives in this land of exile. Let’s pray together.

PRAYER

Father above, life can be hard here on earth — here living in exile. When we think of your holiness and your command that we be a holy people — it’s easy to be dismayed by our failures. This is why we must look to your love and faithfulness for your people throughout history. For this will give us confidence in your love and faithfulness for your people today.

Yes, you discipline us through judgment when we rebel and sin. You do so as our loving Father who cares for his children and will choose to discipline us rather than to let us continue in rebellion. Help us to trust your judgment — for your judgment is always right — your discipline is always for our good.

Spirit of God, remind us of the identity we’ve been given through our faith in Christ. And help us to be wise to the deceptions regarding identity that we’re bombarded with in this land of exile. You give us identity — we don’t create it for ourselves. You give us purpose — revealed to us in your Word — a purpose we’ve been created to fulfill — a purpose that is the very best way for us to live. Obedience to your Word is full of blessings and rewards.

And — Jesus — you’ve called us your own in having fulfilled the calling to which you were called: to be the living, perfect sacrifice for the sins of your people. Thank you for taking our judgment upon yourself on the cross and for giving us a new identity through your obedience and love. And may your love for us be our motivation for living holy lives in this land of exile. And we pray this in your name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

Because of all that Christ has done for you — may you go committed to living a holy life in this land of exile. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.