In Tune

Daniel 1:8–21 NLT

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. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 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.” Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “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.” The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. 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. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 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. When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 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. Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.

Introduction:

https://skitguys.com/videos/identity-in-christ

Last Week we defined the problem.

Daniel and his friends - Pre or adolescent boys have been taken into captivity.

Nebuchadnesser want to give them a new identity and propagandize them into the Pagan Bablyonian culture and religions.

We live in a World System that wants to do the same to us sometimes.

16 - What are Daniel’s Options?

We have temptations as Christians in the face of all of this to as Richard Neighbor suggests.

Christ against Culture - Opposition - The problem is we can not fully separate ourselves from Culture. - In Daniel’s case it would have been certain death.

Christ of Culture - Agreement with Culture - Culture really becomes our Lord not Christ.

Christ Above Culture - or Converter of Culture. Ultimately Culture is both under the sovereignty of Christ, and Christ is the Judge of Culture. ‘“The Christian must carry on cultural work in obedience to the Lord.”’ (191) Emphasizing the goodness of creation, the Christian can affirm the good in culture and seek to transform what is corrupted by sin and selfishness.

Three strategies: in schooling.

- Home Schooling - Often a level of get away from the influences

- Christian Schooling - Institutional Christian influence

- Public Schooling - Dive into all the ideas in culture.

Summer Job - holding to a rythym of rest and work. Strong work ethic. - O.T., or the Engineer who would berate me for what I ate and my Christianity - The time I was the only one who got the Blues song.

How did Daniel deal with all of this.

17 - God’s Children Look to Him as the Source of all Good.

He had the courage to act on his convictions even though he wasn’t sure what the consequences would be. Daniel walked in purity because he walked in integrity, and we can, too.

On the One Hand - He Set His heart to not being defiled, or to be Pure.

“purity” -we think—no to sex, no to drinking, no to immorality, no to everything popular. In the Old Testament there is also a “Ritual Purity.” It does not have to do with Sin, but being set a part as God’s people. You can not enter God’s presence unless you are Ritually Pure.

Why not eating anything but vegetables, and no wine?

Theories - The Kings food was served to Idols first, however, that would include vegatables.

Kosher Diet - The Meat included Pork or other Non-Kosher foods. However, Wine is not restricted for the Jewish person.

My theory - Yes to both with an added Twist. Daniel may be here taking a Nazirite Vow, only the Nazirite’s were not allowed to drink wine.

God gave favor and compassion with the commander of the court officials. This is astounding since the commander would not normally lean this way especially knowing his life was on the line, but the emphasis here is that God was at work - Pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Reading slower reveals that Daniel asked the commander not to eat the food, but then asked the guard for the test.

Why the test? So that Nebuchadnezzer and his commander of the courts nor the Babylonian gods could take credit for Daniel’s success, but only the Lord.

Application Point: The Lord is the source of our success.

Daniel and his buddies were naturally pretty smart. Actually they were what many in Spanish-speaking cultures would call simpatico: the whole package. They were handsome, smart, and pleasing in every way (see v. 4). But when they decided to set themselves apart and be pure according to God’s Word, they experienced something even better than natural gifts and talents. They walked in God’s presence. As a result, he imparted to them supernatural wisdom, an ability to discern things in the natural as well as in the spiritual realm (v. 17). Consequently, they received favor from the king of Babylon and entered into positions of influence (v. 20).

On the Other Hand: Daniel and His friends were trained in Babylonian Culture, and some of that is spelled out here in the text.

Vs. 20 The sense of the word magician is a sorcerer - someone who uses or claims to use magic spells to harness evil spirits or forces to produce unnatural effects in the world.

The sense of conjuror or enchanter is a person who practices sorcery through enchantments

The text says when Nebuchadnezzer tested them they were better than all of the socerers and conjurers of all the Kingdom. - At this point of the story it is not because Nebuchadnezzer believed in the one true God, so the comment is that Daniel and his friends are the best sorcerers and conjurers of all the Kingdom.

This challenges us. How can they be true followers of God and be considered the best sorcers when that is forbidden in Deuteronomy?

The answer lies in “God Gave them all Knowledge and Insight into the Literature and Wisdom.”

Again the source for their success was not knowing the right spells to say, or the right potions to mix, but in going to God who was more powerful and wise.

Distorted Truth from Richard Mouw as it relates to Sorcery.

Truth - there is spiritual power that humans can tap into.

Truth - there is an unseen realm

Distortion - The best power is received through alliances with unseen realm beings.

Because God is the creator of all the unseen and seen so real spiritual power and authority comes through His Spirit.

Daniel can interpret visions and dreams not because he conjors up some dead soul, but because God gives it to him.

What sources try to compete with the Bible’s message of the Gospel?

We need to be sensitive to God’s presence as we watch and listen to music, movies, shows, and even news.

We need to ask ourselves, “Does this message contradict the truths in the Bible? Does this honor God and what he wants to accomplish in my life?”

The Story of Wynten Marsalis including a cell phone ring into his song.

So How Does Daniel teach us to be in the World, but Not of it?

18 - Being In Tune with God.

Asking my kids - What are the Christian Themes and the Non-Christian themes - What in this movie is in Tune with God and What is in discord with God. - The Challenges of this approach with my kids.

- Kids learning in school - Apply this as well. My fellow student that struggled with our teacher teaching Evolution. I did not have as much problem with it, because in my Christian school we were able to look at both theories and I had already developed a strong identity in Christ that was not going to be shaken by anyone's ideas in this area. I was able to in my own mind and heart say, "Components of Evolutionary Theory is out of Tune with God, that everything happened by chance." However, That does not mean that the amazing natural laws of creation were not in tune with God, and I continued to learn those.

Taking a snapshot of how this applies to the Election.

- With the candidates themselves - What is in tune with God and What is out of Tune with God.

- Immigration is a big one for this election. - What is in Tune with God, God cares for all people of all races, and what in the respective candidates shows a dignity and not a favoritism towards particular people groups. - What is in Tune with God's boundaries with limited resources. What are the realities of each vision that is out of Tune with God.

- Are there other candidates that are more in Tune with the Good God wants to do, and His boundaries for getting there.

Conclusion: