True Courage in the Book of Daniel
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Intro:
Intro:
Good morning.
Mark Twain once said: "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.”
Winston Churchill said that “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”
Churchill also said: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
John Wayne said: “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.”
You’ve probably heard this one: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” (FDR)
Another very interesting one from Mark Twain: “It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare."
C.S. Lewis said: “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”
John F. Kennedy said: “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.”
And finally, let’s see a few quotes from the ultimate Source of wisdom and courage — God’s Word:
Joshua 1:9 - “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 56:3 - “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 - “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”
We could go on, but the point is that the world would be a much better place if we had much more of the virtue of courage!
Now I want to do an exercise called …
If We Had More Courage:
If We Had More Courage:
If we had more courage, there would be fewer bullies on the school playground.
If we had more courage, peer pressure would claim far fewer victims, because we would not care too much about what people think in order to impress them and “just be like everyone else.”
If we had more courage as parents, we’d face head on the temporary discomfort (but lastly spiritual gains) of teaching our children that “no means no,” and if you don’t straighten up, there will be consequences.
If we had more courage, we would “speak where the Bible speaks,” “be silent where the Bible is silent,” and although our purpose is never to offend on purpose, we would be at peace with the fact that the truth is always going to offend many, because most men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil (John 3:19).
If we preachers had more courage, there would be a lot less false teachers preaching whatever “itching ears” want to hear instead of the truth!
If we had more courage as Christians, false teachers would cower in the corner, knowing that their false doctrine would not stand unopposed.
If we had more courage, there would be far fewer wolves trying to rend the Lord’s flock.
If we had more courage, we would be like Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Pet. 2:5), who tried to save everybody but could only save his family, but God saw that as success!
If we had more courage, again, like Noah, we would be “moved with GODLY fear” and do exactly what God says, even if doing that condemns the world around us (Heb. 11:7).
If we had more courage, we would forsake the pleasures of this world in favor of the people of God, like Moses did (Heb. 11:24-25).
If we had more courage, we would be like David, and 5 smooth stones from a brook, but it only took one to take down the giant (1 Sam. 17)!
And finally, if we had more courage, we would be like 4 brave young eunuchs who were taken captive to Babylon, but did not defy their Lord with idolatry, when everyone else was doing just that!
It is the accounts of these 4 courageous men that we want to study for the rest of our sermon this morning!
Daniel’s 3 Friends:
Daniel’s 3 Friends:
We know them by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (although their Hebrew names are probably better since they honor the true God instead of the Babylonian gods) — Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Daniel chapter 1 says that these young men were young men who “had no blemish, were good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace,” and they were taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
These young men were exalted to honorable positions in the court of the Babylonian kings, and yet, their first allegiance was to the King of Kings — The Lord God!
And so when plots were made by those who disdained them, plots to try to get them to dishonor God, they refused.
Why did they refuse? Two words: “TRUE … COURAGE!”
Let’s start with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah — Daniel’s 3 Friends.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
(The King’s delicacies were probably unclean foods that were being served, but off limits to the Jews).
Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.
And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”
So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”
(Notice that Daniel has full confidence of faith who is going to win this test! I don’t see any doubt at all on the part of Daniel and his 3 friends!)
So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.
Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.
7. This is the first test that these 4 men pass with flying colors, but it won’t be the last — Notice now the account of the fiery furnace!
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;
and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
(Pay close attention to the words “ALL THE PEOPLE!”)
a. That is, all the people except Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah!
b. Parents, we need to be telling our children frequently, “I don’t care what everyone else is doing; we are not going to do that in this household! We are going to be different!”
8. Well, I’ll let you read verses 8 and following about the plot that these people come up with, but now let’s go to how Daniel’s 3 friends respond:
Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
9. This is the true definition of courage!
10. These men knew that God had the ability to miraculously keep them from harm if God so chose!
a. They knew that God had miraculously protected His people many times!
b. I have no doubt they grew up hearing those amazing stories of David and Goliath, and Moses and his staff and the parting of the Red Sea, etc.!
c. Why?
d. Because these men had great FAITH (which is a synonym for courage, I would say)!
e. And faith comes by hearing the Word of God!
g. And so these godly young men must have had great parents who took their responsibility seriously in talking about God and His Word all the time (Deuteronomy chapter 6)!
11. And we know how the rest of this story turns out!
12. Finally, let’s notice …
Daniel in the Lion’s Den:
Daniel in the Lion’s Den:
In Daniel chapter 5, in the middle of Belshazzar’s banquet, the handwriting of God was seen on the wall, and the Medes came and conquered Babylon that very night!
By the time we get to Daniel chapter 6, the Medo-Persians are in charge now, and Daniel is put to the test, much like his friends earlier in the book.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.
Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.
So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.
Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
*** (May it be said of us, too, that we are so blameless as Christians, that the only charge people can make against us is to charge us concerning the law of our God!) ***
3. They end up convincing Darius to make a FIRM DECREE that no one could pray to any god, except for King Darius as god, for a period of 30 days!
4. Well, that’s a problem! That’s called idolatry! It’s a direct violation of the first commandment “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me!” And that’s exactly how the Babylonians tried to get Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah also!
5. Notice Daniel’s integrity and courage!
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.”
(Daniel had made such an impact on King Darius the Mede already, that the king had full confidence that God would deliver him!)
6. And that He did, as you keep reading!
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Brethren, we have to have real faith, demonstrated by doing the right thing when it is most inconvenient, and even dangerous!
These 4 men that we have looked at today had exactly that — Real faith!
And true courage!
What about you? (Invitation)
