Excellence in Exile: Daniel 1

Daniel 1:1 ESV

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

Daniel

Daniel 1:2 ESV

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.

REMOVED FROM THEIR

Daniel 1:3–4 ESV

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

REMOVING GOD FROM THEIR IDENTITIES

Daniel is Pressured to Conform to the Culture

Daniel is Pressured to Conform

Daniel 1:6–7 ESV

Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

New Education: an attempt to change thinking ()

New Names: an attempt to change identity

New Names: an attempt to change identity

Daniel whose name means “God is my Judge”— his name is changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel, protect his life)

Hananiah whose name means “The Lord is gracious” — his name is changed to Shadrach (meaning servant and worshiper of Aku)

Mishael whose name means “Who is, what the Lord is?” — his name is changed to Meshach (meaning What Aku is?)

Azariah whose name means “The Lord helps” — his name is changed to Abednego (meaning servant and worshiper of Nebo)

3. New Food: change of activity

Daniel whose name means “God is my Judge”— his name is changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel, protect his life)

Daniel 1:5 ESV

The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

Hananiah whose name means “The Lord is gracious” — his name is changed to Shadrach (meaning servant and worshiper of Aku)

Mishael whose name means “Who is, what the Lord is?” — his name is changed to Meshach (meaning What Aku is?)

Azariah whose n

New food: change of activity

New food: change of activity

Daniel Purposed in His Heart to stay Pure

Daniel Purposes in His Heart to stay Pure

Daniel 1:5 ESV

The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

dANIEL 1

Daniel 1:8 ESV

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.

Staying pure in a fallen culture takes effort and action

Following our faith will cause us to face obstacles along the way

Daniel’s faithfulness impacted those around him

Daniel 1:11–13 ESV

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

Daniel 1:11 ESV

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

Daniel 1:14 ESV

So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.

Daniel’s second request included Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah

Daniel 1:14–16 ESV

So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

:14-16

The results of faithfulness will be obvious

We are Pressured to Conform to Culture

Satan’s uses the same methods to try to assimilate us into the culture and convince us to conform to the world. ()

Just like Daniel we must be determined not to allow pressure to cause us to conform.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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1 Peter 1:14 ESV

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

We must not conform even when the pressure comes from within and/or without.

We must Purpose in Our Hearts to be Pure

We must remember we are citizen of heaven

We must remember we are citizen of heaven

Philippians 3:20 ESV

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians

We must remember that our faithfulness will impact those around us

Matthew 5:13 ESV

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

Matthew

Matthew 5:13

Will you place it on your heart to stay faithful?