Cultivating a Spirit of Excellence

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;

2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.

3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

The modern understanding of excellent implies something of highest comparable quality.

ex•cel•lent \ˈek-s(ə-)lənt\ adjective

[Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin excellent-, excellens, from present participle of excellere] 14th century

1 archaic: SUPERIOR

2: very good of its kind: eminently good: FIRST-CLASS—ex•cel•lent•ly adverb

Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).

The thing about excellence is that someone has to do the measurement. It’s not enough just to be good at what you do or say, someone has to say that you are. Here’s a good example of inferred excellence:

Ezekiel 14:14 ESV

even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD.

God presents Noah, Daniel and Job as examples of righteousness. Here, He makes the comparison between a land is plagued by persistent unfaithfulness, and these three men. God here says that the punishment due that land would not be dissuaded by the righteousness of these three men. This is a good example of comparable excellence - someone has to make the observation. The point of this talk today is for us to ask one question:

Who determines your excellence?

Script Breakaway: Talk about achievements, and who acknowledges them. - 2 Min

We’ll use Daniel as our case study.

Events around Daniel’s life

For their sins, for idolatry and unrighteousness, from about 600 B.C., the last wave of Israelites were taken captive, and among them was Daniel and his three companions, who would later be identified by Ashpenaz as handsome, wise, knowledgeable and quick to learn.

After interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Chapter 2, Daniel was promoted, and in turn promoted his friends. So Daniel was a prominent government official. His friends in Chapter 4 found themselves in trouble with the King, but were subsequently rescued by God. Nothing is mentioned about them after that.

The story of Daniel, however, continues. He survives Nebuchadnezzar and his son, and is even when the regime changes over from the Babylonians to the Medes and Persians in Chapter 5, Daniel is still appointed as one of the three most powerful men in the region.

Daniel gets into trouble in Chapter 6 when his colleagues realize he cannot be corrupted. Such people aught to be eliminated, no one with so much power should be that virtuous - they cause trouble for others. So they set a trap to have him killed, but God rescues him.

Chapter 7 to 12 comprises of Daniel’s conversations with God. These conversations are of significant importance to us today, I challenge all of us to read them, ask God to help you understand them.

The case for Excellence - Three dimensions

Where do you get your knowledge?

The New King James Version Chapter 2

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

21 And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

The New King James Version Chapter 2

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

21 And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

Daniel 2:20–21 NKJV

Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

In Chapter 2, Daniel seems to understand the political situation of the time. He started seeing the Hand of God in the events that were occurring, beginning with his and his countrymen’s exile from Judah to Babylon in the East. It is clear where this knowledge comes from:

Daniel 1:17 NKJV

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.

Romans 1:21–22 ESV

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Script Breakaway - Talk briefly about the Holy Spirit, His role in shaping knowledge and understanding (The inspiration of the Bible, current affairs etc) 5 min

2. The Story is about God

There are three powerful individuals who had an opinion about the reality they lived in. These people all contended with Daniel or his friends, and this was their conclusion (at least for two of them):

Daniel 3:29 NKJV

Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

Regarding the Humbling of Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 4:34–37 NKJV

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Belshazzar:

Daniel 5:21–22 NKJV

Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses. “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.

King Darius:

Daniel 6:25–28 NKJV

Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Notice the confessions of these Kings. They understand and acknowledge the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the ultimate authority on the earth. This story is about Him, not them. So, how well do we know this story?

3. Where we are in the story

It is important to understand what is happening now. For Daniel, he clearly did - he understood why he was in exile, he realized what he must do, and did it earnestly:

Daniel 9:1–19 NKJV

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem. “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly! “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

God went on to explain to Daniel what would happen to the Israelites.

God laid out the entire plan for the world to Daniel, a man He called beloved. At the end of God’s explanation of the future, here’s what Daniel said:

Luke 9:23–26 NKJV

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

Daniel 12:8–13 ESV

I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Response

Why do you want to be excellent? To show off? To gain more prosperity? To be more powerful?

Do you understand this is not your story, but God’s?

Knowing this, what manner of person aught you to be? Do you honor God by what you know?

Script Breakaway: Talk about life’s distractions - how hard it is to read and study the Bible, how hard it is to relate the times we live in with the Almighty God - 5 Min

Will God testify of your excellence eventually?

Luke 9:23–26 NKJV

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