Daniel 1 In the Midst of It
Notes
Transcript
In the midst of it
In the midst of it
Background - the people of God were disobedient. God brought judgement. God used King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to destroy Jerusalem and carry the children of Israel away into captivity.
Thought - was everyone who was carried away captive faithless, rebellious?
Were some who were faithful carried away? Is that fair?
v3 the young men were gathered and would be assimilated into the culture - learn the language and the culture at a young age, become a part of the Babylonian society
They were given new names
(1) Daniel (Dānîyēʾl, “My Judge is El [God]”), who was assigned the Babylonian name Belteshazzar (Bēlṭešaʾṣṣar)1 “Lady, protect the king.”
(2) Hananiah (Ḥananyāh, “Yahweh has shown grace”), who was renamed Shadrach (Šaḏraḵ, which probably is Shudur-Aku, “The Command of Aku,” a Sumerian or Elamite moon-god); or “I am fearful (of a god).”2
(3) Mishael (Mîšāʾēl, “Who is what God is?”) was assigned the pagan equivalent Meshach (Mêšāḵ, from Mī-ša-Aku, “Who is what Aku is?”); or “I am despised, contemptible, humbled (before my god).”3
(4) Azariah (ʿazaryāh, “Yahweh has helped”) was called Abednego (ʿaḇēḏ neg̱ô, the first part of which means “servant of,” and Nego is obviously a god’s name, very close to Nebo in sound, yet for some unknown reason g is substituted for b). (Incidentally, Abednego also occurs in the Elephantine Papyri of the fifth century b.c.)4
1 Archer, G. L., Jr. (1986). Daniel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, p. 34). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
2 Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1330). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
3 Pentecost, J. D. (1985). Daniel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1330). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
4 Archer, G. L., Jr. (1986). Daniel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Daniel and the Minor Prophets (Vol. 7, p. 34). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
These young men were taken from their families, from their homes and from their homeland.
They were brought into a pagan nation, surrounded with pagan practices, given pagan names and immersed in pagan culture. They were being re-educated
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.
v8 Daniel purposed in his heart – established, set, arranged, confirmed
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine.1
He made up his mind with his innermost being that he would stay true to God
He requested different treatment – he informed the chief of the eunuchs that he wanted to remain pure. Daniel suggested a 10 day test – faith and trusting in God
V17 God blessed their faithfulness
v19 none were found like these 4 young men
We are told not to conform to this world, to be different.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Conformed - to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards—‘to shape one’s behavior, to conform one’s life.’
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 506). New York: United Bible Societies.
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
We live in a foreign land. God has saved us, he drew us out of the world and separated us unto Himself.
Have we purposed in our hearts to not defile ourselves, to not conform?
Right now we in a situation similar to Daniel.
He couldn’t go to the temple. He could’t offer up sacrifices. He couldn’t celebrate the feats in Jerusalem. And yet, he was faithful to the Lord and was blessed of the Lord.
How are we doing?
We can’t go to fellowship right now - but we can be faithful.
We can’t worship corporately with other believers, but we can still worship God
We can’t go to a building and fellowship, but w can still interact with each other, encourage one another, take care of one another.
Are we faithful? Buildings are closed. Is this time out with the Lord for some people or time to dig deeper?
Daniel could have walked away. He could have said God had forsaken His people, yet he remained faithful.
Have we purposed in our hearts to be faithful, to run the race with endurance? To press on until the Lord calls us home?
Are we the church because of a building we go to or because of the God we belong too?
Hypothetical question -
If you knew that this was going to last for months, would you still follow Jesus?
Would we go underground with fellowship?
Would we continue to witness?
We are called to follow Jesus, He didn’t promise that it would be easy. He did promise to be with us, to strengthen us, to guide us.
The early church survived persecution. Today’s body of believers can survive this.
What does it mean to be faithful in this season we are in?
God knows the time we are in. He still expects us to live for Him. He still expects faithfulness.
This is an amazing time where God could use this to separate the wheat from the chaff, the false from the true.
I want to be found faithful and want to stir as many people up as I can to be faithful.
These 4 young boys determined in their hearts not to walk away from the God they knew.
Are we connecting with people and doing the same?
Are we standing by each other and encouraging one another to be faithful?
Each one of us needs to be doing that to someone we know. Don’t wait for someone to reach out to you, be the one to reach out.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
1 Biblical Studies Press. (2005). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Da 1:8). Biblical Studies Press.