Pride in the book of Daniel CH1

Read Daniel 1)

Thought of the day: Foolishness is the end result of a prideful mind, but wisdom comes from God and is a right understanding of His being.

“The Lord delivered.” Pride is, in essence, a misunderstanding of who is the governing body, who is the final vote, who has the ultimate veto in every situation?

Jeremiah 25:5-14) God summoned Babylon

Isreal wasn’t simply defeated by Babylon. They were delivered over to Babylon by God.

Why?

Jeremiah 26:20-23) They killed God’s prophet

Jeremiah 36:20-23) They burned His word

4 times it says Jehoiakim did evil in the eyes of God.

Israel was sinning, God sent prophets to correct them, and in their pride they closed their ears.

Daniel is obviously wise from the gate. He is selected among all of Isreal for his understanding and stature. But what is it that makes Daniel wise?

Daniel won’t eat

Daniel has a new name, they are teaching him Babylonian ideas, Babylonian language, and now they are trying to make him eat as a Babylonian. David refuses to eat this food, why? Maybe because it’s been sacrificed to idols, maybe it’s a type of meat Israelites aren’t allowed to eat, maybe he’s just standing up and sayingI enough is enough! I will not be forced to assimilate to your culture.

v9 “God had caused” All these kings listed in chapter one and none of them are given agency.

v11 Daniel, being wise, created a test for them.

I will follow my God and you see if it’s working out. This is my testimony. I’m done arguing with people about whether or not God exists, whether or not he’s good, whether or not He’s in control and moves in powerful ways today.

In a culture that is producing broken homes, broken identities, broken people. Suicide and depression is now standard. Fleeting sexual relationships are normal. Compare your life with mine. I’m not special. It’s not right moves in the stock market or a degree that has given me a home or for that matter unending and unceasing joy.

>>> example; friend with a broken marriage that’s only getting more broken as time goes on. How is your marriage so great? What do you guys do that leads to this type of relationship… I want that. The truth is before they got married I gave them a marriage counseling book to go through together and he told me, “It was too Christian”. I told him it was our devotion to being Christ to each other that drove us together, but again that was too Christian for him to get a hold of. So he learned their “love languages” and followed the wisdom of the world and their marriage is just as broken as ever. I will eat the living bread, and drink from the living fountain of my God, then you test me… should be evangelistic call of our lives.

17 “God gave” who is king amongst these kings?

God made them better in every way, why? Because the heart of wisdom is understanding the character of God, understanding His supremacy. 10 times better, maybe literally - or maybe 10 being entirely, completely, in every way better.

Context

Addressed to suffering Israel; last week I said Daniel 1 answers the question suffering Israel was asking, God where are you?

I’m in the army of Babylon. I am driving your enemies. I am in your prophets that you have driven from your midst. I am not absent, like you suspect… I am very present and warring against you. But I’m also with Daniel. Fulfilling my covenant and building my people.

Outro

Thought of the day: Foolishness is the end result of a prideful mind, but wisdom comes from God and is a right understanding of His being.

Sam said it best a couple weeks ago, “There is no circumstance that comes into your life that hasn’t first filtered through God.” God is king. God doesn’t lose. When the city was destroyed, God allowed it. When the items were taken from the temple, God allowed it. When David didn’t want to eat the king’s food, God created favor in the guard’s heart. When David became wise, God gave him wisdom. The first step to dismantling our prideful hearts and minds is acknowledging that God is supreme and present in all things.