Bible Study: Daniel 1
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good Morning
Let’s share any prayer requests and praises.
.......
Let’s pray
Background of Book
Background of Book
God gave Judah many warnings.
But Judah ignored God and rebelled against Him and the covenant they had together.
Under the terms of the Mount Sinai covenant, God threatened to exile His people if they were unfaithful as it says in Leviticus 26:33:
33 And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.
So, Israel's disobedience resulted in God punishing them by allowing them to be conquered by a pagan nation.
That pagan nation was Babylon.
Babylon was ruled by Nebuchadnezzar.
God assures Judah that they will be allowed to go back home but only after spending time in exile.
This is part of God’s good plan.
So, this book chronicles the events during Israel's exile in 605 BC.
Daniel was one of the exiles.
And this is where we will begin our lesson.
.......
Text: Daniel 1:1-7
Text: Daniel 1:1-7
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 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.
3 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,
4 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.
5 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.
6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
7 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.
Notice God’s Actions
Notice God’s Actions
Verse 2: "The Lord Gave”
It was the Lord that purposely used Babylon to conquer Judah as part of His plan.
.......
Think about this.
This event was considered a tragedy for Judah.
Lives were lost.
People were exiled from their homes.
.......
But God had a purpose for all this.
One purpose was to humble Judah because of there constant rebellion against the One True God
.......
Notice also that God is free to use a pagan nation for His purpose.
God’s will overrides anyone else will...
Regardless if they believe in Him or not.
.......
With God, He is the supreme Ruler and King.
It is not a democracy.
The Significance of a Name Change
The Significance of a Name Change
Verse 7: "Daniel he called Belteshazzar”
In the ancient Hebrew world, a name’s meaning represented a person.
That is why we see God changing some people’s to represent who they are.
The Babylonians understood this practice as well.
That is why it was custom to change the name of the people they captured.
They wanted the person to abandon their national identity and religious beliefs.
Instead, they wanted them to adopt Babylonian practices and beliefs.
The study notes in the MacArthur Study Bible put it this way:
“A key factor in the ‘brainwashing’ process of the Babylonian training was a name switch.
This was to link the inductees to local gods rather than to support their former religious loyalty.”
.......
For example, Daniel name in Hebrew means: God is my judge.
Hananiah’s name in Hebrew means: Yahweh has been gracious.
Mishael’s Hebrew name means: Who is what God is.
And Azariah’s Hebrew name means: Yahweh has helped.
.......
Now look at what new names the Babylonians gave these young men...
And see how they turn the attention from the One True God to the false pagan gods of the Babylonians:
The Babylonian name of Beltashazza means: Bel will protect.
Shadrach means: inspired of Aku.
Meshach means belonging to Aku.
Abednego means servant of Nego.
.......
The Babylonians wanted redefine people to fit their image.
They also wanted them to depend on them...
That is why they wanted to to provide these provisions of rich food from the king...
They wanted to create a culture of dependence on the king.
.......
Doesn't this sound like our society today?...
Redefining identities and trying to make us dependent on worldly things.
.......
Let’s review the next eight verses.
Text: Daniel 1:8-16
Text: Daniel 1:8-16
8 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.
9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”
11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 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.”
14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.
15 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.
16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
Bold Faith, Big God
Bold Faith, Big God
Verses 8 & 9: "Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself” and “God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs”
No matter the temptation...
No matter who is offering the temptation...
We must be bold in our faith.
We must remember that we have a big God.
.......
Even if your boldness of faith looks like it will lead you to trouble we can’t shy away from it.
Look what God did in this situation.
God gave favor to Daniel.
God is in control of the situation.
God’s grace is sufficient.
Just look at what is says in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
.......
Whether people like in this situation, see you in a favorable light...
Or in other situations when people see you in a not so favorable light...
We must remember, for the life of the believer, God is the one who is in control.
.......
So, even people’s opinions and judgments about your are in the sovereign control of God.
So, we are to trust in His wisdom and His understand over our limited views.
Pastor and teacher John MacArthur put it this way regarding Daniel:
“God honored Daniel’s trust and allegiance by sovereignly working favorably for him among the heathen leaders.
In this instance, it prevented persecution and led to respect, whereas later on God permitted opposition against Daniel which also elevated him.
One way or another, God honors those who honor Him.”
God’s Gives Discernment and Blessings
God’s Gives Discernment and Blessings
Verse 15: "it was seen that they were better in appearance”
God gave Daniel the idea and the discernment to know how to respond to the situation he was in.
We need to remember that we must always plan to defend and give an account of our faith...
As it says in 1 Peter 3:15:
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
But when an unexpected event happens, God will give you the words and ideas to represent Him faithfully...
As it says in Luke 12:12:
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
So, we must always lean on Him and His ways.
As it says in Proverbs 3:5:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
.......
Now let’s look at the remainder of the chapter.
Text: Daniel 1:17-21
Text: Daniel 1:17-21
17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.
20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.
21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
God Provides Again
God Provides Again
Verse 17: "God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom”
Again God provides even the skills and wisdom we have.
We must remember this truth so we don’t boast in ourselves.
Instead, let us boast in our Awesome and mighty God.
Instead, let us boast in the cross.
As Paul says in Galatians 6:14:
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
He is With Us
He is With Us
Verse 19: "Therefore they stood before the king”
God will be with His children in in the face of wold powers.
God will be with us in our greatest trials.
As it says in Matthew 28:20:
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
As the Chief Shepherd and Good Shepherd...
He takes care of His own.
As it says in John 10:11-18:
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
It is this truth that we must always remember and always keep in mind.
That we have a Great Shepherd who loves us and takes care of us...
And that Shepherd is sovereign and in control of everything.
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Please join me one more time in prayer.