STUDY THEME: BECOMING WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO BE.
"GOD WANTS ME TO BE UNDER CONTROL." DANIEL 1:1-21.
DANIEL 1:1-2, 3-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-15.
PLEASE OPEN YOUR BIBLE TO DANIEL 1.
Paul wrote in Romans 12: 1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethern, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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."
In the past 8 weeks we have learned that the perfect will of God is that the Holy Spirit may produce in us the fruit of the Spirit.
Already we have learned of our need for LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONG-SUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, AND GENTLENESS. Today we learn of the ninth and final Godly attitude---TEMPERANCE OR SELF-CONTROL. These nine characteristics or attitudes characterize the lives of only those who belong to God by faith in Christ and possess the Spirit of God. I have prayed that each of us may have had these spiritual qualities of character strengthened in our lives as we have studied the lives of David, Ezra, Isaac, Hannah, Elisha, Josiah, Noah, Moses and today, Daniel. The term TEMPERANCE refers to mastery over ones passion and desires. Self-control means the responsive use of freedom in Christ.
Our lesson begins in 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem. The army took some temple treasures and some captives from the royal and noble families of Judah to Babylon. This proved to be the first of three phases of the Jewish exile in Babylon. Daniel was one of the young Jews brought to Babylon for training to become court counselors.
Daniel thus was with the first group of exiles. Judah lasted several more years, but in 587/6 BC, Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, burned the Temple, and carried most of the survivors to Babylon. The biblical account of these events is recorded in 2 Kings 24-25.
Daniel means "God with him." Therefore, he had to report himself to God and hold himself responsible to God. Daniel was born near the end of the O.T. period. His life overlapped the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, continued through the period of the exile, and extended into the period of the restoration. If Daniel was 16 when captured in 605 BC, He would be 85 in Ch.6 when he prophesied in the 3rd year reign of Cyrus the Persian. Those were not easy times for the Old Testament people of God. Indeed, Daniel lived and served in a tumultuous time.
On the world scene, great events caught Judah in the middle. The mighty Assyrian Empire had fallen. A power struggle between Babylon and Egypt ended with a Babylonian victory at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. Prior to that, good King Josiah already had died in battle in 609 BC, in a futile attempt to block the Egyptians’ march northward. He had been succeeded by his son Jehoahaz, who ruled only three months before the Egyptians placed his brother Jehoiakim on the throne (2 Kings 23:29-32). Jehoiakim was an evil king. He was the one who cut up the scroll of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer.36). After defeating the Egyptians came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. An account of this found in 2 Kings 244: 1-2.
Nebuchadnezzar took part of the vessels of the house of God. He carried these from Jerusalem and placed them in the treasure house of his god.
Biblical writers wrote from a prophetic perspective when they dealt with historical events. Daniel noted that the reason Nebuchadnezzar was able to defeat Judah was that the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand. This is an example of the sovereignty of God. Then and now God moves in the affairs of nations to accomplish His purposes and to bring in His kingdom.
Nebuchadnezzar brought to Babylon not only some of the temple treasures but also some of the choicest young men. Nebuchadnezzar used the smartest, most gifted people in his government service. He included promising individuals from the nations he conquered. We are not told their ages, but they were probably in their mid-teens. The king assigned the duty of bringing the young men to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs.
Among the captives were four young men. They had been converted, doubtless, under Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet" that God had sent to the children of Israel. Many had mocked at him when he lifted up his voice against their sins. But these four young men listened, and they had the backbone to come out for God.
What were the king’s qualifications? The young men were to be of the king’s seed, and of the princes. The ones to be chosen were to be without any physical defect. They were to be handsome. They were to be skillful in all wisdom, showing aptitude for every kind of learning. They were to be well informed. They were to be among those quick to understand. Perhaps they would be comparable to Rhodes scholars today. They were the best educated and brightest of the Jewish people’s youth. By taking teenage boys from families of high social standing, the king of Babylon not only benefited his administration but also drained the leadership resources of Judah, making this vassal nation weak and dependent.
All these qualities, plus thorough training, were designed to equip them to stand in the king’s palace and serve in the king’s palace. They were to be the kind of young men who could be trained to serve in the king’s court as counselors and in other ways. They were to be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans, another name for the Babylonians.
Finally, young men chosen for Nebuchadnezzar’s service had to be qualified to serve in the king’s palace. They could live in the royal court without making mistakes because they possessed the proper attitude and knowledge of the social skills expected in this setting. If they met these high standards, the trainees received a privileged education.
Daniel was one of the young men of Israel. He was born into the royal family and was of noble birth. He was among the select youthful hostages of the first Jewish deportation taken to Babylon in 605 BC.
4. PLEASE READ DANIEL 1:5-7
One of the king’s expectations was that these young men eat the food from the king’s table. This would show their high status in Babylon, for to eat from the king’s table was considered a high honor. They probably did not actually eat at the same table, but they ate the kind of food the king ate. This was considered the best food and wine. Nebuchadnezzar appointed or assigned them to live on this diet for three years, probably the length of their training. At the end of that time, the objective was that they might stand before the king and enter the royal service. This signified the king’s approval of the young men for the jobs he had for them.
Verse 6 introduces us to Daniel and his three friends. All had Jewish names, and each name had a reference to God. The name Daniel means, "God is my Judge." Hananiah means "the Lord is gracious." Mishael means, "Who is as God is." Azariah means "the Lord has helped" or "The Lord will help." The Babylonians changed the young men’s names to names that reflected the names of Babylonian gods. Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar. Later, when Daniel was brought in to interpret the king’s dream, Nebuchadnezzar referred to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god. This name given to Daniel may have been intended to honor Bel or Nebo. The names Shadrach, Meshach,and Abednego also probably reflected Babylonian gods. From the king’s point of view, changing the young men’s names in this way was another attempt to signify the superiority of Babylon’s gods over Judah’s God.
Put yourself in Daniel’s place for a moment. You have been uprooted from your native land and taken from your family to a foreign land with a different culture and religion. You are expected to obey all the king’s commands and to become like a Babylonian. How would you feel? What would you do? Would you refuse to obey any of the king’s orders or would you obey all the king’s orders? Would you obey some but refuse others? That was Daniel’s dilemma. His temptation was to go along with all the expectations of this strange and different land.
Fiske wrote, "every temptation that is resisted, every noble admiration that is encouraged, every sinful thought that is repressed, every bitter word that is withheld, adds its little item to the impetus of that great movement which is bearing humanity onward toward a richer life and higher character."
Now, now young man ever comes to the city without having great temptation cross his path as he enters it. And just at this turning point in his life, as in Daniel’s, must lie the secret of his success. He took his stand with God right on his entering the gate of Babylon, and cried to God to keep him steadfast and he needed to cry hard. A law of his and his nations God was that no man must eat offered to idols. But now comes the king’s first edict, but this young man should eat the same kind of meat he himself did. I do not think that it took young Daniel long to make up his mind. The law of God forbade it, and he would not do it. "He purposed in his heart—in his heart; mark this—that he would not defile himself. He did not resolve in his head, but love in his heart prompted him.
This illustrates the reality that believers of all generations are living on earth but are citizens of a heavenly kingdom. We are tempted to conform to the standards of the unbelieving world, but God calls us to live by His values and priorities. Paul warned against being conformed to this world; instead, we are to be transformed. (Rom. 12:1-2).
Daniel decided that many of the things he was asked to do were not moral issues on which to take life or death stand. We have no record that he refused to study the Babylonian language and culture. In fact, we know that he became an official in the government. We have no record that he or his friends refused their new names, although Daniel continued to use his Jewish name. In other words, Daniel distinguished between moral issues and issues on which he could make adjustments without disobeying the will of God. Adjustments to changed circumstances sometimes are necessary, but moral compromise is always wrong. As we see in verse 8, Daniel took a stand on what he considered a moral issue. Daniel refused to eat the king’s food. Later on, his friends refused to bow down before the king’s image. Daniel also refused to change his habit of daily prayer.
We live in a society that seeks to conform us to its ways, some of which are the opposite of God’s ways. Do you want to know the man against whom you have most reason to guard yourself? Your looking glass will give you a very fair likeness of his face. When believers travel or move to places that have non-Christian standards they may be tempted to conform.
Believers can make adjustments to new situations as long as moral and spiritual compromises are not involved; but as believers, we must stand firm on moral convictions based on God’s Word. A man must first govern himself, ere he be fit to govern a family; and his family, ere he be fit to govern others.
Never in my lifetime have I seen as much pressure put upon our youth to conform to the ways of the world than I am seeing now by the courts, the schools, and their peers. Certainly these pressures were not nearly as great when I was a teenager.
Most of the other foreign captives probably welcomed the royal diet assigned to them. For Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, however, the "privilege" confronted them with a difficult dilemma. A portion of the royal meat and wine had been offered in sacrifices to the Babylonian gods. If the Hebrew teenagers ate this food, it would appear they were giving loyalty to idols. Also, the law of Moses might have prohibited some of these foods a unclean. Or the Babylonians might not have drained the blood from the meat.
Consequently, Daniel resolved or "purposed in his heart" not to defile himself by contact with the royal food and wine. Defile points to moral and ceremonial uncleanness. The other three Hebrews resolved the same thing. Evidently Daniel served as the leader and spokesman for the four young Israelite believers. All four wanted to remain true to God and His commands.
Daniel acted on his convictions by asking the chief official, Ashpenaz, for permission not to defile himself in this way. His request respectfully made required courage and self-control because this decision involved risk, nonconformity, and faith. The king himself had ordered this diet. Daniel and his friends, were deliberately wanting to disobey his command. Such action could bring harsh punishment. The teenagers were rejecting a very attractive diet of the finest food at a time of great physical growth in their lives. Their refusal to eat and drink would make them different from all the other trainees. They might suffer from peer pressure to conform. Their decision could have a negative affect on their future government positions and opportunities for advancement. Daniel and his friends might also have reasoned that they did not have to obey God’s laws since He had abandoned them. None of their friends and family in Judah would ever know what they were doing.
None of these factors mattered to the four friends. Their faith had determined their priorities. They were not ashamed of their commitment to the Lord. Despite the danger and disgrace involved, Daniel was willing to explain his decision to the king’s chief official, thus sharing his testimony.
Daniel had no need to fear because God was in control on the situation. God had caused the pagan Ashpenaz to look favorably at this young Israelite. Daniel impressed him. Perhaps the official recognized in Daniel integrity, commitment, and self-control. Favor implies good will. It also suggests a love or loyalty based on a relationship of mutual commitment. Sympathy means compassion or tender feeling. Ashpenaz loved Daniel and his friends. He had compassion on them as they struggled with their dilemma. Since God in His sovereign will had opened this man’s heart toward Daniel, this young man had courage to insult Babylonian generosity and make the request on behalf of himself, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Although Ashpenaz did favor these boys, he feared the king. Nebuchadnezzar had assigned this food and drink. The official believed the royal diet would provide better nutrition for them. If Daniel and the other three did not follow it, they would look worse than the other young men their age. This would place Ashpenaz’s own life in danger. Nebuchadnezzar did use cruel punishments (such as a fiery furnace). Out of commitment to Daniel, the chief official explained the situation, as well as his fears, to Daniel, instead of merely denying his request.
Daniel had thought of a solution to this problem—a substitute diet. He approached the guard whom Ashpenaz had appointed over him and his fellow Israelites. Guard means "overseer" or "Guardian," although the King James Version renders it a proper name, "Melzar," This man served under Ashpenaz and took care of these boys as they adjusted to their life in Babylon.
Daniel proposed that the overseer test the four teenagers for a-trial period of ten days. He referred to themselves as your servants to show respect and awareness of their position in Babylon. During this short time, Daniel asked that the guard give them nothing but vegetable to eat and water drink. This would include grains (and bread made from them), fruits, and vegetables. The Israelites probably would have eaten meat too, if it conformed to God’s regulations and had not association with pagan worship.
Daniel suggested that at the end of 10 days the overseer could compare the Hebrew’s appearance with that of the trainees who were eating the royal food and determine their physical condition. The overseer then could decide whether to allow the Israelites to continue with their substitute diet. Daniel trusted God in this whole experiment. He knew he and his friends would have to look better than the others to convince this Babylonian official.
God continued to intervene on the Hebrew’s behalf by working physically in the lives of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. At the end of the trial period they looked healthier and better nourished, literally "fatter of flesh," than the other trainees who were eating the king’s rich food. So the guardian allowed the four to continue their special diet. Throughout their training they exercised self-control, holding firm to their religious convictions, God rewarded their faithfulness by giving them great intellectual abilities that Nebuchadnezzar valued. When the king personally evaluated the young men at the end of their training, he found none equal to Daniel and his three friends. Thus Nebuchadnezzar awarded the four Israelites significant places of leadership in his service.
The most precious of all possessions, is power over ourselves; power to withstand trial, to bear suffering to front danger; power over pleasure and pain; power to follow our convictions, however resisted by menace and scorn; the power of calm reliance in scenes of darkness and storms. He that has not a mastery over his inclinations; he that knows not how to resist the importunity of present pleasure or pain, for the sake of what reason tells him is fit to be done, wants the true principle of virtue and industry, and is in danger of never being good for anything.
Becoming what God wants me to be involves exercising self-control. The term temperance refers to master over one’s passions and desires. In 2 Peter 1:6, Peter lists self-control in his list of Christian virtues that should mark the disciples life.
Daniel is mentioned in Ezekiel 14:14,20; 28:3 as being righteous and wise. He is alluded to in Heb. 11:32-33 as one of the prophets, who through faith…stopped the mouths of lions.
NEXT WEEK FROM GENESIS 1 WE LOOK AT THE TERM "HOW DID THE WORLD BEGIN?" (CREATION OR EVOLUTION)
AV DAUGHERTY 7-28-02