OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO Daniel 1 & Isaiah 43.10
1. The TIMING of GOD is always perfect.
a. God is never late. He’s never early. He’s always on time.
b. And the life that you have, the times in which you live, are God’s perfect choice.
c. We’re here, in this city, in this state, in this year, in this church… by divine design.
d. It’s amazing! You were born where you were born. Grew up where you grew up. Learned what you learned..
e. So that God could use you now, today.
KNOWING THIS & BELIEVING THIS really changes our perspective.
• You mean Lord you’re working it out? You’ve got it under control? My life has meaning? YES!
Jer. 1.4-5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
NOTE: Remember Daniel is a book about a man & his ministry.
• YES It’s a book of PROPHECY but also A book of PURITY.
• PROPHETICALLY we see that God’s Word is SURE!
• God predicts the future with 100% accuracy and has it written down so that all can see His faithfulness.
Psalm 93.5 Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever.
Isa 43.10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.
AND along with Prophecy, we have the life of the man himself!
• Through Daniel’s life we learn that it’s possible to stand for what is right even everything around you is wrong!
• Let’s jump into Daniel 1:1.
I. (1:1-7) JUDAH TAKEN CAPTIVE
1. (1) Besieged!
a. Nebuchadnezzar came into Judah 3 times. Once in 606 BC which is this one. Again in 597BC and finally in 586BC.
b. On the last invasion, Nebuchadnezzar completely destroyed Jerusalem burning it to ground with fire.
c. As the ruler of the Babylonian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar was powerful and his empire was growing.
d. So in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim, 606 BC Nebuchadnezzar comes to town.
2. (2) The King and Articles of the house of God.
a. Did you see that? In v2 the LORD GAVE.
b. Also in v9, Now God Brought… again v17 God gave them…
GOD IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED in THIS captivity of Judah.
• He is judging the nation for their idolatry, their oppression of the poor, their lack of dependence upon Him.
• It is the perfect fulfillment of prophecy Isa 39.6-7, Jer 21 & 25
• Yet behind the scenes, God has a young man, Daniel who he will use greatly & be a light to the nation of Israel for generations!
NOTE: There are 2 sides to see in this unfolding picture.
• The HUMAN SIDE & the DIVINE SIDE.
• HUMANLY speaking, the captivity was horrible. Nebuchadnezzar conquering the world with an iron fist and was devastating.
• Seeing this apart from God he might think, “I am great. I rule the world. I’m in control.”
• BUT from the DIVINE PERSPECTIVE, he’s just a pawn in the Lord’s hand. He’s a tool of God.
Proverbs 21.1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
APP: There are 2 sides to the things in our lives as well.
• Many times when we are in trouble, we’re prone to blame it on the devil or some type of spiritual warfare. Could be… Sure.
• But could God be in it? Could He be using it?
• There is pain and problems caused by our own mistakes, our own mishaps, our own sin.
• But there is also pain spoken of in the Scriptures that is from the Lord, discipline and chastening. Let’s turn to Hebrews 12.5ff
HERE we see the Devil and God are both working… the devil wants the nation of Israel destroyed…
• But God is more powerful and is using Daniel and the situation to strengthen the nation of Israel. Both things are happening.
• Who will prevail? GOD!
YES: God IS sovereign & works all things together for the good.
• And no matter what comes into my life, I will trust you Lord and hold on to you and know you’re on my side!
It’s INTERESTING to notice a craftsman at work. It’s a blessing being surrounded by so many men & women who are gifted in making things with their hands.
• Whether it’s woodworking or electrical wiring, or fixing a car, or just being extremely good at what they do. It’s encouraging!
• Being around the men & women at the coffeehouse, watching them, seeing the end product (helping a little). It’s great.
WHEN A SCULPTOR takes a piece of wood and creates something beautiful from it… he takes a chisel & hammer and begins to beat & bang & chip away at that thing! And wow what work he does!
• And so what is it that makes the difference between firewood and a beautiful masterpiece? The MASTER!
• Sometimes I know we cry out and yell WHY GOD!?!?
• But guys, He’s at work and He loves you greatly.
WHERE ARE YOU TODAY? Are you in a job you can’t stand? Are you in a relationship that’s struggling? Are you hearing this from a hospital room or a car that’s broken down?
• Is everything crashing in around you, on top of you?
• Could God be using it? Could He be lining it all up?
• The Lord is showing me this more and more every day!
• OLD SONG: “My hope is in you Lord. My strength is in you Lord. My life is in you Lord. It’s in you, It’s in you!”
Psalm 38.15 For in You, O LORD, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God.
NOTE: SO Jehoiakim was given into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and he took some articles of the house of God into his land.
3. (3-5) The best young men.
a. The instruction was clear: we want the BEST, the BRIGHTEST, the ones with the greatest potential.
b. In conquering the land and taking captive these young men, Nebuchadnezzar was accomplishing a few things…
FIRST They would be trophies of Babylon’s conquest and victory.
NEXT, They would become ambassadors as they return to their homeland with the Babylonian culture and traditions with them.
THIRD, IT would keep the nobles in Jerusalem under control as the threat of having their children there would always be imminent.
c. The goal was to change Israel’s best into trained and learned Babylonians. It was part of the brainwashing process.
d. I want you to see at least 3 things they wanted to do.
e. I believe these are the same 3 things our society is trying to do to our children and even to us!
FIRST: They wanted them to THINK DIFFERENTLY so they were going to teach them the language & idolatry of the Chaldeans.
• Basically it would be 3 years of IDOLATRY UNIVERSITY!
• These young men were trained in the language of Israel and the wisdom of God: They knew the Torah, the Law of God.
• AND Now they were going to be trained in the ways of the world.
• Students today are trained in the secularism of our day and so easily fall prey to the world’s way of thinking.
1 John 2.15-17 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. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
AND SO THE PLAN was to change their minds by infiltrating them not with God’s Word but with the wisdom of the Chaldeans!
• Let’s turn to Romans 12:1-2
SECONDLY: They wanted to change their SOCIAL CUSTOMS. V5
• They were given the ‘king’s delicacies’. What were they?
• We don’t know for sure what was set at Nebuchadenazzar table, but years later, history records for us what was set at Medo-Persian tables…
Every day 400 sheep, 300 lambs, 100 oxen, 30 horses, 30 deer, 400 geese, 300 pigeons, 600 small fowl, 750 gallons of fine wine, 75 gallons of new milk, 75 gallons of sour milk, 22,000 loaves of bread.
NOTE: This would feed the king, his servants, his family, his harem, his guests, his wise men, etc. That’s a lot food, a lot of luxury!
Besides trying to get them to eat contrary to the Levitical laws, they also presented to them gallons of wine… Interesting, isn’t it?
• One of the goals was to INTOXICATE them these teenagers.
• Get them under the influence, out of control a little.
NOTE: The world has an INTOXICATING effect on Christians.
• For years now, the church has adapted itself in the desire that somehow the church can fit in this world.
• But all it’s done is brought compromise & destruction.
• So go ahead and look like the world, dress like the world, talk like the world… but all the while you’re changing, not the world!
Luke 14.34 "Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
THIRDLY: They wanted to change their RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS.
4. (6-7) New names.
a. The final blow was trying to take away one of the most personal possessions they had… Their godly names.
b. Their names were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael & Azaraiah.
c. Changed to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-Nego
DANIEL means “God is my judge”
• But Beltehaszzar refers to the prince of BEL, the highest god of the Babylonian deities. -- It means ‘may Bel protect his life’.
• Instead of the Lord’s protection and Daniel’s accountability to God, they wanted him to appeal to a pagan god for protection.
HANANIAH means “the Lord is gracious”.
• A great name reminding him of the loving-kindness of the God.
• But Shadrach refers to “RACH” the sun god.
• It means ‘to be illumined by the sun god.’
• Instead of experiencing the wonderful grace and kindness of God, he was directed to think that a pagan god would somehow brighten his life.
MISHAEL is another beautiful name, mean “who is what God is?”
• It’s a lot like Michael, “who is like God”.
• It reminds him to live like the Lord & have a godly lifestyle and character.
• They change it to MESHACH which refers to their pagan god AKU and it means ‘who is what Aku is’?
AZARAIAH means “The Lord helps”.
• They changed it to ABED-NEGO which probably means ‘a servant of NEBO’ again changing a glorious godly name into one that reminds the person of some false pagan deity.
GUYS: I don’t think Satan has changed his tactics all that much.
• There is a parallel here. You and I live in enemy territory and Satan would like the change the way you think and live.
• It’s happening all around us! A few things before we close:
#1 - He wants you AFRAID: and so timid at the thought of telling someone about Jesus.
#2 - He wants you INTOXICATED: literally, under the influence of alcohol.
Eph. 5.18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
• But also, practically: intoxicated with the world… under the influence of it’s system, it’s trinkets, it’s gold, it’s treasures.
Matthew 6.19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
#3 – He wants you CONFUSED: What do you believe? Why do you believe it? Are you sure? Look at God, He’s left you! You’re in bondage. You’re in captivity.
#4 – He wants you DIVIDED: Angry with God. Angry with the church. Angry with your neighbor. Angry with family. Angry with believers.
Mark 12.32-33 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
#5 – He wants you DOUBTING: the first sin began with the words being spoken into the ears of Eve.
Genesis 3.1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, ’You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?"
#6 – He wants you COMPROMISED: so that there is no strong relationship with Jesus. Just a little Jesus and a lot of the world.
Q: Can you see it? What strength does the church have if we are:
• Afraid, Intoxicated with the world, confused, Divided, Doubting, Full of Compromise?
• You see, Satan hasn’t changed his tactics much, has he?
• But there is a way out… We see it in Daniel and his friends.
• We’ll study this next week but look at v8.
• Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile Himself.
• In CAPTIVITY, He made a FIRM COMMITMENT to the Lord.
• Change my name. Teach me new things.
• But I will not DEFILE MYSELF.
Daniel stuck to his guns. He wouldn’t give up on seeking and serving the Lord His God no matter what they did to him outwardly!
Really it’s the difference between what a THERMOMETER CHRISTIAN looks like and what a THERMOSTAT CHRISTIAN looks like.
• A THERMOMETER is changed by its surroundings.
• A THERMOSTAT changes its surroundings.
AND there are those Christians that are easily influenced by their surroundings and so quickly fall into compromise.
• YET it’s possible for all of us to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit & literally change the course of history! Daniel did!
As we head out today: let’s ask ourselves some important questions.
• Can somebody tell by our lives whether we are a Christian or not? It is obvious?
• What about our religious convictions? Are we strong in what we believe so that we apply it when we’re in the world?
DANIEL, Hanianiah, MIshael, Azariah… they stand firm in the Lord.
• And so can you… so can I. We’ll see that clearly next time.
