The New Year is Aglow with Opportunities
Daniel 1:1-7: 3:1-18; 6:1-22
We have now completed one month in the year 2016 and we are faced with many challenges and opportunities. As a Christian we are rowing upstream against a society that is basically anti-Christian. We are also living in a period where many churches are turning liberal in their theology and where commitment and dedication are hard to find qualities and where a faithful and dedicated Christian is a dying breed. In addition we have developed a " tourist mindset" in our practice of our christianity. We hop to see the latest christian personality (with the " anointing") or investigate the latest "blessings". Tourists want only the high points and they want entertainment. A christian cannot come to maturity this way.
Many things about the future are both exciting and fearful. No matter what we face in the unpredictable 2016, as cultural, political and spiritual changes approach us a high speed, few of us will experience the intense, painful opportunities that a man named Daniel faced. Though this story is 2,500 years old, the message is as contemporary as today’s headlines. In every crisis and trauma Daniel faced God used him for good in the world.
What do we know about Daniel?
A contemporary of Jeremiah and his fellow exile Ezekiel, Daniel (lit. ―God is my Judge‖) is unquestionably the author of the book which bears his name. Ezekiel refers to Daniel (cf. Ezek 14:14, 20; 28:3.)
Daniel and his three compatriots, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were forced into exile in 605 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar descended for the first time upon Jehoiakim‘s kingdom of Judah. Daniel was of the royal seed.
We can see that Daniel was a well-rounded young man. He not only was smart he was healthy and physically fit. We also can see that Daniel and his friends had godly parents who gave them a good grounding in the Word of God.
Also Daniel had a high social standing. He was a relative of the king of Judah, raised with all the privileges and status of royalty: wealth, power and education. He probably had close connections with dignitaries throughout the Eastern Mediterranean world. With all his wealth and charm Daniel was every mother-in-law’s dream.
Yet with his privileges Daniel was not proud or arrogant. He was a young man of character. He was not lazy or self-indulgent. He was absolutely committed to God and refused to compromise himself in any area.
Daniel was also was a young man with a future. He would have been voted the most likely to succeed in his class.
But Daniel was caught in a system and culture that forgot God. The exile did not come overnight. It was due to a long period of rebellion against God's revealed will for Israel. Daniel was caught in a culture that ignored God. When a nation forgets God, everyone suffers : the righteous along with the unrighteous.
God repeatedly sent prophets to warn the people of Israel but they continued to rebel and live in sin. In 605BC God allowed the superpower of that day, Nebuchadnezaar and his Babylonian armies to attack Jerusalem and take over the city.
Before returning to Babylon, Nebuchadnezar set up a puppet government in Jerusalem and as an insurance policy against further rebellion he took members of the royal family back to Babylon as captives. Daniel was one of the youngest hostages selected. Nebuchadnezzar’s plans called for Daniel and his friends to be rigorously trained and indoctrinated for three years. Then they would enter the King’s service.
For a moment put yourself in Daniel’s sandals. This wasn’t something he had planned for his life. In a short period of time his life was turned upside down. From a carefree teenagers to a servant of a foreign king. He was taken from family and would never see his homeland again. He would never worship in the temple in Jerusalem or see his family again. He lost his spiritual mentors and taken to a land where the God of Israel was mocked, and where values and standards based on the scriptures were ignored.
Daniel faced adversity with a true Christian character. I’m sure he had some doubts and concerns. He may have asked, "Why did this happen to me?"
Yet even in adversity things can work for good to all that love the Lord. The Apostle Paul could say in Romans 8:28: "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."
Joseph could say to his brothers who sold him to an Egyptian official. "What you meant for evil God meant for good to save your lives and the lives of our people."
At the time Daniel probably didn’t see the hand at God at work as he traveled the 800 miles walking, riding a horse or in a wagon -traveling from Jerusalem to Babylon. But God’s ultimate plan was for Daniel to influence the highest leaders of power in the ancient world. God was at work behind the scenes preparing a young man who was yielded to Him to play a key role in the preservation and restoration of His people and also to be a witness for the Lord in a strange land.
As Daniel was surrounded by dust on the road to Babylon he couldn’t foresee that he would advance to the highest positions in the courts of Babylon and Persia. In the later years of his life Daniel would exercise more power than any other member of the Jewish race had ever known. He would also have the privilege of leading his nation in repentance back to God.
Daniel is a prime example of how to turn adversity into opportunities.
No one can predict how your life will fare in the new year. Our ride into the coming years will be wild with rapid changes. We are now part of a world society. Through the Internet we have access to the world and like it or now we are all destined to be part of a cyber-future.
From the life of Daniel there are a few lessons we can learn and apply to our lives as we enter the New Year.
I believe that through the experience of Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azriah…better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego we can also learn how to live godly lives in an ungodly world.
The first principle that will help us live in this world without becoming like this world.
I. Many times we have to go against the tide. (v1: 8)
1) Daniel and his friends could have easily chosen to take the path of least resistance and ate the kings food. “I am here in a foreign country…and that pork chop looks mighty good…” (Ever wonder about the rest of the Hebrew captives? What did they eat?)
2) Everybody is doing it So what is wrong with it.
3) How many Christians are giving into the pleasures and ideas of this world? - "Well, I am just a social drinker"…"it’s just listen to that kind of music for the beat"… "I don’t think there is anything wrong with living together…we are going to get married later anyway"..."I am to busy trying to get that big promotion at work to come to church." - Friendship with the world is enmity with God - Heb. 11:24-26.
The second principle that will help us live in this world without becoming like this world.
We have to stand for what is right according to the scriptures (v. 8)
1) The decision to refuse the kings food was not easy for these young men – after all they were in no position to bargain or resist. ( vv. 9-13)
2) We falsely assume that in order for us to “get ahead in this world,” or to “be accepted,” we have to compromise our principles and values. " We cannot be successful in the world" if we do not compromise. " So a little compromise here a little compromise there and before we know it we are also compromising on our christian values systems.
3) How many Christians are too concerned about being isolated or ignored for promotions etc. when they do what’s right? (Parents afraid to their teach children right from wrong…people afraid to stand-up for Jesus in their workplace…) Peter and John refused to stop preaching Jesus -- Acts 4:18-20)
The third principle that will help us live in this world without becoming like this world.
III. We have to exercise our faith (v. 12-13)
1) These men didn’t just take a stand and then hope that they were going to be lucky enough to get away with it, they were trusting in God for the outcome. (Whether was the outcome. they still purposed not to give in) Dan 3:16-18. " Our God can........but even if He does not we will not bow down to your image."
2) How many Christians have enough faith and courage to take a stand for godly principles even though the outcome may not be favorable? -Oh, no that is too risky for me!, I want a successful life, I want to climb the ladder in my company. etc.,
1. DANIEL’S CHALLENGES [Daniel 1:1-8] What are the temptations that Daniel and his friends had to overcome in their walk with the Lord? These are some of the temptations that Satan uses even today.
The very first thing we see as we look at the life of Daniel is the challenges that he faced as a youth, a youth who was a believer desiring to live for the Lord. Every youth faces many challenges, but none as much as those youth, who like Daniel, desire to be loyal to their Lord in the midst of a godless generation. Daniel faced four particular challenges in his day.
A. The Challenge of a Secular Education [Daniel 1:3, 4]
Nebuchadnezzar knew that the first thing that had to be done was to win the minds of the young people, and to do that they would be placed in a Secular Education system in which their God, the True and Living God was eliminated and humanism and secularism would be drummed into their minds until they had been transformed from a Christian World View to a Secular View.
B. The Challenge of Sinful Enticements [Daniel 1:5, 8]
Nebuchadnezzar, like Satan, understood that it would be much easier to win these young men over to his gods and government if he baited the hook with attractive, enticements. The King’s wine and meat, not the school lunches, but the Kings own rations were offered them. Yet, Daniel’s God had said in His Word that these things were sinful for the Child of God to partake of.
The youth of our day are being lured to Satan’s side by more sinful enticements than any other generation has ever known. Sex, drugs, alcohol, pornography, and on and on we can go. We cannot turn the television on without being bombarded with sex, alcohol, and every form of sin imaginable We can get on the Internet and for free, pull up and watch the most vile, degrading sex acts imaginable. Then they see those who are to be their role models; teachers, politicians, entertainers, sports figures, and even parents living sinful and godless lives before us day in and day out, and we wonder why our youth have no commitment to Jesus, and abandon the Church as soon as they get old enough to make their own choices.
The abundance of temptations, the poor role models, combined with a secular educational system, weak pulpits, and parents who are not the spiritual leaders to their children that they are meant to be are producing one lost generation after another until finally our Christian Heritage will soon be completely erased from our society.
C. The Challenge of Social Edicts [Daniel 6:4-9]
Daniel was forced to live in a society that had now outlawed his Faith. It was now against the law of the land to pray to his God and to publicly practice his Faith.
D. The Challenge of the Suffering Entailed [Daniel 6:10-23]
Entailed is a good word to describe the other challenge Daniel faced. Webster says entailed is defined as; "to require as a necessary consequence." The king had not only outlawed Daniel’s Faith from being practiced, the law required that anyone found breaking the law would be required to face the necessary consequences. For Daniel it would mean being thrown into the lion’s den, [Daniel 6:10-23]. For the 3 Hebrew Children it would mean being thrown into the fiery furnace in an attempt to kill them. [Daniel 3:1-28]
Daniel, when told he could not pray by order of the law, went as had been his custom to his regular place and time of prayer and threw open his windows that all could see that he was continuing to practice his faith regardless of man’s law or the consequences for breaking them entailed. How many would dare to be Daniel when facing a similar or even lesser challenge and consequences?
These are the challenges that Daniel faced as a teenage Christian, all alone in a foreign land. You too will find that this world will seem foreign and hostile to you if you are brave enough to defy it and declare your faith as boldly as did Daniel. [2 Timothy 3:5] You too may find yourself facing opposition and hostility if you choose to stay true to Jesus in the face of all the challenges that are warning you not to do so.
II. DANIEL’S CONVICTIONS [Daniel 1:8]
Daniel’s response to these challenges reveal that even as a teenager, he was a young man with convictions and that he was not willing to compromise, no matter what the eventual cost may be.
Very few who claim to be Christians today, whether young or old show they have such a commitment to Jesus when faced with similar challenges. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t take much of a challenge to get the average professing Christian to compromise the faith they claim to hold.
A. Daniel Had Convictions About Sin
That is a rarity in our churches today. May I remind you that it was also the case in Daniel’s day, but it didn’t keep Daniel from holding to the belief that some things are just wrong and should not be done or participated in by a real Christian. And no amount of excuses could make that which was declared by scriptures as wrong to be right.
1. Daniel knew what sin was
[1John 3:4] " Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law; for sin is the transgression of the Law."
Daniel would not partake of the Kings wine and meat because the Word of God said that he was not to do so as a Child of God. Daniel believed in the Inspiration and Authority of the Word of God. When it spoke the Lord was speaking, and when it said that there were things we were to do and not to do, Daniel believed it would be sin to defy or ignore that commandment.
Fewer and fewer people in our churches believe in any absolutes today. The majority believe truth is relative. A thing that is wrong for you may not be for me, or a thing that is right for you may not be for me. This is the rationale of the homosexual movement. There is nothing wrong with it if it is right for me, so live and let live.
Daniel believed in Absolutes and in the Authority of God’s Word, if it said a thing was sin then to him it was sin, no matter what man or the laws of man said. Many people have tried to legalize what God has outlawed from the beginning. If God’s Word calls it sin, it will always be sin, no matter what man may call it. That was a clear conviction of Daniel.
2. Daniel knew who sin was against
[Psalms 51:4] "Against thee, (the Lord) thee only, have I sinned..."
Daniel knew as did King David, that sin was what God said it was and when one did or failed to do as God has said that it was not only a sin, but it was a sin against God Himself. That puts sin in a different light, if it be against the Lord Himself. It is one thing to sin against another, but it is another thing when you realize that ultimately every sin is against God Himself.
3. Daniel knew sin would eventually have dire consequences upon the sinner
*Numbers 32:23 "Be sure your sin will find you out."
*Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Moses knew that the pleasures of sin were just for a season. [Hebrews 11:25] That is why he turned his back on the world and refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. That life of sin was bound to end in destruction and Moses got out before it destroyed him. All sin leads eventually to dire consequences. That is the conviction that Daniel had about sin.
4. Daniel knew that the only Atonement from sin’s penalty and deliverance from sin’s power was the Blood of Jesus. [Daniel 8:11; 9:27; 11:31; Romans 1:16; Hebrews 9:22; 1John 1:8, 9]
At least three times Daniel reveals how the coming Anti-Christ will "...take away the daily sacrifice..." in Jerusalem when he rules during the Tribulation Period.- 8:11; 11:31 and 12:11. This shows us that Daniel had a clear understanding that these sacrifices were a type of the Coming Savior and the shedding of His blood and His death upon Calvary’s Cross for the sins of man. Daniel knew the only answer for man’s sin was the Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ that would be shed on Calvary’s Cross.
3. Daniel"s courage. [Daniel 6:10]
Let me say a quick word about Daniel’s courage. Daniel’s convictions would have been of little value to him and others if he had not had the courage of his convictions. That is one thing that is sorely missing among the Lord’s people today. This lack of Super-Natural courage and boldness within the Church is one of the leading reasons that we are being defeated in every moral and spiritual battle facing our church today. The courage of our convictions based on the scriptures is a must if one is going to be a faithful and victorious Christian in this day in which Jesus and His Church are facing increasing hostility from its foes.
As we start on the year 2016 let us examine ourselves and check our convictions and see where we stand before the Lord.
