Daniel 1:1-8
12/28/14
I want to talk with you a few minutes this morning about a man named Daniel.
First, come with me to his childhood days.
Daniel was born into a princely family; he was in the linage of the great King David. I’m sure he grew up hearing stories about his great ancestor David. It was a godly heritage. As a young boy, Daniel grew up in the wake of a major revival. We read about it in 2Chron. 34. Josiah was king of Judah when Daniel was born. In the 8th year of Josiah’s reign 2Chron. 34:3 says he began to seek the God of his father (ancestor) David. Think about that phrase concerning Josiah’s life: he began to seek God.
Do you remember in your own life when you began to seek God? Wasn’t it a precious experience? When times get hard in my life, I like to think back upon the Friday night that I met the Lord. Somehow that helps me put it all in perspective: The sweet forgiveness of sin, the peace that came, the sense of love and acceptance.
When King Josiah began to seek God, good things followed. He had the altars of the false god, Baal, destroyed. He tore down the other idols in the land. There was a great cleansing from evil throughout Judah (the southern kingdom). This is important to know—because it helps us to understand the foundations of Daniel’s upbringing—factors that influenced his thinking and character and prepared him for the tests he would face.
After purging Judah of idolatry, Josiah had the ruble removed from the temple and restored worship of the Lord there. In that process they found the Book of the Law (Covenant) buried under the debris. They dug it out and began reading it in the house of the Lord. It’s hard for me to imagine, the nation that God delivered out of Egypt, the nation by Moses, Joshua, and later King David—getting so far from God that the land was filled with idolatry. The temple of God was filled with debris, and they didn’t even know where their Bible was. That was the condition of that nation before King Josiah ushered in revival.
This great turning back to God under Josiah also resulted in the nation keeping the Passover which was their act of faith looking forward to the cross. When you and I celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are looking back in time to the cross and celebrating Jesus’ sacrifice for sin. Although they had limited understanding of what they were doing, when Israel in the OT kept the Passover they were looking forward in time to the cross. It was an act of faith and obedience on their part. Josiah was killed in battle in about 610 B.C. 2Chron. 35:25 says that Jeremiah mourned the death of Josiah. Judah then came under the rule of an evil king (Jehoiakim) for the next few years until Nebuchadnezzar invaded the land and took Daniel back with him as a captive.
So here is the timing: King Josiah led a great revival that profoundly affected Daneil’s parents and Daniel as a young child. Josiah died in about 610 B.C. and a few years later in about 604 B.C. Daniel’s was taken to Babylon. So God had prepared this young man for the challenges ahead through the influence of that revival and then the great Prophet Jeremiah .
II. Now Daniel is a young man probably in his teens.
Suddenly his world is rocked: Babylonian soldiers march into his home town killing and pillaging. They defiantly tromp into the Holy Temple and and take the consecrated vessels to dedicate them to Nebachadnezzar’s pagan god. They also select some of the most promising young men and take them back with them as captives. One of those young men is Daniel. Follow with me as we read Daniel 1:1-8).
“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 articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. 6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
We don’t have time to go into it adequately this morning, but Israel deserved the Judgment that is described in the first couple of verses of the book of Daniel. However, Daniel did not deserve it—he was however impacted by it.
I want to talk for a moment about the unjust abuse Daniel experienced as a teenager. We know from the fact that Daniel was under the chief of the eunuchs that he was castrated by King Nebachadnezzar. It’s a pretty traumatic experience to be captured by a cruel king, plucked up from your home and marched to a foreign land, emasculated, and given a new identity named after a pagan god. All that was done to Daniel and he had done nothing to deserve it.
What I want us to see here is his response to the abuse. First, I see no bitterness taking root in his heart. He is as true to Jehovah in Babylon as he was in Jerusalem. His God’s temple has been plundered—where was the Lord in all this? Truly a bad thing has happened to a good person—but the bad thing did not turn the good person bad! Instead he serves God in the circumstances that he finds himself in. Have you ever found yourself in circumstances that don’t seem fair? Circumstances that are hard? Circumstances that have the potential to make you bitter? Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart….” There is the key. One of the reasons we gather in these meetings is to encourage and strengthen each other in that purpose. “But Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself….” I’m sure there were times when Daniel felt the disappointment of never having a family; he may have even had to fight the temptation of self-pity. But he was a man who purposed to do right from the heart. When we make those kind of choices, God fortifies us with His grace. God’s strength is given to make us more than conquerors. “Keep your heart with all diligence, (NIV says “Above all else, guard your heart) For out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov 4:23). Daniel, by the grace of God did that. In fact, because he did that, he was able to lead Nebuchadnezzar (the man who had him emasculated) to the Lord and thereby impact the world. That story is in Daniel 4.
Young Daniel was surrounded by temptation in Babylon. I’ve sometimes thought about what it might have been like for the young captive as he approached Babylon. The first thing he saw was a 300’ foot high wall surrounding the city. In the city was one of the Seven Wonders of the World—the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. In the King’s palace was a beautiful hunting scene. The most impressive of all is the temple dedicated to Nebuchadnezzar’s god-Bel. There in this wicked city, Daniel is enticed with luxury and indulgence. Daniel’s name means “Jehovah is Judge.” His parents gave him a name that identified him with the true, living God. It was a constant reminder that God is able to bring justice into any situation. But everything Nebuchadnezzar did was designed to make Daniel forget his God and accept Nebuchadnezzar’s god. So they changed Daniel’s name to Belteshazzar, meaning Bel Protects.
“But…”, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies…” Some of you know the rest of that story. He did not defile himself with the king’s delicacies. Through courage and wisdom he passed that test with flying colors.
3.Through the years in Daniel’s life, we see him facing the two main tactics the devil uses against us.
One is the enticement of temptation. Daniel could have easily justified himself in his own mind to go ahead and partake of Nebuchadnezzar’s delicacies. After all he was a slave and what choice did he really have? Everybody else was going along with the program. Doing anything else look impossible. But Daniel was of a different spirit. He sought the Lord in that impossible situation and God gave him wisdom on how to proceed. Daniel lived in a place of power and wealth during his life; but power and riches never captured Daniel’s heart. There is nothing wrong with having power and riches if God so designs as long as power and riches never have you. I’ve noticed that people with money tend to think that success is a proof of godliness; 1Timothy 6 clearly says it is not. Poor people tend to think that having money is a proof of ungodliness. Daniel’s life, Abraham’s life, Joseph’s life clearly demonstrate it is not. The money and the power never pulled Daniel off his consecration to the Lord.
One tactic of the devil is to entice; the other is to intimidate. There were many occasions of that in Daniel’s life along his journey.
4. But the best example is in the latter part of his life.
Daniel was a man of prayer. Every time he faces a crisis, what does he do? He goes to the Lord in prayer. In Daniel 2 when Nebuchadnezzar demanded that the wise men of Babylon tell him his dream and interpret it or be killed—Daniel and the 3 Hebrew children went to God in prayer. In answer to prayer God gave Daniel the answer; he stepped forward in that hour of crisis and saved the day. Leadership is never defined in easy times. Easy times don’t need much leadership. It’s in the crisis; it’s in the impossible situations where leaders immerge. If there is no crisis, a manager can manage the situation. But in a crisis, you need more than managers—you need leaders who will put it all on the line. That was Daniel; and even kings could see it in him.
Daniel is a man of prayer in his youth, in middle age, and in old age. He was about 90 years old in Daniel 6 when an unjust accusation was formulated against him. Darius was king at that time; Persia was in power instead of Babylon. But Daniel was still in a significant place of power and influence. There were three leaders who reported directly to King Darius and the king was thinking about making Daniel the prime leader. The other two leaders conspired to bring Daniel down by accusing him of disloyalty to Darius. That’s the background of the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Three times every day, Daniel would turn his face toward Jerusalem and offer up vocal prayers to the Lord. To entrap Daniel the other two leaders tricked Darius into making a decree that anyone making petition to anyone but King Darius during the month would be thrown into the lion’s den. Of course, Daniel was trapped: either stop the prayers to the Lord or be thrown into the lion’s den. What’s interesting about this story is that Daniel didn’t go to the King and try to work out a solution. He obviously had the king’s favor; surely that would have been a possibility. The other two had deceptively tricked the king. But Daniel did not try to solve the problem himself. He just kept praying and trusted God with it. It’s easy for us to sit here in this comfortable room and agree with Daniel’s decision. But when we face our lion’s den, can we let God bring the solution? Can we refrain from fighting the battle ourself? Can we just do what we know is right to do, and leave the results with the Lord? I find the lion’s den much more intimidating when I’m the one being thrown in. But I want to be a person of excellent spirit. I want to pass those kind of tests; don’t you? Jesus said, “…whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.” It’s a lot easier to preach about that than to do it. But Jesus told us to do it. Daniel did it. By the grace of God you and I can do it as well.
Conclusion
I think Daniel’s early experiences with God set the stage for the consecration we see in him in the book of Daniel. What’s amazing about this man is that he is so faithful throughout his life. As a young man, he does not get bitter about the abuse from Nebuchadnezzar. He does not succumb to the temptations of the palace. He is given power and wealth; but power and wealth never get him. Even in his old age, when it’s most tempting to simply let others deal with the problems, he trusts God even in the lion’s den. When you’re going through a test, let Daniel’s example inspire you to stay true to the Lord. God has given us Daniel in Scripture as a man of excellent spirit. He faced severe trials and trusted God with them.
But the things Daniel faced were relatively insignificant compared to what Jesus faced in the cross for you and me. When Daniel stared into the lion’s den, he faced physical death. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane physical death was not all that he was facing. The threat of physical death was not what brought bloody sweat to his brow. "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Matt 26:39 The cup was not just physical death. The cup was judgment for your sin and my sin; the cup was punishment for the sins of the world. He drank that cup because it was the will of the Father. He is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Because He drank that cup, we are spared the judgment we deserve. This is the good news of the gospel—it is good news beyond our wildest comprehension. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned….” John 3:17-18
Say that with me, “He who believes in Him is not condemned….” Have you embraced that truth fully? Have you put your faith in Him? Have you entrusted your eternal soul to Him? Then there is no condemnation for you. That is something worth celebrating.
We are going to celebrate our Lord’s death and resurrection by taking communion together. If you need a healing, this is a good time to release your faith for that. The bread represents His body that was broken for you. If you need to forgive anyone, make that choice in your heart right here, right now. A key to living a victorious, free, healthy life is to be a good forgiver. Make that a fundamental part of your lifestyle. It doesn’t matter what injustice you may suffer, it’s nothing compared to what Jesus did for us. For His sake, for His honor forgive.
Ushers, please distribute the communion elements and we will all partake together.
END NOTES:
i JOSIAH (from Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright © 1998 by Biblesoft).
ii Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz was king for 3 months after Josiah’s death. He was deposed by the king of Egypt who
made Jehoahaz’s brother Eliakim king of Judah and then changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim (2Chron. 36:1-8).
iii DANIEL (from The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois.
Copyright © 1988.). This was in the first deportation in the 4th year of Jehoiakim. Some authorities place the date
as 605 B.C.
iv. 2Chron. 35:25. In Daniel 9:2 we see further evidence of Jeremiah’s influence in Daniel’s life. I am indebted to
W.A. Criswell as it was his sermons on the book of Daniel that helped me first see these connections in Daniel’s
childhood.
v. All quotes are NKJV unless indicated otherwise.
vi. W.A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on the Book of Daniel, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970) p. 27.
vii. Alternate Ending: Maybe that’s where you feel you’re at today: facing a lion’s den. No easy answers; no easy
paths—a den of difficulties. Take this moment to purpose in your heart: I will trust the Lord with this. I will put it
into His hands, do whatever He tells me to do, and know in my heart He will bring an answer.
