God’s Remnant in a Pagan Society
Daniel Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION: It would be difficult to look back into the biblical history of Israel and not find a more tragic time than the captivity of the nation. At the time of the captivity, the Nation of Israel had disobeyed God, foolishly thinking that God would never assert his rights as He had outlined to them in the books of the Law, yet God would do just that. In the book of Jeremiah the prophet we read,
Jeremiah 25:8-13 Therefore the LORD Almighty says this: "Because you have not listened to my words, 9I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon," declares the LORD, "and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. 10I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. 11This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12"But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever. 13I will bring upon that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations.
Jeremiah warned that there would be a judgment for sin. God would connect this judgment with the Sabbatical years Israel had refused to honor. They had ignored God’s word regarding this matter for some 490 years. They were about to learn that one cannot ignore God and prosper, and as Harry Ironside wrote, “God is going to square the account.”
The book of Joshua records the opposite for us regarding prosperity, making it abundantly clear that prosperity is not in what we are doing, but in who we are serving:
Joshua 1:7-9 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
As we come to this first chapter of Daniel, we are faced with the pronunciation of God regarding activity and service for God!
I A TIME OF GOD’S OWN CHOOSING – Daniel 1:1-2
A Nebuchadnezzar’s besieging of Jerusalem took place during the reign of Jehoiakim, the 17th king of Judah.
1 Jehoiakim’s younger brother Jehoahaz had been placed on Judah’s throne after Pharaoh Neco killed King Josiah in 609 B.C.
2 But Neco dethroned Jehoahaz and placed Jehoiakim on the throne (2 Chron. 36:3-4).
B Jeremiah had warned Jehoiakim of impending invasion by Babylon.
1 Jehoiakim had heard of the prophet’s instruction to God’s people to submit to Babylon without resistance.
2 little or no resistance was offered
3 Jehoiakim was captured and taken to Babylon.
4 Judah came under Nebuchadnezzar’s authority.
C Fulfillment of Prophecy
1 With this incursion by Nebuchadnezzar an important prophetic time period—the times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24)
a an extended period of time in which the land given in covenant by God to Abraham and his descendants is occupied by Gentile powers and the Davidic throne is empty of any rightful heir in the Davidic line.
b The times of the Gentiles, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Jerusalem in 605 B.C., will continue till the Messiah returns. Then Christ will subdue nations, deliver the land of Israel from its Gentile occupants, and bring the nation Israel into her covenanted blessings in the millennial kingdom.
D The removal of the articles of the temple
1 All were not removed – original desire was to make Judah a Tributary of Babylon
2 Items deposited in the “temple of his God”
II A REMNANT OF GOD’S OWN CHOOSING – Daniel 1:3-16
A Important to note the importance of the moral conditions of God’s remnant
1 Morality matters where God is concerned
2 God is always looking for faithful men
3 God is always looking for separate men
a Separate from the wrong things
b Separate to the right things
4 God is always looking for men subject to God
2 John 1:8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
B The choosing of the men
1 Of the royal family – “the kings seed”
2 Of the nobility
3 Fulfillment of prophecy -- 2 Kings 20:17-18 The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. 18And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."
C The preparing of the men
1 In oriental thinking physical features denoted mental power and ability
2 Daniel and his friends were commended to Ashpenaz – NIV: chief court official, KJV: Eunuch
a Isaiah 39:7 And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."
3 Three years of education and study
a Daniel would serve through the reign of three kings
1) Nebuchadnezzar
2) Darius
3) Cyrus
b He would live some 90 years
1) About 17 years old when he entered captivity
2) Saw the entire captivity
3) Saw people return
4) Did not return himself
5) Never married or had children
4 Renaming
a Daniel to Belteshazzar – God is my judge to Bel’s Prince
1) Jesus called him a prophet
Matthew 24:15 "So when you see standing in the holy place ’the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand--
b Hananiah to Shadrach – Whom Jehovah favored to Inspired by the sun god
c Mishael to Meshach – Who compares to God to who compares to Sheshach
d Azariah to Abednego – Whom Jehovah helps to servant of shining fire
Notice that the name changes do not change heart – ALL ISSUES OF CONSEQUENCE BEGIN WITH THE HEART!
5 The Provision of Food
a From the kings table
b What is at issue
1) Being true to God
2) Purpose to God
1 Tim. 1:19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.
Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
Jude 1:3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
c The problem behind the meal
1) Had been offered to idols
2) Ceremonially unclean
3) Implied unconditional loyalty
a) Table fellowship was a VERY serious matter in biblical times
Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?"
12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ’I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
d The solution
1) Daniel and friends represent the remnant God always has in the world
2) Favor towards the godly is the doing of God
Genesis 39:21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
3) Adjust our diet for ten days
a) Daniel and friends were being faithful in the little things
(1) Were not rationalizing the issue away
b) Understood that there are no non-essentials in the Bible
Deut. 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
III THE REWARD FOR RESOLUTION – Daniel 1:17-21
A Supernatural wisdom
1 Reasoning skills – knowledge
2 Insight skills – understanding
a Discern the nature of things clearly
b Interpret clearly
3 Wide knowledge of arts and sciences
B Elevation in the eyes of the king
1 10 times better
C Choice positions of service
1 Daniel remained in the kings court until the overthrow by Cyrus
Some practical thoughts:
-- Holiness is always necessary for a believer!
-- Holiness requires a commitment to be pure, a plan to accomplish this purpose, and persistence in carrying out the plan
-- Must constantly ask the question – Am I right with God?
-- All issues of consequence will begin with the condition of our heart
-- Favor is the work of God not the work of men.
