Daniel 2:17-19

Melcan Signe

A Worshipping and Witnessing Church • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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Series: A Worshipping and Witnessing Church

Daniel 1:1-21

Introduction:

Outline:

I. The Purpose of the Book of Daniel

II. The Setting - God’s Sovereignty in Sending The Israelites in Exile

III. The Preparation for Greater Works of Witnessing (Devotion and Worship)

IV. The Opportunities for Witnessing

V. The Proper Response to Witnessing Opportunities

I. The Purpose of the Book of Daniel

To display that God is at work in the lives of His people - including the exile , as God’s way of disciplining His people (Dan. 1:1-2 - the Lord “gave”).

But even in exile, God continues to be involved with them - God gave Daniel favor from the palace master (v. 9), and “God gave knowledge and skill” (v. 17). God guides, protects, and saves his people by entering into human history and giving them what they need, even when they are in exile.

In the fullness of time God gave the most precious of all gifts: “God gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have everlasting life” (John 3:16)

Intention:

We will learn from the examples of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah - how they have remained faithful to God despite living in a pagan culture - just like we are now.

We may remain faithful to God despite living in a place where God is not worshipped.

We will learn to trust God in His intervening works in our church and society - that we may believe that God is still in control and that God want’s for the church to be the bearer of light to impact the place where God has placed us .

We might impact Barangay through our PRESENCE and through our ENGAGEMENT with the people.

II. The Setting - God’s Sovereignty in sending the The Israelites in Exile

Daniel 1:1–2 NASB95

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

Exile: Why? God’s act of disciplining His rebellious people.

The Lord gave / delivered - God’s sovereignty over the nations.

Where: They are exiles to Babylon - They are living in a foreign country, a pagan country, no temple worship, for sure they don’t like it to be there.

In the same way, we Christians are foreigners, and pilgrims of earth - this world is not our home. We are citizens of HEAVEN.

We don’t like to live in a place where there is rampant evil and sin - but we know that until God is finished with His MISSION in our lives - we will be here til then!

As Christians, saved and redeemed by the blood of Jesus, We will continue serving the LORD, as long as we have LIFE.

A. The Characters we see that God used to bring about His purposes - deliverance / redemption of His People.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah (Daniel 1:6)

Daniel 1:5–6 NASB95

5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

3 years of education - to develop the young men to be used for the advancement of the Babylonian kingdom - Babylonian system, culture, political, social and economic values.

They are are the main characters in this book - they have been mightily used by God.

While in Babylon, the King gave order give them new names. This is re-programming of their identity and of their purpose.

4 heroes of faith: What are the meanings of their names?

Daniel - God is my judge

Hananiah - Jehovah is gracious, Gift of the God

Mishael - Who is like God?

Azariah - Jehovah has helped, Jehovah is helper

They all have God-fearing parents who gave them names that honored Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Daniel 1:7 NASB95

7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego.

Their Babylonian names appear to be deliberate corruptions:

Daniel - God is my judge - changed to - May Nebo protect his life

Hananiah - Jehovah is gracious - changed to - the command of Aku (the Sumerian Moon god)

Mishael - Who is like God? - changed to - Who is like Aku?

Azariah - Jehovah has helped, Jehovah is my helper - changed to - Servant of Nebo.

Deliberate Corruption (Reprogramming / Brainwashing

- A change of Identity (no longer God’s children)

- A change of Destiny (Babylon, not Jerusalem)

- A change of Belief - from truth to lie (from Yahweh to false god

REPROGRAMMING or Brainwashing is happening in our SOCIETY TODAY.

There is no God (Atheism)

There are many God (Polytheism)

We cannot know if God is real (Agnosticism)

We die and no more (no life after death)

There is no Hell / God will never send people to Hell (Yes, but people chose hell over God)

People can go to heaven without belief in Jesus - by just doing good works.

Life is about Me - I am the master of my life.

A reminder and challenge to PARENTS:

How are we helping our kids not to be brainwashed or reprogrammed by the world?

A reminder and challenge to the CHURCH:

How are we helping our fellow Christians not to be brainwashed or reprogrammed by the world?

A reminder to our SELF:

How am I protecting myself so that I will not be corrupted by the world?

III. Preparation for Greater Work of Witnessing (Devotion and Worship)

A. Their firm devotion to God.

They are faithful believers of Yawheh - Dan. 1:8-9

Daniel 1:8–9 NASB95

8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials,

Defile (halal) - making something impure or polluted.

meat / wine prepared by non Jew is considered impure by the Mosaic Law.

While in Babylon, they have been introduced to the culture and practices of Babylon, yet they did not allow themselves to be polluted by it. They want to eat veges and drink water instead (Dan. 1:11-12)

Daniel’s desire was to please God in all he did.

They are more concerned not to offend God - they are careful not to sin against God.

They believed that Yahweh is still God even in Babylon - an evil city.

They believed that God sees what they are doing (Omnipresent and Omniscient)

The New Bible Commentary 1:8–21 Passing the First Test

Daniel is presented here as a model of faithful witness in the attractiveness of his life, the graciousness of his resistance (he asked, 8; Please test, 12) and the way in which his deportment evoked the favour and sympathy of the official (9) and the agreement of the guard (14).

Example to follow:

1. Be mindful of your spiritual health - Obedience as an act of Worship

Daniel 1:17 NASB95

17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.

When they chose to honor God by their obedience - God honored them and gave them favor.

This shows that God blesses those who obey His commands and prospers those who trust Him.

Punishment came because of disobedience but even during a time of discipline, God protects and sustains those who obey Him and trust Him for their sustenance.

God giving them knowledge and intelligence is God’s way of preparing them for greater works of witnessing that they will do in the future.

Example to follow:

2. Do not conform to the pattern of the world and culture.

They did not conformed to the pattern of the world that they were living in. They stood firm, they stood for what they believe is right and pleasing to God.

Intellectual development and true success can be achieved without spiritual compromise.

Reminder: We are not called to isolate but to insulate - to insulate means to be protected from outside pollutants - we do this by being firmly grounded and connected with God.

For sure they don’t like the situation they are in, yet we see that they remained faithful and obedient to God.

I believed that they were able to stood firm because they are protected by God - since there hearts are aligned with the heart of God.

A challenge for the church : It is quite challenging for Christians to stand firm in the truth -

But God has given us the power to stand firm.

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Tragedy: Christians conforming to the pattern of the world

When a professing christian looks like the world, acts like the world, behaves likes the world - He or she is of the World. He or she will not see the world as a mission field - but a HOME to stay IN. He or she will not desire to Witness! But It all starts when a Christians loses the desire to worship God.

when we conform to the world, we will not be able to witness. We will be endanger of forsaking our first love - God.

Insert a quote from Martin Lloyd Jones

“If you do not desire to be holy, I do not see that you have the right to think that you are a Christian” - Martin Lloyd Jones

How are you preparing for God’s greater works of witnessing?

Are you secured in the Love of God?

Are you studying God’s Word?

Are you applying God’s Word?

Are you growing in your relationship with God?

IV. Opportunities for Witnessing

A. Opportunities for witnessing happens when we least expect it - but we have to expect it at all time!

They were chosen by King Nebs to serve in his court because of their unrivaled intelligence Dan. 2:17-20

(They served a pagan and evil king)

B. Witnessing opportunities comes in any form -

V. Response to Witnessing Opportunities

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A. Seek God through Prayer

B. Gather the church for Prayer

C. Display the GRACE of God