Daniel 1
Notes
Transcript
Me
Me
As I read over today’s text, I recalled a time in my life that was difficult. While I was in the Army, I had a Sergeant Major that did not like me. We won’t talk about why she didn’t like me, but just that she didn’t like me. So for over two years, I was in the dog house. The only thing that saved me was the Army promoted me and a new Sergeant Major came in and replaced her.
Army life was difficult. I had to keep my head down and soldier on. I was stuck in a small section responsible for security clearances and weapons security inspections. I was chopped liver...
Despite the difficulty of the situation I had a choice to make. I could continue to live my life for Christ or become bitter, and seek to move despite God’s plans.
You
You
Maybe you have had similar circumstances. Maybe it was a difficult Boss that continued to degrade your performance. Kids maybe you had a teacher that seemed to always be critical of every move you made. Some of you may have had marriages that were difficult and definitely not edifying.
We all have been in difficult situations with someone who seems to have an oppressive authority over us. It is not fun is it!
God
God
In our passage today we will see the reality of oppression in the Old Testament. In fact, it was not just oppression but slavery. You see, the people of Judah had been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians in 583BC. He took some of the important people’s kids to condition them into loyal subjects. Before we enter into the Word let’s pray.
Captivity
Captivity
Look at verses 1-2 in Daniel chapter 1.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 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.
King Nebuchadnezzar kicked Jehoiakim’s can and the people of Judah. Why you say? Here is why...
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.
And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy.
The people of Judah continually disregarded God’s love for them and his call to repentance. They mocked the priests, prophets, and messengers who were reminding the people to turn to God and worship Him. There was no other remedy but for God’s wrath to bring discipline and correction. This is why the people were taken in captivity. Lets’ go on.
Corruption
Corruption
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, 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. 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. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 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.
We see that the corruption begins. Of those taken captive, the young men were brought in for brain washing, for corruption, for conformity to their captor’s culture and religion. They picked the smartest, the handsomist (I don’t know if that’s a word), and the best of the captors. They were young so that the weakness of their mind and will were easily manipulated. In verse 5 we see a special diet was given to them. This diet was to fatten them up, so it wasn’t low carb or low fat, but meat, potatoes, and dessert.
Second, we see they are stripped of their identity to create new ones. New identities conformed to the pagan culture.
Daniel changed to Belteshazzar. Hananiah changed to Shadrach. Mishael to Meshach. Azariah to Abed-nego.
Their names were changed from Israelite names honoring God to names honoring the gods of Babylon.
We are warned of this conformity in Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The conformity of the world will sneak up on you. This idea of conformity is a subtle changing til you are like they are. We are not called to be conformed but to be transformed. This transformation does not occur by pulling yourself up by your bootstraps or being a super moral person. It is to submit…to submit to the Spirit in obedience renewing your mind. When this happens, you will know God’ will. Often in the darkness we must depend on the Spirit to illuminate God’s purposes.