Dan Gatlin - September 29, 2019 am - Gospel Meeting MP3 PP
Daniel's Uncompromising Faith
Intro.—"9
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the
days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of
your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, And put away evil from your
flesh, For childhood and youth are vanity. 1 Remember now your Creator
in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years
draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them""
-
Eccl. 11:9—12:1
A. Solomon tells us to remember God while we are young.
There are many benefits to this:
1. Overall, we will have less sin in our life.
Sin ensnares us because often one sin leads to
another. Our lives become
less tangled.
2. It prepares us for "the difficult days" (old age).
We can face old age with hope knowing that we
have prepared ourselves for eternal life.
a. "Therefore
we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the
inward man is being renewed day by day."
-
2 Cor. 4:16
B. Daniel is a young man who devoted himself to God at an early age.
1. Almost all we know of Daniel is what is found in the book.
2. Daniel was a very young man (possibly in his teens) when taken into
Babylonian captivity. He
lived throughout the 70 captivity (so it's likely he was less than 20
yrs. old in Ch. 1).
I. Daniel In Captivity.
A. "1
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."
-
Dan. 1:1-7
1. Young royals & noblemen were often used as "trophies" in the
conquering kings house. It
implied that the conqueror was far greater than those conquered.
2. Daniel was part of the royal line.
3. Babylon was the first "modern" city.
a. "The
city stands on a broad plain, and is an exact square, a hundred and
twenty stadia in
length each way, so that the entire circuit is four hundred and eighty
stadia. While such is its
size, in magnificence there is no other city that approaches to it. It
is surrounded, in the first
place, by a broad and deep moat, full of water, behind which rises a
wall fifty royal cubits in
width and two hundred in height.
" - Heroditus—4th Century BC Greek Historian
b. Modern terms:
1) The walls were about 15 miles each side (60 total).
Most were 75 ft. high & as high as
300 ft.
A) Walls were 85 ft. thick, going 35 ft. underground.
B) There were 250 defensive tower; Over 100 gates (most minor
entrances).
2) There were double walls, an inner & outer wall.
Between the walls was a mote.
3) The Euphrates river ran through the middle of the city.
Metal gates would be raised &
lowered to keep enemies out.
c. The temple of Marduk.
1) Thought to be the old tower of Babel, was in the middle of the city.
2) It contained an 18 ft. solid gold statue of Markuk; a 40'X15' gold
table; 2 solid gold, life-
sized lions.
d. Hanging gardens. 1 of the 7 ancient wonders of the world.
B. V. 2 Notice that
Nebuchadnezzar took some of the articles that were in the Jewish temple
into
the temple of his god.
1. Not only was it treasure, but was intended to show the superiority of
his god.
2. This kind of boast was made by the Assyrians 150 years earlier, in
Isa. 36-37.
3. "If
my nations conquers your nation, it means my god is better than your
god!"
4. Judah had been defeated.
But, that didn't mean that Marduk was greater.
5. What needs to be factored in is that God was using Babylon to punish
Judah
6. This argument doesn't influence Daniel.
(He may have been familiar with the prophecies.)
C. V. 4 Daniel & his
friends were to learn the language & literature of the Chaldeans.
D. V. 5 The king would feed
them from his table.
E. What if you were kidnapped & taken to Hong Kong?
You wouldn't know the language, culture,
customs, etc. Re-education
would be needed. As a
Christian, you don't want to compromise.
II. Daniel's Devotion To God's Law
A. "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."
-
Dan. 1:8
1. What was wrong with the "king's delicacies?"
There are 2 possibilities:
a. The law of Moses made a distinction between clean & unclean foods.
This was for the Jews.
Gentiles did follow this, so they would eat unclean foods.
b. These may have been foods that were offered to idols.
B. Consider some of the unique temptations Daniel faced.
1.
Materialism.
Babylon had every pleasure, comfort & luxury.
All that that world could offer.
a. We can avoid this temptation only by putting God's law first.
b. Moses face some of the same temptations: "24
By faith Moses, when he became of age,
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather
to suffer
affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of
sin, 26
esteeming the
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;
for he
looked to the reward."
-
Heb. 11:24-26
2.
Power.
Daniel would attain high office, 2nd only to the king.
Yet, it did not corrupt him.
a. "25
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of
the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise
authority over them. 26
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great
among you, let
him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let
him be your
slave — "
-
Matt. 20:25-27
3.
Fornication.
During certain festivals, Ishtar was worshipped with sacrifice &
fornication.
a. "18
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body,
but he who
commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not
know that
your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God,
and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in
your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."
-
1 Cor. 6:18-20
4.
Worldly Wisdom.
He would have been taught: 1) Language & culture of Babylon,
2) Superiority of Babylonian gods, 3) Perhaps Astrology & Sorcery.
a. "25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of
God is
stronger than men. 26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many
wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
called. 27 But God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God
has chosen
the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are
mighty;"
-
1 Cor.
1:25-27
III. Daniel's Plan To Remain Pure.
A. "9
Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of
the eunuchs. 10
And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king,
who has appointed
your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than
the young men
who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king." 11
So Daniel said
to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give
us vegetables to eat
and water to drink. 13 "Then let our appearance be examined before you,
and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s
delicacies; and as you see
fit, so deal with your servants." 14 So he consented with them in this
matter, and tested
them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared
better and fatter in
flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s
delicacies. 16 Thus the
steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they
were to drink, and
gave them vegetables."
-
Dan. 1:9-16
1. Consider what they had just been though.
2. "1
Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month,
on the tenth day
of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came
against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall
against it all around. 2 So
the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 By the
ninth day of the
fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was
no food for the
people of the land."
-
2 Kings 25:1-3
3. Daniel & friends are "skin & bones" by the time they get to Babylon.
4. Pagan kings demanded that servants appear happy & healthy.
Anything different could bring
death.
B. A lot of people would reason: "This
is a unique situation!
Surely, God will understand if I make a
few compromises to save my life."
C. Daniel teaches us to
prepare & have a plan,
so that we don't compromise.
1. Too many don't deal with temptation until they face it.
They're unprepared.
2. How can we prepare for temptation?
a.
Prepare yourself mentally & spiritually.
Simply determine not to compromise.
"But
sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to
everyone who
asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear"
-
1 Pet. 3:15
b. Avoid tempting situations.
Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "Lead us not into
temptation."
c. Pray for strength. Jesus
said to Peter, "But
I have prayed for you, that your faith should
not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
-
Lk. 22:32
IV. Daniel's Faith Is Rewarded.
A. "17
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all
literature and
wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now
at the end of the
days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief
of the eunuchs
brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Then the king interviewed
them, and among
them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;
therefore they served
before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about
which the king
examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers who
were in all his realm. 21 Thus Daniel continued until the first year of
King Cyrus."
-
Dan.
1:17-21
B. We also have a reward that we must focus on.
1. "Blessed
is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he
will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love
Him."
-
Jms. 1:12
Con.—Daniel was faithful from his youth to his death.
A. He was uncompromising & stubbornly righteous in the face of
temptation. And was
rewarded.
B. We have a reward if we remain faithful!