First Landmark Missionary Baptist Church

                                                            Roseburg, Oregon

Dare to be a Daniel

 

Text: Daniel 1:1-8

 

Most of us know the story of Daniel, or at least elements of it, from our earliest days in church or Sunday School. I can still remember singing that great hymn of faith of the church: "Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone, Dare to have a purpose firm, And dare to make it known."

 

Daniel lived at a very crucial time in Judah's history. He lived during King Jehoiakim's reign. And he lived at a time of prophetic fulfillment in Judah's national life.

 

Isaiah prophesied:

Isaiah 39:6-7 - "Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left,' says the LORD. {7} 'And some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away, and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"

 

That's exactly what happened to Daniel. When Nebuchadnezzar came and besieged Jerusalem in 605 B.C., he took about 75 young men back to Babylon. Daniel was in that crowd. So were three other men who would become famous. We know them by the new names they received in Babylon - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

 

Greatness can be formed in difficult circumstances. These young disciples had nothing going for them. Everything argued for their failure. Everything visible argued against their future.

 

Daniel is fifteen when Babylon gets it's hooks into his life!

 

How do we maintain our identity?

 

1) GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL EVEN WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES SEEM TO ARGUE OTHERWISE

 

Daniel 1:1-2

Whenever events look bleak and hopeless it's always important to remember that two stories are being told at the same time in any set of circumstances. You can see this so clearly in this passage:

 

Verse 1 - "...Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it."

Verse 2 - "The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand..."

 

There's the story in front of the curtain. And there's the story behind the curtain. There's the event itself. And there's the meaning, the plan behind the event. And there's what God has yet to unfold in this situation.

 

A.   Who you see in control of your life has everything to do with how you respond to  

       the circumstances of life.

B.   Israelites caved into the pressures of Babylon. 

C.  Others probably gave up on God. After all, the temple and it's articles were so

      obviously overpowered by the god of Babylon.

D.  The people had come to think they were invincible because they were "God's    

      people."

E.  They had long ago forsaken the true worship of God. All they had were the 

      buildings  and the gold and the vessels. They had come to treat their faith like a

      lucky rabbit's foot. They called on God when they needed something yet ignored

      His commandments and warnings.

F.  God is still in control – Key to understanding Revelation – God is in control and has

      given that control to Jesus. Rev. 4-5

G.  Ephesians 1:20-23  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead,

      and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality,

      and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this

      world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and

      gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness

      of him that filleth all in all.

 

2) NEBUCHADNEZZER'S PLAN WAS TO OBLITERATE THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD FROM THESE YOUNG MEN'S LIVES

 

Daniel 1:3-5  - These young men weren't punished. They were brainwashed. They weren't tortured. They were seduced.   Nebuchadnezzar was a wise king.. He wanted to change their hearts and minds.  Nebuchadnezzar’s plan unfolds itself in clear cut stages:

A.  First, he isolated them from their people and their worship - that's why he didn't just

      besiege Jerusalem and destroy the inhabitants. He uprooted the best people he

      could find and brought them to Babylon.  Notice from our text that this is the

      enemy's first line of attack

1.  I know how repeatedly and how consistently the world and the flesh and the     

      devil  all conspire in the simple, age old effort to separate people from the sources  

      of their spiritual nourishment and faith.

2.  It's the one area of spiritual compromise where Christians seem to yield to the      enemy without even resisting.

3   Satan is at work in the world today trying to separate us from our spiritual source.

4.  Church attendance Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves

     together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the

     more, as ye see the day approaching.

5.  Always remember that Satan is wanting to separate you from the sources of spiritual

     nourishment. Everything in this world is geared to separate you from your time in

     Bible study, from basic, regular interaction with the Church, the Body of Christ. You

     can't stay close to Jesus and be distant from the church. Everything in this world is

     geared to separate you from the basic discipline of time on your knees with Jesus in

     prayer.

 

B.   Second, Nebuchadnezzar labored to indoctrinate them in the ways and customs of the Chaldeans Daniel 1:4b - "...and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans."

 

1.  But Nebuchadnezzar is a wise king. He knows all about the heritage and customs these young Jewish men hold to. He knows that, because they were the cream of the crop, they hold to a history of being called by God through Abraham. These young men know all about God's delivering power as He led them out of Egypt into their promised land. They know that God speaks and God acts on behalf of those who keep His ways and put their trust in Him.

 

2.  Nebuchadnezzar knows that long before he can make them act wrong, he must make them think wrong. He knows he must make them learn Chaldean language, Chaldean customs, Chaldean ways of thinking and living.  They are pressed to unlearn the ways of their heritage and their God.

 

Romans 12:1-2

 

You don't lose in your deeds. You first lose in your thoughts. The primary point of pressure from the world and the devil isn't to make you do bad things. The primary battle is to make you forget true things.  Examples: Creation vs. Evolution: Alternative life styles

 

That's why Jesus said that the main trait of discipleship isn't just the learning of truth. The main trait of discipleship is abiding in the truth. John 4:23-24  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

C.   Third, Nebuchadnezzer fills their lives with the pleasures of his new kingdom - Daniel 1:5 - "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."

 

1.  In other words, they weren't being treated like slaves, they were being groomed like princes. They ate the king's food. They drank the king's wine. They learned from the best educators that could be had in the whole land.

2.  Nebuchadnezzar was not forcing them, he was seducing them. 

 

Hebrews 11:24-25  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

 

2 Peter 1:9-10  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

 

3.  The enemy's plan is to turn all my attention inward and downward. All the delicacies are tailored and packaged to set my love on the present attractions of the world. Just like Daniel and his friends, the plan is to take our eyes off of what we've been called from and what we've been called to in mission and service, and ultimately, in the world to come.

 

4.  So Nebuchadnezzar spreads the table in every way for these young men to make them forget they ever were happy back in Judah. And to make them forget that they might have a ministry and calling to serve the Lord even while in Babylon.

 

D.  Fourth, Nebuchadnezzer changed their names -

Daniel 1:6-7 - "Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. {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."

 

1.  What’s in a name?

a.  Daniel - The LORD is Judge:  Changed to Belteshazzar - Baal's Prince

b.  Hannaniah - The LORD is gracious: Changed to Shadrach - Great is Aku (a Babylonian God).

c.  Mishael - Who is like the LORD?:  Changed to Meshach - Who is like Aku?

d.  Azariah - The LORD is my helper?: Changed to Abednego - The servant of Nebo

e.  If there was ever a picture of how this world desires to take every person who names the Name of Jesus, and especially young people like Daniel - fourteen and fifteen years of age - who come out of a family and a church that labors to establish and affirm your identity - all that you have been given and all you have been called to in Christ - this is exactly the battle for your heart and mind every day!

 

2.  Names are important:

a.  Jesus’ name - Philippians 2:9-10  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

b.  There is so much we could say just on this point!

c.  Acts 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

d.  1 Peter 4:16  but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name.

 

3) HOW DANIEL KEPT HIS LIFE PURE AND DEVOTED TO THE LORD - DANIEL WAS A MAN OF PURPOSE

A. "DANIEL PURPOSED IN HIS HEART..." - Dan 1:8
1. A young boy in a strange land, Daniel was immediately faced with a challenge to violate God's law by eating the king's food.
2. Despite his youth and the obvious pressures to conform, Daniel "purposed in his heart" to uphold the law of God, no matter the cost.
3. Because of his willingness to put God first, God granted Daniel favor in the sight of others - Dan 1:9
a. How God did this is not explained, but it happened in the case of Joseph also - cf. Gen 39:1-4; 21-23

B. EVERY CHILD OF GOD NEEDS TO BE A PERSON OF PURPOSE...
1. No one respects a "wishy-washy" person, someone with no direction in their lives.
2. Whereas a strong sense of purpose often breeds respect and admiration in others.
3. What should be the "purpose" of the Christian?
a. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
b. I.e., to seek the will of God and fulfill it in our lives, no matter the circumstances.

2 Peter 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Will you "Dare To Be A Daniel" and be a person with a purpose like he had? No matter how young one may be, it is never too early to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness".

"Dare to be a Daniel ("Daniel" - "God is Judge" - remember to Whom you ultimately answer)

 

Dare to stand alone (know your calling and refuse to be intimidated)

 

Dare to have a purpose firm ("Daniel purposed in his heart" - Have a planned response to compromising situations)

 

And dare to make it known." (Take the first opportunity to fly your flag and make your stand known)

 

It's a pretty good little song after all. Line by line, it will keep you clean until Jesus comes again.