THRIVING IN BABYLON THE FIRST CHOICE JULY 19, 2015

Transcription

1 THRIVING IN BABYLON THE FIRST CHOICE JULY 19, 2015

2 BRENTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH DANIEL 1:8-21 JULY 19, 2015 TEACHING PLAN PREPARATION > Spend the week reading through and studying Daniel 1:8-21. Consult the commentary provided and any additional study tools (such as a concordance or Bible dictionary) to enhance your preparation. > Determine which discussion points and questions will work best with your group. > Pray for our pastors, the upcoming group meeting, your teaching, your group members, and their receptivity to the study. HIGHLIGHTS BIBLICAL EMPHASIS: Daniel and his three friends disciplined themselves to eat only vegetables and drink water so as not to compromise their faithfulness to God in the matter of dietary laws. God gave the faithful young men knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, enabling them to serve wisely for many years. TEACHING AIM: Daniel and his friends decided at the very beginning to reject those parts of the Babylonian culture that threatened their identity as God s people. God rewarded their faithfulness and commitment to His glory. 2 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

3 INTRODUCTION As your group time begins, use this section to help get the conversation going. In his book Culture Shock, author and pastor Chip Ingram tackles how Christians are to biblically respond to today s cultural hot topics and ways of thinking. Chip writes that according to George Barna s research among evangelical Christians, 54 percent do not believe in absolute truth. What we have is a total shift in worldview that impacts how we think, evaluate, decide, and live in every area of our lives. Christians feel justified in divorcing a spouse because it s not working for them. Believers now live dichotomous lives with no twinge of conscience when they arbitrarily choose to obey some biblical commands and reject others.... In other words, man is the final authority, not God, and thus is justified in accepting or rejecting whatever portion of God s Word he deems appropriate. 1 1 How does Ingram s quote resonate with you? What kind of a shift in the approach to truth have you noticed among Christians throughout your life? 2 Describe an experience you have had with culture shock when living or traveling abroad (or even to another part of our country). What was so different about your experience? What feelings did you have in that situation? 3 What are some of the things that cause you to feel culture shock as a Christian during this time in history? Every adult is enculturated into his or her society. Normally this cultural assimilation happens gradually and subtly as we are raised in the culture. Educational, family, and societal factors impact all adults concerning general cultural knowledge and practices, customs and traditions, and what is acceptable and unacceptable. Television and other media reinforce the culture s ethos. People of biblical faith, however, discover they cannot merely conform to all of their society s 1. Chip Ingram, Culture Shock (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

4 standards (Rom. 12:1-2). They must decide to be true to a higher standard. For people of faith, this is a deliberate decision. But just how far should a Christian go in conforming to his or her culture? This lesson will help us explore this question. UNDERSTANDING Unpack the biblical text to discover what Scripture says or means about a particular topic. > Have a volunteer read Daniel 1:8-10. Last week we talked about King Nebuchadnezzar s assimilation plan for the young men he brought to Babylon from Judah, and today s text describes the responses of Daniel and his friends. Among the youths chosen from Judah s noble families were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Looking back over what we just read, identify Daniel s choice, God s provision, and Daniel s reward. From what you know about Old Testament Jewish practices, what are some possible reasons that Daniel may have chosen not to eat the king s food? When confronted with the prospect of surviving in a foreign and hostile culture, these young men could have accepted any change their rulers placed on them. However, Daniel resisted, taking a position he believed was right regardless of who joined him. Maybe the meat had previously been offered to an idol, or perhaps he feared that his eating the food would discredit his witness for the Lord. It is also possible that it included non-kosher food, which the Jews did not eat. What attitude did Daniel display when he refused the king s food? Why is humility important when we are standing against forces of culture that seem to oppose our relationship with God? 4 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

5 How might things have been different if Daniel had made the choice to take advantage of the offer for privileged education and choice accommodations to ensure a potentially great future? What possible consequences do you think Daniel would have experienced by making the easier choice? What about us? Do we act boldly on principle? Could we summon the courage to take a courageous stand for Christ when doing so could possibly upset the powers that be? In Daniel s case, persistence paid off and will often do so today if done with the proper attitude. The person who seeks to live for God must develop the courage to know when and how to humbly say no. Discuss some examples of times when compromise is a healthy tool to strengthen relationships. When is it a dangerous thing for our relationship with God? > Have a volunteer read Daniel 1: Why do you think Daniel suggested the 10-day test to the chief official? What purposes did it accomplish? Daniel s proposed test accomplished several purposes: protected the chief official from his fears of the king, alleviated the concerns of the chief official that these men would be less healthy, and offered a measuring stick where God could receive the glory for these disciplined young men. 5 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

6 What are some of the tests to a disciplined life you have faced? Were those tests of your own making (like Daniel s) or from another source? Explain. The test not only strengthened the faith of the other exiles and impressed the officials of the king s court, but it also strengthened the resolve of Daniel and his friends. Why do tests of our discipline strengthen our resolve to continue to live God s way? What kinds of tests have you seen people face when they stand against ungodly aspects of culture? The result of the trial period showed that the four Hebrews looked better and healthier than all those who ate the king s food. Recognizing he could accommodate Daniel s wishes and remain true to his ruler s orders, the guard replaced the food and the wine (v. 16) with vegetables (v. 16) and water. This small but significant victory for Daniel and his friends demonstrated that even in this foreign and dangerous place, God was still with them. He blessed their faith and obedience physically and spiritually. When God s people reject certain aspects of assimilation by their culture, they often can do so privately and without fanfare. They simply make a personal commitment and live according to God s standards no matter what others do. > Have a volunteer read Daniel 1: What do you learn about God s work in the lives of His children from Daniel 1:18-21? How did God reward Daniel s obedience to Him in an environment contrary to his own moral, ethical, and religious beliefs? 6 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

7 In what ways does Daniel s story relate to our choices in today s society where we live? God gave Daniel and his friends great success in gaining knowledge and understanding. Nebuchadnezzar and those involved in the four young men s education would not have known this, but Daniel and his friends did. Those who honor God with their life and their decisions will be honored by God for their resolute behavior. People of faith recognize that whatever gifts and intelligence they have are gifts of God to be used in ways that honor Him. Read John 17:14-16 and Romans 12:1-2. How does the gospel speak into this tension we feel to live in the world but not let it hinder our faith? Just as Daniel handled a difficult challenge to his relationship with God with tact and grace, we too can live above reproach before God and men. We can be confident that God will give believers all they need to avoid spiritual compromise and to live a disciplined Christian life. APPLICATION Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. 1 What is the lesson for you from this part of Daniel s story? 2 What aspects of our society do you consider in opposition to God s way? Have you experienced consequences for standing your ground on these areas of culture that you consider ungodly? Explain. 7 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

8 3 When are some times when you trusted God for the wisdom to live for Him when those around you were choosing to go in other directions? 4 Take a few minutes to write down some ways you are using God s gifts to honor Him, and ways you are failing to do so. Keep these in mind as we enter into our closing prayer time. P R A Y Ask God for discernment like He gave Daniel to determine where to draw the line between worldly assimilation and godly involvement in society. Ask God for the strength to be true to a higher standard. Pray specifically for a greater awareness of the gifts and blessings He has given you for this very purpose. 8 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

9 COMMENTARY JULY 19, 2015 DANIEL 1:8-21 1:8. The word determined means literally set upon his heart, referring to inner resolve. Daniel decided that he would not defile himself with a diet that included non-kosher meat such as horseflesh and pork, or drink wine that had been offered to Babylonian gods. In setting forth his reasons for the request, Daniel would have had an indirect opportunity to share his faith with Ashpenaz. From a study of the book, it may be observed that Daniel was a witness throughout his life and probably had great influence in spreading the knowledge of Yahweh throughout that part of the world. Notes 1:9. Ashpenaz was not a follower of Yahweh, but he was impressed with Daniel. By stating that God caused Ashpenaz to have a favorable attitude toward Daniel, the writer again emphasized the fact that God was in control of the situation. He was able to direct the hearts of the captors to accomplish his sovereign will (cf. Prov 21:1). Favor in this context suggests goodwill, and sympathy conveys compassion or a tender feeling. Ashpenaz had genuinely grown to admire and feel affection toward these Jewish captives. God s common grace, which operates in the hearts of unbelievers, is exemplified here. 1:10. Ashpenaz liked and respected these boys; nevertheless he feared the king, who had specifically designated the captives food and drink. If these young men were not well taken care of (i.e., if they looked bad), he could lose not only his job but his head. The official s fears probably were well founded. Nebuchadnezzar s harshness and rash decisions are evidenced on other occasions (cf. 2:5, 12; 3:13ff.). 1:11. Daniel proposed to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over them that they might have an alternative diet for a ten-day period. The guard could then judge for himself their physical condition after the test had been completed. 1:12. As a test the youths proposed that they might be allowed to eat only vegetables and drink water rather than receive the king s meat and wine for ten days. By this request Daniel was not suggesting that eating meat was wrong (cf. 10:2), for a meat diet was permitted and in some instances even commanded in 9 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

10 COMMENTARY NOVEMBER 23, 2014 the law (e.g., in the case of the Passover lamb and other sacrifices). He sought to exclude these items from his diet for reasons stated above. 1: When the trial period was concluded, the overseer would check their appearance, that is, their physical condition. If they looked healthy, they would be allowed to continue the diet. The overseer agreed to this proposition, and the experiment was carried out. Notes: 1: At the end of this period the young men looked healthier and better nourished than the other youths who were eating the king s rich food. So the overseer allowed Daniel and his friends to continue their new diet. Nutritional experts today advocate a diet of mostly fruits and vegetables for optimum health. It is therefore no surprise that Daniel and his friends looked visibly healthier after following this menu, even for only ten days. 1:17. God gave gifts to these young men for their faithfulness. All abilities and gifts ultimately come from the Lord, who is the source of all blessings (cf. Jas 1:17). Each of the four youths received the gift of keen intellectual ability, but the writer points out that Daniel had a special gift not possessed by the others. The young prophet was miraculously endowed with a gift highly prized in that day, especially in Babylon the ability to understand all kinds of visions and dreams. There are two reasons for directing attention to the fact that Daniel could understand visions and dreams at this point in the book. First, dream interpretation was an important part of Babylonian wisdom, and the Babylonians firmly believed that the gods spoke through dreams. That Daniel had this gift was noteworthy. Second, the statement prepares the reader for the dreams and visions that follow. 1:18. At the end of the time refers to the completion of the three-year training period set by Nebuchadnezzar (cf. v. 5). Ashpenaz brought the young men before the king. Daniel and his friends appeared before Nebuchadnezzar sometime between 603 and 601 b.c., depending on the exact point at which the training period began and the meaning of the phrase three 10 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church

11 COMMENTARY JULY 19, 2015 years in v. 5. Three years may have been an approximate period of time lasting anywhere from just over two years (two years and part of a third) to three and a half years. 1: The king interviewed these young men and was more impressed with them than with any of the others or even in some respects the counselors in his own administration. Daniel was not boasting by including this information, for he already had made clear that wisdom was a gift from God. Rather this information is necessary for a proper understanding of the stories that follow. After passing the test, the young men entered the king s service. Daniel and his friends were given places of leadership in Nebuchadnezzar s administration. Their responsibilities are not specifically stated but entailed giving counsel to the Babylonian monarch. 11 The First Choice Brentwood Baptist Church