Daniel 1:8-21 Survive or Thrive

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Ernest Mitchell
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1 Daniel 1:8-21 Michael Silva / February 11, 2018 Opening: Maya Angelou once wrote, My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. a) Whether you like her politics or not, she was a civil rights leader who made major contributions to our society and her words are at the heart of our study today. Andy Griffith in speaking on the theme of thriving, not just surviving said, I firmly believe that in every situation no matter how difficult, God extends grace greater than the hardship, and strength and peace of mind that can lead us to a place higher than where we were before. Mark Hall, song writer and lead-singer of Casting Crowns writes i, You were not meant to struggle to make it through the week, the day, the next hour. You were not meant for your world to feel like a weight, for the break of dawn to be the starter pistol for another meaningless rat race. You were not meant to be shackled by anxiety, worry, and fear. No, you were meant for so much more. a) You were meant to have life and to have it more abundantly. That is the promise of the eternal God. You were meant to dig deep and to reach out. You were meant to know God and to make him known. 1. This is the topic of our passage today Introduction: This is our second study in a new book that is both historical and prophetic. That book is... Daniel. 1. This book is found in the Old Testament after Ezekiel and before Hosea. a) This book is in the group called the Major Prophets. b) The author of this book is Daniel, which has been confirmed by Jesus Matthew 24:15. c) The first half of the book, Chapters 1-6, is about the prophet Daniel and his friends in Babylon. d) The second half, Chap 7-12, is about Daniel s prophecies & visions, and End Times events. 2. Unique aspects of this book: a) It was written in two different languages, Hebrew (1:1-2:4a, chap 8-12) and Aramaic (2:4b-end of chap 7). b) One of the chapters was written by Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan Gentile king. c) Like Joseph in Genesis, there is nothing negative that is recorded concerning Daniel. d) In the 6 th century B.C. Daniel accurately prophesied who all to the major empires would be from his time to the time of Jesus under the Roman Empire. 3. Key Themes and Topics in this book include a) Faith b) The Power of Prayer c) Not Compromising

2 d) God is in control, even when we are not. (Sovereignty of God) Let s read our passage: Daniel 1:8-21 (NKJV) ii 1. You could summarize our passage today with these words:. a) Is your plan simply to survive or do you have a purpose, which will help you thrive? 2. In the opening verses of Daniel 1 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken the best and the bright of Judah s youth to be assimilated as royal court servants in Babylon. 3. Here we meet Daniel and his three friends whom Nebuchadnezzar is trying to assimilate into Babylonian culture. a) The steps of assimilation included withdrawing these youth from their family and existing support structure. b) Then came the rewiring; their thinking was to be rewired through 3 years of Chaldean education. c) Next, they were wowed with all of the best provisions given to the king himself. d) Finally, there was a rewriting and redefining; the Hebrew youth were given new names with new meanings representing Babylon gods. 4. Daniel and his friends apparently accept their new educational plan a) They accept their new names You ve heard the saying, Call me whatever you want, just don t call me late to dinner! b) But, concerning dinner. They have a special request. Daniel 1:8 8 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. 1. Daniel purposed in his heart. Not his mind, attitude, or strength. His Heart! a) His relationship with God was not in the mind, it wasn t based on works, it was in his heart. i) Is Jesus in your heart and does He have your heart? ii) That which is in your heart becomes the motivation behind your actions. b) Purposing in your heart can be powerful when God is at the center of your ambitions. i) Josiah was the last of the good kings in Judah. Out of 20 kings over Judah, only 8 were considered good kings (Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah). ii) When the priests found the Book of the Law and they read it to King Josiah it says in 2 Kings 23:3 Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant. Page 2

3 c) Psalm 17:3 You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 2. For Daniel, he purposed not to defile himself with the portion of the king s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. a) What would have been the cause of defilement? We don t know specifically. i) Perhaps the food had been offered to idols. ii) Perhaps the food was not kosher according to Jewish Law. (1) Maybe it included forbidden foods under the Jewish Law like lobster & shrimp, pulled pork & spareribs, bacon cheeseburgers, and medium-rare steak. (a) Oh, thank you Jesus for freeing us from those dietary restrictions! (2) Good and faithful Jews, like Daniel and his friends, would not partake of these non-kosher foods. b) I believe what s in view here is that Daniel and his friends had a strong desire in their hearts to be obedient to all that God had for them as Jews living in a foreign land. i) Some things were simply out of their control, but they were going to continue to try to make every effort possible to honor God. ii) Nicki Koziarz from the Proverbs 31 Ministries reminds us that Obedience to God is something we ll never regret. 3. This isn t about a plan, it s about a purpose. a) These verses aren t about establishing diet plans, it s about purposing in your heart to honor & obey God. b) Daniel and his friends were on guard against becoming fully assimilated into the pagan culture they now lived. c) They could have just gone with the flow, not said anything, blended in, but their hearts wouldn t let them. Daniel 1: 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. 1. Here is one of the fruits of putting God first God supernaturally brings you into the favor and goodwill of those you report to. a) This isn t always the case, but it is something that does result often. b) Here Daniel and his friends find favor and goodwill, not because they were persuasive or because of their good looks, or anything they did God orchestrated this response. 2. Though Daniel found favor, they chief was still concerned about Daniel s request. I fear my lord the king Page 3

4 Daniel 1: 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. 1. Daniel responds by requesting that there be a test. Try this for ten days and then see what the results are. a) The food of choice: vegetables or ז רוּע [zeruwaʿ /zay roo ah/], which literally is things that are sown. i) In addition to vegetable, it would include fruits, and grains. 2. What is Daniel doing? Going against the norm and making a request a) This should encourage us to Just ask the question! i) Do things need to change at work, in your life? Just ask! ii) Have you been participating in questionable activities at lunch, work party, during work, with friends? (1) Just ask if you can do things differently. Daniel 1: 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. 1. The test resulted in seeing that Daniel s plan was better than the kings. a) Interesting, the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine. Did he take it away from just Daniel and his friends or from all the young men? i) It sounds like from all the young men, which no doubt would frustrate the others. ii) Perhaps this is the beginning of a growing animosity towards Daniel and his friends, as seen in later portions of this book. 2. Note: What you eat and how you take care of yourself affects your appearance. a) Be a good steward of your bodies, what you eat affects your health! Daniel 1: 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. 1. Again, it was God who gave to Daniel and his friends knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom. a) Additionally, Daniel was given understanding in all visions and dreams. Page 4

5 b) Daniel and his friends didn t earn it, they were given it as gifts from God for the purpose, as we ll see, of making Him known to all the people in Babylon. i) God is not just the god of Judah, He is God over the whole universe over all peoples. 2. Note, Daniel and his friends were not just trying to survive by flying under the radar, they really began to thrive as they put God first in all they did Daniel 1: 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. 1. Daniel and his friends were found to be ten times better than all their contemporaries. a) The span of Daniel s service lasted from Nebuchadnezzar to that of King Cyrus, a period of about 73 years. b) Daniel lived at least into his late 80s. Conclusion: What s the big take away from this passage? 1. Mark Hall, You are not living the life you were created to live if survive is your word. You were made to thrive. 2. Have you been Surviving or Thriving? a) What can you do this week that would help move you out of survival mode? 3. More than just having a plan, let s seek to have a purpose in your heart and walk with God and watch as God gives you so much more than you could obtain in your own effort. Invitation: Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. i ii All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Page 5

Daniel 1:1-21. (Memory Verse)

Daniel 1:1-21. (Memory Verse) HOUSE Groups: Discussion Questions: Daniel 1:1-21 (Memory Verse) Daniel 1:8 NKJV - But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with