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You can make an impact. Get in the game. You never know what life is going to bring your way. I spent my first nine years of life in Southern California. After my dad had a heart attack, we moved over 300 miles away. That was a game changer: new environment, new school, and new friends. A few years later, my mom had major surgery, and I had to go live with my sister for a year of high school. Another game changer: new school, new surroundings, and new friends. While living with my sister for that year, I visited Immanuel Baptist Church and gave my life to Jesus. That was the ultimate game changer. I went to school to be a teacher and a coach, but God called me to ministry. That was really a game changer. Then I married yet another game changer. You get the point. Now, imagine being a young person who has suddenly been taken from your family, friends, and country to a foreign land not by choice, but as a captive. That certainly would be a game changer! That was what Daniel and some other Jewish young men experienced. For the next six weeks we re going to see how God used these four Hebrews to witness, speak to, and impact a pagan culture. God used Daniel and his friends in tremendous ways just as God can use us to impact and change our world today. As we go through this study in the Book of Daniel, may God speak to us and encourage us to get in the game and be game changers. Rob Zinn Rob Zinn came to Christ through the ministry of Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland, California. He has served on the church s staff since 1971 and he is currently the senior pastor. He and his wife, Jacque, have 6 children and 15 grandchildren. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 65
GAME CHANGER: HOW TO IMPACT YOUR WORLD Session 1 Develop Conviction Daniel 1:3-5,8-13,17-19 Session 2 Pray Fervently Daniel 2:13-21,26-28a Session 3 Stand Courageously Daniel 3:13-18,26-28 Session 4 Live Humbly Daniel 4:28-35 Session 5 Confront Sin Daniel 5:17-28 Session 6 Act Faithfully Daniel 6:6-10,13-16,19-22 66 game CHANGER
When have you felt like you were going against the flow? QUESTION 1 #Gamechanger BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 67
THE POINT Live your life with uncompromising conviction. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Ever notice how our behavior changes depending on where we are? We re quiet and deeply respectful when we visit a memorial like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We re loud and boisterous at a sporting event. Certain expectations are placed on us depending on the place or event. You re expected to cheer and yell at a football game. People will think you re bored or don t like the game if you just sit on your hands when the home team scores a touchdown. But cheer and yell at an art museum, and security will probably be called. The setting the culture often defines our behavior. But what do we do when the culture calls for us to act in a way that s just not right? In this study we will look at four young men four teenagers who were taken against their will to a new city, country, and culture. They were expected to embrace the new culture in every way. We ll see that they accepted some aspects of their new environment, but others they rejected. They simply didn t assume a When in Rome attitude. But how did they determine when to go against the flow? 68 SESSION 1
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Daniel 1:3-5,8-13,17-19 (HCSB) 3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility 4 young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king s palace and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. 5 The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to serve in the king s court. 8 Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official not to defile himself. 9 God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, 10 yet he said to Daniel, My lord the king assigned your food and drink. I m afraid of what would happen if he saw your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age. You would endanger my life with the king. 11 So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief official had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Please test your servants for 10 days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see. Chaldean (v. 4) This is a general term for the people who lived in Babylonia during the time of Daniel, usually called Babylonians, and a specific term for a category of wise men in Babylonia (see 2:2). Defile (v. 8) To defile is to make someone or something morally impure or unclean. The Hebrew word refers to something soiled, stained, or polluted. 17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to serve in the king s court. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 69
THE POINT Live your life with uncompromising conviction. Daniel 1:3-5 It s not always easy for teenagers when their parents move them to a new town. But what modern teens may fuss about is mild compared with what Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah experienced during the Jewish exile. Because of the disobedience of the nation of Judah, God allowed the wicked Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar, to lay siege to the nation, first in 605 B.C. A number of young men among Judean nobility were captured and carried into exile; among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Around 15-17 years of age, Daniel and his friends were hauled off to the land of Babylon where Nebuchadnezzar placed them in a special program to prepare them for service to the king. To make these young men fit for the king s use, Ashpenaz, chief of the court officials, was charged with assimilating the young men into the Babylonian culture. This assimilation was to occur in several ways. 1. They were to learn the Chaldean language and literature. Their education would have included learning about Babylonian history and culture. 2. They were to change their names. It appears the teenagers didn t fight these name changes. In fact, Daniel, now called Belteshazzar, continued to refer to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah by their new names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. By all accounts, these four young men learned the culture and language, and they went on to serve. What are some of the defining values of our culture? QUESTION 2 It s important to note that not all assimilation is bad. We assimilate to changing culture all the time without thinking about it: food choices, fashion trends, and technology. Even language changes with time, and we adapt accordingly. Missionaries do the same thing. They learn the language and culture of a people group. They adopt the dress and other cultural elements in order to build a bridge to people for Christ. This form of assimilation is at the heart 70 SESSION 1
How do we know when it s time to take a stand? QUESTION 3 of Paul s statement, To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). Still, we need to know when it s OK to adapt to the culture and when it s not. We will see that clearly in the next passage. Daniel 1:8-13 Here we see the third area in which these young men were expected to assimilate. 3. They were to change their diet. The king s officials planned to give the young Jewish men daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank (v. 5) rich foods that likely included pork, horsemeat, and other foods forbidden by the Mosaic law (Leviticus 11:3-47). Furthermore, the king s food and wine were likely offered to their pagan gods before they were sent to the king s table. Evidently, no other requirement struck at Daniel s convictions and beliefs, but this diet did. To eat foods prohibited in the Mosaic law was to act in direct disobedience to God. To eat meat offered to idols was to acknowledge the Babylonian gods. Daniel and his friends were unwilling to do either. When our convictions are put to the test, how should we respond? We can take several cues from Daniel: He made a compelling appeal. He stood with decided determination. He didn t refuse, throw a fit, argue, or demand his rights. Instead, he appealed reasonably yet firmly. He was committed. His decision was do-or-die. We yield when we re not committed or our convictions are not strong. The best way to beat compromise is to get committed before you are challenged. He was confident. Daniel and his friends would eat as the Lord had directed and trust God for the results. Verses 14-16 show that because the guard allowed Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to eat simply and avoid the prohibited foods for 10 days, they looked better and healthier (v. 15) than the others who had eaten the king s food. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 71
THE POINT Live your life with uncompromising conviction. "Faith and obedience are How can we stand by our convictions without condemning others? bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that QUESTION 4 trusts God obeys God." CHARLES SPURGEON WHICH WAY? When have you recently faced a decision where you had to decide between following God or following culture? What was at stake? What spiritual disciplines or practices help you understand what is right and wrong in today s society? 72 SESSION 1
Daniel 1:17-19 God gave these four young men abilities that were highly prized in Babylon particularly Daniel s ability to interpret dreams. The Babylonians strongly believed the gods spoke through dreams; consequently, they placed a high value on Daniel. After the three years of preparation, the young men stood before King Nebuchadnezzar. None of the young men equaled Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These four young men valued their obedience and walk with God more than anything else, and now they were placed in positions of influence with the king himself. Was there a direct connection between Daniel s uncompromising convictions and the abilities God gave him? Did God give wisdom and ability to Daniel because he had been obedient? The passage itself does not make a direct correlation, but elsewhere in Scripture, obedience and wisdom are linked: How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:1-3). For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity (Proverbs 2:6-7). Daniel s life gave testimony of the God of Israel to every king he served. Daniel served in this capacity until the first year of King Cyrus (v. 21), which was around 539 B.C. And since the events we ve been studying occurred in 605 B.C., we re talking about 66 years of service. From youth to old age, Daniel stood and served faithfully in uncompromising, unwavering godliness. How can we support one another when it s necessary to stand against the culture? QUESTION 5 BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 73
THE POINT Live your life with uncompromising conviction. LIVE IT OUT How will you live your life with uncompromising conviction? Evaluate. While we continually adapt to our culture, we need to discern what s OK and what s not OK. Spend time asking God to reveal any areas of your life in which you ve compromised on His standards. Respond in a God-honoring way when your convictions are put to the test. Let God use each test for His glory by responding with grace and conviction. In a complex situation? Ask God for wisdom and clarity as you seek to honor Him. Stand together. Intentionally invest in some deep friendships with other Christ-followers who are growing in their faith. Make an agreement to be honest and open, holding each other accountable to godly convictions. Our culture is always changing, which means you will be continually confronted by the temptation to compromise what you know is right. Choose to stand strong. You may be going against the flow, but you won t be going alone. My thoughts 74 SESSION 1