Daniel’s Decision
Daniel 1:3-21
Introduction: Last week we learned that in the year 605 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem. During this time he took captive some of the Jewish elite. One of those captives was a teenager named Daniel. Tonight, we will discover a decision made by Daniel that will provide his faithfulness to his God.
I. A Sovereign God
A. “And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand…” (1:2)
B. “Now God had caused the officials to show favor and sympathy to Daniel…” (1:9)
C. “At the end of the ten days they looked healthier…” (1:15)
D. “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding…” (1:17)
E. “…And Daniel could understand visions and dreams…” (1:17)
F. “…I realized…that without the assistance of that High Power which interferes in the eternal sequence of causes and effects more often that we are always prone to admit, I could never succeed.” (Winston Churchill, Never Give In, pg.56)
G. “God is the silent partner in all great enterprises” (Abraham Lincoln)
H. “…apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)
I. “…This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zech.4:6)
II. A King’s Decision
A. Ashpenaz was “chief of his court officials.” He was to teach and train leading Israelites from the royal family and nobility. They had to have certain qualifications:
1. Physically they were without defect.
2. Educationally they had a good aptitude for learning.
3. Socially they needed to be able to serve in the king’s palace.
B. They were to be taught and trained for three years
1. taught the language of Babylon
2. taught the literature of Babylon
3. eat the food of Babylon
4. give the names of Babylon
a. Daniel “God is my judge” – Belteshazzar “Keeper of the treasure of Bel”
b. Hananiah “The grace of the Lord” – Shadrach “Inspiration of the sun”
c. Mishael “He that is the strong God” – Meshach “Of the goddess Shach”
d. Azariah “The Lord is a help” – Abednego “Servant of the shining fire” (Newell, Daniel, pg.21-22)
C. Nebuchadnezzar was smart. He didn’t try to break the youth but to conform them. He gave them “…a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table…” (5)
D. If the cream of the Jewish crop became Babylonian, talked Babylonian, acted Babylonian wouldn’t the rest follow?
III. A Teenager’s Resolve
A. The Bible tells us that Daniel resolved not to defile himself. Daniel is the writer (8:1; 9:2, 20; 10:2). Daniel is telling us that he resolved not to defile himself.
B. Consider Daniel’s situation:
1. If born around 620 B.C., Daniel would be about 15.
2. Around 621/622 in the 18th year of Josiah’s reign the Bible is found in the temple (II Kings 22:1-8). King Josiah begins a great reform in Judah.
3. In 627, the 13th year of Josiah’s reign Jeremiah began to preach (Jer.1:2).
4. According to Daniel 9:2 Daniel probably had heard Jeremiah preach.
5. Habakkuk begins to preach in 612, so Daniel would have been in Judah
a. 621/622 Reform begins
b. 620 Daniel born
c. 609 Josiah killed
d. 605 Daniel taken
e. Daniel would have grown up during the reforms of Josiah, under the preaching of Jeremiah and Habakkuk.
C. Daniel would also know the brutality of Nebuchadnezzar:
1. He killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes (Jer.39:6)
2. He gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes (Jer.39:7)
3. He roasted another enemy (Jer.29:22)
D. Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself. God owned Daniel’s heart!
1. God gave Daniel favor in the eyes of the Babylonian officials (1:9)
2. Daniel asked for a ten day test (1:12)
3. At the end of the ten days they looked better than the others (1:15)
E. How did Daniel know what to do and what not to do?
1. The Bible did not say “Don’t let your name be changed.”
2. The Bible did not say “Don’t learn the language of the Babylonians.”
3. The Bible did say:
a. There are certain foods not to eat (Lev.11:44-47)
b. Keep yourself clean by God’s word (Ps.119:9, 11)
c. Don’t touch unclean things (Is.52:11)
4. Daniel entrusted himself to the Lord’s keeping (I Peter 4:19)
F. Daniel was part of God’s remnant (Romans 11:5)
G. His decision did not reflect the modern softness of compromise which we find all around us today… (McGee, pg.19) “Daniel knew nothing of the opportunist’s policy of ‘When in Babylon do as the Babylonians do’” (Ibid)
IV. God’s Reward
A. When it came time for Nebuchadnezzar to meet the Jewish elite who had been trained for three years, the Bible records these words “The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel…” (1:19)
B. “…he found them ten times better…” (1:20)
C. “God will make your life count, but this will not happen unless you determine to live for Him in the little things now” (Boice, pg.23-24).
D. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” (Luke 16:10)