1. 2011-2012 WEEK THREE DANIEL 1 pt. 2 Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. Every dinner and feast was first sacrificed to the idols of Babylon. That means that every meal was an idolatrous feasts!

2. It is interesting that Daniel did NOT protest about going to the Univ. of Babylon. It says that he LEARNED the ways of the Chaldeans – the astrologers of the day. He learned their sciences — their mythology — their sorcery. He did NOT protest the content of his education. BUT – When it came to idolatry he had NOTHING to do with it.

3. AGAIN — Remember the impression that the ministry of Jeremiah would have had upon him as a child — and what he saw Judah experience because of idolatry! HUGE QUESTION — What kind of an impression are we making on our children so that they will NOT be carried away by the Babylon that surrounds us! All that loomed before Daniel looms before our kids. It looms before them. It intimidates them. It tries to strip them of their parental influence. It seeks to castrate them.

4. BUT – In light of the influence of God on his young life Daniel RESOLVED (KJV PURPOSED IN HIS HEART) that he would not defile himself by the IDOLATRY around him. RESOLVED/PURPOSED = To compile and put together pieces. Daniel took what he did know of the word of God… He compiled what he did know of the God of Israel and realized that idolatry was wrong. In light of that he decided to NEVER go there.

5. HUGE, HUGE STUFF — It was THAT decision > that charted the course for his life > that made an impact upon history! Daniel makes a decision at 13 years of age that ultimately will set him over a succession of world empires that would come and go But he would still stand BECAUSE he decided at THIS moment to honor God — and God had said that He would honor those that honor Him! AMAZING – The psalms tell us that the rest of Judah sat and wept by the rivers of Babylon lamenting that they could not worship there in Babylon

6. But here is this 13 year old boy Who determined that he WOULD WORSHIP Who said in his heart “The only thing they CAN’T take from me is my God and I don’t care if I die, they can’t take my God.” What an attitude by a 13 year old. It grieves me when youth ministries look at teens and think they can only play games with them. It grieves me when they never challenge kids to rise to such a commitment of heart and life.

7. HOW CRITICAL IT IS to INVEST in youth! Daniel 1:9 And God (KJV – Now God) I like that! VERSE 8 begins with BUT DANIEL And VERSE 9 begins with NOW GOD. HERE’S THE POINT — Wherever there is a BUT DANIEL (but Richard; But…..) there will be a NOW GOD! Put your name in VERSE 8 and God will be the same as VERSE 9. You have enough spiritual input to connect the dots and compile the things the Spirit has said to you

8. You have enough spiritual input for YOU to make such a consecration of heart and life to the Lord When you do — just WATCH; God will move! Daniel 1:9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, KEY INSIGHT: The Bible says that Proverbs16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Daniel 1:10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king,

9. who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” For good reason. You might remember how Neb killed the kids of Jehoiakim right before his eyes — and then gouged out Jehoiakim’s eyes.

10. Neb’s favorite indoor sport was to barbeque his enemies. If anyone hassled him he would cut off their heads and make their house a dung hill. You just didn’t mess with him. Daniel 1:11-13 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you,

11. and deal with your servants according to what you see.” I can’t imagine a 13 year old saying - “Don’t give me cheeseburgers — give me vegetables!” Daniel 1:14-15 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

12. By the way — we’re not pushing health food here, or vegetarianism. Normally if all you eat for 10 days is fruit and vegetables you LOSE weight. They GAINED weight because there was SUPERNATURAL ASSITANCE And THAT is what this book is about! Daniel 1:16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables (KJV = and gave them pulse.)

13. VEGETABLES / PULSE = something SOWN Daniel 1:17 As for these four youths, God Here it is! 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Some divide this book into things written to the Gentiles and things written to the Jews. CHAPTER 1-2:4 is written in Hebrew CHAPTER 8 forward is written in Hebrew.

14. CHAPTER 2:5 to the end of CHAPTER 7 is written to the gentiles and it is written in their language. It deals with the progression of world empires. In that — Daniel is much like Ezra in 2 of his chapters and Jeremiah 10-11 where there are verses written in Aramaic. So — some say that there are things written to the Jews and things written to the nations. HERE it says that Daniel is given understanding in all visions and dreams. Thus I believe that the book divides with the first 6 chapters giving to us Daniel as INTERPRETER

15. And the last 6 chapters giving to us Daniel as the PROPHET. DON’T MISS THIS — GOD GAVE them wisdom. There is WISDOM to be received from God. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. Solomon was the wisest man in the world – He didn’t learn it from his dad – his dad was a shepherd! He got it from God.

16. I am NOT saying that you don’t have to study. As you are willing to apply yourself to learning (as these young Hebrews had to do) — God GIVES wisdom. HERE’S THE PICTURE — Daniel chose for himself THINGS SOWN over the delicacies of Babylon. Jesus told the parable of the sower and how he went out and SOWED seed. He said that the SEED was the WORD of God. What an encouragement for us to CHOOSE for our diet (emotionally and spiritually) THINGS SOWN

17. CHOOSE for our diet THINGS SOWN over the diet that worldly men and women fill their lives with and try to find fulfillment in. BECAUSE whatever fulfillment worldly men and women think they have in THIS life it will NOT deliver them from the wrath that is to come. BUT – THINGS SOWN into our lives from the Word of God will MAKE US WISE UNTO SALVATION. So remarkably, God gives to them this wisdom. DANIEL IS WRITING IN HINDSIGHT

18. As he looks back and writes this first chapter > there is NO WHINING! > He doesn’t say – “Oh, it was so hard – You should have seen the tears in my dad’s eyes.” > He doesn’t say a THING about his dad. We know NOTHING of his dad. His dad could have been slaughtered before his own eyes. Daniel could have said > “Oh man, I NEEDED wine > I DESERVED wine after all I went through.”

19. But there is NO WHINING — like many today “Oh, I came from a dysfunctional home ….” HERE’S THE POINT — When Daniel looks back he does NOT sing the blues BECAUSE the purpose of his writing is to make clear that there is a God that is in control of everything. Even those horrible things that he lived through so early in his life. As he looks back — The ONE thing that he does tell us is that he MADE A CHOICE! That choice determined the course of his own life and the course of human history.

20. Everyone in this room has the capacity to make that same choice. But we come up with every excuse for our sin – Whether it’s immorality Or whether it’s choosing to live by Babylon’s standards. But the truth is that we have the same ability to chose to serve God. Remarkably — as a young boy he PURPOSED IN HIS HEART He put together what he knew and had heard about God

21. And decided that the ONE thing he would never do is serve another god — another master passion. And God BLESSED that choice and WORKED THROUGH that choice. As for these four youths, God gave LET’S READ ON Daniel 1:18-21 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah,

22. Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus. Some 70 years CLOSING THOUGHT God is LOOKING for a Daniel

23. 2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on, you will be at war." God is THE SAME today! We are under pressure to conform to Babylon. We measure success and meaning in the most un-Biblical ways. Yet here is this young man STRIPPED of EVERYTHING that would give to him meaning

24. And he COMMITS himself to the Lord And finds himself being the most trusted advisors to the most powerful rulers of his day! God is THE SAME today! This is the heart of our vision for YOU. To see a bunch of men COMMITTED to God and TEN TIMES BETTER than the best the world has to offer.