Meeting Cultural Challenges - Daniel 1:1-21 - September 2, 2007

Sunday School Lesson – Meeting Cultural Challenges – September 2, 2007

This lesson begins a new series of study entitled “Living in Another World in This World.” Our scripture will be taken from the Book of Daniel. Since I am leaving on a mission trip to Poland there will be at least two (2) lessons missing from the study.

September 2 – Daniel 1:3-5, 8-15, 17-21
September 9 – Daniel 2:1-3, 27-29a, 36-44
September 16 – Daniel 3:1-2, 4-6, 12-14, 16-18, 24-26, 28*
September 23 – Daniel 4:4-5, 28-37*
September 30 – Daniel 5:1-6, 22-28, 30-31
* No lesson

Daniel is the author of the Book of Daniel. We do not know about Daniel’s ancestry except Daniel likely came from a royal blood line or nobility as described in Daniel 1:3. One source speculated that Daniel was of royal blood and likely a descendant of King Hezekiah. Regardless, Daniel was chosen to participate in a three (3) year assimilation training program in Babylon.

Daniel was taken captive from Judah to Babylon in 605 BC. He was likely in his mid-teens. The events recorded in Daniel range from 605 to 536 BC. Daniel was a key advisor to the Babylon government for many years during the reign of kings Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus.

Daniel lived in the period GOD told King Josiah would come which we studied in last week’s lesson. The destruction of Jerusalem occurred in 586 BC. Josiah died in 609 BC. GOD delayed the destruction of Jerusalem for about twenty-two (22) years after Josiah’s death. The process of assimilating some of the Jewish people to the Babylon culture began in 605 BC, just four (4) years after Josiah’s death.

Since there is no mention of Daniel having a family, some scholars speculate that Daniel was castrated and made a Eunuch because that was common practice for servants of a king.

Daniel, a man dedicated to GOD, was captured and transplanted into a pagan society. He was placed in a training program designed to assimilate him into the Babylonian culture. What does this have to with us today?

Many of us on the ladder of success will be taken captive by the professional world and we can find ourselves transplanted into a whole new culture. Those of us climbing the ladder of success of careers are not exempt. There is nothing wrong with ambition or working hard to achieve goals and success. The problem comes into our lives when we compromise our values.

Our homes and schools offer another culture that shape our early life. Home and school cultures can vary widely. Once we leave the influence of our homes and schools we encounter a wide variety of cultures – military, college, trade schools, companies, jail, community and the world around us. Each culture has its demands. Often we have to choose whether or not we will comply with the demands of the culture we find ourselves.

Let’s see how Daniel, a very smart young man, handles issues that would compromise his relationship to GOD and his witness to a pagan world.

Let’s read Daniel 1:1-21 (With Comments)

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar[1] Or Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it.[2] 2 Kg 24:1; 2 Ch 36:6; Jr 25:1 2 The Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels from the house of God.[3] 1 Kg 7:51 Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Babylon,[4] Lit Shinar; Gn 10:10; 11:2; 14:1,9 to the house of his god,[5] Or gods and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.

In 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar became king of Babylon. In September of that year, King Nebuchadnezzar surrounded Jerusalem and Judah became a vassal state. To show that Judah and Jerusalem had been defeated, along with their GOD, Nebuchadnezzar took vessels out of the temple in Jerusalem and placed them in the temple of his pagan gods in Babylon.

3 The king ordered Ashpenaz (ASH peh naz), the chief of his court officials,[6] Or his eunuchs 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[7] Isa 39:7 —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.[8] 2 Kg 25:30 They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to serve in the king’s court.[9]

Some scripture translations refer to Ashpenaz as the master of the eunuchs. However the term eunuch can either refer to one who has been castrated or to an official of the court. Any way the king instructed Ashpenaz to select some Jewish young men according the description in verse 4 for a three (3) year training program. Those in the program were to eat the king’s food and drink the king’s wine. The king wanted the best for these young men. Those graduating at the end of the training program would be well versed in the culture of Babylon and speak the Babylonian or Chaldean language. They would be well trained to serve the king.

6 Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel (GOD judges), Hananiah (The LORD has been gracious), Mishael (Who is what GOD is), and Azariah (The LORD has helped). 7 The chief official gave them [different]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. names: to Daniel, he gave the name Belteshazzar (Bel or Marduk protect the king’s life); to Hananiah, Shadrach (Command of Aku, the Sumerian moon god); to Mishael, Meshach (Who is what Aku is); and to Azariah, Abednego (Servant of Nebo or Nabu).
We know of four (4) candidates for the training program as listed in verse 6. The Jewish men all had names showing their relationships to GOD. Ashpenaz changed their names to Babylon names, which reflected an association with the pagan gods of Babylon.

Faithfulness in Babylon – Decision time.
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]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. if he saw your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age. You would endanger my life[10] Lit would make my head guilty 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.” 14 He agreed with them in this matter and tested them for 10 days. 15 At the end of 10 days they looked better and healthier[11] Lit fatter of flesh than all the young men who were eating the king’s food. 16 So the guard continued to remove their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.

Daniel did not want to compromise his relationship with GOD by eating food that would defile him. Daniel likely thought the meat would be meat which had been offered to pagan gods. The meat could have also included pork and other forbidden meats. He had a problem but notice how he handled it.

He does not just refuse to eat it but he approaches his boss so-to-speak and asks permission based upon his religious conviction not to eat the king’s food. The scripture also tells us that Daniel had found favor with his boss. It is always good to be in favor with your boss. Of course Daniel did not have much of a choice about being in Babylon or in the king’s program. So when life hands you lemons you need to make lemonade.

Ashpenaz is concerned for his life if he grants Daniel’s request. Daniel is a very sharp young man. Daniel proposes a ten (10) day trial to his guard, Melzar (MEL zahr). Melzar could have been a proper name or simply guard. Melzar or the guard agreed and the young Jewish men ate vegetables, grains, breads, beans and drank water. GOD honored their faithfulness and at the end of the ten (10) days they were healthier and looked better than the others in the program.

Faithfulness Rewarded
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.[12] Dn 2:19,30; 4:18; 5:11 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. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them 10 times[13] Lit hands better than all the diviner-priests and mediums[14] Dn 5:11 in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained[15] Dn 2:49 there until the first year of King Cyrus.[16] Dn 6:28; 10:1; 2 Ch 36:22

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah represented the GOD of Israel. GOD rewarded their faithfulness and hard work. GOD gave Daniel a special gift for understanding dreams and visions of every kind. GOD equips HIS servants according to HIS plan and purpose. The four (4) when compared to the other members of the king’s training program, the Jewish young men far excelled them by a factor of ten (10).

These young men were blessed of GOD and the king immediately added them to his court. When things go well, the ego usually raises its head. When we serve our LORD, we must not loose our focus on HIM.

There are times when we take a stand for the LORD and things do not work out as we would think they should. We can become disappointed with GOD. Do you remember our study about Naaman? He was disappointed when the prophet Elisha sent his servant to him with a message to dip in the Jordan River seven (7) times and GOD would cure his incurable skin disease. In fact, he left in a rage because Elisha did not come out and cure him as he thought he would.

This study of Daniel is about the sovereignty of GOD. When we are faithful and things do not go as we think they should, remember, they are always according to GOD’S plan and purpose. Trust and confidence in GOD comes about as the result of having the right relationship with HIM. This results from really knowing HIM and comes about by spending time with HIM, studying HIS Word, being honest with HIM and being obedient to HIM. You and GOD are very best friends through JESUS.

We are all on a journey with HIM and continue to learn of HIM.

When our culture dictates compromise, how will we respond? Ask GOD to reveal to you, what HE wants you to do when you are faced with compromise.