Bible Study - Impact (1) - Develop Conviction - Daniel 1:3-5, 8-13 and 17-19. - October 18, 2015

Bible Study – Impact (1) – Develop Conviction – October 18, 2015

This is lesson one (1) in a new series entitled “Game Changer: How to Impact Your World.”

Our focus scripture is Daniel 1:3-5, 8-13 and 17-19.

Live your life with uncompromising convictions.

We begin a new series of study for the next six weeks. All six lessons will be based upon scripture from the Book of Daniel. Daniel took a stand for GOD. In today’s world taking a stand for CHRIST is just as important. Our lives need to reflect our conviction.

Let’s read Daniel 1:1-2: (Background)

Daniel's Captivity in Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (jih HOY uh kim) king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar (neb yoo kad NEZ uhr) king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. 

2 The Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels from the house of God. Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Babylon, to the house of his god, and put the vessels in the treasury of his god. 

GOD had warned Israel to change their ways or suffer the consequences. Israel or the northern kingdom was defeated by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Then Judah or the Southern Kingdom continued to disregard GOD’S warnings and GOD removed HIS protective hand from Judah. The ultimate defeat of Judah took place in three stages.

Stage one - In 605 B.C., about 20 years before Judah’s final fall, in 586 B.C. to Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar took control of Judah and began taking the brightest and best looking Hebrews to Babylon for indoctrination and assimilation into the Babylonian culture. He also took ceremonial vessels used in worship in the temple in Jerusalem and placed them in the “house of the king’s god” in Babylon.

Stage two – In 597 B.C. Jehoiachin (jih HOY uh kin), son of Jehoiakim (Jehoiakim had reigned in Jerusalem for 11 years), gave up the throne to King Nebuchadnezzar. Jehoiachin reigned after his father for 3 months and ten days when King Nebuchadnezzar took him along with additional items from the temple and over 10,000 Hebrews to Babylon. Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin were vassal kings.

Stage three – In 586 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon’s temple and took a large number of Hebrews to Babylon. Jerusalem was left in ruins along with a devastated remnant of Hebrews.

Daniel and other Hebrew youth were taken in stage one or 605 B.C. of Judah’s ultimate defeat. GOD warned the Israelites to obediently serve HIM and if they didn’t they would encounter HIS wrath. They didn’t and they suffered the consequences at the hands of Babylon.

GOD says what HE means and means what HE says and in 2015 that has not changed and will not change. GOD is eternally the same.

Let’s read Daniel 1:3-7: (I will comment after each verse.)

3 The king ordered Ashpenaz (ASH peh naz), the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility -  

Ashpenaz was charged with the responsibility of selecting young Israelites for being indoctrinated and assimilated into the Babylonian culture. Typically “the chief of his court officials” was a term used, as stated in the King James Version  “the master of his eunuchs.” However, since there seems to be fixation on physical perfection, it is likely that this would be the case for Ashpenaz. But it is interesting that the name Ashpenaz includes the Old Persian word for Inn, resulting in some to believe that he was associated with providing dining and lodging for hostages. (Advanced Bible Study, LifeWay, Fall 2015, p. 68.) 

Ashpenaz was instructed to select Israelites from “the royal family” and from “the nobility.” It was common when a king defeated another king that the conquering king would take the family of the conquered king into captivity or have them killed. This was to prevent a family member from succeeding to the throne or causing problems in the conquered kingdom. It was a form of control. But here, it seems to have a dual purpose: control but also selecting those who were physically fit, taught social graces, good nutrition, mentally fit, educated and potential leaders.

Also, he was to select those from “the nobility.” Again, this served a dual purpose – to control the family left behind but also those of nobility would more likely to have been educated, likely to have good nutritional, physical habits and potential leaders. The noble tend to breed with 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. 

Ashpenaz was to select “young men without 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. This is quite a list of traits and characteristics.

Ashpenaz was likely very good at his job and he did not want to make a mistake or else.  Let’s take a look at some of these attributes:

Young men could refer to men ages 14-40 but more likely 14-15 years old. Those in that age bracket are eager to learn and willing to work hard to achieve.

Without any physical defect and good-looking - Appearance was important, especially when coming into the presence of the king. Their good-looks reflected well on the king.

Suitable for instruction – they were going to be indoctrinated and assimilated into the Babylonian culture therefore they needed to have the ability to learn and apply what they learned.

Suitable for instruction in all wisdom – wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. True wisdom is knowledge applied to GOD’S plan.

Perception is the ability to apply knowledge at the precise moment to be most effective. The three work together – wisdom, knowledge and perception.

Capable of serving in the king’s palace – A person can have all of the traits and attributes mentioned so far but not be able to be humble or have the social graces required to serve the king. Having the right attitude.

Teachable – they would need to learn the Chaldean language and literature. The Chaldean language was Aramaic but the scholarly language was Akkadian.

These young men needed to be willing to embrace this new culture. But where were they to draw the line between learning and embracing this new culture and being obedient to GOD in a society that had their own god. This issue is at the heart of our study.  They were in a new world but how would they not become part of that new world?

The king had a planned training program for those selected.

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. 

These young men would eat and drink the same foods the king ate and drink what the king drank for three years, which would put them about 17-18 years old at the end of the training program.

So who are some of these young Hebrew men? Let’s read on.

6 Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 

7 The chief official gave them [different] names: to Daniel, he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

The Hebrew young men are listed below with their Hebrew name and their Babylonian name:

Daniel to Belteshazzar (bell tuh SHAZ zur)

Hananiah (han uh NIE uh) to Shadrach (SHAD rak)

Mishael (MISH eh uhl) to Meshach (MEE shak)

Azariah (az ah RYE ah) to Abednego (uh BED knee goe)

Changing their names to Babylonian names would help them assimilate into the Babylonian culture. So far so good!

Let’s read Daniel 1:8-13: Faithfulness in Babylon

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. 

I understand that it was likely that the king’s food consisted of pork and horse meats, which were forbidden for the Hebrews to consume. Daniel had to make a decision. Since he wanted to be obedient to GOD, he pondered what he could do. His decision reveals the wisdom GOD gave Daniel.

He first determined what GOD would have him to do and then communicated with the chief official. He was not defiant. He did not just refuse but he approached the person who had the authority to help him achieve his goal to be obedient to GOD. He asked permission from the chief official not to defile himself. GOD had already prepared the relationship between Daniel and Ashpenaz as we read ---

9 God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, 

Notice, GOD was already at work in Daniel’s life. Daniel had the right attitude. Why? He had the right relationship with GOD and trusted HIM. GOD always goes ahead of HIS children. Do you recall our lesson a few weeks ago in Romans where Paul revealed that GOD is at work in all things to bring about the best for those who obediently serve HIM?

It is likely, because Daniel asked permission rather than taking matters into his own hands, he established a good rapport with Ashpenaz.

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." 

This could have been Ashpenaz testing Daniel. Ashpenaz communicated his concerns to Daniel. So what does Daniel do? Again, GOD guides HIS children. Daniel did not give up. GOD gave him another approach. He spoke to the guard (Melzar) who had been assigned to Daniel and his colleagues.

11 So Daniel said to the guard (Melzar), 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 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.

This is fairly straight forward except for the vegetables. As I understand the vegetables were more than vegetables. Vegetables included fruits, grains and breads made from grains.

Let’s read Daniel 1:17-19: 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. 

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 better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom. 

21 Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus (536 B.C.).

Daniel and his colleagues passed the king’s program with flying colors. In fact, “ten times better than diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom.” GOD equipped these young men to serve HIM. In addition, GOD equipped Daniel with special gifts to understand visions and dreams of every kind. When GOD calls, HE equips.

As we study the life of Daniel and his colleagues we will see their relationship with GOD was built upon relationship and trust. Blessings!!!