Pleasing God or Pleasing Men
Daniel 1:3- 21
Introduction
Nebuchadnezzar brought with him some of the Israelites (Jews) from the royal family or nobility. These royal princes may have been considered hostages, to help assure Judah’s continued submission to Babylon. Or they may have been taken to Babylon to prepare them to fulfil positions of administrative leadership there if Nebuchadnezzar should have to return to subjugate Judah.)
Historical Background:
Nebuchadnezzar‘s empire was rapidly expanding. He needed men of great ability to fill positions of power and responsibility in his administration. He instituted a plan which would identify the most gifted and skilful Hebrew captives available and prepare them for positions of responsibility.
Daniel and his Hebrew peers were the ¯cream of the crop in Judea. Nebuchadnezzar knew this well. This, in fact, is why these young men were taken captive to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar set about a carefully planned course of education.
These captives were choice young men both physically and mentally and as such, they could be an asset to the king’s palace. An attempt was made to assimilate them into the culture of the court for they were compelled to learn both the language and the literature of the people among whom they now dwelt.
They were to undergo a rigorous three-year course of training after which they were to enter the king’s service. That educational program probably included a study of agriculture, architecture, astrology, astronomy, law, mathematics, and the difficult Chaldean language.
I. Daniel and His friends
A. Daniel – a teenager when he was deported. About 12-18 yrs. of age. The word children can also be teens, young adults or infants (2 Kings 2:23,24)
B. Daniel was of the tribe of Judah (v.6) king’s seat and member of the royal family (v.3)
C. Daniel’s physical and mental abilities. (and his friends).
1. He possessed a good physique- no blemish (Lev. 21:16-20 defines this term).
2. He had a handsome appearance.
3. He was very intelligent
a. Skilful in wisdom
b. Cunning in knowledge
c. Understand science
d. Ability to stand in King’s palace in royal etiquette. (Trained in King Jehoiakim’s temple)
D. Daniel’s character qualities- these were consistent character traits from the beginning (Dan. 1:8) to the end of his life.
1. Exalted by the world because of his physical appearance and mental qualities.
2. God exalted him because of his moral courage and Godliness
E. Note: Daniel possessed the qualifications to be used of God or the Devil.
F. Daniel was Chosen (v. 4)- see Romans 8:28, Gen. 50:20. (born under King Josiah, 16th king of Judah)
II. Daniel Trained
A. A. Physical – castrated (2 Kings 20:18, Isa. 39:5-7)
B. Mental – (v. 4,5) – 3 years study in Babylonian College (Jer. 10:2, Rom. 16:19b).
C. Spiritual- (v. 7) – names changed
Daniel- God is my judge TO: Beltheshazzar- Bel favors.
Hananiah- Beloved of the Lord TO: Shadrach- illuminated by the sun
Mishael – who is like God TO: Meshach- who is like Aku (moon god)
Azaniah – the Lord is my help TO: Abed-Nego- servant of Nego
D. Those selected were already highly trained and knowledgeable. Their schooling had already been virtually completed before their captivity.
E. What they did need, in order to serve in the court of the king of Babylon, was to speak, to read and to write in Aramaic, the language of that land. They needed language school.
F. Personally I do not believe that Daniel and his friends were being brainwashed spiritually.
G. Babylonians are polytheistic. They wouldn’t mind adding another god to their god.
H. The Babylonians were content to allow their captives to worship their gods and practice their religion, so long as it did not challenge the religion at Babylon.
I. Later on, the Persian king Cyrus would go so far as to assist the Jews in re-establishing their religion, even to rebuilding the temple.
III. Pagan Education – An attempt to brainwash them? (Dan. 1:4)
A. The writer of Daniel implies no objection to the study of polytheistic literature in which magic, sorcery, charms and astrology played a prominent part, though this had long been banned in Israel (Deut. 18:10-12; 1 Sam. 28:3).
B. These young men from Jerusalem’s court needed to be secured in their knowledge of Yahweh to be able to study this literature objectively without allowing it to undermine their faith.
C. Joseph ‘s schooling was not a formal education, but he surely learned the ways of Egypt.
D. And Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds (Acts 7:22).
E. I believe Daniel, gaining from the example of these two godly men, did not consider attending a Babylonian school defiling but rather an act of obedience to the God of Israel.
IV. Daniel Tested
A. The reason of the Mind:
1. I’m captive so I must obey.
2. I want to avoid any criticism.
3. When I’m in Babylon, be like Babylonians.
4. I find favor for the King then help my brothers.
B. (Consider also the thinking of Moses in Egypt- Hebrews 11:24-26).
C. The resolve of the heart (v. 8) his decision was based upon conviction of God’s word. Note: it was a decision of the heart not the head (Matt. 22:37, Prov. 4:23)
Illustration/Application:
Just as Nebuchadnezzar sought to pressure these young men to compromise their faith and seek humanistic goals, so we are lured to the world’s standards. Compare Rom. 12:1-2!
We are called to be different from the world, because we now belong to Jesus Christ.
D. Request of the lips (v. 8-14)
1. Notice how Daniel was well liked (v. 9)- this can only be accounted for as the working of God’s providence (Prov. 16:7).
2. Daniel’s request was seemingly an impossible one (v. 10).
3. Daniel’s request was based on faith (Heb. 11:6)
a. Melzar means – steward or butler
b. pulse means – vegetable (Dan. 6:28, Ezra 1:1, Prov. 22:29)
E. Problem with the food
1. We are not told exactly, but this probably violated the OT food laws as well as being the product the pagan sacrificial use.
a. OT food laws – Lev. 11 and Deut. 14:3-21 –prohibition against unclean foods.
b. Foods from pagan sacrifice- Ex. 34:15 – Jews were forbidden to eat foods that had been sacrificed or offered to pagan deities or idols.
F. Problem with the Drinks:
1. Similar problems would arise in drinking the wine. To abstain from the Old Testament prohibition against “strong drink” (Prov. 20:1; Isa. 5:11, “drinks”), Jews customarily diluted wine with water. Some added 3 parts of water to wine, others 6 parts, and some as much as 10 parts of water to 1 part of wine. The Babylonians did not dilute their wine.
2. So, both the food and the drink would have defiled these Jewish young men. Daniel knew the requirements of the Law governing what he should and should not eat and drink.
3. Daniel’s desire was to please God in all he did. So, he resolved that even though he was not in his own land but in a culture that did not follow God’s laws, he would consider himself under the Law.
4. He therefore asked the chief court official to be excused from eating and drinking the food and wine generously supplied by the king. Daniel was courageous, determined, and obedient to God.
V. How Daniel remained true to his Commitments
A. He did it with politeness – Dan 1:8b
1. Note that “he requested”
2. He did not “demand”, but respected the authority of those over him.
B. He did it with God’s help – Dan 1:9
a. God gave him favor in the eyes of the chief of eunuchs.
b. Similar to how Joseph found favor in prison – Gen. 39:21
C. He did it through persistence – Dan 1:10-11
a. He did not give up after the refusal by the chief of the eunuchs
b. He tried something else, going to the steward directly over them.
D. He did it through willingness to test his faith – Dan. 1:12-15
a. He was confident that God’s way was the right way
b. He was willing to demonstrate the superiority of God’s way
c. He asked the steward to give him and his three friends just water and vegetables for ten days
VI. Daniel Triumphant
A. God always provides a way of escape (v. 15, 1 Cor. 10:13).
B. God always blesses in proportion to loyalty to His word (Eph. 3:15).
C. God always provides wisdom (v. 17).
D. God always Uses those who are sold for Him.
E. At the end of the time set by the king (at the end of the three years’ training), the king examined Daniel and his three companions and found that none equalled them.
F. In fact, they were 10 times better than all who practiced the arts of divination.
G. “Ten times” is an idiom meaning “many times” (Gen. 31:7,41; Num. 14:22; Job 19:3).
H. Daniel’s ministry in the royal court of Babylon continued until the overthrow of the Babylonian Empire by Cyrus in 539 B.C.
I. God had said, “Those who honor Me, I will honor” (1 Sam 2:30).
J. Daniel determined to honor God even though he was living where people did not have the high standards God demanded.
VII. Daniel Treasured
A. The Hebrew Men were promoted.
B. The Hebrew Men are exalted. (they excelled).
C. Note: the fact that Nebuchadnezzar questioned them shows that Nebuchadnezzar was also wise (v. 19).
D. Daniel’s life (v. 21) – Daniel lived thru the Babylonian captivity and witness the return of the Jews.
VIII. Conclusion:
Daniel gave us an example that we should please the Lord first. The Lord rewards those who are truly committed to Him and who puts Him first in everything. That’s what Daniel did and he was blessed by the Lord. Will you follow Daniel’s example my friend? The answer is you should.
