A PURPOSED HEART IN CHALLENGING DAYS
Daniel 1:1-9
When we open our Bibles to the book of Daniel, immediately our thoughts turn to great prophetic truths. Yes, the book of Daniel in the Old Testament is equivalent to the book of Revelation in the New Testament, full of prophetic truths. But there is also some practical truth in the book of Daniel that teaches us some valuable lessons for the hour in which we live.
Daniel was a young man that grew up in a Judeo culture of traditional family values. Then he unexpectedly found himself in a culture that did not share his religions convictions and moral values, a culture that was foreign to everything he had known.
The reason for this was the Babylonian captivity. The nation of Judah was given into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army, because of their disobedience to God. Two sins caused Judah to be carried away into captivity…
Disobedience to the Word of God…God told the people to give the land a Sabbath rest every 70 years. in that year they were not to cultivate the land. But they disregarded God’s word and for 490 years the land had no Sabbath rest. {By the way Jehoiakim had no respect for the word of God. When they brought him a scroll containing the written Word of God, he took his penknife and cut up the pages of the scroll and threw them in the fire. When he died he did not receive the a royal burial. He was buried outside the city thrown on the city dump. The Bible says he received the burial of a donkey.}
Departure from the Worship of God…The Jews found a strong fascination with the idols of the pagan nations around them. They begin to worship strange gods and idols.
For Daniel his value system…his truth claims…his moral compass was repeatedly challenged at every turn. His world that was monotheistic (Worship of the one and only, true and living God) had evolved into a world of polytheism…pluralism…paganism.
Like Daniel, we too find ourselves in a world that has passed from a Judeo-Christian culture to one in which in many ways has become an anti-Judeo-Christian one.
I. THE CRISIS HE FACED…vs. 4-7
A. The Text…Challenge to Change
1. Change their Learning… v. 4
2. Change their Language… v. 4
3. Change their Lifestyle… v. 5
4. Change their Loyalty… v. 7
Daniel (God is my judge) to Belteshazzar (may Bel protect his life)
Hannaniah (Jehovah is gracious) to Shadrach (command of Aku, Babylonian moon god)
Mishael (who is like God) to Mesahch (who is like Aku, Babylonian moon god)
Azariah (the Lord helps) to Abednego (servant of Nebo, son of Baal)
B. The Truth…We are challenged to change
*ILL…20/20 recently aired a documentary in which a group of teenagers was asked, “What do you see is the greatest problem facing teens today?” Do you know what there response was? Overwhelmingly, their response was ‘peer pressure’. Peer pressure effects all teenagers, some more than others. Peer pressure is what causes us to behave according to the standards set by a group of people. These standards may be good, but they also may be bad or self-destructive.
…Even as adults, we have not escaped the powerful pull of peer pressure. We adults just call it something else. It is the challenge to change and conform to the standards set by the world around us. We are influenced by our culture to interpret success in terms of money, status, and power.
II. THE COMMITMENT HE MADE…v. 8
*ILL…Henry Blackaby in his study…Experiencing God wrote…Anytime God wants you to do something great for Him you will face a crisis of believe. The crisis of belief is a turning point where you make a decision a commitment.
Will I follow God in my life or my own desires?
Will I live my life from God’s view point or from the world’s viewpoint?
Will you honor God and His word through the various stages of Life?
…Life is a series of decisions. What we are today is the result of decisions we made in the past. What we will be tomorrow depends upon the decisions we make today. Many of our major decisions are made while we are young.
A. Making A Commitment involves a Decision
Purposed…resolved, committed, literally laid it upon his heart. ALL REAL DECISIONS ARE HEART DECISIONS…
***Proverbs 4:23... Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
…Resolved to God’s principles
…Committed to God’s plan
>Hebrew verb purposed is used several ways in the O. T.
…The Babylonians could change a lot of things about Daniels life. They could change his homeland, and even his name…but they could not change his heart.
1. Individual Decision…v. 8
2. Influential Decision…v. 10
B. Making a commitment involves Drawing A Line
…The boundaries of this line, where this line should be drawn should before temptation to compromise comes. It is easier to resist temptation, if you have thought through your convictions before temptation arrives.
Daniel had already settled in his heart to be faithful to the laws of God before he was faced with the Kings meat and the Kings wine
We will find ourselves compromising if we have not already decided to draw the line.
Before such temptations to compromise come, decide on your convictions…based upon the Word of God…set your boundaries, draw your lines…then you are ready to say no!
…Have a Heart that is Purposed!
III. THE COMPANION HE FOUND… v. 9
…NOW GOD…
God had moved with an unseen hand to change the heart of the Babylonian Official!
WHEN WE STAND FOR GOD…GOD STANDS FOR US!
When we take a stand for God, we can trust Him to protect us in ways we may not be able to see!