Title: Don't Compromise Your Anointing
Theme: To show that we don’t have to compromise even in the midst of evil.
Text: Daniel 1
Introduction
Overview of The Book of Daniel is not about Daniel. Like Abraham, Moses, and Joshua, Daniel was God's vessel, a tool in his hands to accomplish his eternal purpose on earth. In the Pentateuch and historical books, God's sovereignty appears as the backdrop, an assumption about the God of the universe. In Daniel it becomes the central theme, a message to be shouted to God's people Israel and to the pagan nations surrounding them: There is a God, and he is in charge of his world. We'll explore sovereignty in greater theological depth later in this book, but here let's just define it very simply by saying God knows what he's doing, and he's doing it. – Holman Commentary
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. (Dan 1:1) And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. (Dan 1:2)
Last four kings of Judah ruled under siege.
Johoahaz – son of Josiah
Jehoiakim – brother of Johoahaz
Johotachin – Son of Jehotakim
Zedekiah – uncle of Jehoiachin
The Lord gave, delivered – God’s sovereignty. The theme of Daniel.
Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, (Dan 1:3) young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. (Dan 1:4)
These were the cream of the crop.
They had learned to serve God with their best gift. We see this in their lives throughout this book. No matter what condition they were put in they gave it their best to glorifiy God.
Joseph in Pothiphar’s house and in prision.
Paul’s admonition – slaves honor your master not just with lip service but as unto the Lord.
And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. (Dan 1:5) Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. (Dan 1:6) To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. (Dan 1:7)
1:7 Gave them new names. In order for Daniel and his friends to enter the king’s service, they needed to have Babylonian citizenship; this was done by giving them Babylonian names. The young prince, Daniel (meaning “God is my Judge”), was renamed Belteshazzar (meaning “Bel [chief god of Babylon] protect his life”). Hananiah (meaning “The LORD shows grace”) was renamed Shadrach (meaning “Servant of Aku,” the moon-god). And Mishael (meaning “Who is equal to God?”) was renamed Meshach (meaning “The shadow of the prince” or “Who is this?”). Azariah (meaning “The LORD helps”) was renamed Abednego (meaning “Servant of Nego,” the god of wisdom, or the morning star). As citizens of Babylon, they now had official responsibilities. But no matter what they were now called, these young Hebrew men were determined to remain loyal to the one true God (see next note).
Fire Bible.
Standing with Courage
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Dan 1:8)
Defile – this food was probably against the cereminal law of Leveticus 3:17, also more than likely this food had been offered to idols 1 Corinthians 8:10
a. Daniel made a decision not to defile himself with food and wine from the king’s table (vv.8-16). This was not a trivial matter to Daniel. According to God’s Word, the food was unclean (see outlines and notes—Lev. 11:1-47; Deut. 14:1-21 for more discussion). Furthermore, God’s Word warned against partaking of strong drink (Prov. 20:1; 23:29-30; 23:32; Isa. 5:11-12, 22; Nahum 1:10; Hab. 2:16). This is why believing Jews usually added somewhere between three to six parts of water to one part of wine. Finally, the king’s food and wine had most likely been sacrificed to false gods before it was served.
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Daniel, Hosea.
Alcohol
Thought 1. Daniel was only a boy when he was uprooted form everything he was familiar with—his homeland of Judah, his family, his friends, his home, his school, his church. Even worse, he was deported to a heathen nation and subjected to the authority and influence of a heathen king. Yet despite the fact that he could do nothing about his environment or his circumstances, Daniel could control himself; that is, he had the liberty to control his thoughts, his words, his actions, his motives, and his heart. And this he did. Against overwhelming odds, Daniel was firm in his beliefs and in his commitment to the LORD, gaining the respect of many a heathen and many in authority in the process. Daniel knew who he was, and he knew whose he was.
Like Daniel, believers are living in a predominately heathen world. And even though most of us have not been snatched out of familiar surroundings, we still find ourselves in circumstances and environments over which we have no control. Governments, organizations, businesses, schools, and even some churches pass laws that go against what we believe in. The media promotes and provokes every type of sin imaginable, and Christianity as a whole is under attack worldwide. As believers, we will face the temptation to compromise our commitment to the LORD every day. But we must not compromise with the world nor participate in its wicked ways. Listen to what God’s Holy Word says about compromise:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).
MSG
Romans 12:1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. (2) Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Ti.2:4).
Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Daniel, Hosea.
Joh 17:15-16 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. (16) They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Delicacies - Indulgence
Indulgence is part of the indoctrination.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).
Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. (Dan 1:9)
And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king." (Dan 1:10)
The steward was afraid that they would get sick, it was his job to keep them healthy.
So Daniel said to the steward [1] whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (Dan 1:11) "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. (Dan 1:12) Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants." (Dan 1:13)
So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. (Dan 1:14) And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. (Dan 1:15)
Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. (Dan 1:16)
As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. (Dan 1:17)
This is an interesting fact. Daniel learned all the teachings of the Babylonians. Math, science and astrology. He even learned of the magicians. Yet as we will see in this book Daniel never let it compromise his judgement. When it came down to needed an interpretation of a dream/vision or protection he always leaned on God.
Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. (Dan 1:18)
Then the king interviewed [2] them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. (Dan 1:19) And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. (Dan 1:20)
Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus. (Dan 1:21)
Note: We need go people in governmental leadership. We need Christians in different postitions. I don’t believe that becoming a Christian means we have to close ourself off from our surroundings. We need Christians in our schools, on our council, involved in PTO, involved in government.
It’s Ok to Have a Conscience
Jer 35:1-19 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, (2) "Go to the house of the Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink." (3) Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, his brothers and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, (4) and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door. (5) Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, "Drink wine." (6) But they said, "We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, 'You shall drink no wine, you nor your sons, forever. (7) You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.' (8) Thus we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, (9) nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. (10) But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. (11) But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, 'Come, let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Syrians.' So we dwell at Jerusalem." (12) Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying, (13) "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Will you not receive instruction to obey My words?" says the Lord. (14) "The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father's commandment. But although I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, you did not obey Me. (15) I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.' But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. (16) Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me." ' (17) Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.' " (18) And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, (19) therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever." ' "
God blessed the Rechabites because they stood by their convictions.
Conclusion
We have two challenges here. 1) That we would see God as the sovereign God who reigns and puts in charge whom He choses.
Dan_4:32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
2) We don’t have to compromise who we are to be a Christian.
