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Character – Godly Youth (2)
Daniel
Keep His Purity and Holiness(Daniel 1:5-17)
Key Bible Verses (Daniel 1:5-17)
• Dan 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
• Dan 1:5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
• Dan 1:6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
• Dan 1:7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
Key Bible Verses (Daniel 1:5-17)• Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. • Dan 1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into
favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. • Dan 1:10 And the prince of the eunuchs said
unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
Key Bible Verses (Daniel 1:5-17)
• Dan 1:11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, • Dan 1:12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee,
ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. • Dan 1:13 Then let our countenances be
looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. • Dan 1:14 So he consented to them in this
matter, and proved them ten days.
Key Bible Verses (Daniel 1:5-17)
• Dan 1:15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. • Dan 1:16 Thus Melzar took away the portion
of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. • Dan 1:17 As for these four children, God
gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
IntroductionTHINK…How do you keep your purity and
holiness in a world of immorality and unrighteousness?
How can you immune yourself from being affected?
What do we get by being pure and holy?
Historical Background• Israel (Northern kingdom) was destroyed by
Assyrian in 722 BC• Three expeditions from three invasions to
Judah (Southern kingdom):o 605 BC (First invasion by Nebuchadnezzar)o 597 BC (King Jehoiachin surrendered
Jerusalem)o 587 BC (Final invasion to Jerusalem)• Daniel was part of the nobles and royal
families taken from Jerusalem as captives during the first invasion• Daniel was probably only a teenager when he
arrived in Babylon in 605 B.C.
Historical Background
• Daniel was among an elite group that were brought to the palace to learn the Babylonian language so they can serve the king after three years• The king appointed them daily meat and
wine• Daniel did not want to defile himself
with the king’s meat and drink• Daniel and his three friends proved to
Melzar that they look even better without king’s meat and drink
Something about Daniel…• No Blemish • Well Favoured• Skilful in all wisdom• Cunning in knowledge• Understanding Science• Had ability to stand in the king’s palace– Dan 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but
well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
• He was one of the best
Daniel’s determination• Daniel was the first to make up his mind (…
purposed in his heart …) and then told his friends
• Rather than break faith with God, Daniel was willing to risk expulsion from the Royal Academy with the disgrace and danger that entailed. His priorities were firm.
• They were the only ones who expressed a desire to observe the Jewish dietary laws – minority
What is wrong with the meat and drink?
• Meat and drink were not wrong but it is a test of Daniel’s fidelity to the Lord and to His law• What he sought to avoid was being “defiled”
by contact with unclean meats—or even clean meats that had become contaminated with heathen worship. • Ceremonial purity vs. moral purity
• Daniel wanted to please the Lord in every respect, not just in the most important moral aspects of his life
Bible Text Structure – key point
• A Babylonia assumes supremacy over Israel vv. 1-2
o B Young men taken and subjected to pagan training vv.
3-7
• C Daniel seeks to remain faithful (Pure and
Holy) to his God vv. 8-14
• C' Daniel remains faithful (Pure and Holy) to
his God vv. 15-16
o B' Young men triumph in their pagan training vv. 17-20
• A' Daniel proves supreme over the Babylonians v. 21
What is holiness?
• Holy (root: Sanctify, Separate [from the world])
o Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view
of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your
true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing
and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
Daniel’s CAT
•Character oHeart to love God and obey God’s law
o (Daniel purposed in his heart)
•ActionoNot to defile himself with unclean meats
•ThoughtoKeep his purity and holinessStart with your heart
Comparing Joseph’s CAT and Daniel’s CAT
Joseph Daniel
C Integrity Heart to love God and obey God
A Flee Temptation Not to defile himself with unclean meats
T Not to sin against God
Keep his purity and holiness
What are the challenges?
Daniel (Past) We (Today)Peer Pressure
Everybody just follow order of the king (He was the only minority)
Sometime we can just go with the flow
Risk Disobeying the king may cause opportunity to serve before the king and even his life
Standing out may cause us friendship, acceptance, and advance opportunity
Need Daniel can still be a good Christian with King’s meats and wine
Do we really need to so holy to be a good Christian
Daniel’s Wisdom
• Know God is at worko God made him found favor in the sight of
the prince of the eunuchs
• Let God prove ito Daniel proposed to Ashpenaz for a ten-day
testing period.
• Spiritual Supporto Daniel established spiritual support and
partnership with his three friends
The Blessings of being Pure and Holy
• God give him knowledge, skill, and understandingo Dan 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them
knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
• Stand before the King - Nobody can compareo Dan 1:19 And the king communed with them; and among
them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
• Much more wisdom and understanding than othero Dan 1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and
understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
• God protect him and sustain himo Dan 1:21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of
king Cyrus.
Obeying God yields Great RewardEric Liddell - “Purity does not mean
crushing the instincts but having the instincts as servants and not the master of the spirit.” Jim Elliot - He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
It is a choice- Holiness is a choice
• Josepho Flee Temptation (Run away)o Sprint• Daniel
o Pursuit Holiness (Run after)o Marathon
RUN !!!
