Light Brings Salt
Volume 2, Issue 28 July 18, 2004
Dedicated to the
Systematic Exposition of the Word of God
A Lesson From Daniel
The pressure to
conform to
In this new setting
they were a small minority. They were only, teenagers subjected to the
authority of the most powerful ruler on earth at the time. It appeared that
their God had been humiliated. They were put under the instruction of elite but
ungodly teachers, men who were regarded as the world's top scholars. A situation that could be expected to be deadly for the faith of
impressionable teens.
Their new education
exposed them to such anti-god subjects as astrology and pagan mythology. They
were placed in the enviable position of gaining favorable government posts, if
they would cooperate fully with their rulers.
They were afforded what many would have regarded as a great privilege,
the eating of the king's fare.
With the change of
their names from those given at birth that had meaning for them one of the
major things that had given them personal identity since birth was removed. And
yet we will find out that one thing
overcame it all. All
the adversity and pressure that they had endured and were experiencing.
And that is a decision, Daniel made a decision and
it blew the whole program that
Nebuchadnezzar had established to pieces. This was not just any decision, but
one consistent with the DVPT that he knew. He analyzed the circumstances faced,
evaluated them versus the truth known and came to a conclusion. He didn't
waffle, he didn't look for the easy way out, he knew
what was right and made his decisions based on that!
From 1:8-21 we have
the most powerful thing in life! And it begins in 1:8. For anyone who desires
to attain to Biblical womanhood, or manhood then these words are of enormous
importance. "But Daniel made up
his mind..." So crucial is this statement to the flow of truth here
that we need to focus on it and say a few things about his decision!!
Daniel's decision - some
observations.
1. Daniel rejected
the herd mentality. I think its very interesting that
God puts this situation with these young men in the setting of the teenage
years. How many young people really have the courage to say I will not accept
the mentality of the herd!! I will not join the mooing herd! I will not think
like the mooing herd! I will reject it, but that's exactly what Daniel did.
Daniel will eventually
become a respected leader because he rejected the herd mentality and honored
the Lord in his thinking and decisions. Daniel becomes a leader because he
makes quality decisions.
At some point in
our life we need to come to gripes with the concept that we are what we are
because of the choices we have made and are making!! Today it is more common to
hear it more like this, I am what I am because of what
you did to me!! Where I was raised! What
happened to me! How I have been unfairly
treated. This attitude will often gain you all kinds of sympathy.
No matter what
happens to you, no matter how unfair it is, you are responsible before God for
your reaction, your response to that situation. In that bad situation, over
what did you have complete control? You had complete control, the complete
choice over how you responded. You may respond by saying I'll hate that
individual for the rest of my life! You
can do that!
Consequence is that
you'll rot on the inside with that hatred for the rest of your life. That's your choice!!
This may be
uncomfortable, can't help that, but can also be extremely encouraging. If my
reaction made me what I am! And I am responsible for that. Do you know what
else I can do?? I can make the choice to
go in the opposite direction, in the right direction. That should be extremely
encouraging. As a believer who is plus doctrine (dvpt)
and the empowering of the Holy Spirit you have the divine operating assets to
deal with any and all situations.
Your in the drivers seat, you are never the victim, never!
Christian
character, the word in you being lived out, that is God's grace provision being
utilized is to be in the drivers seat in your life, so
that you can make quality decisions in the light of the Word of God!
Daniel basically
said that God's word wouldn't let him go along with the King's program. I have
a mind set established by God's word and I have to go in this direction!!
Daniel's thinking went this way. This is
what God's word says, and my volition is positive toward that and I make my
decisions based on that! Consequences
are not even a consideration!! I know that Lord will provide according to His
will.
2. His decision
honored God and His word, divine viewpoint. Notice his decision in 1:8.
Problem we must
answer here is why did he reject Chaldean food? You
might argue as some do that the food violated the prohibitions of the Mosaic
Law related to the dietary laws. This would be hard to prove since we have
little data on the Chaldean diet.
What you can prove
is this, that since the Chaldeans
were very religious people, that at every meal they took a portion and
offered it to a Chaldean god, setting a portion apart
to a god.
So in Daniel's view
what he was asked to do was totally incompatible with God's vpt, "that I might not cause myself to be
defiled." Daniel here is saying that he cannot honor the gods of
For Daniel the
issue was cut and dried; black and white. Divine viewpoint said one thing, the
king wanted something else. No question which way to choose! Obviously Daniel
didn't consider convenience, much easier to take what was provided. He didn't
consider his personal safety, that he might be in some
peril if he refused to do what the king wanted. This was a real possibility,
oriental kings were ruthless. Notice in 2:6 that Nebuchadnezzar tells his wise
men that they will be torn limb from limb if they failed to do what he
commanded.
3. When He made his
decision he didn't resort to rudeness or fanaticism. He didn't do what seems to be the 20th
century pattern and that is to go on a hunger strike, set up pickets. Daniel
didn't refuse the food with out offering an alternative. He firmly refuses, but
he is not some kind of nut, he's not rude, he didn't insult anyone. This is
seen in the context of 1:8b-12.
This decision was a
step of faith for Daniel and his friends. They were trusting God to honor their
obedience to Him. This test was small in comparison to some that would come
later. Failure to use BD in the little things, will
result in failure to use BD in the big things!
4. Daniel's
decision was considerate of those who differed. What did he say to the others
who desired to eat the king's food? Nothing, that was their
decision to make, didn't try to impose his decision on them. You can be
sure that if someone came to him and wanted an explanation why he did what he did, he
would have gladly laid out the reasons, would have explained to them about his
faith in YHWH and that he was being obedient to Him and His word.
5. It was a
decision he accepted responsibility for!
What's the lesson
here? We must know the truth, what the
word of God says and be willing to make decisions and live by it. The benefits
to us are tremendous.