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Jordan Wilson. Sunday July 9th, 2017.

Text: Daniel 1:1-7
Topic: Identity, God’s Kingdom, & The World

Big Idea of the Message: Though held captive in a foreign, pagan land, Daniel was able to stay committed to God’s purpose for his life because he knew who he really was.
We must know who we are in Christ – citizens of another kingdom – in order to live effectively for God on earth.

Daniel 1:1-7 (NLT)

1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives.

4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.

Defining Enemy In This Message: The World, The Flesh (or our thoughts), & The Devil.

#1. The Enemy Wants To Make Us Forget God.

Verse 2b, “So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.”

a. The people of Israel were attacked and defeated by their enemies, the Babylonians (v. 1). The enemy army carried off many captives back to the nation of Babylon (v. 2). Among these captives were young Israelite men like Daniel and his friends, who were then surrounded by Babylonians, given a Babylonian education, and trained to serve the Babylonian king (vv. 3-5). Although he remained in Babylon for the rest of his life, Daniel never forsook his God and his faith. He remained a Hebrew despite his location and surrounding pagan culture.

6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:

Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.

 

#2. The Enemy Wants To Brainwash Us Into Believing Lies About Ourselves, God, And Others.

4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.

a. This was an attempt to raise up only those who were physically free from bodily defects or handicaps – handsome, i.e., a pleasing appearance in the public eye:

V. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,”

b. Only people seen as “mentally sharp” or “wise” in their day. V. 4 “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.”

c. They started targeting the age group of 14-17. An age group that for the most part had not decided yet what they truly believed.

#3. The Enemy Is Trying To Confuse Our Identity.

6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:

Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.

 

a. The Babylonians gave Daniel and his Israelite friends new Babylonian names that defied the God of Israel by naming pagan false gods, just because they were called something different didn’t diminish who they young men really were.

Their Hebrew names all had significant meanings:
Daniel – God Is My Judge
Hannah – The Lord Shows Grace
Mishael – Who Is Like The Lord?
Azariah – The Lord Helps

Their New Babylonian Names Attempted To Destroy Their Meaning:
Daniel – Belteshazzar – Bel protect his life!
Hananiah – Shadrach – Command of Aku (moon-god)
Mishael – Meshach – Who is what Aku is?
Azariah – Abednigo – Servant of Nebo/Nego

b. Just like Daniel and his friends were transplanted from their nation into a foreign one with different beliefs, people who are born again find themselves belonging to another kingdom – a heavenly country. Ephesians 2:19 “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.”

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