Staying True in a World Far from God
INTRODUCTION
For those who grew up in church, our first thought concerning Daniel is likely of the king throwing him into the lion’s den. This centuries-old story highlights the world’s antagonism towards the things of God and His followers. The conflict has existed since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden and continues today. The division between the world’s standards and God’s is not a thin line in the sand; today, it’s a vast chasm. The differences are seemingly becoming greater at an ever-increasingly rapid rate.
Daniel in the lion’s den is but one snapshot from the life of a prophet who remained faithful when kings and companions challenged him to forsake God. The book of Daniel portrays him as unashamed, unwavering, and unwilling to compromise in his devotion to God.
One behavior that stands out to the reader is Daniel’s faithfulness in prayer. Another is his willingness to show courage. Daniel thus serves as a model for believers who want to stand strong today, despite the world’s disapproval and opposition — or even its resentfulness and animosity. Daniel remained unashamedly faithful; we can too. Let’s dig in!
Staying True in a World Far from God
Session 1 Develop Strong Convictions • Daniel 1:3-13,17-19
Session 2 Pray with Passion • Daniel 2:13-23,27-28a
Session 3 Speak Truth Boldly • Daniel 5:13-17,22-28
Session 4 Live Courageously • Daniel 6:6-13,16-17,21-23
Session 5 Confess Wholeheartedly • Daniel 9:3-10,17-19
Session 6 Prepare for Battle • Daniel 10:1-3,10-13,16-19
Develop Strong Convictions
THE POINT
Our convictions, not our circumstances, define who we are.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
Why couldn’t I have a pet dragon that lived under the stairs? Eddie Munster had one. The Munster's stairs opened like the hood of a car, and Spot would appear, usually breathing fire.
Mere technicalities kept me from owning a dragon. First, where to find one? Local pet stores sold goldfish and hamsters — no dragons. Second, food probably cost a lot more than we could afford. Third, we lived in a one-story house, hence, no grand staircase.
Of course, Spot was a fictitious pet on the 1960s sitcom “The Munster's.” The show portrayed a family of harmless monsters who faced challenges as they lived in a world vastly different from what they had previously known in Transylvania. Several 1960s TV shows depicted people living in an unfamiliar place, such as “Gilligan’s Island,” “Lost in Space,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” and more.
Sometimes we look at our world today and say, “This is not the world I have known! Something is vastly wrong here.” The Old Testament prophet Daniel was transported into a foreign and ungodly place. His example can help instruct us how we too can live faithfully in a seemingly unfamiliar world.
Question 1:
When have you experienced culture shock?
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Daniel 1:3-7
3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. 5 The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king. 6 Among them, from the Judahites, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief eunuch gave them names; he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah.
The book of Daniel, being autobiographical, gives firsthand snapshots from the prophet Daniel’s life. The Babylonians conquered the ruling Assyrians in 605 BC. The nation of Judah afterwards found itself under Babylonian domination. One of the first acts of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar was to capture choice citizens from Jerusalem, Judah’s capital city, and bring them into his royal household. Daniel, who was likely about fifteen years old at that time, was among those taken.
- The Best and the Brightest. King Nebuchadnezzar specified the Hebrew captives were to be members of the royal family or from Judah’s noble families. Whether Daniel and his friends were members of the royal household or part of Judah’s nobility is unknown. People from these social strata would have had the finest education of the day and would have been trained in matters of culture and tradition.
Nebuchadnezzar didn’t want to bring people to Babylon whom he would have to support; he was looking for people who could support him and strengthen his kingdom, power, influence, and reputation. Additionally, taking the strongest and most influential to Babylon would weaken Judah, making it vulnerable to future assaults.
What Nebuchadnezzar hadn’t considered was the religious foundation that had been firmly rooted in some captives’ lives, namely Daniel and his three Hebrew friends. They had grown up under the influence of Judah’s godly King Josiah. His reign (640-609 BC) was marked by God’s people renewing His covenant, a nation-wide revival, and God’s Word being reestablished as the core for Hebrew worship. Although not mentioned in Scripture, the youths’ personal devotion to God and His Word certainly began in the pattern set out by their parents.
This is a reminder for us today to make sure we raise our children in environments that honor God and His Word. These godly foundations aren’t easily abandoned. The apostle Paul reminded Timothy of the benefits of being raised in a God-fearing household: “I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also” (2 Tim. 1:5). Daniel and his friends’ commitment and loyalty to God, having been firmly established in their homeland, would become evident in Babylon.
- The Training and Teaching. Why was Nebuchadnezzar determined to instruct captives “in all wisdom, knowledge, . . . the Chaldean language and literature”? He may have wanted to erase from their minds the beliefs and culture they had known in Judah. Changing their Hebrew names, each of which reflected the parents’ faith in God, to names that honored various Babylonian gods highlighted Nebuchadnezzar’s attempt to erase their God-fearing faith foundations.
Or Nebuchadnezzar may have been preparing these youth for future work in Babylon, knowing that they would be prepared to instruct other captives who would be brought to Babylon later.
To further acclimate the youth to Babylonian life and potential service in the royal household, Nebuchadnezzar stated they were to receive the food and drink that was served at his table. He wanted to make sure these promising young men received the best he could offer in the way of food, education, and mentorship.
The Hebrew youths’ experience in Babylonian serves as a cautionary tale for us today. As modern culture moves further from God-honoring traditions, increasingly the world will expect people of faith to abandon any loyalty to God. They will pressure us to embrace lifestyles that violate God’s Word. Will we remain faithful like Daniel and his friends?
Question 2:
In what areas do you find your
Christian worldview challenged these days?
Daniel 1:8-13
8 Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself. 9 God had granted Daniel kindness and compassion from the chief eunuch, 10 yet he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. What if he sees your faces looking thinner than the other young men your age? You would endanger my life with the king.” 11 So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief eunuch had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king’s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see.”
My wife and I have a friend, Karen, who went into anaphylactic shock when she drank lemonade as a child. Today, Karen is especially careful when she orders at a restaurant. Many times we have heard her say, “I want a glass of tea with no lemon. And when I say, ‘no lemon,’ I mean no lemon. You can’t take a glass that has had lemon on the side of it and remove the slice. I am deathly allergic. So, no lemon.” Hearing the alarm in her voice, servers are always understanding.
- Decision and Defilement. Daniel and his friends heard they were to have the same food and wine the king received (Dan. 1:5). This certainly would have been the finest cuisine in the land, prepared by only the most-talented cooks. Rather than be excited or pleased, though, alarm bells went off; Daniel saw the food as a source of defilement. Why did Daniel think the king’s food would defile him? Two possibilities emerge.
- Daniel, having been raised in a Jewish home, would have understood certain foods were not kosher and certain animals were “clean” and others “unclean” (Gen. 7).
- Ancient pagan religions often compelled adherents to leave food before an idol. After it had been presented to the god, the priest or leader would consume it. When God gave the Law to Moses, He prohibited the consumption of food offered to idols (Ex. 34:15).
Daniel took a hard stand for his religious convictions. Although he was gracious in his request, “he asked permission,” he had already decided in his heart he would not consume the king’s food. Daniel’s resolve is a lesson for us. We must establish our convictions against unholy, compromised, and/or unacceptable behavior before we face the moment of decision.
- Time for Testing. Refusing the king’s food could be taken as a rejection of the king and as an act of rebellion. The king’s chief servant rejected the idea. He was afraid if the youth appeared less than healthy then his own life would be in danger.
Daniel, undeterred by the servant’s rejection, next approached the personal guard who had been assigned to him. Hearing Daniel’s request, he agreed to feed Daniel and his friends only vegetables and water for ten days. The Hebrew term translated “vegetables” referred to grains, fruits, and other non-meat items. Afterwards, the guard would evaluate the youths’ condition. Establishing a “Plan B” highlights how determined Daniel was to avoid defilement. Not surprisingly, the youth looked robust after ten days. They continued with the modified diet for the entire three years of training.
If the young Hebrew lads had eaten from the king’s table and afterwards appeared vigorous, alert, and robust, then their condition would be attributed to what the Babylonians had furnished. If, however, they were in that same healthy condition after eating the minimized and modified diet, then the credit would have to be attributed to what God had done.
Question 3:
How do we navigate the tension between standing on our convictions and not isolating ourselves from the world?
Engage
A Line in the Sand
Outlined below are a few areas in which today’s culture tries to convince believers to compromise either in action or belief. Rank them from 1 to 7 in the degree of struggle for you. Then answer the question.
____Sexuality
____Finances
____Work ethic
____Views or behavior toward “the least of these”
____Abortion
____Personal religious convictions
____Substance abuse (tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and so forth)
____What I watch and read
Who or what has God used in your life to help you avoid compromise?
Daniel 1:17-19
17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king.
Daniel and his Hebrew friends had been taken captive. Certainly, they had every reason to question God and wonder why He had abandoned them in such a life-altering crisis. Daniel, though, recognized that God was actively at work, even in their current threatening situation.
- Intellect and Insight. Rather than merely acquire information (knowledge), the four young men gained insight (understanding) that was beyond normal, human capabilities. They received wisdom and understanding that comes exclusively from God.
Question 4:
What are some things that help us
stand firm in our convictions?
Beyond intellect, God also gave Daniel something He had not given Daniel’s three friends—the ability to understand visions and dreams of every kind. The Babylonians believed their gods conveyed messages through dreams. Daniel’s ability to interpret dreams far surpassed what the king’s priests, magicians, mediums, and sorcerers could do and ultimately impressed the king (Dan. 2:1-48). Daniel’s God-given ability to understand every kind of vision and dream proved the superiority of his God, Yahweh, over the false deities of Babylon.
- Superior and Service. Nebuchadnezzar had requested the best and the brightest for his service, men who could grasp all kinds of wisdom and knowledge (Dan. 1:4). The time came for Nebuchadnezzar to inspect all the captives who had received three years of training. Scripture gives no indication that Nebuchadnezzar had ever seen any of the captives before this moment; likely, he had not. The king knew what he was looking for.
The four youth surpassed both the king’s expectations and the other captives’ abilities. Nebuchadnezzar thus handpicked them to serve in his palace. Although Daniel had learned about Babylonian culture, he refused to compromise in his faith and his faithfulness to God. The Lord hadn’t abandoned Daniel; He blessed both him and his friends. Daniel wasn’t where he planned to be; he was, though, right where God needed him to be.
Question 5:
How can we help each other stand against
the culture when it conflicts with our faith?
LIVE IT OUT
Our convictions, not our circumstances, define who we are. Choose one of the following applications:
Analyze your own life situation. Is God working in an unexpected way? If so, pray and ask for His wisdom to see the bigger picture of what He is doing in your life.
Think about your own life. Is there an area in which you have compromised and adopted the world’s unbiblical values? Pray and ask God for strength to know what to do in this situation.
Tell your story. Share with your family or friends details of a time God led you into an unexpected or even uncomfortable place, opportunity, or situation, but you later saw His hand at work. Explain how this experience affected your life and your family. Pray with them, thanking God for letting them be part of your faith journey.
Teacher Notes:
Develop
Strong Convictions
Opening
Read
Every generation
brings about a change in culture. Some are positive and some can be
negative. According to a report on the
Buzznet website, millennials are shaping culture in their own image. One way is
by not buying products and services that were common among previous
generations. As a result, certain products could be going away, and previous
habits are changing. Among those things listed include:
·
Cable TV is slowly on its way out, and millennials are receiving the
blame. Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services require only a
subscription, internet access, and a device to watch it.
·
66% of 25-29 year-olds live in a completely wireless house.
·
Home phones have been replaced by cell phones.
·
Napkins are being replaced by paper towels.
·
Dairy products have declined in favor of vegan/vegetarian diets.
·
Canned tuna sales are down because millennials are concerned about the
overfishing of the oceans, but also because most don’t own a can opener.
·
Casual dining is being replaced by UberEATS. One report noted that by
2030, online food delivery will comprise ten percent of the food-services
market.
·
In fashion, suits have been replaced by more casual clothing. Gucci and
stilettos are out Crocs, slide sandals, and tennis sneakers reflect
millennials’ favorite styles.
·
Razor sales are drastically falling. Men younger than the age of 45 have
adopted a laid-back approach to shaving and it’s sent the razor industry into a
frenzy.
·
Financially, the stock market is considered too volatile and lottery odds
are stacked.
·
Many would rather rent an apartment or a house, not only because of the
rising cost of housing, but it also allows them to have mobility without having
to make a huge commitment with a mortgage.
·
Cash has been replaced by online shopping, Paypal, Apple Pay, and Google
Pay.
·
In the 1980s, more than two-thirds of people between 25 - 34 years old
had already gotten married. More than half the people in this age range today
are single. Some don’t feel the need to tie the knot, while others are waiting
later to get married.
·
For those who do get married, many are forgoing the honeymoon and
expensive diamonds, primarily for financial reasons, having to choose between
housing and necessities and what is considered luxury.
·
Things are so different now than when we grew up!
Question #1.
When have
you experienced culture shock?
Culture shock is
usually something experienced by individuals who move from one place to another
- to a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the
personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way
of life due to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between social
environments, or simply transition to another type of life.
Increasingly, those
of us who uphold traditional Christian values are experiencing culture shock
without leaving home. All the culture’s decadence can be overwhelming to many.
People think they
want a permissive culture
where anything
goes.
But it comes at a
cost, and multitudes are struggling to cope with the turbulence caused by their
own moral choices. Everywhere we turn, people are facing culture shock.
Where is God in all
this? Where are you?
How can we turn the
tables and shock people with grace?
As never before,
people need culture shock treatment — an answer to the confusion, chaos,
despair, pain, and loss of a society facing septic shock. They need to see
Jesus.
THE PASSAGE
Daniel 1:3-13,17-19
SETTING: Daniel was
part of the Judean population taken into exile by the Babylonians in the first
of three waves from 605 to 586 BC. Daniel was probably between 13-17 years old at the
time he was taken with at least three others of his generation to be prepared
for service in the court of the king. The story recorded in Daniel 1 is the
first of six stories that show how Daniel and his friends resisted the
challenges of their new culture and remained faithful to the Lord God, even in
the face of dire circumstances.
In this session, we
are told of Daniel’s boldness in negotiating a plan to not eat the rich foods
that the king’s officers brought to the promising young men in exile. He
appealed for the right for him and his three friends to eat vegetables and
drink water. After a ten-day trial period, Daniel and his three friends could
be examined and compared to those on the rich food diet to see who looked
healthier. Daniel was willing to take what some might have thought was a risk
because he was confident of the outcome. God continued to bless him and his
friends with knowledge and understanding that would lead to their prominent
service in the king’s court.
Daniel in the
lion’s den is but one snapshot from the life of a prophet who remained faithful
when kings and companions challenged him to forsake God. The book of Daniel
portrays him as unashamed, unwavering, and unwilling to compromise in his
devotion to God.
One behavior that
stands out to the reader is Daniel’s faithfulness in prayer. Another is his
willingness to show courage. Daniel thus serves as a model for believers who
want to stand strong today, despite the world’s disapproval and opposition — or
even its resentfulness and animosity. Daniel remained unashamedly faithful; we
can too.
Daniel
1:3-7
The king ordered
Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal
family and from the nobility — young men without any physical defect,
good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable,
perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them
the Chaldean language and literature. The king assigned them daily provisions
from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained
for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king.
Among them, from the Judahites, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
The chief eunuch gave them names; he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel,
Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah.
In what arenas do
you find your Christian worldview challenged these days?
What are some of
the biggest expectations and pressures present in our culture today?
The plan was in place to assimilate the exiles into
the new culture. They would be
given a highly regarded education, taught the language, taken care of as
royalty, and given new names. All the actions by the Babylonians were designed
to obliterate the four young men’s Hebrew past — what they had been — and
to prepare or grow (expressed in the word nourishing) them into a new future — what
the king wanted them to become. After a training period of three years, the
Babylonian intent was that the young men would be able to stand before the king
as worthy members of the royal court, fully committed to serving him.
King Nebuchadnezzar
had taken the best and the brightest of Israel and sought to use them for
himself. He wanted to feed them with his food, lace them with his language,
brainwash them with his ways, and employ them for his purposes. He wanted to
change their names so he could change their nature. Instead of them living in a
way that honored Jehovah as King, he wanted them to live in a way that honored
him as king. This passage reminds us
that the Enemy wants to put the world around us inside of us. The Apostle Paul
warns us against allowing this to happen when he says in Romans 12:12 “1
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual
worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect
will of God.” It’s imperative that we don’t allow the world to shape and mold
us into the ways and worldview of the culture.
Be careful not to
think, talk, and act like the culture around us.
Culture
expects conformity.
An unbelieving
world has its own design and plan for shaping others into what it thinks
successful people ought to be. Unbelievers should find favorable and attractive
qualities in the lives of the faithful. The world culture will make intentional
efforts to influence believers and strive to assimilate them into its way of
life.
Daniel
1:8-13
Daniel determined
that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he
drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself. God
had granted Daniel kindness and compassion from the chief eunuch, yet he said
to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. What if
he sees your faces looking thinner than the other young men your age? You would
endanger my life with the king.” So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief
eunuch had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test
your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to
drink. Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are
eating the king’s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see.”
What decision did
Daniel make concerning the efforts of the royal court to assimilate him and the
others into its culture? Why might he have made this decision since he had been
agreeable to other efforts? What suggests that God was at work in what was going
on in the lives of the four young Hebrews? What proposal did Daniel offer to
the court officials concerning the foods and beverages they would be served?
What did Daniel seem confident would be the results?
What are some convictions
that have defined your life so far?
How do you
distinguish between matters of preference and issues of faith?
As followers of
Jesus, how do we navigate the tension between standing in our convictions and
not isolating ourselves from the world? (Tim Tebow – The Swamp Series)
“It is easier to
resist temptation if you have thought through your convictions well before the
temptation arrives.”
Daniel
(Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego)
do not appear to have refused the quality education, other benefits of being
protected members-in-waiting of royal service, or even their new names.
Obviously, the young men would have had little control over the expectations,
or the changes imposed on them.
But how much is too
much? At some point those who are faithful to God may be compelled by their
convictions to identify when, where, and how to draw a line in the sand of
culture that they are not willing to cross.
I like that phrase
in verse eight “Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the
king’s food or with the wine he drank.” Here, Daniel displays his faith by
determining his faithfulness. He exposes his convictions by evading compromise.
He does not do what the people around him are doing — even in a captivity
situation. Daniel’s model challenges us
to avoid compromising despite the prevalence of what’s going on in the world
around us. Scripture tells us to honor God in word and deed (Col. 3:16-17), to
maintain our bodies as the temple of God (Rom. 6:18-20), and to allow His Word
to fashion our ways (Ps. 37:23-25; 119:105). Don’t allow the lifestyle of those
around you to determine your lifestyle.
Draw the
line.
Each person
determines where he or she must draw the line on compromise or being
assimilated into the culture. God is at work in our lives to prepare and enable
us to face the decisions that come with culture’s attempt to make us conform to
its image. Faith actions are based on what is true and right not what turns out
to be easy or safe.
How do you decide
where to draw the line?
A Line in
the Sand
Areas in which
today’s culture tries to convince believers to compromise either in action or
belief. Where do you struggle?
Sexuality / Finances
/ Work ethic
Views or behavior
toward “the least of these”
Abortion / Personal
religious convictions
Substance abuse
(tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and so forth)
What I watch and
read
“Always be prepared
to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that
you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15 – NIV)
Daniel 1:17-19
God gave these four
young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom.
Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. At the end of the time
that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king.
What did God bring
to fruition in the lives of the four Hebrew young men? What particular
endowment was given to Daniel? What was the king’s assessment of the four
Hebrews? What did this mean for their future as far as royal service was
concerned? Do you think the battle against culture was over?
What helps you to
stand firm for your beliefs?
Where do you have
an opportunity to serve or stand for the Lord this week?
The four Hebrew
young men passed the first test. After the ten-day period, the steward declared
they looked healthier and stronger than those who had been on the king’s diet.
Thus, he allowed them to continue on the diet of vegetables and water.
God honored their
devotion and faithfulness in more than just physical appearance. God gave them
knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.
A special endowment
was given to Daniel; one that will surface in a future event. He had
understanding in all visions and dreams. Visions were divine revelations or
oracles. The ancient culture of Israel and their neighboring nations placed
great value on visions as a way in which their deities made something known to
them.
Nebuchadnezzar
appears to have conducted the reviews personally. The king communed with them,
meaning he “spoke” (ESV) or “talked” (NASB, NIV) with them in sufficient detail
to be able to draw conclusions on what he heard. Here was the king’s assessment
of the four Hebrews: among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah.
We see in these
three verses that Daniel served where he was situated. He functioned wherever
he found himself. In other words, his circumstances did not circumvent his walk
with God. As a result, the none-God-followers could see his excellent spirit,
his noble character, & his spiritual giftedness. This is what Christ meant when He told His
disciples — and us — that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the
world, and that we should let our lives shine so that lost people could see our
good works and glorify the Father which is in heaven (Matt. 5:151-16). We can’t
evangelize those in the darkness if we evade the darkness. We have to be in the
world, but not of the world — while trying to be a witness to the world.
Trust the
Lord.
God equips those
who are faithful to Him with what they need to serve Him. God will honor those
who choose to live with uncompromising convictions of faith in Him. We can be
involved in the culture around us in a godly way without being absorbed by it.
Conclusion
The point of this lesson
is our convictions, not our circumstances, define who we are.
