3. Daniel’s great
decision (1:8-16).
“Daniel 1:8 is one of the truly great verses
of the entire Bible.” (G. Coleman Luck)
v.
8: But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's
choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the
commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.
a. Daniel’s mindset:
firm resolve!
“But
Daniel made up his mind…”
KJV & NKJV: “purposed in his heart;” ESV, NIV: “resolved.”
o Daniel had the
appropriate mindset in place: one of firm resolution! A pre-requisite for being
ready for the hour of temptation.
o Jonathan Edwards,
American theologian (1703-58):
“Resolution
One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.”
b. The dilemma: the
fear of God—or the fear of man?
“that
he would not defile himself with the king's choice food…”
i.
Partaking of the King’s dainties would have meant
defilement before God.
o Problems with the
food which would have rendered Daniel ritually unclean:
1. Probably not Kosher…
2. Probably offered
unto idols…
>Note: not about alcoholic wine per se, or vegetarianism.
o
The
Word of says much about the “minutia” of ritual-defilement (cf., Lev. 11, etc.).
Lev.
11:46-47: This is the law regarding the animal
and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything
that swarms on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the
clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be
eaten.
ii.
Daniel could
have rationalized the situation away
on various pretexts…
o God will understand
the situation:
“The circumstances are abnormal, so we
aren’t bound to the obedience of normal situations…”
o It’s all God’s fault: “God’s to blame for putting us in this
hopeless circumstance!”
o Pragmatism: “If we obey the Babylonians, we will be
elevated to a position to help God’s people. The ends justify the means.”
o God has higher
priorities than our obedience to “lesser” commands: “The preservation of our lives is a higher
ethical priority than ritual, and so is our love for the life of the Babylonian
official, who might be executed for disobeying the king’s command.” [cf., I
Sam. 21:6 & Mark 12:3-5]
But Daniel retreated to no pragmatic
compromise or solution, for he understood the real issue: the Babylonian King’s true intent was to destroy
Daniel’s faith.
Daniel was offered the rich provisions of the
King (1:8)—but he would not partake of contaminated food—no matter what the
cost. This was a teenage decision that set the course and tone for the rest of
his life (Dan. 6:10).
Matt.
10:28:
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but
rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Daniel’s unusual teenage scruples are a
testimony, perhaps, unto…
1) …the faith of his parents, and…
2) …the godly impact of Josiah’s revival-reforms
during Daniel’s childhood.
c. Daniel’s convictions
are translated into decisive action.
v. 8: “so he sought permission…”
o Note the balance in
Daniel! Unflinching decision and resolve, combined with refined courtesy!
o Daniel was firm in
his resolution—but he also had respect for Gentile government. He was not an
open militant or rebel, making a prideful and dramatic show, and self-righteously
parading his faith.
o Daniel respectfully—but
intensively—“sought” permission (v. 8), which, by the mercy of God, was
ultimately granted.
o We must take great
care in dealing with unbelievers, and especially dignitaries (Matt. 22:21); we
are not called to mindless submission unto them (Acts 5:29), but we are called
to respect (Rom. 13).
o Note Daniel’s
respectful dealings with Nebuchadnezzar, and later Darius—and even the
worthless and sodden Belshazzar!
v.9:
“And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the
eunuchs…” v. 10: "I fear my lord the king…”
o Ashpenaz is
sympathetic (Prov. 16:7) and God is working in his heart—but he is fearful of
the Head of Gold (Dan. 2:32, 37-38)!
v.11:
“ Then Daniel said to the steward
[overseer, or Melzar]…”
o Despite Ashpenaz’s
lack of approval, Daniel doesn’t just shrug his shoulders; he persists
with a lower official!
v.
12: "Please test your servants for ten days…”
o An ingenious test
that is acceptable to the steward, but also demonstrates Daniel’s enormous
trust! He trusted God to honor his faith and obedience.
o Already Daniel’s
proverbial wisdom is evident (Ezek. 28:3).
v.
15: “At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better…”
o God faithfully
intervenes, and honors their faith! A timeless example of trust and God
standing with His people—
o This is not a model
for believers to presumptuously put God to the test. OT sign miracles have been
supplanted by the higher NT walk of faith.
v.
16: “So the steward took away their food and the wine…”
o Daniel was not a
showy ascetic, but he lived a life of separation unto the world.
2
Cor. 6:16-18: Or what agreement has the temple of
God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
"I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and
they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be
separate," says the Lord. "And do not touch what is unclean; and I
will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and
daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty.
4. The Rewards of an
Uncompromised Life and Testimony
(1:17-21).
v. 17: “God
gave them learning and skill…” Academic excellence, credited to God.
o
Hard
work and study involved, not all miraculous—but “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).
o Recalls Moses, who
was likewise immersed in the learning of Egypt:
Acts
7:22:
“And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty
in his words and deeds.”
o
Such
learning and preparation was necessary in this case—but caution should be
exercised by believers today in taking in the world’s wisdom; there is the ever
present danger of contamination. There is always a risk and tension for the
Christian researcher between gathering information and immersing oneself in
unrighteous thinking.
v. 17: “…and Daniel had understanding in all
visions and dreams.”
o
Given
to Daniel alone; not his friends.
o
But
prayer was still required for a revelation of the King’s dream in chapter 2.
v. 18-20:
The
four youths examined by the King.
o Recalls Prov. 22:29: “Do you see a man skillful in his
work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
o
v.
19: “And the king spoke with them…” A reflection of King Nebuchadnezzar’s own
vast learning, that he was a qualified examiner.
o
v.
20: “he found them ten times better…” Babylon the center of the world’s
intellectual life—yet Nebuchadnezzar could none to equal Daniel and his
friends! “Ten times” could be either literal or figurative.
v. 21: “And Daniel was there until the first year
of King Cyrus.”
Daniel lasts through the reigns of the
following Babylonian Kings…
1. Nebuchadnezzar (604-562)
2. Evil-merodach (562-60)
3. Neriglissar (560-56)
4. Labashi-marduk (556)
5. Nabonidus (556-39)
6. Belshazzar (553-539)
…And even beyond, into the Persian Kingdom of
Cyrus the Great & Darius the Mede.
Daniel thus outlasts the Neo-Babylonian
Empire and the Captivity itself.
II. God’s Sovereignty
seen in His Control over World Empires
(chapters
2-7).
A. The Dream of the
Great Image (2:1-49).
1. The King’s dream and
his decree (2:1-13).
v.1a:
“Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar…” (602 BC).
v.
1b: “…Nebuchadnezzar had dreams”
o Dreams were a popular means
of revelation in Old Testament times (Job 33:15-18; Gen. 40-41)—but in the New
Testament era we have something better: Scripture!
v.
2: “the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans”
o Each of these terms
represents various classes of experts, wise men, soothsayers, priests,
etc.
o The best of
Babylon’s worldly wisdom—but none of them would be able to satisfy the basic
spiritual needs of the human heart (v. 3)!
v.
4a: “Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic…”
o Aramaic (Syrian, Chaldee): a
growing universal language, eventually even supplanting Hebrew as
Israel’s common tongue.
o From here to the end
of chapter 7, Daniel is written in Aramaic.
o Perhaps because these
chapters focus upon the destiny of the Nations?
v.
4b: “Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the
interpretation."
o Ancient elaborate manuals
on dream interpretation testify as to popularity of this pseudo-science.
o The wise men of
Babylon were confident in their ability to apply a smooth manufactured
interpretation to the details of the King’s dream.
v.
5a: “The king replied to the Chaldeans, ‘The command from me is firm…’”
(NASB)
o A MUCH debated and
perhaps misunderstood verse! Various translations:
ESV:
“The word from me is firm”
NKJV:
“My decision is firm”
KJV,
WEB, ASV: “The thing is gone from me”
Vulgate:
“The word is departed from me.”
o Two options:
1.
…either the King forgot
his dream…
2.
…or else he remembered—but
deliberately withheld—the details, in order to conduct a test.
o In favor of the
latter interpretation:
1.
The dream was evidently impressive (v. 1); its details
“awesome” (v.31).
2.
The same term rendered “thing” (KJV ) is rendered “decree”
in v. 15.
3.
Some think the difficult word rendered “gone” (KJV) means
“assured.”
4.
A measure of Nebuchadnezzar’s shrewdness: did the
soothsayers and experts have divine authority—or not (v. 9)?
v.
5b: “you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish
heap”
o Absolute despotism! No
idle threat!
o Note the king’s
similar treatment of others (cf., Jer. 29:22)…
2
Kings 25:6-7: Then they captured the king and
brought him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and he passed sentence on him. They
slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of
Zedekiah and bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.
The
dilemma, and doom, of Babylon’s wise men (vv. 6-13).
v.
10a: "There is not a man…”
o Babylon’s wise men
were brilliant—but lacked Divine authority!
o No man could declare
these things—but a true prophet can!
o Predictive prophecy a
test of Divine authority.
Deut.
18:22:
"When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if
the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD
has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be
afraid of him.”
Isa.
41:22: Let them bring them, and tell us
what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may
consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to
come.
v.
10b: “…no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this”
o Whitcomb’s
paraphrase: “You are being unfair to organized magicians!”
o The wise men appeal
to the fact that they were pillars of the “establishment.”
o They represented an
ideology central to the entire official system—even if they were quacks
with no actual supernatural authority behind them (v. 11)!
o But King
Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t buying it (vv.
12-13)! He wanted the truth!
o Daniel and his friends were
included in the king’s decree (v. 13) because they were of the class of royal
advisors (cf., 1:19).
