Honoring God in Excellence

Dennis Tuuri

Outline: Daniel 1 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god ; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles,4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking , gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to ser ve in the king’s palace , and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink . For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”11 So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.13 “Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.19 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. 21 Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus . Questions from Daniel 1 for Young Hearers 1. What had Judah become? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 2. Like the Jews in Egypt , what happened to Daniel and His Friends? They were ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 3. What happened to the Jews when they left Egypt ? They got the ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. 4. The first ___ ___ ___ ___ commandments form a unit. 5. How old was Daniel when he was taken to Babylon ? ___ ___ 6. Who probably taught Daniel when he was in Judah ? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ and ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 7. What bible stories would you have thought of when you heard verse 2 of our text? Would you have been excited? 8. What bible story might you have thought of when you heard verse 4? 9. What sort of men would you have thought of when you heard that Daniel had no blemish? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 10. What did Daniel eat and drink instead of the King’s food and wine? ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ and ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 11. Why was Daniel so successful? Daniel 1 Honoring God In Excellence Sermon Outline for August 29, 2004 by Pastor Dennis R. Tuuri Overview of Daniel, 10 Sections Matching 10 Commandments Hebrews Intro (1) I. Daniel and Three Friends Faithful to THE God (1) No other gods Aramaic Sections (2-7) II. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, Daniel’s interpretation (2) No False Images III. Daniel’s Three Friends saved from Furnace (3) Full Witness of Yahweh IV. Neb ’s Insanity and Salvation (4 ) Enthronement, Rest in Yahweh V. Belshazzar’s Feast (5) Honor Father and Mother as True Son VI. Daniel saved from Lions (6) Don’t Murder VII. Vision of four kingdoms (7) Spiritual Adultery Hebrew Section (8-12) VIII. Vision of two kingdoms (8) Don’t Steal IX. Vision of seventy weeks (9) Faithful, not False, witness X. Vision of two Kingdoms (10-12) Horrors of Coveting Timeline for the Study of the Book of Daniel 639 BC Josiah becomes King (7/8 yrs old) 632 Josiah (15/16 yrs old) seeks Yah 627 Jeremiah prophesies 623 Daniel, Ezekiel born, Zephaniah prophesies 608 Josiah dies. Habakkuk prophesies, Babylon rising 605 Chapter 1 of Daniel , Neb. takes Daniel to Babylon . 70 yrs. begins 603 Ch. 2. Graduation of Daniel 601 Cyrus born 600 Ch. 3 598 1,038 Jews captured, taken to Babylon 597 10,000 Jews captured, taken to Babylon , including Ezekiel, Mordecai 593 Ch. 4. Neb ’s insanity leaves a power vacuum, Jeremiah wears a yoke to convocation of rebels in Jerusalem . The rebels feel empowered by Neb ’s absence from the throne, but Jeremiah is against their rebellion. 588/587 Slavery repented of by Jews, but then they take slaves back 586 Fall of Jerusalem . Jeremiah taken to Egypt . 553 Ch. 7, 8. 539 Ch. 5. Cyrus (Darius of the Medes) 538 Ch. 9. Daniel prays, 70 Weeks to start. 537 Temple to be rebuilt 535 Ch. 10-12. Temple opposition 522 Darius 520 Hag./Zach. prophecy 519 Book of Esther. Vashti event and Darius 516,5 Esther becomes Queen. Ezra goes to Jerusalem 503 Nehemiah hears of troubles of Jerusalem Chapter 1 A Judah given to Nebuchadnezzar in the 1st year of his reign (In the beginning of time…) B Daniel, 3 friends given “priestly” training for 3 years (Nebuchadnezzar is tempted..) C Food Fight: Seed vs. Fruit ( to ingest Daniel.) D Climax: Success! Healthier (The transformation of Nebuchadnezzar begins) C’ Special alpha food is continued, God grants ruling excellence B’ Exaltation of Daniel and three friends to rule A’ Conclusion: Daniel serves until first year of Persian King, 70 years Hebrew Name Hebrew Meaning Babylonian Name Babylonian Meaning Dani-El God is my Judge Belteshazzar Protect his life Hanan-Yah Yahweh is gracious Shadrach Command of Aku Misha-El Who is what God is? Meshach Who is what Aku is? Azar-Yah Yahweh has helped Abed-nego Servant of Nego Major Lessons: 1. Attaining to Excellence 2. Proper Engagement in Pagan Culture 3. Proper Fear and Submission to THE God in Visible, Respectful Actions 4. Working for Peace 5. Ingestion and Victory – Political, Vocational, Recreational 1 Ch 29:7 7 They gave for the work of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.