THE BOOK OF DANIEL             

DON’T FOLLOW THE CROWD

Daniel 1:1-6  In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility-- young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king's palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.    

CULTURE CHANGES – GOD DOESN’T    

WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE CROWD

1. It will try to rename you. 

Daniel 1:7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.    NIV

Daniel – “God is my judge”                                                                              Belteshazzar – “Lady, protect the king”                                                                 The world wants to change the focus from God to man.

Hananiah   -  “Yahweh has been gracious”                                                                                                     Shadrach    -   “I am fearful of God”                                                                         The world wants to change the focus from God is good to God is bad.

Mishael   -    “Who is what God is”                                                                                                             Meshach   -    “I am despised, contemptible and humiliated”                             The world wants to change the focus from confidence to cowardace.

Azariah   -    “Yahweh has helped”                                                                                         Abednego   -    “Servant of Nebo”                                                                             The world wants to change our focus from son and daughter to slave.

2. It will try to tame you. 

Daniel 1:8    But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.   NIV

3. It will try to claim you. 

Daniel 1:11-14  Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.  NIV

Ten Times Better 

Daniel 1:20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.    NIV

Will I change the world or will the world change me? 

 

Will my identity come from God or from the world? 

Romans 6:3  For sin’s power over us was broken when we became Christians and were baptized to become a part of Jesus Christ.   Living Bible