Daniel: Tested, Tried, and True

So, let's pray and then we'll be at our time to get in the word. Father, thank you for today. What a joy you give us to be able to read your word. And we just pray that tonight as we open your word, every one of us would be ecstatic about the things that we learn. That we'd see the hand of God moving in Daniel's life and how it is you want to move in our lives. Because you're the God who's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The God of Daniel is the God of Christ Community Church. The God that was ever-present in Daniel's life is ever-present in our life.

So, our prayer is that Lord we would learn to live to your glory and honor. In Jesus name we ask. Amen. If you have your Bible, Daniel chapter 1. We want to finish that chapter this evening. I want to read to you verse 8 on down to verse number 21. Daniel chapter 1 verse number 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. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials.

And the commander of the officials said to Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king who has appointed your food and your drink for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age. Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king. But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel and Ananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, please test your servants for ten days and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our parents be observed in your presence in the appearance of the youths who are eating the king's choice food and deal with your servants according to what you see.

So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days your appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king's choice food. So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink and kept giving them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom. Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.

The king talked with them and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Ananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king's personal service and for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

As we conclude chapter 1 this evening, I want to begin by by giving you four principles. Four principles that have governed my life for for many many years. Four principles that if you apply and understand, you will understand how it is they were evident in Daniel's life. I did not get them from Daniel's life, but they are principles that are truly evident in this man's life. Back in 1998, I preached on these four principles to our church. Because they were so prominent in my life at the time and have been for many many years.

So let me give them to you. I'm going to show you how they're evident in Daniel's life, not just in Daniel chapter 1, but in chapter 2 and chapter 3 and on onward as you go through all of the book of Daniel. Number one is this.

To be is always more important than to do. To be is always more important than to do. Or being is more important than doing. Doing deals with the tangibles. Being deals with the intangibles. Doing is centered around certificates, accomplishments, achievements, trophies, outer recognition. But being deals with the intangibles. It can't be measured in six figures. It can't be measured by the amount of awards or certificates I happen to gain. Because who I am is always more important than what I do.

I think sometimes we forget that. We measure our life in terms of the things that we accomplish. But being out distances doing every time. That's why the Bible speaks of the character of a person by referring to it as the name of that individual. For instance, Ecclesiastes 7 verse number 1. That a good name is better than a good ointment, right? Why? The ointment you put on, the perfume you put on, lasts for a very brief time. But it's here and then gone. But a good name lasts forever. That's what Psalm 112 verse number 6 says.

It says the righteous will be remembered forever. Over in Proverbs chapter 22 verse number 1, it says a good name is more desire than great riches. Proverbs 10 verse number 7 says the memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. When the Bible speaks of your name, it speaks of your character. It's like Proverbs 18 verse number 10. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe. It isn't that God's name is like a tower. It's like God's name is like a strong tower.

It's a place of refuge. So when you think of the name of Christ, the name of God, you think of El Shaddai, who's the all-powerful one. You think of El Gabor, who is the mighty God. You think of the Pantocrator, who is the almighty one. You think of one who is omniscient, omnipresent, all-powerful, all-just. That's the God of the universe. Run to that name. Run to that person. That's why the Jews call Yahweh, they don't mention his name, they call him the God of the name, right? The God of the name.

Because name refers to character. So all the attributes of God are summed up in his name. God doesn't have names plural. I know you've got books that say the names of God. Cross out the S, okay? There are no names of God. God has one name. It's Hashem, the God of the name. There are many titles to describe that name, but he has one name. And so that name refers to his character. So when the Bible refers to your name and my name, it's referring to the character of the individual. So to be is always more important than to do.

You must remember that principle. Because your name, your character, who you are, will out distance and outweigh everything or anything you ever do. Because you can measure doing in a very short period of time. But being takes a lifetime to develop. You'll notice that in the book of Revelation 21st chapter that the names of the Apostles are on the gates of heaven.

Because they will be remembered forever. So to be is more important than to do. Principle number two is this.

What happens in me is always more important than what happens to me. You need to get this. What happens in me is always more important than what happens to me. Because God is always doing something in me. He wants to refine my character. He wants to purify my life. And so that's why Charles Spurgeon said that no man is illustrious before his Lord unless his conflicts are many. It was the author Paul Powell who said that God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. Therefore his goal is not to pamper us physically, but to perfect us spiritually.

That's what God does. So we got to remember as we go through life being always outweighs doing. And what happens in me is always more important than what happens to me. You're here tonight. I don't know what's happened to you today. What's happened around you today? But what happens in you is always more important than what happens to you. That's why the Bible says these words in first Peter chapter 5 verse number 10.

After you have suffered for a little while the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. He says earlier in first Peter 4 verse number 19 these words, therefore those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right.

In other words, what happens to you is according to the will of God. You suffer according to the will of God. But yet the believer entrusts himself to a faithful creator in doing what is right. Because after you've suffered for a while God's gonna do something on the inside of you. He's gonna perfect. He's gonna strengthen. He's gonna establish you. So if you can remember as you go through life, what happens in you is always more important than what happens to you. And to be is always more important than to do.

And you're gonna see how these principles scream in Daniel's life. Number three, being faithful is always more important than being successful.

Being faithful is always more important than being successful. We like to look at life in terms of our successes, in terms of our accomplishments.

We value what we do by how far we go in life. But God measures us by how faithful we are. That's why Paul says in first Corinthians 4, it's required of a steward that he be found successful?

No, that he be found faithful. We are household managers of God's property. We are household managers of all that God's given to us. Our gifts, our talents. And so what happens then is that we need to be faithful in guarding those things. God wants us to be faithful. That's why in the end when he grants us into his presence in the book of Matthew, he says, well done thou good and successful servant? No, well done thou good and faithful servant. That's why the Bible says be steadfast and movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

You got to keep going on because you're serving the Lord your God. That's why Paul said I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, and now there is laid up in store for me a crown of righteousness, not just for me only, but for all those who love his appearing. Paul says I've been faithful to the fight. I've been faithful to the faith, and I've been faithful all the way to the finish, all the way to the end. I have not quit. I've been true to my God from the beginning to the end because he requires that we be found faithful.

We need to be true, faithful to our ministry at church, faithful to our family, faithful to our place of employment, faithful to all the gifts God's given to us, because to be faithful is always more important than being successful. So to be is always more important than to do. What happens in me is always more important than what happens to me, and being faithful is always more important than being successful. And then principle number four, knowing God is always more important than knowing anyone or anything else.

Knowing God is more important than knowing anyone or anything else. As you go through the book of Daniel, you're gonna see in Daniel chapter 11, verse number 32, where Daniel says, those who know their God will be strong and do great exploits. Those who know their God will rise up, be strong, and do great things for God. That was Daniel. He knew his God. That's why Paul said, that I may know him, Philippians 3.10, in the power of his resurrection, in the fellowship of his sufferings. Everything in life is about knowing God.

Who cares who else you know? Who cares what else you know? Do you know the true and living God? Knowing God is always more important than knowing anyone or anything else, ever. So I want to show you how those principles scream in Daniel's life. How they are evident in everything he does, everywhere he goes. This describes Daniel to a T. And if you can remember those four principles every day, and you realize that as you go through each day, these things need to reign supreme in my life, because they will govern how I view life, and how I respond to everything in life.

So important. Focusing on the right things, instead of the wrong things. So when you come to Daniel chapter 1, you realize that it's very evident what the Bible says in the book of Proverbs, that when a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Isn't that great? When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. My guess is, Daniel knew that verse. My guess is that Daniel was a master of Old Testament theology. How do I know that? I'm going to show you in a second.

But that's the way Daniel was. He knew his God. Remember, he's 15 years of age. He's very young. Which plays a prominent understanding of what happens in the text, and what God does in his life. Remember when you were 15? For some of you, it'll be more difficult for you to remember that that far back. Others of you, it was just a couple of years ago. But remember when you were 15? What did you know? Did you know God more than you knew anyone else or anything else? Did you realize that to be faithful to him was more important than being successful for him or for yourself?

Did you know that what happens in you is always more important than what happens to you? Daniel knew. Daniel was taken off into captivity. He's taken from his family with some 70 other young individuals. So what happens to him is not nearly as important than what's going to happen inside of him. What God's going to do in the man's life. Because you see, God has a plan for his life. That's why it says, and God granted Daniel favor. And then it says in verse number 17, ask these four youths. God gave them knowledge.

God gave it to them. God had a plan. He had a marvelous plan for Daniel. And it was being orchestrated perfectly. Nothing was out of sync. Everything was going right on schedule. Because Daniel knew no matter what happens to him on the outside, God was working on the inside. Because Daniel knew that to be is always more important than to do. He understood that. When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. He did not know what the Apostle Paul said, because the Apostle Paul lived way after Daniel did.

But the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 verse number 9, I make it my ambition to please the Lord. To please the Lord. That was Paul's ambition. To make sure that God was pleased. Hebrews 11 6 says what? Without faith, it's impossible to please God. What is faith? Faith is believing in what God has said. Daniel believed in what God said. That's why he wouldn't defile himself with the king's meat. He knew what Moses said in the book of Leviticus. He knew what Solomon said in the book of Proverbs, in the book of Ecclesiastes.

So he knew what was said about defiling yourself with meat that was or could be offered to idols. And he could not defile himself, so he knew what God's word said. Because without faith, it's impossible to please God. And faith is believing in what God has already said. So when a man's ways please the Lord, in other words, when a man's ways believes what God says and acts upon it, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

That's what Daniel did. He understood that. Paul would say in 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 1, 2, and 3, that this is your sanctification. This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality. Before that, he says, I want you to know how to walk and please the Lord. How do you do that? By abstaining from sexual immorality. By abstaining from any kind of impurity, any kind of defilement. So that pleases the Lord. So Daniel, when a man's ways please the Lord, when a man refuses to engage in sexual immorality, when a man decides to keep his mind and heart pure, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

See how that works? That's what Daniel did. That's his life. That's the man that we're reading about and studying. God had a great plan for this man. At this time, he's 15 years of age. And so, the Bible says, 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.

That was the key. He did not want to defile himself. One verse, one virtue leads to what? Many victories. One verse with one virtue leads to many victories. Verse 8 determines the victories in Daniel's life. In chapter 1, it's the test of his walk. In chapter 2, it's a test of his witness. Chapter 3, it's a test of his worship. There's always a test. But it's okay, because what happens in you is always more important than what happens to you. And Daniel was able to win the victory. Why? Because he purposed in his heart not to defile himself.

He made up his mind. This man was devoted. He was committed to doing what God said. And remember, he's 15. He's not 25, 35, 55, or 65. He's 15. And he purposed in his heart, this was not going to happen. What kind of parents did this man have? What kind of father and mother invested into their son to make sure that he understood the law of God? I don't know who his parents were, but boy, when I get to heaven, I'm gonna go looking for those parents. Because they did something extremely right in Daniel's life.

To prepare him to face the future. So God was going to do something great, magnificent, because you see, Daniel had no idea that God had planned specifically a future for the birth of his son, the Messiah. And God knew that this test would elevate Daniel to a place where he'd become an overseer of the magicians, or as we would say, the Magi. And Daniel would hold that office in that position for years. And Daniel would take advantage of that opportunity to do what? To teach the Magi those astrologists, those astronomers, those individuals, those stargazers about what Moses said in the book of Numbers, the 24th chapter, the 17th verse.

That a star will rise out of Jacob with a scepter in his hand. There's going to be a star that rises. That star is the Messiah. That star will have a scepter. That star will be a king. There's coming a king. There's coming a Messiah who is the king. And Daniel would use the Pentateuch. He would use the writings of Isaiah, the writings of Jeremiah. He would use the Psalms to teach the magicians about this coming Messiah. So that, 600 plus years down the road, you read in Matthew chapter 2, all these Magi coming from where?

From Persia. And what are they doing? They're riding on royal steeds. Why? Because the Magi were king makers. So when they come into Jerusalem, what do they say? Where is he who was born king of the Jews? Where did they learn that from? How do they know that? Who taught them that? Because, listen carefully, the very first converted people to the Messiah were the Magi.

Persian kings who came looking for the king of the Jews. They were Gentiles. They came and embraced Israel's king while Israel would reject their king. And where did these Gentile kings, pagan people, learn about the Messiah? Because 600 plus years earlier, there was a man who was taken captive at 15 years of age who became the overseer of the Magi and taught them about a star that would come who would be the Messiah, the king of Israel. He was so committed to teaching them that as they learned, they would pass it down to their children and to their children's children and to their children's children's children.

So that when it came time for the Messiah to be born, what did they do? They followed the star. We saw a star in the east. Well, what star are you talking about? The star that Moses spoke about in Numbers 24 17. See, they knew that and the Jews didn't even know that. Why? Because there was one boy, one 15 year old boy, who was so committed to the Word of God that he could articulate the truth of the gospel about the coming Messiah and teach it to these Magi that they might understand the reality of the gospel.

So when they came to the house where Jesus was, they bowed down before him and what did they do? They worshipped the king. The kingmakers worshipped the one true king, the king of Israel, because he was their king. The king that Israel rejected is the same king that these Persian kings accepted and believed. And God says, I'm gonna bring one 15 year old boy along with 70 others.

I'm gonna put him in captivity because what happens in him is always more important than what happens to him. Because knowing God is more important than knowing anything or anyone else. He knows me and he will realize that what happens in him is gonna pave the way for him to be able to speak forth the truth even all the more and that's what he does. What a great testimony to the faithfulness of God. And by the way, Daniel knew that being faithful to what God had called him to do was more important than being successful.

He never asked to rise to power. He never asked for prominence in the kingdom. He never asked to serve in the king's court. Didn't ask for that. Wasn't even looking for that. He's 15. He's taken captive. He's just wondering what's happening to his homeland, what's happened to his family, his parents. He's not looking for any prominent seat. He just wants to serve the true and living God. What a powerful, powerful testimony. Having said that, let me explain to you four principles.

Four more principles. First four don't count. That was this introduction. That was just icing on the cake, okay? These are four principles that go with us in the text. Number one, Daniel's decision.

Number two, Daniel's determination. Number three, Daniel's dependency and Daniel's dedication. Four points that help you understand this young man. Daniel's decision, okay, it was rooted internally. The decision that he made was rooted internally. Remember, I told you last week, every decision you make today affects tomorrow, right? Make a bad decision today, it's gonna give you a bad day tomorrow. Make a good decision today, you have a good day tomorrow. Okay, so make good decisions. Make wise choices.

Daniel made wise choices. He wasn't going to defile himself with the king's food. He did it humbly. He did it honorably. He had a broken and contrite heart. He didn't pay lip service to the truth. The Bible, in Matthew 15, according to the Old Testament, to Israel, they worshiped God or spoke of God only externally with their lips, but their hearts were far from him. Not so with Daniel. He had purpose in his heart. He had finalized everything in his heart. He would not defile himself. That was his decision.

And it was rooted internally, in the inner part of the man. The center of his learning, guard your heart for out of a flow all the issues of life. He wasn't into popularity. He wasn't into prominence. He was just into one thing, fearing God only. That's why he could make the decision. He didn't fear Nebuchadnezzar. Oh, Ashpenaz, he did. He didn't want to lose his head. He feared Nebuchadnezzar because he knew how evil Nebuchadnezzar could be. And believe me, next week in chapter 2, we're gonna see how how tyrannical he is, how easily he blows the stack.

Well, Ashpenaz knew that, but guess what? Daniel didn't care. Why? Because he knew what King Solomon said in the book of Ecclesiastes. Fear God, keep his commandments. That is all there is to life. That's it. Fear God, keep his commandments. So Daniel, because he feared only God, and didn't fear Nebuchadnezzar, he can make a wise choice. He can make the right choice. He didn't care what Nebuchadnezzar thought of him. He didn't know if he would live or die. That was irrelevant to him. He feared God and kept his commandments.

He knew what Solomon said in the book of Proverbs, chapter 23. You live in the fear of the Lord all day long, right? He knew what Isaiah said, that the Lord God shall be your fear. He shall be your dread. So he knew what Isaiah said. He knew what Solomon said. Why? Because knowing God was more important than knowing someone or anyone or anything else. He knew his God. So he could make a decision that was rooted internally because he wanted to honor his God and please his God. Number two, Daniel's determination.

Daniel's decision was rooted internally. Are you ready for this? Daniel's determination was riveted scripturally. He was fastened. He was fixed on one thing. The law of God. Everything. That is his dedication. He was dedicated to the scriptures. So he could make a wise and true choice. As Paul would say in Ephesians 6, 6, he did the will of God from the heart. He let the word of Christ dwell in him richly. And in other words, God's word was a home in Daniel's heart. And so he was riveted to the scriptures.

He was so fixed and fastened to what God said. He could live by faith. He could please God because without faith, it's impossible to please him. So he lived that way. He could make wise and honest choices. But Ashkenaz, he didn't know God. So he couldn't fear God. So who did he fear? Nebuchadnezzar. And so he says, I hear what you're saying. I know you want to change your diet. But dude, if I do that and something happens to you, guess what? I'm gonna lose my head. I'm a dead man. I'm not sure I want to go that far.

I don't want to take that chance. It's too risky for me to do that. So I'm not gonna do that. Now remember, because Daniel understands what happens in him is more important than what happens to him. Just because he got to know the first time, because he's a man who fears God and believes God, he is faithful to pursue the right track.

So he goes to his overseer. He goes to the one who was over him that Ashkenaz had put in in charge. They were called deputies. And so because Daniel was a man who feared God, he was a man of persistence. He was a man of the dedication because he knew what God wanted. He knew what God said. He knew what God's Word meant to him. And so God was so clear about eating the king's meat, eating food that was offered to idols that it would defile himself. He knew that. He knew what the Bible says about strong drink and the king's wine.

He knew that so because he was so riveted to the Scriptures, to the truth of God's Word, he could make a wise choice. Because his choice was not based on his opinion. His choice wasn't based on his own feelings and emotions. It was based on an objective truth outside of himself so that when he could make the decision, he wasn't emotionally tied to the decision, but he was intellectually and spiritually committed to the decision. Because it was all rooted in the Holy Word of God. And remember, he's 15.

Just a kid. He's my Avery's age. Think about that. You know who Avery is? She's my daughter. That's how old Daniel was. He was 15 years of age. But the Bible says God granted Daniel favor.

Wow. You know, God does that, doesn't he? He grants man favor with his enemies. Daniel was respected. Because Daniel wasn't like everybody else. Daniel stood on principle. He was a man of conviction. The other young men, they weren't. So truly, he was admired by Ashpen as because there was something about this guy that nobody else possessed. There was something about this man's character that no one else had. That would cause Ashpen to respect him, to honor him, to realize this guy is different. He's unique.

He doesn't want to defile himself. The other guys, I guess they don't care about whether or not they're defiled. But this guy, he cares. So he's going to make a decision based on that. And that's what he does. And so Daniel's decision, it was rooted internally. His determination was riveted scripturally. Number three, Daniel's dependency would be revealed completely.

In other words, Daniel lived in dependence upon God. He knew he couldn't convince Ashpen as, so he went to the deputy, the overseer, and went to him and talked to him. He pursued every route he could because he did not want to defile himself with the king's meat. He wanted to live a pure and holy life. And so the Bible was very clear. It says when Ashpen says, I'm afraid of my Lord, the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age?

Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king. But Daniel said to the overseer, this is the deputy, this is not Ashpen as, whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, please test your servants for ten days and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Look, I'm just asking for ten days. I'm not asking for ten years. I'm not asking for ten months. I'm asking for ten days. Remember, they're gonna be trained for three years according to the earlier verses in chapter one.

Three years are gonna be trained. He's asking for ten days. That's it. That means he is living dependent upon God because what difference does ten days make with your diet, right? Can you really see a difference in ten days? I don't know. But God would have to do something unique and special and then he says I'm gonna let you be the judge. You be the judge, not me. Not anybody else. You Lord, I mean you overseer, you Mr. Deputy, you be the judge based on what you see. Whatever you see will determine what we do.

He just gave everything over to him because he's living totally dependent upon the Lord. That's how it's revealed completely. This man lived in dependency upon God to accomplish everything in his life. Now note, now note, Daniel had a belief in a conviction, but he never wrote it on a sign, held it up, and marched around the streets of Babylon. He could have done that, but he didn't, right? He didn't burn down any houses, didn't set any fires, okay, didn't rally the troops to to to to march around the city of Babylon about what we're gonna eat and not eat.

He very consistently, completely, with much courtesy, went to his overseer and appealed to him. Please, sir, give us this opportunity. I cannot defy on myself. Would you give me this opportunity to show you what my God can do? And God granted him that opportunity through the overseer. The overseer would relent, or not relent, but he would give in and say, yes, I'm gonna do that, and the judgment's gonna rest with me, and therefore I'm gonna wait for what God is going to do. Wow. In order to do that, he had to live in total dependence upon God.

Because what he was going to eat, he had no idea how he would change, but they changed. They were fatter than the other ones. They were healthier than the other ones. By eating vegetables versus the king's meat and the king's wine. God had to do something unique in Daniel's life. Daniel knew that. He lived in dependence upon God, trusting in God to do what he says. And so, when you come down to verse number 15, it says, or verse number 14, So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.

At the end of ten days, their appearance seemed better. They were fatter than all the youth who had been eating the king's choice food. So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food, and the wine they drank, and kept giving them vegetables for how long? Three years. Three years. This is what they ate. And at the end, when Nebuchadnezzar examines them, he sees them as unique and special. So, you go to point number four, and that's this. Daniel's dedication was rewarded wonderfully. Daniel's dedication was rewarded wonderfully.

Look what the Bible says in verse number 17. As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom. Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. Wow. God gave them knowledge. God gave them intelligence. God gave it to them. Do you think you're smart because you're smart? Do you think you're intelligent because you have more intelligence than somebody else? No, God just gives you that. It's a gift from God. My wife is a lot smarter than I am.

That's because she's been gifted by God in that area, and I haven't been. Simple as that. It doesn't mean that I don't apply myself. I don't study. I don't do what I'm supposed to do. And Daniel knew that. But God had granted them wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and intelligence. At the end of the days, which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander, the officials, presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and out of them all, not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

So they entered the king's personal service. Now note this. For three years, they were trained in the literature, the knowledge, and wisdom of the Babylonian culture. For three years, from 15 to 18, he was indoctrinated with sorcery, with all kinds of divination, all kinds of literature, all kinds of testimony, all kinds of history. They wanted to change everything. That's why they changed their names. They changed their names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and Belshazzar, because they wanted to worship another God.

So they indoctrinated these boys. But when it's all said and done, listen, what happened to them on the outside did not change what was on the inside. Now think about that. What did Daniel have to know, or believe, or Hananiah, and Mishael, and Azariah, what did they believe in so much that they could not, amidst all that indoctrination, not change their belief structure? Think about it today. I'm sure you've heard the testimony of the people that presented the books that students have to read in school in Loudoun County in Virginia, in Fairfax High School in Virginia.

And they've read these books, and they've read them to the board about how sexually explicit these books are that these students have to read. And they're against it, the parents are against it. And with all the critical race theory being taught in schools, along with all the woke ideologies, and all the LGBTQ stuff, being indoctrinated in your children. Parents, you better know what your children are reading, and you better know what they're studying. Because they want to indoctrinate your children and move them in a different direction, just like the Babylonians did with Daniel, Azariah, Hananiah, and Mishael.

But they didn't budge. And they had no parents to go home to and say, hey, dad, what do you think about this? Hey, mom, what about this? What do I do here? Hey, mom, dad, would you pray for me? No parents, no pastor, no coach, no teacher. They're 15. And they have to go back, they have to study the scriptures, they have to pray to keep themselves pure and holy, and not let all the outside influences affect what happens on the inside, but be strong and determined to follow their God. What great young men.

How would your children fare in that environment? How would your children, what would your children do at the end of the day? Where would they go? See? And these young men, they stayed true. God gave them insight, God gave them influence, God gave them intelligence, and God gave them impact. God gave it all to them. And they made a significant impact. They had a significant influence in Nebuchadnezzar's life, in the life of those in the Babylonian court, with the magicians. They rose to a high place, not because that's what they wanted, but because that's what God wanted.

So incredibly important. And the other 60 plus, 66 of them, what happened to them at the end of three years? Where did they go? Who cares? Because nobody cares. Because they're not written down anywhere. We just know about these four Hebrew boys, who were completely committed to their God. And maybe the other ones fell prey to the Babylonian culture, the Babylonian influence. They couldn't stand, because they weren't riveted to the scriptures. They weren't committed to their hearts to the Lord, to serve him with all their hearts.

But these four, they were. And God had a plan. Look what it says. It says, As for every matter of the wisdom, and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them 10 times better. 10 times more equipped. 10 times more wise. 10 times more intelligent. Why? Because he had taken everything that he had learned in the Babylonian culture, and he put it through the grid of the Old Testament scriptures. And so they had wisdom, because they were rooted in truth. And they could take everything that was taught them from a pagan culture, and make sure it all ran through the scriptures.

Don't you wish your kids could do that? Don't you wish young people today could do that? Well, Daniel, Azariah, Hananiah, Mishael. Evidently they had parents that were deeply committed to God. That they would teach them the truth. They believed that truth. So when they were thrust off into captivity, all by themselves, nothing changed. Deeply committed. Deeply consecrated. Deeply surrendered. To the Lord God of Israel. So it says, They were 10 times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.

And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king. Here's the point. But Daniel, in verse number eight, made up his mind. What? Not to defile himself. Verse 21, and Daniel continued. Continued what? Not to defile himself. For 70 years. He purposed in his heart, in his mind, not to defile himself. From 15 all the way to, what? 85? Until the year of Cyrus. According to the book of Ezra, it was Cyrus who gave the decree for Israel to go back under the direction of Nehemiah and build the walls around the city of Jerusalem.

Because the time had come. 70 years of captivity was over. Daniel knew that. And Daniel was able to see the fulfillment of prophecy in his own time. He was able to stand strong for 70 years. I mean, we got people today who can't stand strong for 70 seconds. 70 minutes. Let alone 70 years. But Daniel continued until the time where Cyrus the king. He outlived Nebuchadnezzar. He outlived Darius. He outlived Nebidonius. He outlived everybody. And all throughout those years, nothing about him changed.

Why? Because he knew that being faithful to his God was more important than being successful. He knew that what happened to him was not nearly as important as what happened in him. He knew. He knew that knowing God was more important than knowing anyone or anything else. That's how he lived his life. Because to be is always more important than to do. That is Daniel. That's how he lived. May God give us the grace and the strength to stand strong on our convictions and never waver. To purpose in our heart not to be defiled by violating anything scripture says.

But you got to know what it says, right? You got to know what God's word says. So you got to be a man, a woman of the book. Keeping your finger in the text, always studying the scriptures, knowing exactly what God has said, so that you can stand strong without wavering. That was Daniel. I think Daniel knew. I think Daniel knew. Psalm 37 which says these words. Trust in the Lord. Do good. Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness or feed on God's faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord. He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in Him. He will also do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord. Wait patiently for Him. Do not fret because of Him who prospers in His way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger. Forsake wrath. Do not fret. It leads only to evil doings. Relax. Mellow out. Take it easy. Trust in the Lord. Verse 23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord. Daniel's steps were established by the Lord.

He didn't choose to go to Babylon. He was taken captive, but those steps were ordered by the Lord. He didn't choose to rise to promise in the king's service. His steps were ordered by the Lord. That's it. God took him there and he followed his Lord. It says the steps of a man are established by the Lord and he that is God delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong because the Lord is the one who holds his hand. Isn't that great? You're not going to fall because the Lord holds your hand.

So the psalmist says, I have been young and now I am old yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread. It says in verse number 31, listen to this. The law of his God is in his heart. His steps do not slip. That's Daniel. The law of the Lord is in his heart. His steps do not slip. You want to be strong? You want to make sure you're holding the hand of God and he's holding your hand? You delight yourself in the law of God. The law of God is on your heart. It dwells in you richly.

When it does, you're not going to slip. David didn't slip. He continued for 70 years doing the same thing. That's your example. That's the person you need to follow. That's the person you need to know and understand and get a hold of because this man loved his God. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for today. The challenge you give us in the word. It's amazing. What you did in this 15 year old boy's life. Now he's 18. He serves as overseer of the magicians in the king's court at 18. There are many magicians in Babylon who are a lot older than he was.

And as we will see in days and weeks to come, they were not pleased that Daniel was in charge. But Daniel didn't ask for that. You put him there. You had a plan. Just like you put everybody tonight here because you have a plan and you're working it out as you see fit. For that we are grateful. Lord, may we take your word, hide it in our hearts, so that the law of the Lord is written on our hearts, so our steps do not fail. That's the way Daniel was. He sets the example. May we follow. In Jesus name.

Amen.