WEBVTT

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 With that, we're going to jump right in. We are starting our series in the book of Daniel this morning.

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 And the book of Daniel tells the story of a man named Daniel who lived as an exile in Babylon.

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 So he's a faithful Israelite, but he's living in a foreign land.

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 And this book takes place near the very end of the 7th century BC and then during the majority of the 6th century BC.

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 And it's going to teach us many things, but there's going to be two primary themes that I want you guys to see.

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 As we come to this book, it is going to both remind us and it's going to instruct us.

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 It's going to remind us that no matter how bad circumstances may seem around us, God is in control.

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 God rules and reigns over the nations.

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 It's not just going to remind us, however, it's also going to instruct us.

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 It's going to give us Daniel as a model and instruct us how we live faithful lives in a foreign land.

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 In other words, how do we live faithfully as God's people surrounded by a culture and a world and a nation that does not honor God?

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 And so it's with that that we are going to begin with Daniel chapter 1.

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 I should also mention that Daniel provides its own summary of the book in chapter 11, verse 32.

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 And it tells us the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

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 And it's our hope and our prayer that as we go through the book of Daniel, we would grow in knowing our God and we would also be able to stand firm and take action.

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 We're also continuing what I've been working on since 2018, which is establishing for us a strong theology of suffering.

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 We started that in the book of Ruth in the summer of 2018 in July.

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 And then you'll remember in fall of 2019, we went through the book of 1 Peter, finishing that in the spring of 2020.

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 That also had a heavy focus on suffering.

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 And now we're in the book of Daniel.

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 It's going to complement those themes.

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 And so we're going to jump into Daniel chapter 1.

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 I invite you to open up your Bible with me.

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 Of course, you can also find it maybe on your phone or on the Internet.

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 And we're going to be asking this question.

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 Where is God in the midst of suffering?

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 Where is God when it feels like the world is pressing in on us from every side?

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 And there's a complementary question to that.

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 For many of you, it might be a little bit more exciting than that first one.

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 And it's this.

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 When do we disobey the government?

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 And if we disobey the government, how do we do it?

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 When do we disobey the government?

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 How do we do it?

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 And so it's with that, we're going to jump right in.

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 I invite you again to turn with me.

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 No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's word.

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 And God tells us that his word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

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 Which means that he has not left us to stumble alone in the dark.

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 But instead, he's given us his word to show us the way to go.

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 And so it's with that that we read now.

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 Starting in Daniel chapter 1, verse 1.

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 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,

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 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

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 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand

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 with some of the vessels of the house of God.

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 And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his God,

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 and placed the vessels in the treasury of his God.

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 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch,

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 to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,

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 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom,

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 endowed with knowledge, understanding, learning,

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 and competent to stand in the king's palace,

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 and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

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 Verse 5.

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 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate,

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 and of the wine that he drank.

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 They were to be educated for three years,

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 and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

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 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah,

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 Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.

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 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names.

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 Daniel he called Belteshazzar,

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 Hananiah he called Shadrach,

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 Mishael he called Meshach,

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 and Azariah he called Abednego.

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 Verse 6.

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 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food

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 or with the wine that he drank.

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 Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.

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 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.

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 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel,

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 I fear my lord the king who assigned your food and your drink.

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 For why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who were of your own age?

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 So you would endanger my head with the king.

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 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel,

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 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

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 Test your servants for ten days.

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 Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

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 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you

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 and deal with your servants according to what you see.

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 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.

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 Verse 15.

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 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh

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 than all the youths who ate the king's food.

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 So the steward took away their food and wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables.

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 Verse 17.

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 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom,

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 and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

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 At the end of the time when the king had commanded that they should be brought in,

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 the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

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 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel,

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 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

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 Therefore they stood before the king.

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 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them,

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 he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

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 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

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 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word.

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 Our Father in heaven, we thank you again for your word that can go forward,

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 whether there's snow or there's sun.

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 And we thank you that you've allowed us to gather together virtually this morning

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 to look at Daniel chapter 1.

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 We ask that you would help us.

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 You'd help us if we experienced technical glitches.

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 You'd give us patience.

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 Father, we ask that you would help our minds,

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 that we'd be able to pay attention with all the distractions around us.

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 And most of all, that you would speak clearly through your word to us,

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 that we would be able to see Jesus Christ.

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 And we ask these things,

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 knowing that we haven't earned them,

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 but instead we ask them in his name.

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 Amen.

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 For those of you who are kids,

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 or maybe those of you who have been kids at some point in time,

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 I want you to imagine with me for a second

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 that your parents have given you clear instructions

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 about what you should and should not do.

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 And not only have they given you these clear instructions,

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 they've also outlined for you

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 what's going to happen if you disobey.

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 They've told you in advance

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 what the punishments are going to be.

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 And so you have a lot of clarity.

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 You can choose one way or the other.

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 This is similar to the way God often works with his people,

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 especially in the Old Testament.

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 He gives them blessings and cursings

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 based on whether they obey or disobey.

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 And this is what we find ourselves in the middle of

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 in Daniel chapter 1.

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 The prophet Jeremiah has been prophesying

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 for some time to Israel,

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 warning them about their sins.

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 He's been telling them about the fact

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 that they've been worshiping other gods.

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 In fact, it's gotten so bad in Israel

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 that they're in some places practicing child sacrifice

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 in the same way that the pagans are.

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 They're breaking God's Ten Commandments,

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 not just one or two of them, but many of them.

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 And so Jeremiah predicts what's going to happen.

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 He predicts the fall of Jerusalem.

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 And so we see at the beginning of this book

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 the fulfillment of what God has been telling his people

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 through his prophets for years.

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 We're told, verse 1,

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 this is the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim.

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 Jehoiakim's one of the kings

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 that Jeremiah has been coming and prophesying to.

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 In fact, in Jeremiah chapter 25,

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 in Jeremiah chapter 29,

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 he tells them that there is going to be this exile,

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 that they're going to be taken by Babylon.

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 And so that's what we see here in this passage.

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 Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon,

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 comes as God's agent in some ways

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 and does what God has promised for years.

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 We're seeing the very beginning of the exile

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 of God's people from Israel to Babylon.

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 And this is an exile that happens in multiple stages,

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 so it doesn't happen all at once.

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 If you're someone who does dates,

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 you probably remember the exile is beginning in 586.

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 What we're looking at here is actually 605 BC.

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 So a number of years before the exile is finalized,

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 we see the very first step.

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 And the very first step is this,

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 and it's devastating.

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 Nebuchadnezzar comes and he takes a variety of things.

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 We see verses 1 and 2,

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 he takes Jerusalem, the city.

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 Verse 2, he takes an affront to God himself

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 by taking away the vessels of the house of God.

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 This is a way of showing his God's dominance over Yahweh.

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 And then in verses 3 and 4,

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 we see, and this sets us up really for the rest of this book,

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 especially chapters 1 through 6,

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 that he takes Israel's best and their brightest.

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 He takes the royal family,

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 the end of verse 3,

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 and the nobility used without blemish.

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 So these are the cream of the crop here.

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 They look good, they're handsome,

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 and they're really smart.

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 There's skill in all wisdom,

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 endowed with knowledge, understanding,

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 learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace.

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 He does sort of a brain drain here on Jerusalem.

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 He steals their smartest and their best

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 to be trained, not as Israelites,

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 but to become good Babylonians.

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 And so kids, I want you to do another thought experiment with me.

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 Not that you have disobeyed your parents this time,

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 but in fact that you're a faithful son or a faithful daughter.

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 You've done the best you can,

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 but suddenly you're taken away.

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 You no longer live with your parents.

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 You've been put in a boarding school,

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 which is a place where you live and eat and sleep

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 at your school, not your home.

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 And in addition to that,

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 not only are you at a boarding school,

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 you're at a boarding school in a different country.

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 So you've been taken from the United States.

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 Maybe you're in a boarding school in France or Germany.

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 It's a place where they speak a language that you don't speak.

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 And so there's a variety of ways

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 in which you are a fish out of water here.

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 That's what's happening for Daniel and his friends.

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 And I mentioned you kids

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 because Daniel at this time is a youth.

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 We're told the very beginning of verse four,

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 these are youths without blemish.

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 Many people think that they were young teenagers at this point.

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 So we're talking maybe someone who's in eighth or ninth or 10th grade

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 being taken away,

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 separated from their support structures

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 and put into an entirely different education system.

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 And it's with that that the king of Babylon

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 begins his indoctrination plan for them.

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 He has a multifaceted plan here.

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 First of all, verse four, he's going to teach them

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 the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

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 Now, this would have not been innocent.

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 This would have included him teaching about the gods of Babylon.

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 He would have been teaching them potentially about divination and astrology.

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 And so they're going to be educated,

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 not in the way of the Israelites,

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 but the way of the Babylonians,

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 not in the way of their God,

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 but in the way of pagan gods.

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 He doesn't leave it just at education, though.

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 He's going to allure them with the good life.

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 Verse five, they're going to have wonderful food.

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 They're going to have this daily portion

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 of the meat and wine that the king eats.

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 They are going to eat well.

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 They are going to have the good things in life.

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 They are going to see how wonderful it's going to be

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 to be a part of Babylon.

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 This education program, verse five,

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 again, it's going to last for three years.

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 It's going to be long enough to change them

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 and indoctrinate them.

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 And then we see something equally insidious in verse seven.

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 He's going to change their names.

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 Now, of course, we know how important

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 and fundamental our names are to our identity,

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 how we think about ourselves as people.

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 And what's going on here is not just a name change,

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 but a fundamental identity change.

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 The names that these youths have when they show up,

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 their Hebrew names,

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 are all names that say something about God,

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 about Yahweh and their trust in him.

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 Now, we don't know the meanings of all the new names,

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 but the ones that we do point not to Yahweh,

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 but they point to the gods of the Babylonians.

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 And so they are being given here pagan names,

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 names that point not to trust in the God of Israel,

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 but trust in the God of Babylon.

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 And so the point is this,

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 their attempt by Nebuchadnezzar here to brainwash them.

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 He wants them to forget Israel.

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 He wants them to forget the land they've come from.

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 He wants to give them this new identity.

00:12:49.860 --> 00:12:53.200
 He wants to make them into wonderful, good Babylonians,

00:12:53.300 --> 00:12:55.580
 people who value what they value,

00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:57.680
 people who no longer love and value

00:12:57.680 --> 00:13:00.220
 what the God of Israel loves and values.

00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:03.460
 It is a full frontal assault here

00:13:03.460 --> 00:13:05.960
 on these youths from Israel.

00:13:07.020 --> 00:13:08.740
 And so it's at this that we see

00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:11.100
 part of the reason we're studying this book,

00:13:11.180 --> 00:13:13.360
 which is it's not that foreign from us today.

00:13:13.540 --> 00:13:15.200
 We also live in a culture

00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:18.879
 that looks to shape and educate and transform us.

00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:21.340
 We have a culture that looks to see our identity

00:13:21.340 --> 00:13:25.379
 as something other than people who love and worship God.

00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:27.320
 It wants to take us,

00:13:27.820 --> 00:13:29.840
 our hearts captive with a good life.

00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.200
 While we may not all be young people

00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:35.159
 who are transferring countries and schools,

00:13:35.299 --> 00:13:37.039
 we are people who live in a place

00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:39.840
 where we feel the pressure of the world around us

00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:41.519
 to conform us to its ways,

00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:42.480
 its ways of thinking,

00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:43.460
 its narratives,

00:13:43.580 --> 00:13:45.600
 what it loves and what it values.

00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:47.039
 We see this in a variety of ways.

00:13:47.179 --> 00:13:49.799
 We see this in the way the culture speaks to us

00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:51.639
 from shows and media.

00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:55.799
 Last week, I used the illustration of The Queen's Gambit,

00:13:56.139 --> 00:13:57.279
 which is a Netflix show.

00:13:57.379 --> 00:13:59.100
 So obviously, I think there are good things on Netflix.

00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:01.460
 There are also things on Netflix

00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:03.379
 that are an absolute abomination.

00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:05.199
 There are things that celebrate

00:14:05.199 --> 00:14:08.179
 and delight in what God hates and despises.

00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:11.179
 There are things that are meant to take our hearts

00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:13.500
 and cause them to value

00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:16.600
 and to love what God warns us about.

00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:19.480
 There's all sorts of stories being told

00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:21.180
 that tell us things that are different

00:14:21.180 --> 00:14:22.639
 than the story God wants to tell us.

00:14:22.700 --> 00:14:24.000
 There are all sorts of values

00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:25.040
 that we're supposed to adopt

00:14:25.040 --> 00:14:26.580
 that are different than the values

00:14:26.580 --> 00:14:27.820
 that God wants us to adopt.

00:14:27.940 --> 00:14:29.420
 And so while we may not be taught

00:14:29.420 --> 00:14:31.379
 the language and literature of the Chaldeans,

00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:33.300
 we are constantly being taught

00:14:33.300 --> 00:14:34.560
 the language and the literature

00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:36.340
 of Western secularism.

00:14:36.940 --> 00:14:38.600
 We, like Daniel and his friends,

00:14:38.680 --> 00:14:39.420
 are under pressure.

00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:41.860
 And we don't just see this in our movies,

00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:42.460
 in our media.

00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:45.120
 We also have it in our education system as well.

00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:46.360
 We have, on the one hand,

00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:48.220
 some schools that hold up

00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:50.379
 a high value of morality and ethics.

00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:52.080
 And yet that's all it is.

00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:53.899
 It ends up being this dead morality.

00:14:54.539 --> 00:14:55.980
 It's moralism where we're meant

00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:58.539
 to be good people for the sake of ourselves.

00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:00.600
 And then there's schools, on the other hand,

00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:02.659
 that teach something equally dangerous.

00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:04.340
 Maybe they teach us to value

00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:06.700
 scientism above everything else.

00:15:06.820 --> 00:15:09.560
 They want us to forget the fact

00:15:09.560 --> 00:15:11.360
 that even that has certain types

00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.240
 of faith commitments.

00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:15.379
 Even that involves

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:17.519
 unexamined assumptions

00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:19.180
 and operating principles.

00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:22.080
 And so we feel the conflict

00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:23.539
 just as Daniel feels the conflict.

00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.960
 We also live in this kind of pressured world.

00:15:27.779 --> 00:15:29.039
 And so just like Daniel,

00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:31.159
 we're also going to come in

00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:32.340
 to places of conflict.

00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:34.659
 If we are living in a world

00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:35.620
 where there's tension,

00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:37.820
 there's ultimately going to be

00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:39.399
 conflict and opposition.

00:15:39.680 --> 00:15:40.960
 And so that's what we see next

00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:41.540
 in this story.

00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:43.540
 We've been set up in verses 1 through 7

00:15:43.540 --> 00:15:45.700
 for the problems of this world

00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:47.019
 that Daniel finds himself in.

00:15:47.060 --> 00:15:48.960
 And now he gets into direct conflict

00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.800
 with what he's being asked to do.

00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:51.540
 Verse 8,

00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:53.540
 Daniel resolved that he would not

00:15:53.540 --> 00:15:55.700
 defile himself with the king's food

00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:57.759
 or with the wine that he drank.

00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:01.220
 And so in the midst of this pagan world,

00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:02.980
 Daniel wants to retain

00:16:02.980 --> 00:16:04.360
 his distinctive faith,

00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.500
 his identity.

00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:08.220
 And we're not told in this passage

00:16:08.220 --> 00:16:09.659
 exactly why it is

00:16:09.659 --> 00:16:11.279
 that this meat and this wine

00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:12.039
 would defile him.

00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:13.279
 That's not spelled out for us.

00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:14.639
 And so it's actually become

00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:15.740
 a matter of great debate

00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:18.460
 what exactly is objectionable about this.

00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:20.220
 There are probably two general camps.

00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:21.200
 I won't drag us down

00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.100
 into a bunny trail here,

00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:23.259
 but I'll give you a broad overview.

00:16:23.899 --> 00:16:24.960
 Some people are convinced

00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.139
 that Daniel's being asked

00:16:26.139 --> 00:16:26.779
 to do something

00:16:26.779 --> 00:16:28.120
 that would break the law of God,

00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:29.980
 whether it's violating kosher laws,

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.460
 whether this food

00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:32.639
 has been sacrificed to idols.

00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.980
 There's something about it

00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:35.899
 that would cause him to sin.

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:37.059
 So that's one camp.

00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:39.059
 There's another camp that argues,

00:16:39.179 --> 00:16:40.480
 no, there's not anything sinful

00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.879
 about this meat and this wine,

00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.779
 but we see that it's associated

00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:45.379
 so closely with the king

00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:46.759
 that Daniel wants to make

00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:48.139
 a statement to himself

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:50.220
 that he relies on God.

00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.600
 He doesn't rely on Nebuchadnezzar.

00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:54.139
 Between those two,

00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:55.259
 I'll just simply say,

00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:57.200
 I lean to believing that Daniel

00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:58.600
 here is being asked

00:16:58.600 --> 00:16:59.939
 to violate the law of God.

00:16:59.980 --> 00:17:01.240
 And I believe that for two reasons.

00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:03.680
 First, in verse eight,

00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:06.000
 we see the word defile twice.

00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:07.120
 Remember that repetition

00:17:07.120 --> 00:17:08.599
 is very important in the Bible

00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:11.000
 and defile here is a strong word.

00:17:11.140 --> 00:17:12.759
 It's hard for me to believe

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:15.140
 that Daniel would believe

00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:16.480
 he's defiling himself

00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:17.299
 unless it was something

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:18.180
 that was very sinful.

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.500
 So that's one reason I believe

00:17:19.500 --> 00:17:21.059
 that's the way this passage is leaning.

00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:23.220
 The second reason I believe it is this,

00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:25.099
 Daniel's taking an incredible risk.

00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:26.859
 Many people believe

00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:28.380
 Daniel's risking his life

00:17:28.380 --> 00:17:29.180
 by doing this.

00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:31.299
 And so it would seem a strange thing

00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:32.380
 for him to pick this

00:17:32.380 --> 00:17:33.220
 of all the things

00:17:33.220 --> 00:17:34.980
 to risk his life over

00:17:34.980 --> 00:17:35.860
 unless he believed

00:17:35.860 --> 00:17:37.100
 he had to do this

00:17:37.100 --> 00:17:38.740
 to honor God.

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.320
 And so it's with that

00:17:41.320 --> 00:17:42.480
 we're going to head into this tension.

00:17:42.620 --> 00:17:43.620
 Daniel's being asked

00:17:43.620 --> 00:17:44.680
 to do something

00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:46.299
 that would violate his conscience

00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:47.920
 and he puts together

00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:49.039
 a strategy.

00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:49.980
 First of all,

00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:51.400
 he goes to the chief of the eunuchs.

00:17:51.460 --> 00:17:52.539
 Remember we met this man

00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:53.220
 in verse three.

00:17:53.320 --> 00:17:54.420
 His name is Ashpenaz.

00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:55.840
 And he goes to him first

00:17:55.840 --> 00:17:57.620
 asking if he can avoid

00:17:57.620 --> 00:17:58.560
 this food.

00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:00.460
 Now we find out

00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:01.100
 verse nine

00:18:01.100 --> 00:18:02.420
 that God has given Daniel

00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:03.740
 favor in the eyes

00:18:03.740 --> 00:18:04.320
 of this man.

00:18:05.300 --> 00:18:06.360
 But even that

00:18:06.360 --> 00:18:07.100
 is not enough.

00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:07.740
 Verse 10,

00:18:08.300 --> 00:18:09.120
 the chief of the eunuchs

00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:09.900
 says to Daniel,

00:18:10.180 --> 00:18:11.900
 I fear the Lord my king.

00:18:12.860 --> 00:18:14.680
 I fear Nebuchadnezzar.

00:18:14.800 --> 00:18:15.880
 I don't want

00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:17.160
 anything bad

00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:17.920
 to happen to me.

00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:18.759
 And it could be dangerous,

00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:19.039
 right?

00:18:19.120 --> 00:18:19.480
 Verse 10,

00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:20.120
 why should he see

00:18:20.120 --> 00:18:21.460
 that you are in worse condition?

00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:23.059
 So you would endanger

00:18:23.059 --> 00:18:24.600
 my head with the king.

00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:25.440
 In other words,

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.759
 I could get killed

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:28.559
 if I do what you ask.

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.860
 Which underscores also

00:18:29.860 --> 00:18:30.680
 the threat for Daniel.

00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.000
 Of course,

00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:32.539
 we think he could get killed

00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:33.860
 as well for asking this.

00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:35.840
 If the king finds out

00:18:35.840 --> 00:18:36.460
 that he's not willing

00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:37.440
 to eat his food.

00:18:37.500 --> 00:18:38.779
 So the stakes are very high.

00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:40.700
 Daniel doesn't have success

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.039
 here though.

00:18:41.120 --> 00:18:41.819
 Although his favor

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.640
 does help him.

00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:43.180
 Verse nine,

00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:44.079
 he has that favor.

00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:45.840
 And so this eunuch

00:18:45.840 --> 00:18:46.920
 does not go and tell

00:18:46.920 --> 00:18:47.559
 on Daniel.

00:18:47.620 --> 00:18:48.380
 He doesn't help him.

00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:49.779
 He also doesn't hurt him.

00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:51.220
 Daniel, however,

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.980
 continues to be persistent.

00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:54.940
 Also note,

00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:55.279
 by the way,

00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:55.799
 verse 10,

00:18:56.140 --> 00:18:56.759
 there's this emphasis

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:57.500
 on the eunuch

00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:58.920
 fearing Nebuchadnezzar.

00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:00.559
 The implication is

00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.519
 the eunuch fears

00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.420
 the king of Babylon.

00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:05.039
 Daniel fears Yahweh.

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.759
 Daniel fears his king.

00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:08.860
 Daniel fears God.

00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:10.240
 Daniel's not going

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.900
 to give up though.

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.860
 He keeps pushing.

00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:12.559
 Verse 11,

00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:14.299
 he moves down

00:19:14.299 --> 00:19:15.059
 the pole here

00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:15.500
 of authority.

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.120
 He moves down

00:19:16.120 --> 00:19:16.940
 the chain of command.

00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:18.240
 The eunuchs told him no.

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:18.640
 Okay,

00:19:18.779 --> 00:19:19.420
 we're going to go

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.180
 ask the steward.

00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:20.799
 Verse 11,

00:19:21.460 --> 00:19:22.420
 he goes to the steward

00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:23.160
 and asks him

00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:23.980
 for this test.

00:19:24.380 --> 00:19:25.640
 Give us these vegetables

00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:26.079
 to eat

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:27.000
 so we don't violate

00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.160
 our consciences.

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:30.100
 And the steward here

00:19:30.100 --> 00:19:31.480
 agrees to the test.

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:32.559
 He allows them

00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:33.220
 to be tested

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.799
 for 10,

00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:36.640
 for 10 days.

00:19:37.360 --> 00:19:38.519
 And I wanted to stop here

00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:39.319
 and I want you to notice

00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:39.860
 for a second,

00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:40.799
 this is something

00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:41.840
 we're going to come back to

00:19:41.840 --> 00:19:42.940
 again in the book of Daniel,

00:19:43.140 --> 00:19:44.380
 that when it comes

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:45.180
 to navigating

00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:47.079
 these difficult situations,

00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:49.079
 Daniel has a wide

00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:50.819
 repertoire of approaches.

00:19:51.699 --> 00:19:53.399
 He has different strategies

00:19:53.399 --> 00:19:54.619
 for different situations.

00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:56.079
 Not everything

00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:57.039
 has to be handled

00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:57.899
 in the same way.

00:19:58.419 --> 00:19:58.919
 And so there are

00:19:58.919 --> 00:19:59.960
 some Christians today

00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:00.639
 when they talk about

00:20:00.639 --> 00:20:01.799
 our conflict with the culture,

00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:02.720
 they make it sound like

00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:04.059
 there's only one way

00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:05.359
 to deal with conflict.

00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:06.599
 It's to be very loud

00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:07.679
 and aggressive about it.

00:20:07.679 --> 00:20:08.639
 We've got to stamp

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:10.539
 our flag in the ground

00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:11.579
 and let everyone know

00:20:11.579 --> 00:20:12.199
 what we're doing

00:20:12.199 --> 00:20:13.079
 and why we're doing it.

00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.019
 We'll talk more about that

00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:14.939
 in a little bit,

00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:15.679
 but I just want to note

00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:16.220
 that here.

00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.600
 Daniel actually chooses

00:20:17.600 --> 00:20:20.200
 sort of an under-the-radar approach.

00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.940
 He chooses an approach

00:20:21.940 --> 00:20:23.180
 where not everyone knows

00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:24.160
 what he's up to.

00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:26.140
 He follows this principle

00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:27.279
 that I'm going to return to

00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.320
 again in the book of Daniel

00:20:28.320 --> 00:20:30.039
 from Matthew 10, verse 16

00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:31.620
 that Jesus gives us.

00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:32.279
 He tells us,

00:20:32.320 --> 00:20:32.920
 I'm sending you out

00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:33.340
 in the world

00:20:33.340 --> 00:20:35.060
 and so I want you

00:20:35.060 --> 00:20:36.160
 to be wise as serpents

00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.140
 but innocent as doves.

00:20:37.560 --> 00:20:39.180
 And that's what Daniel does here.

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:40.180
 He's innocent as a dove.

00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:41.920
 He doesn't break God's law.

00:20:42.560 --> 00:20:44.259
 He's wise as a servant

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.799
 or as wise as a serpent.

00:20:46.019 --> 00:20:48.259
 He's smart about how he goes

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:49.759
 about avoiding this meat

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.879
 and this wine.

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.099
 Daniel's faithful.

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.200
 He doesn't compromise.

00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:56.059
 He's also wise and strategic.

00:20:57.339 --> 00:20:58.400
 And so that's the opposition

00:20:58.400 --> 00:20:59.819
 that Daniel finds himself in.

00:20:59.879 --> 00:21:00.640
 There's this tension

00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:02.160
 that leads to conflict.

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:03.279
 We've named our tension.

00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:05.259
 We are also going to face conflict.

00:21:05.259 --> 00:21:07.759
 Sorry, I saw a connection problem there

00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:09.599
 with the Facebook.

00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:11.619
 So Daniel's in tension.

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.319
 We're in tension.

00:21:12.500 --> 00:21:13.599
 Daniel faces conflict.

00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:15.099
 If we live in this world,

00:21:15.199 --> 00:21:16.219
 we expect we're going to face

00:21:16.219 --> 00:21:17.879
 conflict as well.

00:21:18.899 --> 00:21:20.359
 We're going to talk more about this

00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:22.480
 when we get to chapter 3 of Daniel.

00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:24.059
 But there's a category here

00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:25.359
 that we need to know as Christians

00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:26.259
 and that's the category

00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:27.459
 of civil disobedience.

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:28.959
 That's part of what Daniel's

00:21:28.959 --> 00:21:30.659
 participating in here.

00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:32.059
 And we find this principle

00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:34.039
 well articulated in Acts chapter 5.

00:21:34.639 --> 00:21:36.399
 Peter and the disciples

00:21:36.399 --> 00:21:37.319
 are preaching.

00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:40.039
 They're brought before the council here

00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:41.500
 to answer for what they're doing.

00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:43.380
 And the high priest tells them,

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.059
 verse 28,

00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:45.180
 this is again Acts 5,

00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:46.720
 we strictly charge you

00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:47.839
 not to teach in this name.

00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:48.819
 That's Jesus' name.

00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:50.640
 Yet here you have filled up Jerusalem

00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:51.420
 with your teaching

00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:53.039
 and you intend to bring

00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:54.480
 this man's blood upon us.

00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.720
 And here's the money verse,

00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:56.680
 Acts chapter 5,

00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:57.559
 verse 29,

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.180
 Peter and the apostles answered,

00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:00.799
 we must obey God

00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:01.640
 rather than men.

00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:04.779
 Daniel chooses to obey God

00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:05.519
 rather than men.

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:08.379
 We also will be put in situations

00:22:08.379 --> 00:22:09.480
 where we have to choose

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:10.440
 to obey God

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:11.519
 rather than men.

00:22:11.619 --> 00:22:12.759
 We'll be put in situations

00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.980
 where we're in conflict

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:15.220
 with our government.

00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:16.980
 And so I'll give you a few examples.

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.079
 Disobeying the government

00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:18.900
 when it commands us

00:22:18.900 --> 00:22:20.180
 to participate in evil.

00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:22.480
 We have some legislation

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.700
 going on right now

00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:24.400
 in our country.

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.619
 We have a couple ones.

00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:27.039
 One's called the Equality Act.

00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:29.319
 One is called the Do Not Harm Act.

00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:29.740
 And these of course

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:31.019
 sound like wonderful things, right?

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:32.160
 Who's against equality?

00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:33.240
 Who wants to harm someone?

00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:34.779
 The Equality Act's

00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:35.960
 made its way through Congress.

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:37.900
 It's now going towards the Senate.

00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:39.140
 And it can be used

00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:40.299
 for a variety of things.

00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:41.980
 Of people who've studied it,

00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:43.140
 some people believe

00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:43.900
 that it could be used

00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:45.319
 to compel doctors

00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:47.160
 who don't want to participate

00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:47.819
 in abortions

00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:49.240
 to participate in them anyway

00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:50.099
 if they want to continue

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:50.779
 to be doctors.

00:22:51.299 --> 00:22:52.200
 And so it would do away

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.220
 with a lot of the religious

00:22:53.220 --> 00:22:54.120
 freedom protections

00:22:54.120 --> 00:22:56.019
 that people have right now.

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.420
 It could be used potentially

00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:59.079
 to compel Christian businesses

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:01.319
 to participate in ceremonies

00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:02.039
 that they believe

00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:02.980
 celebrate things

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.539
 that are evil.

00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:05.099
 That they would call good

00:23:05.099 --> 00:23:06.160
 what God calls evil.

00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.200
 It could narrow,

00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:09.160
 just in general,

00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:09.740
 our abilities

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:11.380
 to have religious liberty exemptions.

00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:12.460
 And it could be used

00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:14.680
 to impose upon

00:23:14.680 --> 00:23:15.539
 some of our freedoms

00:23:15.539 --> 00:23:16.259
 as a church.

00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:17.539
 Now I tell you this

00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:18.839
 not to be alarmist.

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.980
 We don't know exactly

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.720
 what's going to happen

00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.259
 in the future.

00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:22.579
 Of course this could be defeated.

00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:23.539
 But it's an example

00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:24.880
 of the sorts of things

00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:26.000
 that we need to be prepared

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.839
 for as Christians.

00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:28.559
 When it comes to suffering,

00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:30.140
 when it comes to persecution,

00:23:30.140 --> 00:23:32.380
 I want us to have thought

00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:33.280
 about it beforehand.

00:23:34.100 --> 00:23:35.440
 We want to have meditated

00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:36.280
 on God's word

00:23:36.280 --> 00:23:37.240
 so that we're prepared

00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:38.360
 when the challenge comes.

00:23:38.860 --> 00:23:39.860
 This we can assume

00:23:39.860 --> 00:23:40.560
 is what Daniel

00:23:40.560 --> 00:23:41.440
 has been doing, right?

00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:42.240
 How is he able

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:43.259
 to stand so firm

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:45.120
 as a 13 and 14 year old?

00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:45.460
 Well,

00:23:46.600 --> 00:23:47.540
 most likely he's been

00:23:47.540 --> 00:23:48.960
 meditating on God's word.

00:23:49.060 --> 00:23:50.580
 He's been taught God's ways

00:23:50.580 --> 00:23:51.300
 and God's law.

00:23:51.360 --> 00:23:52.220
 And so this pressure,

00:23:52.800 --> 00:23:54.320
 he's not going to cave under it.

00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.399
 Now we'll see later

00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:56.240
 in the book of Daniel,

00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:57.259
 we'll have plenty of opportunity

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:58.419
 to also talk about

00:23:58.419 --> 00:23:59.460
 Daniel's prayer life

00:23:59.460 --> 00:24:00.500
 and the ways

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.759
 that that fortifies him.

00:24:03.379 --> 00:24:04.379
 Regardless to say,

00:24:05.439 --> 00:24:07.200
 there are challenges for Daniel.

00:24:07.619 --> 00:24:09.460
 There are also challenges for us.

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:11.700
 There are times and places

00:24:11.700 --> 00:24:12.899
 when we're going to have

00:24:12.899 --> 00:24:14.500
 to say no to our government

00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:15.159
 in the same way

00:24:15.159 --> 00:24:16.099
 that Daniel has

00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:17.740
 because of our allegiance

00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.679
 and our loyalty

00:24:18.679 --> 00:24:19.799
 and our faithfulness

00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.659
 to Jesus Christ.

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.259
 And so that's one

00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:23.240
 of the major questions

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:23.659
 of Daniel.

00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:24.600
 When do we do that

00:24:24.600 --> 00:24:26.620
 and how do we do that?

00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.660
 How do we survive

00:24:28.660 --> 00:24:29.720
 in the midst

00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:30.900
 of this culture

00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:31.960
 with pressure on us?

00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:33.660
 I'm going to pause here

00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:34.279
 for a second.

00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:34.800
 So we're asking

00:24:34.800 --> 00:24:35.640
 these heavy questions.

00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:36.980
 We've seen

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:38.460
 the general challenge

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:39.480
 and the specific challenge,

00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:40.340
 both for Daniel

00:24:40.340 --> 00:24:41.540
 and for us.

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:43.080
 And I asked the question

00:24:43.080 --> 00:24:44.140
 at the very beginning,

00:24:44.300 --> 00:24:45.040
 where is God

00:24:45.040 --> 00:24:46.220
 in the midst of suffering?

00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:47.380
 And so before we talk

00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:48.700
 about what we need to do,

00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:49.940
 I want to talk about

00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:51.240
 what God is doing

00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:52.240
 and has done

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.100
 in this passage.

00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:54.179
 In the midst

00:24:54.179 --> 00:24:55.079
 of all these problems,

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:56.639
 the vessels of the temple,

00:24:56.759 --> 00:24:57.539
 remember verse 2,

00:24:57.599 --> 00:24:58.579
 have been taken to Babylon.

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:00.000
 It looks like God

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:00.500
 and his people

00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:01.139
 have been defeated.

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:01.980
 It looks like

00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:03.359
 the gods of Babylon

00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:04.639
 are more powerful

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.819
 than the God of Israel

00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:06.559
 and yet,

00:25:06.959 --> 00:25:07.959
 nothing could be farther

00:25:07.959 --> 00:25:08.619
 from the truth.

00:25:08.879 --> 00:25:09.719
 In the midst

00:25:09.719 --> 00:25:10.439
 of this passage,

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:10.859
 throughout,

00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:12.059
 from beginning to end,

00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:13.480
 we see that God

00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:14.119
 is in control.

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.879
 So I invite you

00:25:14.879 --> 00:25:15.639
 to look with me

00:25:15.639 --> 00:25:17.319
 in detail at these verses.

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.700
 We see in verse 2,

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.299
 verse 9,

00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:20.259
 and verse 17,

00:25:20.679 --> 00:25:21.919
 that it says either God

00:25:21.919 --> 00:25:22.460
 or the Lord

00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:23.480
 gave something.

00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:24.559
 Verse 2,

00:25:24.879 --> 00:25:26.460
 the Lord gave Jehoiakim,

00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:27.139
 king of Judah,

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:28.019
 into his hand.

00:25:28.659 --> 00:25:29.419
 Why was Babylon

00:25:29.419 --> 00:25:31.000
 able to defeat Israel?

00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.019
 Because God

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:34.159
 allowed them to.

00:25:35.419 --> 00:25:36.240
 Verse 9,

00:25:36.339 --> 00:25:37.559
 God gives something else.

00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:39.159
 God gave Daniel

00:25:39.159 --> 00:25:40.399
 favor and compassion

00:25:40.399 --> 00:25:40.960
 in the sight

00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.139
 of the chief of the eunuchs.

00:25:42.679 --> 00:25:43.720
 Why was Daniel

00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:44.539
 not killed

00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:46.179
 simply for his request

00:25:46.179 --> 00:25:47.339
 not to eat meat and wine?

00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:49.279
 Because God

00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:50.099
 was at work

00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:51.799
 protecting and preserving him.

00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:53.259
 God continues

00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:54.500
 to be active

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.679
 in this passage.

00:25:56.679 --> 00:25:57.659
 And then verse 17,

00:25:58.099 --> 00:25:58.819
 we see God

00:25:58.819 --> 00:25:59.779
 gives something else.

00:25:59.940 --> 00:26:01.599
 As for these four youths,

00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:02.779
 God gave them

00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:04.179
 learning and skill

00:26:04.179 --> 00:26:05.139
 in all literature

00:26:05.139 --> 00:26:05.859
 and wisdom

00:26:05.859 --> 00:26:07.279
 and Daniel had understanding

00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:07.960
 in all visions

00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:08.519
 and dreams.

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.779
 Why were they so smart?

00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:12.399
 Why were they so skilled?

00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:14.059
 Why were they the ones

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.099
 taken from Israel?

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:16.740
 Because God

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:17.559
 blessed them.

00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:19.759
 God was at work

00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:20.519
 giving them

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.279
 the skills

00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.059
 they needed

00:26:22.059 --> 00:26:23.000
 to survive

00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:24.220
 in this foreign land.

00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:25.240
 And so before

00:26:25.240 --> 00:26:26.139
 we talk about

00:26:26.139 --> 00:26:26.920
 anything else,

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.460
 before we move forward

00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:29.039
 in knowing

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:29.759
 how it is

00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:30.579
 that we respond

00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:31.500
 and stand firm.

00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:32.099
 Remember,

00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:32.859
 the people who know

00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:33.220
 their God

00:26:33.220 --> 00:26:33.859
 will stand firm

00:26:33.859 --> 00:26:34.579
 and take action.

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:35.639
 The first part

00:26:35.639 --> 00:26:36.440
 is that we know

00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:37.259
 our God.

00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:38.519
 Our God

00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:39.599
 is at work

00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:40.099
 no matter

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:41.000
 the circumstances.

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.619
 No matter

00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:43.619
 what is going

00:26:43.619 --> 00:26:44.599
 on around us,

00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:45.899
 God still

00:26:45.899 --> 00:26:47.700
 rules and reigns

00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:48.819
 over the nations.

00:26:49.379 --> 00:26:50.299
 He rules

00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:51.200
 and reigns

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:51.920
 over Babylon

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.000
 in this passage

00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:54.319
 and he rules

00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:55.079
 and reigns

00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:56.119
 over every nation

00:26:56.119 --> 00:26:56.559
 today.

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:58.119
 God is still

00:26:58.119 --> 00:26:59.160
 in control.

00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:00.440
 Now,

00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:01.059
 it's not just

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:01.899
 those three verses.

00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:02.480
 It's not just

00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:04.119
 2, 9, and 17,

00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:05.119
 but we see God

00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:06.180
 at work in other ways

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:06.460
 here.

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:07.799
 You'll notice

00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:08.920
 verse 6,

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.100
 Daniel is not

00:27:10.100 --> 00:27:11.039
 sent in alone.

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.340
 God sends him

00:27:12.340 --> 00:27:13.299
 with friends.

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:15.440
 Daniel doesn't

00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:16.100
 have to figure it

00:27:16.100 --> 00:27:17.140
 all out by himself.

00:27:17.320 --> 00:27:17.980
 He has

00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:19.360
 Hananiah,

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:20.580
 Mishael,

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:22.240
 Azariah

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.920
 to help him

00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:23.779
 and be with him.

00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:24.920
 And so that's

00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:25.400
 God's help

00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:26.060
 in the general

00:27:26.060 --> 00:27:26.900
 situation, right?

00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:27.660
 He's giving favor.

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.720
 He's giving Israel

00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:29.400
 over into the hands

00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:29.779
 of Babylon.

00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:30.480
 He's giving them

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.220
 skill and wisdom

00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:31.880
 and understanding.

00:27:32.560 --> 00:27:33.580
 God also

00:27:33.580 --> 00:27:34.660
 is at work

00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.840
 and very powerful

00:27:35.840 --> 00:27:36.960
 in this specific

00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.420
 challenge

00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:38.020
 and specific

00:27:38.020 --> 00:27:38.660
 situation.

00:27:38.820 --> 00:27:39.060
 We're going to

00:27:39.060 --> 00:27:39.540
 look again

00:27:39.540 --> 00:27:40.840
 at this 10-day test

00:27:40.840 --> 00:27:42.020
 because what

00:27:42.020 --> 00:27:42.880
 they're asking

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:44.100
 is, in a sense,

00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:44.980
 something reckless.

00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:46.980
 There is a reason

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.800
 in verse 10,

00:27:48.860 --> 00:27:49.740
 the chief of the eunuch

00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:50.960
 says he believes

00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:51.380
 they're going to be

00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:52.320
 in worse condition

00:27:52.320 --> 00:27:52.900
 if they follow

00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:53.460
 this diet.

00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:54.340
 Okay?

00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:55.760
 There's a reason

00:27:55.760 --> 00:27:57.160
 Daniel sets the test

00:27:57.160 --> 00:27:58.440
 for only 12 days

00:27:58.440 --> 00:27:59.519
 and the reason

00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:00.299
 is this.

00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:02.380
 Vegetables

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.380
 won't make you

00:28:03.380 --> 00:28:03.740
 strong.

00:28:05.820 --> 00:28:06.259
 Vegetables

00:28:06.259 --> 00:28:07.320
 are not going

00:28:07.320 --> 00:28:08.120
 to make you fat,

00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:08.759
 as controversial

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.820
 as it may sound.

00:28:11.080 --> 00:28:11.740
 Now, there are

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:12.240
 many Christians

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:13.279
 who take this passage

00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.480
 and they say,

00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:15.440
 oh, we can see

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.200
 from this passage

00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:17.320
 this is dictating

00:28:17.320 --> 00:28:18.460
 our diet to us.

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.700
 If we can just

00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.340
 eat vegetables

00:28:20.340 --> 00:28:21.220
 like Daniel,

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.460
 we will be honoring

00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:22.940
 God.

00:28:23.340 --> 00:28:23.840
 Now, that does

00:28:23.840 --> 00:28:24.400
 a couple things.

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:24.920
 First of all,

00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.759
 it ignores Daniel

00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.420
 chapter 10,

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:26.920
 verse 2,

00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:27.539
 where we find out

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:28.480
 later in Daniel's life,

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:29.399
 he did have a diet

00:28:29.399 --> 00:28:30.059
 of meat and wine.

00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:32.240
 It also does

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:32.799
 something else.

00:28:32.879 --> 00:28:33.539
 It forgets

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.579
 some of the historical

00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.920
 background of this passage.

00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:37.039
 There are scholars

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:38.220
 who've looked at art

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:39.359
 from Mesopotamia

00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:40.399
 and they see men

00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:41.980
 depicted in two ways.

00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:43.980
 It's from this book here,

00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:45.339
 How to Read Daniel.

00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:46.899
 And he tells us

00:28:46.899 --> 00:28:47.859
 about the two different ways

00:28:47.859 --> 00:28:48.700
 that men are depicted

00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:49.240
 in art.

00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:50.420
 One of them,

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:51.240
 the warrior class,

00:28:51.299 --> 00:28:52.599
 are bristling with muscles.

00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:53.519
 That's what he tells us.

00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:54.359
 On the other hand,

00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:55.079
 wise men,

00:28:55.379 --> 00:28:56.599
 like Daniel and his colleagues,

00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:57.779
 are pictured as bald,

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.099
 big-eyed,

00:28:59.439 --> 00:29:00.379
 a symbol of intelligence,

00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:01.439
 so they have these huge eyes,

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:02.619
 and chubby.

00:29:03.579 --> 00:29:04.719
 That is the look

00:29:04.719 --> 00:29:05.599
 that Nebuchadnezzar

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.299
 was going for.

00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.599
 In other words,

00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:10.759
 Daniel and his friends,

00:29:10.959 --> 00:29:12.359
 after eating vegetables

00:29:12.359 --> 00:29:13.419
 for 10 days

00:29:13.419 --> 00:29:14.059
 and water,

00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:16.059
 are fat.

00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:19.299
 God has performed

00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:20.079
 a miracle.

00:29:20.679 --> 00:29:22.339
 He has made people fat

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:24.000
 from eating only vegetables

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.220
 and drinking only water.

00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:26.859
 God is at work

00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:28.339
 in this situation

00:29:28.339 --> 00:29:29.460
 doing the impossible.

00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:31.799
 He is showing

00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:32.660
 his power

00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:33.480
 and protection

00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:34.500
 and control

00:29:34.500 --> 00:29:36.660
 even in the small element

00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:37.980
 of Daniel's diet.

00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:39.640
 And so,

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:41.059
 all throughout this passage,

00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:41.779
 explicitly

00:29:41.779 --> 00:29:42.559
 in what we're told

00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:43.200
 God gives,

00:29:43.619 --> 00:29:44.339
 implicitly

00:29:44.339 --> 00:29:44.980
 in the miracle

00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:46.000
 we see him perform,

00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:47.099
 God is at work

00:29:47.099 --> 00:29:47.720
 protecting,

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:49.420
 providing for his people,

00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:50.619
 even in the midst

00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:51.640
 of a challenging

00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:53.060
 and hostile world.

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:54.840
 And so,

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:56.220
 first and foremost,

00:29:56.320 --> 00:29:56.980
 what we want

00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:57.640
 to underscore

00:29:57.640 --> 00:29:59.520
 is God's work

00:29:59.520 --> 00:30:00.380
 on behalf

00:30:00.380 --> 00:30:01.120
 of his people

00:30:01.120 --> 00:30:02.740
 in Daniel chapter 1.

00:30:02.840 --> 00:30:03.680
 Remember I told you

00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:04.200
 at the beginning

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:04.660
 we're going to be

00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:05.800
 reminded and instructed.

00:30:06.300 --> 00:30:07.200
 And first of all,

00:30:07.280 --> 00:30:07.940
 we're reminded

00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:08.940
 that God rules

00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:09.580
 and reigns.

00:30:11.660 --> 00:30:12.540
 Second then,

00:30:12.920 --> 00:30:14.140
 after we understand

00:30:14.140 --> 00:30:14.480
 that,

00:30:14.860 --> 00:30:15.680
 we can move on

00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.420
 to the instruction.

00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:17.340
 How we live

00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:17.920
 as foreigners,

00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:20.100
 how we live

00:30:20.100 --> 00:30:21.900
 faithfully

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:23.620
 in a foreign land.

00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:24.860
 And so,

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:25.860
 that's where we turn now.

00:30:25.980 --> 00:30:26.180
 Of course,

00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:26.880
 God preserves

00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:27.880
 his people here.

00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:29.100
 In this passage,

00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:30.840
 God is preserving you.

00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:33.019
 And with that knowledge,

00:30:33.120 --> 00:30:33.940
 then we ask,

00:30:34.500 --> 00:30:35.600
 how do we dare

00:30:35.600 --> 00:30:36.360
 to be a Daniel?

00:30:36.519 --> 00:30:37.580
 Remember I mentioned

00:30:37.580 --> 00:30:38.340
 near the end

00:30:38.340 --> 00:30:38.840
 of our series

00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:39.460
 in 2 Peter

00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:39.820
 we were going

00:30:39.820 --> 00:30:40.680
 to talk about this,

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:41.600
 whether we can

00:30:41.600 --> 00:30:42.240
 follow Daniel

00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:42.920
 as an example.

00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:44.039
 This is also

00:30:44.039 --> 00:30:45.200
 a controversial subject

00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:45.900
 and I'm going

00:30:45.900 --> 00:30:46.279
 to tell you,

00:30:46.279 --> 00:30:46.619
 yes,

00:30:46.700 --> 00:30:47.599
 we follow Daniel

00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:48.259
 as an example

00:30:48.259 --> 00:30:48.759
 but we don't

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.700
 just follow him.

00:30:50.019 --> 00:30:51.139
 We follow him

00:30:51.139 --> 00:30:52.819
 as he has

00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:53.839
 trust and faith

00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:54.420
 in God.

00:30:54.859 --> 00:30:55.819
 It's his faith

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:56.559
 and his trust

00:30:56.559 --> 00:30:57.220
 that we're following

00:30:57.220 --> 00:30:57.759
 him in.

00:30:58.099 --> 00:30:58.379
 And so,

00:30:58.639 --> 00:30:59.940
 the highlight,

00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:01.099
 the emphasis,

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.399
 the accent mark

00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:03.299
 is still on God

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:05.180
 and what he is doing.

00:31:06.220 --> 00:31:06.440
 And so,

00:31:06.519 --> 00:31:07.059
 how do we live

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:08.059
 faithfully like Daniel

00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:08.879
 trusting in God

00:31:08.879 --> 00:31:09.399
 and his care?

00:31:09.879 --> 00:31:10.700
 We've already talked

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.759
 about one of our principles,

00:31:11.899 --> 00:31:12.299
 the principle

00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.480
 of civil disobedience.

00:31:13.559 --> 00:31:14.519
 I'll remind you again,

00:31:14.639 --> 00:31:15.539
 Acts 5 29

00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:16.379
 says this,

00:31:16.759 --> 00:31:18.079
 we must obey God

00:31:18.079 --> 00:31:19.099
 rather than men.

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.779
 Just like Daniel,

00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:22.220
 we choose to obey

00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:23.639
 God rather than men.

00:31:23.759 --> 00:31:23.899
 So,

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.720
 remember our question,

00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:25.659
 when do we disobey

00:31:25.659 --> 00:31:26.139
 the government?

00:31:26.859 --> 00:31:27.740
 When the government

00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:28.980
 tells us to do something

00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:29.879
 that God tells us

00:31:29.879 --> 00:31:30.519
 not to do.

00:31:30.879 --> 00:31:31.659
 When the government

00:31:31.659 --> 00:31:32.859
 tells us not to do

00:31:32.859 --> 00:31:33.700
 something that God

00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:34.559
 tells us to do.

00:31:35.420 --> 00:31:36.139
 And it's only

00:31:36.139 --> 00:31:37.159
 those two situations.

00:31:37.299 --> 00:31:37.420
 So,

00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:38.139
 we need to be careful.

00:31:38.700 --> 00:31:39.220
 If you're going to

00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:40.579
 claim civil disobedience,

00:31:40.639 --> 00:31:41.680
 you need to back it up

00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:42.779
 from the Bible.

00:31:42.899 --> 00:31:43.700
 There's plenty of people

00:31:43.700 --> 00:31:44.399
 who run around

00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:45.060
 claiming that they're

00:31:45.060 --> 00:31:46.540
 exercising civil disobedience

00:31:46.540 --> 00:31:47.060
 as Christians

00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:48.320
 and what they're doing

00:31:48.320 --> 00:31:49.019
 they can't support

00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:49.500
 from Scripture.

00:31:49.880 --> 00:31:50.040
 So,

00:31:50.120 --> 00:31:51.060
 there's a narrow list

00:31:51.060 --> 00:31:51.620
 of things.

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:53.019
 There's a limited list

00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:54.160
 of things that we look to

00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:55.540
 when we're honoring God

00:31:55.540 --> 00:31:56.300
 rather than men.

00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.340
 Second,

00:31:57.420 --> 00:31:57.840
 we're going to draw

00:31:57.840 --> 00:31:58.640
 some principles

00:31:58.640 --> 00:31:59.980
 from this passage.

00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:00.840
 Daniel gives us

00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:02.240
 some practical strategies

00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:02.620
 here

00:32:02.620 --> 00:32:04.259
 for how to be wise.

00:32:04.340 --> 00:32:05.100
 I mentioned earlier

00:32:05.100 --> 00:32:06.180
 that he's very subtle.

00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:07.800
 He doesn't stamp

00:32:07.800 --> 00:32:08.720
 a flag in the ground.

00:32:08.820 --> 00:32:09.000
 Instead,

00:32:09.080 --> 00:32:10.400
 he works behind the scenes.

00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:11.300
 And in fact,

00:32:11.340 --> 00:32:12.120
 he shows us

00:32:12.119 --> 00:32:13.039
 the power here

00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:13.679
 of what we might call

00:32:13.679 --> 00:32:14.779
 the lesser magistrate

00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:15.659
 or local government.

00:32:16.179 --> 00:32:16.459
 Daniel,

00:32:16.579 --> 00:32:17.000
 in other words,

00:32:17.079 --> 00:32:18.539
 doesn't go to Nebuchadnezzar.

00:32:19.199 --> 00:32:20.359
 He goes to someone

00:32:20.359 --> 00:32:21.179
 lower down

00:32:21.179 --> 00:32:22.159
 the chain of command

00:32:22.159 --> 00:32:23.939
 and he handles it

00:32:23.939 --> 00:32:24.639
 at that level.

00:32:25.679 --> 00:32:25.939
 Now,

00:32:26.019 --> 00:32:26.719
 we know this,

00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:27.819
 especially after this

00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:28.839
 last year during COVID.

00:32:29.199 --> 00:32:30.500
 A lot of what mattered

00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:31.500
 when it came to restrictions,

00:32:31.639 --> 00:32:32.259
 now I'm not saying

00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:32.739
 those things

00:32:32.739 --> 00:32:33.919
 were a religious liberty issue.

00:32:33.979 --> 00:32:34.619
 I'm just giving you

00:32:34.619 --> 00:32:35.139
 an example

00:32:35.139 --> 00:32:36.639
 of how government operates

00:32:36.639 --> 00:32:37.279
 at different levels.

00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:37.479
 So,

00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:38.419
 don't hear what I'm not saying.

00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:39.640
 What we saw

00:32:39.640 --> 00:32:42.039
 was that local government

00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:43.220
 mattered a lot.

00:32:44.180 --> 00:32:45.400
 No matter what governors

00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:46.000
 might be saying,

00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:46.820
 no matter what presidents

00:32:46.820 --> 00:32:47.600
 might be saying,

00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:48.960
 what really mattered

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:50.480
 was what,

00:32:50.800 --> 00:32:51.279
 I should say,

00:32:51.340 --> 00:32:51.880
 mayors were saying,

00:32:51.940 --> 00:32:52.980
 what governors of towns

00:32:52.980 --> 00:32:53.440
 were saying.

00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:54.320
 That's what really mattered.

00:32:54.539 --> 00:32:55.920
 What local police departments

00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:56.380
 were saying,

00:32:56.420 --> 00:32:57.400
 that's what really mattered.

00:32:57.820 --> 00:32:58.980
 And Daniel recognizes

00:32:58.980 --> 00:32:59.820
 that principle.

00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:01.360
 He picks,

00:33:01.460 --> 00:33:02.600
 now he goes high first,

00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:03.140
 but he goes down

00:33:03.140 --> 00:33:04.200
 to the lowest level

00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:05.259
 to negotiate.

00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:07.519
 The same is true for us.

00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:08.400
 There's times when we're

00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:09.500
 going to need to take a stand.

00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.579
 Sometimes wisdom means

00:33:11.579 --> 00:33:12.379
 taking the stand

00:33:12.379 --> 00:33:13.680
 at the lowest level possible

00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:15.079
 with the lowest person possible.

00:33:15.660 --> 00:33:17.420
 We don't always have to have

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:18.940
 a big public display

00:33:18.940 --> 00:33:19.660
 of our stand.

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:21.279
 Daniel makes that clear for us.

00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:22.859
 And so we're wise.

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:24.319
 We're wise about understanding

00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:25.440
 who has power,

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.180
 who has real authority

00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:28.299
 in a practical situation.

00:33:28.879 --> 00:33:29.859
 Daniel handles this

00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:30.519
 with a steward.

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:32.400
 No one else really knows about it.

00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:33.599
 As far as we know,

00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.039
 Daniel,

00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:34.799
 the steward,

00:33:34.900 --> 00:33:36.099
 and his friends know about it.

00:33:36.359 --> 00:33:36.940
 No one else.

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:38.320
 It never reaches up

00:33:38.320 --> 00:33:39.120
 the chain of command.

00:33:39.600 --> 00:33:40.559
 Daniel handles it

00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:41.460
 at a low level.

00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:42.320
 And so that's just

00:33:42.320 --> 00:33:43.160
 a wise principle

00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:44.380
 for us to think about

00:33:44.380 --> 00:33:46.380
 as we go into situations

00:33:46.380 --> 00:33:47.600
 where we might be called

00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:49.000
 to disobey the authorities

00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:50.039
 above us.

00:33:50.580 --> 00:33:51.500
 How can we be wise?

00:33:51.580 --> 00:33:52.960
 How can we keep it small

00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:54.500
 rather than making it big?

00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:56.980
 At one point,

00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:57.360
 by the way,

00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:57.880
 I'll mention,

00:33:58.279 --> 00:34:00.080
 during COVID,

00:34:00.420 --> 00:34:01.259
 when we had restrictions,

00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:02.200
 there was one point

00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:03.340
 when El Paso County

00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:04.860
 actually gave preferential

00:34:04.860 --> 00:34:05.759
 treatment to churches.

00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:07.240
 Most places across the nation

00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:08.980
 bundled churches

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:10.539
 with movie theaters

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.559
 and sporting events.

00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:12.420
 They kind of consider them

00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:13.639
 all in the same category.

00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:15.039
 El Paso County

00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:16.099
 actually considered churches

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:17.159
 to be in a separate county,

00:34:17.500 --> 00:34:18.400
 in a separate category,

00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:19.800
 and they gave us

00:34:19.800 --> 00:34:22.179
 looser restrictions

00:34:22.179 --> 00:34:24.760
 than some of those other venues.

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.300
 You might ask the question,

00:34:26.420 --> 00:34:26.639
 why?

00:34:26.739 --> 00:34:27.480
 There's probably a variety

00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:27.880
 of reasons.

00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:29.460
 I can't 100% prove it,

00:34:29.460 --> 00:34:31.199
 but I believe part of the reason

00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:32.720
 churches got preferential treatment

00:34:32.720 --> 00:34:33.679
 in El Paso County

00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:36.099
 is because for years now,

00:34:36.280 --> 00:34:37.440
 our local churches

00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.280
 have been working

00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:40.079
 to establish good relationships

00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:41.119
 with our local government.

00:34:41.960 --> 00:34:43.320
 Don't take that for granted.

00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:45.559
 That is a wise move.

00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:47.320
 That's a Daniel-like move

00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:49.059
 to have a strong relationship

00:34:49.059 --> 00:34:50.800
 with the lesser magistrate.

00:34:51.340 --> 00:34:52.740
 Low on the chain of command

00:34:52.740 --> 00:34:53.860
 where the decisions

00:34:53.860 --> 00:34:54.840
 are actually made.

00:34:54.840 --> 00:34:57.400
 Nebuchadnezzar's given his command

00:34:57.400 --> 00:34:59.000
 that these people have

00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:00.220
 the king's meat,

00:35:00.320 --> 00:35:00.980
 the king's wine,

00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:03.780
 but it's actually the steward

00:35:03.780 --> 00:35:05.220
 who controls what happens

00:35:05.220 --> 00:35:05.740
 on the ground.

00:35:06.360 --> 00:35:07.460
 Okay, so we keep that principle

00:35:07.460 --> 00:35:08.360
 in mind when we think

00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:10.400
 about civil disobedience.

00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:11.680
 I also want to give you

00:35:11.680 --> 00:35:12.300
 another principle,

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:12.860
 which is this.

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:14.980
 Negotiation is a legitimate technique.

00:35:15.100 --> 00:35:16.200
 I reminded you before,

00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.740
 Daniel has a wide repertoire

00:35:17.740 --> 00:35:19.039
 that he uses

00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:19.640
 when he approaches

00:35:19.640 --> 00:35:20.400
 these situations.

00:35:20.539 --> 00:35:21.260
 In fact, if you want to

00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:22.180
 dig into this more,

00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:23.960
 there's a wonderful book

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:25.000
 called Free to Believe,

00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:26.880
 and I believe it's chapter 12.

00:35:27.300 --> 00:35:28.639
 It gives a wonderful overview

00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:29.940
 of all the different strategies

00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:31.159
 God's people have used

00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:31.780
 throughout the Bible

00:35:31.780 --> 00:35:32.460
 when it comes to

00:35:32.460 --> 00:35:33.440
 civil disobedience.

00:35:34.179 --> 00:35:34.920
 Negotiation is one

00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:35.579
 of those strategies,

00:35:35.699 --> 00:35:36.340
 and that's the label

00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:38.539
 he gives to what Daniel

00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:40.920
 does here in this passage.

00:35:41.179 --> 00:35:41.679
 So you notice

00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:42.639
 what Daniel doesn't do.

00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:44.079
 He doesn't go to the eunuch

00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:44.579
 and say,

00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:45.320
 you know what?

00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:47.360
 I worship Yahweh,

00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:48.800
 and God is not dead,

00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:50.240
 so I want to let you know

00:35:50.240 --> 00:35:51.740
 that I'm here to take a stand.

00:35:51.739 --> 00:35:53.899
 Daniel doesn't say

00:35:53.899 --> 00:35:54.759
 anything like that.

00:35:55.319 --> 00:35:56.279
 He just tells him,

00:35:58.239 --> 00:35:58.599
 you know,

00:35:58.819 --> 00:35:59.519
 well, he does say

00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:01.119
 allow him not to defile himself,

00:36:01.399 --> 00:36:02.279
 but he has some wisdom

00:36:02.279 --> 00:36:02.919
 about it, right?

00:36:03.259 --> 00:36:04.639
 He's not making a big stink.

00:36:04.699 --> 00:36:06.259
 He doesn't go to Nebuchadnezzar.

00:36:06.379 --> 00:36:07.059
 He's not posting

00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:07.979
 on social media

00:36:07.979 --> 00:36:09.299
 about what it is

00:36:09.299 --> 00:36:10.019
 that he's doing,

00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:11.039
 letting everyone know

00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:11.619
 where he stands.

00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:12.739
 He's going one-on-one

00:36:12.739 --> 00:36:13.759
 in a back room

00:36:13.759 --> 00:36:14.899
 behind closed doors,

00:36:14.959 --> 00:36:15.739
 and he's negotiating.

00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:17.819
 He does the same thing

00:36:17.819 --> 00:36:19.000
 with the steward.

00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:20.659
 Test your servant

00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:21.920
 for 10 days,

00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:22.539
 verse 12.

00:36:23.179 --> 00:36:24.519
 And he actually appeals

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:25.719
 in some ways

00:36:25.719 --> 00:36:27.699
 to this man's self-interest,

00:36:27.800 --> 00:36:27.960
 right?

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:28.739
 Why is it

00:36:28.739 --> 00:36:30.260
 that this man is so pleased?

00:36:30.420 --> 00:36:30.599
 Well,

00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:31.460
 it turns out

00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:32.639
 that they look better

00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:33.320
 than everyone else.

00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:34.139
 So the steward actually

00:36:34.139 --> 00:36:34.780
 ends up looking

00:36:34.780 --> 00:36:36.079
 really good.

00:36:38.260 --> 00:36:38.659
 Again,

00:36:38.719 --> 00:36:39.500
 we have our principle

00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.659
 of being wise as a serpent,

00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:41.900
 innocent as a dove.

00:36:41.980 --> 00:36:42.739
 We need to think of having

00:36:42.739 --> 00:36:44.199
 a variety of repertoire,

00:36:44.599 --> 00:36:45.039
 a repertoire

00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:46.599
 of a variety of approaches

00:36:46.599 --> 00:36:47.880
 when we're pursuing

00:36:47.880 --> 00:36:48.980
 civil disobedience.

00:36:49.820 --> 00:36:50.820
 So someone who's

00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:51.699
 innocent as a dove,

00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:52.500
 they don't violate

00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:53.159
 God's law.

00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:54.599
 Someone who's wise

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:55.179
 as a serpent,

00:36:55.320 --> 00:36:55.840
 they figure out

00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:56.699
 the right approach

00:36:56.699 --> 00:36:58.059
 for the right situation.

00:36:58.699 --> 00:36:59.380
 They have a variety

00:36:59.380 --> 00:36:59.880
 of tools.

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:00.960
 Remember that old cliche,

00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:02.019
 if all you have

00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:03.079
 is a hammer,

00:37:03.219 --> 00:37:03.980
 everything's a nail.

00:37:04.500 --> 00:37:05.500
 The wise person

00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:07.119
 has more than just a hammer.

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.900
 They know how to navigate

00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:10.179
 a variety of situations.

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:10.739
 Okay?

00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:12.760
 I had a mentor

00:37:12.760 --> 00:37:13.800
 who told me one time,

00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:14.679
 we pick our battles,

00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:16.239
 we also pick

00:37:16.239 --> 00:37:17.539
 our battlefields.

00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:18.699
 Daniel here,

00:37:19.039 --> 00:37:19.840
 he's picked his battle

00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:20.599
 and he chooses

00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:21.239
 his battlefield.

00:37:21.500 --> 00:37:22.719
 He decides his battlefield

00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:24.119
 is going to be

00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:26.000
 a backroom negotiation.

00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:27.059
 So he makes

00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:28.300
 sort of a backroom deal here.

00:37:28.739 --> 00:37:29.579
 The same may be true

00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:30.480
 for us, by the way.

00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:31.800
 If we end up

00:37:31.800 --> 00:37:32.480
 in a situation

00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:33.099
 where there are things

00:37:33.099 --> 00:37:34.019
 our government mandates

00:37:34.019 --> 00:37:35.199
 that we cannot do

00:37:35.199 --> 00:37:35.880
 without violating

00:37:35.880 --> 00:37:36.559
 our conscience,

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:37.980
 maybe you're a doctor,

00:37:38.059 --> 00:37:38.219
 right,

00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:38.559
 and you're told

00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:39.340
 you have to do

00:37:39.340 --> 00:37:39.940
 certain things.

00:37:39.940 --> 00:37:40.659
 Well,

00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:42.119
 maybe you're able

00:37:42.119 --> 00:37:42.619
 to negotiate

00:37:42.619 --> 00:37:43.500
 a backroom deal.

00:37:43.720 --> 00:37:44.360
 Maybe you're able

00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:44.840
 to figure out

00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.700
 in your practice

00:37:45.700 --> 00:37:46.700
 or your hospital,

00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:48.240
 there's an understanding

00:37:48.240 --> 00:37:49.000
 among everyone

00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:49.740
 that you don't do

00:37:49.740 --> 00:37:50.380
 certain things

00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:51.740
 and no one forces

00:37:51.740 --> 00:37:52.240
 the point

00:37:52.240 --> 00:37:52.860
 because you're

00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:53.720
 such a good doctor.

00:37:53.820 --> 00:37:54.099
 They don't want

00:37:54.099 --> 00:37:54.539
 to lose you.

00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:55.700
 Maybe you're

00:37:55.700 --> 00:37:56.220
 in the military

00:37:56.220 --> 00:37:57.039
 and there comes down

00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:57.380
 a mandate

00:37:57.380 --> 00:37:58.000
 that you need

00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:58.720
 to do something

00:37:58.720 --> 00:37:59.380
 that violates

00:37:59.380 --> 00:37:59.960
 your conscience.

00:38:00.619 --> 00:38:01.840
 Maybe you negotiate

00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:02.400
 a deal

00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:04.000
 with the next person

00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.599
 up in the chain

00:38:04.599 --> 00:38:05.059
 of command

00:38:05.059 --> 00:38:05.780
 and maybe no one

00:38:05.780 --> 00:38:06.599
 else knows about it.

00:38:06.599 --> 00:38:08.960
 Be like Daniel.

00:38:09.159 --> 00:38:09.980
 Be wise

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:11.039
 in picking your battles

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:12.759
 and your battlefields.

00:38:13.319 --> 00:38:13.880
 I'm going to give you

00:38:13.880 --> 00:38:15.339
 one more application

00:38:15.339 --> 00:38:17.759
 here in terms of tactics

00:38:17.759 --> 00:38:18.679
 for being wise

00:38:18.679 --> 00:38:19.860
 in our civil disobedience

00:38:19.860 --> 00:38:20.500
 and it's this.

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:22.119
 We see this principle

00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:23.199
 in verse 9.

00:38:23.319 --> 00:38:23.539
 Remember,

00:38:23.659 --> 00:38:24.819
 God's giving certain things.

00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:26.360
 He gives Daniel favor.

00:38:26.980 --> 00:38:27.139
 Now,

00:38:27.259 --> 00:38:28.099
 I'm not going to go

00:38:28.099 --> 00:38:28.759
 deep into this

00:38:28.759 --> 00:38:29.860
 but there's various echoes

00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:30.839
 in Daniel chapter 1

00:38:30.839 --> 00:38:31.860
 of the Joseph story

00:38:31.860 --> 00:38:33.259
 from the end

00:38:33.259 --> 00:38:34.420
 of the book of Genesis.

00:38:34.940 --> 00:38:36.179
 Joseph is also given

00:38:36.179 --> 00:38:37.419
 the same word favor

00:38:37.419 --> 00:38:38.940
 by God

00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:39.940
 which helps him

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:40.719
 in his situation.

00:38:41.500 --> 00:38:41.659
 And so,

00:38:41.759 --> 00:38:42.299
 part of the reason

00:38:42.299 --> 00:38:43.440
 that Daniel's successful

00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:44.719
 is that God

00:38:44.719 --> 00:38:47.299
 supernaturally intervenes,

00:38:47.500 --> 00:38:48.359
 works in the hearts

00:38:48.359 --> 00:38:50.299
 of the secular pagan people

00:38:50.299 --> 00:38:50.919
 around him

00:38:50.919 --> 00:38:52.319
 that they view him

00:38:52.319 --> 00:38:53.159
 in a good light.

00:38:54.539 --> 00:38:55.019
 Now,

00:38:55.079 --> 00:38:55.659
 there's some ways

00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:56.399
 that Daniel's done this

00:38:56.399 --> 00:38:57.179
 just by his skill

00:38:57.179 --> 00:38:57.759
 and his excellence.

00:38:57.859 --> 00:38:58.500
 I'm going to suggest

00:38:58.500 --> 00:38:59.980
 one thing for us

00:38:59.980 --> 00:39:01.440
 is that we can also

00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:02.460
 pray about this.

00:39:03.099 --> 00:39:03.619
 It is good

00:39:03.619 --> 00:39:04.079
 and right

00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:04.679
 and legitimate

00:39:04.679 --> 00:39:05.440
 to pray

00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:06.039
 that God

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:06.860
 would give us favor

00:39:06.860 --> 00:39:07.720
 in our workplaces.

00:39:08.300 --> 00:39:08.559
 And so,

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:09.139
 this is something

00:39:09.139 --> 00:39:10.099
 that you can do

00:39:10.099 --> 00:39:11.000
 as an individual.

00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:11.360
 It's something

00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:11.800
 you can do

00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:12.300
 as a family.

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.320
 Maybe when you gather

00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:13.960
 as a family

00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:14.579
 and you pray

00:39:14.579 --> 00:39:15.059
 at a meal,

00:39:15.420 --> 00:39:16.099
 one of the things

00:39:16.099 --> 00:39:16.940
 that you can pray

00:39:16.940 --> 00:39:17.740
 is that God

00:39:17.740 --> 00:39:18.519
 would give mom

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.720
 or dad favor

00:39:19.720 --> 00:39:20.440
 at their job.

00:39:21.139 --> 00:39:21.539
 That God

00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.380
 would give them favor

00:39:22.380 --> 00:39:22.860
 in the eyes

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:23.480
 of their boss.

00:39:23.860 --> 00:39:24.820
 God would give them favor

00:39:24.820 --> 00:39:25.260
 in the eyes

00:39:25.260 --> 00:39:25.760
 of the company

00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:26.440
 they work for.

00:39:26.820 --> 00:39:27.880
 God would give them favor

00:39:27.880 --> 00:39:28.380
 in the eyes

00:39:28.380 --> 00:39:28.780
 of the people

00:39:28.780 --> 00:39:29.900
 who work for them.

00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:32.519
 And when that time

00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:33.139
 comes,

00:39:33.700 --> 00:39:35.139
 when you have to say no,

00:39:35.840 --> 00:39:36.740
 that favor

00:39:36.740 --> 00:39:38.019
 will be what makes

00:39:38.019 --> 00:39:38.599
 the difference.

00:39:39.660 --> 00:39:39.920
 And so,

00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:41.079
 we're people who understand

00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:42.160
 not just that we are

00:39:42.160 --> 00:39:43.059
 doing certain things

00:39:43.059 --> 00:39:43.860
 but we're trusting

00:39:43.860 --> 00:39:45.220
 and relying on God.

00:39:45.619 --> 00:39:46.360
 One of the ways

00:39:46.360 --> 00:39:47.099
 that we trust

00:39:47.099 --> 00:39:48.119
 and rely on God

00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:48.920
 as we'll see later

00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:49.639
 in this book

00:39:49.639 --> 00:39:50.559
 is in prayer.

00:39:51.440 --> 00:39:51.920
 Daniel,

00:39:52.139 --> 00:39:52.860
 we'll see,

00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:54.740
 has a diligent prayer life.

00:39:55.280 --> 00:39:56.019
 And one of the ways

00:39:56.019 --> 00:39:57.440
 we can pray specifically

00:39:57.440 --> 00:39:58.740
 is that as we walk

00:39:58.740 --> 00:39:59.440
 in this world

00:39:59.440 --> 00:40:00.659
 God would give us favor

00:40:00.659 --> 00:40:01.380
 in the eyes

00:40:01.380 --> 00:40:02.300
 of those around us.

00:40:02.400 --> 00:40:03.119
 Even those

00:40:03.119 --> 00:40:04.159
 who disagree

00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:05.619
 with our religious beliefs

00:40:05.619 --> 00:40:06.220
 and commitments.

00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:08.079
 Because as we see

00:40:08.079 --> 00:40:08.720
 for Daniel

00:40:08.720 --> 00:40:09.740
 that is actually

00:40:09.740 --> 00:40:10.500
 what makes here

00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:11.039
 the difference

00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:11.300
 for him

00:40:11.300 --> 00:40:12.019
 between life

00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:13.200
 and death.

00:40:16.720 --> 00:40:17.200
 Finally,

00:40:17.300 --> 00:40:18.119
 when we talk about

00:40:18.119 --> 00:40:19.679
 the Acts 5 29 principle

00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:20.740
 that we obey God

00:40:20.740 --> 00:40:21.559
 rather than men

00:40:21.559 --> 00:40:22.940
 we're reminded

00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:23.619
 that we do it

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:24.420
 because of our

00:40:24.420 --> 00:40:25.820
 trust in God.

00:40:25.960 --> 00:40:26.880
 We obey God

00:40:26.880 --> 00:40:27.640
 because we trust

00:40:27.640 --> 00:40:28.059
 in God.

00:40:28.380 --> 00:40:29.360
 We see that dynamic

00:40:29.360 --> 00:40:30.240
 in this passage.

00:40:30.380 --> 00:40:31.039
 Daniel's learned

00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:32.320
 about the God

00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:32.860
 of Israel

00:40:32.860 --> 00:40:34.000
 and Daniel

00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:35.320
 exercises that knowledge

00:40:35.320 --> 00:40:35.940
 and we see

00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:36.660
 the God of Israel

00:40:36.660 --> 00:40:37.180
 delivering.

00:40:37.360 --> 00:40:38.180
 He shows up.

00:40:38.579 --> 00:40:38.960
 He's the one

00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:39.579
 giving favor.

00:40:39.700 --> 00:40:40.059
 He's the one

00:40:40.059 --> 00:40:40.740
 giving learning

00:40:40.740 --> 00:40:41.340
 and skill.

00:40:41.460 --> 00:40:41.980
 He's the one

00:40:41.980 --> 00:40:43.440
 performing a miracle

00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:44.420
 so that Daniel

00:40:44.420 --> 00:40:45.079
 can get fat

00:40:45.079 --> 00:40:45.720
 on vegetables.

00:40:47.200 --> 00:40:48.140
 The same,

00:40:48.300 --> 00:40:48.960
 brothers and sisters,

00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:50.200
 is true for us

00:40:50.200 --> 00:40:51.119
 and even more.

00:40:51.300 --> 00:40:52.160
 We also

00:40:52.160 --> 00:40:54.220
 see God's provision

00:40:54.220 --> 00:40:55.720
 and his intervention

00:40:55.720 --> 00:40:56.440
 in our lives.

00:40:56.440 --> 00:40:57.380
 We see it

00:40:57.380 --> 00:40:58.059
 even more

00:40:58.059 --> 00:40:58.659
 in Jesus.

00:40:58.900 --> 00:40:59.700
 We are told

00:40:59.700 --> 00:41:01.500
 in the New Testament

00:41:01.500 --> 00:41:02.700
 that it's not just

00:41:02.700 --> 00:41:03.679
 that God rules

00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:04.220
 and reigns

00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:04.860
 over the nations

00:41:04.860 --> 00:41:05.480
 but Jesus,

00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.139
 because of his

00:41:06.139 --> 00:41:07.000
 victory by his

00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:07.440
 resurrection,

00:41:07.700 --> 00:41:08.420
 also rules

00:41:08.420 --> 00:41:09.539
 and reigns

00:41:09.539 --> 00:41:10.300
 over the nations.

00:41:10.420 --> 00:41:10.920
 We're told this

00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:12.260
 in Ephesians chapter 1

00:41:12.260 --> 00:41:13.700
 that God,

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:14.500
 by the working

00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:15.320
 of his great might,

00:41:15.420 --> 00:41:16.619
 this is Ephesians 1 19,

00:41:17.559 --> 00:41:18.320
 that he worked

00:41:18.320 --> 00:41:18.800
 in Christ

00:41:18.800 --> 00:41:19.820
 when he raised

00:41:19.820 --> 00:41:20.579
 him from the dead

00:41:20.579 --> 00:41:21.780
 and seated him

00:41:21.780 --> 00:41:22.460
 at his right hand

00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:23.599
 in the heavenly places,

00:41:23.599 --> 00:41:25.139
 far above

00:41:25.139 --> 00:41:25.799
 all rule

00:41:25.799 --> 00:41:26.460
 and authority

00:41:26.460 --> 00:41:27.099
 and power

00:41:27.099 --> 00:41:27.799
 and dominion

00:41:27.799 --> 00:41:28.599
 and above

00:41:28.599 --> 00:41:29.380
 every name

00:41:29.380 --> 00:41:30.059
 that is named,

00:41:30.279 --> 00:41:31.339
 not only in this age

00:41:31.339 --> 00:41:32.199
 but also in the age

00:41:32.199 --> 00:41:32.679
 to come,

00:41:33.219 --> 00:41:34.259
 and he put

00:41:34.259 --> 00:41:35.059
 all things

00:41:35.059 --> 00:41:35.940
 under his feet.

00:41:36.539 --> 00:41:37.619
 In other words,

00:41:37.860 --> 00:41:38.199
 Jesus

00:41:38.199 --> 00:41:40.679
 has all authority

00:41:40.679 --> 00:41:41.539
 and control

00:41:41.539 --> 00:41:42.619
 in heaven

00:41:42.619 --> 00:41:43.759
 and on earth.

00:41:44.039 --> 00:41:45.019
 He sits

00:41:45.019 --> 00:41:45.940
 over the nations

00:41:45.940 --> 00:41:47.659
 just like we see

00:41:47.659 --> 00:41:48.259
 God,

00:41:48.260 --> 00:41:49.180
 even as he

00:41:49.180 --> 00:41:49.760
 hands his people

00:41:49.760 --> 00:41:50.440
 into exile,

00:41:50.620 --> 00:41:51.560
 having all authority

00:41:51.560 --> 00:41:52.640
 and control

00:41:52.640 --> 00:41:53.900
 over the nations.

00:41:54.120 --> 00:41:54.660
 We're also told

00:41:54.660 --> 00:41:55.900
 in Colossians chapter 2,

00:41:56.560 --> 00:41:56.740
 God,

00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:57.720
 Jesus disarmed

00:41:57.720 --> 00:41:58.240
 the rulers

00:41:58.240 --> 00:41:58.920
 and authorities

00:41:58.920 --> 00:41:59.480
 and put them

00:41:59.480 --> 00:42:00.940
 to open shame

00:42:00.940 --> 00:42:02.080
 by triumphing

00:42:02.080 --> 00:42:02.900
 over them in him.

00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:05.000
 That's God then

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:05.740
 disarming the rulers

00:42:05.740 --> 00:42:06.300
 and authorities.

00:42:06.980 --> 00:42:07.480
 And then Jesus

00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:08.460
 also shows us

00:42:08.460 --> 00:42:09.200
 God's presence

00:42:09.200 --> 00:42:10.020
 and his care.

00:42:10.140 --> 00:42:11.040
 John chapter 16,

00:42:11.140 --> 00:42:12.000
 I have said these things

00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:12.260
 to you,

00:42:12.300 --> 00:42:12.700
 that in me

00:42:12.700 --> 00:42:13.480
 you may have peace,

00:42:14.100 --> 00:42:14.760
 in the world

00:42:14.760 --> 00:42:15.700
 you will have tribulation,

00:42:16.340 --> 00:42:17.080
 but take heart,

00:42:17.079 --> 00:42:18.039
 I have overcome

00:42:18.039 --> 00:42:18.519
 the world.

00:42:19.819 --> 00:42:20.519
 If you've been

00:42:20.519 --> 00:42:21.199
 with us some time,

00:42:21.259 --> 00:42:21.659
 you know that I

00:42:21.659 --> 00:42:22.619
 emphasize bookends

00:42:22.619 --> 00:42:23.539
 and we have bookends

00:42:23.539 --> 00:42:24.279
 in this passage.

00:42:24.440 --> 00:42:24.860
 We're told

00:42:24.860 --> 00:42:26.440
 a date

00:42:26.440 --> 00:42:28.239
 on the first verse

00:42:28.239 --> 00:42:28.900
 and a date

00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:29.639
 in the last verse.

00:42:29.759 --> 00:42:30.639
 In the first verse,

00:42:30.739 --> 00:42:31.259
 we see this is

00:42:31.259 --> 00:42:31.920
 the third year

00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:32.920
 of the reign of Jehoiakim.

00:42:33.619 --> 00:42:34.159
 And we see

00:42:34.159 --> 00:42:34.940
 in the last verse,

00:42:35.079 --> 00:42:35.639
 Daniel was there

00:42:35.639 --> 00:42:36.679
 until the first year

00:42:36.679 --> 00:42:37.719
 of King Cyrus.

00:42:38.179 --> 00:42:38.779
 That is,

00:42:38.840 --> 00:42:39.779
 he was all the way

00:42:39.779 --> 00:42:41.019
 there until 539.

00:42:42.380 --> 00:42:43.440
 In other words,

00:42:44.019 --> 00:42:45.500
 God preserves Daniel

00:42:45.500 --> 00:42:46.659
 from beginning to end.

00:42:47.079 --> 00:42:48.619
 He sees him

00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:50.279
 all the way through.

00:42:50.980 --> 00:42:53.400
 He outlasts

00:42:53.400 --> 00:42:54.219
 Nebuchadnezzar.

00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:56.559
 He is able

00:42:56.559 --> 00:42:57.519
 to make it all the way.

00:42:57.679 --> 00:42:58.860
 Daniel serves God

00:42:58.860 --> 00:42:59.460
 faithfully.

00:42:59.819 --> 00:43:00.779
 God protects

00:43:00.779 --> 00:43:01.840
 and preserves Daniel.

00:43:02.039 --> 00:43:04.039
 So it is for us.

00:43:05.179 --> 00:43:06.880
 We serve God

00:43:06.880 --> 00:43:07.539
 faithfully.

00:43:07.779 --> 00:43:09.139
 God preserves

00:43:09.139 --> 00:43:10.119
 and protects us

00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:11.179
 no matter the culture

00:43:11.179 --> 00:43:12.340
 that we find ourselves in,

00:43:12.380 --> 00:43:13.340
 no matter the challenges

00:43:13.340 --> 00:43:14.779
 that present themselves.

00:43:14.780 --> 00:43:16.740
 in the very end

00:43:16.740 --> 00:43:17.940
 of the Gospel of Matthew,

00:43:18.100 --> 00:43:19.600
 Jesus' last words,

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:20.800
 the last words

00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:21.600
 of the last verse

00:43:21.600 --> 00:43:22.400
 of the last chapter,

00:43:22.500 --> 00:43:23.260
 he says this,

00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:24.640
 and behold,

00:43:24.860 --> 00:43:26.360
 I am with you always

00:43:26.360 --> 00:43:27.720
 to the end of the age.

00:43:28.380 --> 00:43:29.400
 Brothers and sisters,

00:43:29.519 --> 00:43:31.140
 because God is with us,

00:43:31.200 --> 00:43:32.800
 because he controls

00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:33.560
 everything,

00:43:34.060 --> 00:43:35.160
 we can serve

00:43:35.160 --> 00:43:36.800
 and follow him faithfully

00:43:36.800 --> 00:43:38.480
 no matter the circumstances.

00:43:38.480 --> 00:43:40.500
 because he tells us,

00:43:40.579 --> 00:43:41.119
 behold,

00:43:41.300 --> 00:43:42.039
 I am with you

00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:43.139
 even to the end

00:43:43.139 --> 00:43:43.659
 of the age.

00:43:44.340 --> 00:43:45.039
 I invite you

00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:45.619
 to pray with me.

00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:48.199
 Our Father in Heaven,

00:43:48.320 --> 00:43:49.240
 we thank you

00:43:49.240 --> 00:43:50.440
 for this encouragement

00:43:50.440 --> 00:43:51.219
 from your word.

00:43:51.340 --> 00:43:52.260
 We ask that you would

00:43:52.260 --> 00:43:53.619
 give us both the strength

00:43:53.619 --> 00:43:54.539
 to stand strong

00:43:54.539 --> 00:43:55.179
 and be faithful

00:43:55.179 --> 00:43:56.340
 no matter the circumstances

00:43:56.340 --> 00:43:57.219
 that face us,

00:43:57.360 --> 00:43:58.740
 and you'd also give us

00:43:58.740 --> 00:43:59.320
 this trust

00:43:59.320 --> 00:44:00.039
 and confidence

00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:00.840
 in you.

00:44:01.300 --> 00:44:02.019
 You'd remind us

00:44:02.019 --> 00:44:03.240
 that you're at work

00:44:03.240 --> 00:44:04.059
 and you are the one

00:44:04.059 --> 00:44:05.039
 who reigns

00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:06.119
 and rules over the nations.

00:44:06.280 --> 00:44:07.559
 We ask you these things

00:44:07.559 --> 00:44:08.360
 in Jesus' name.

00:44:08.900 --> 00:44:09.159
 Amen.

00:44:11.719 --> 00:44:12.519
 Thanks to all of you

00:44:12.519 --> 00:44:13.759
 for joining me

00:44:13.759 --> 00:44:14.719
 this morning.

00:44:15.099 --> 00:44:16.059
 I hope to see you all

00:44:16.059 --> 00:44:16.579
 very soon,

00:44:16.619 --> 00:44:17.340
 and as we end

00:44:17.340 --> 00:44:18.179
 our time together,

00:44:18.179 --> 00:44:19.019
 we will continue

00:44:19.019 --> 00:44:19.659
 our tradition

00:44:19.659 --> 00:44:21.259
 of ending our time

00:44:21.259 --> 00:44:22.059
 with a benediction.

00:44:23.420 --> 00:44:24.360
 And so I invite you,

00:44:24.420 --> 00:44:25.199
 even as we're separated,

00:44:25.679 --> 00:44:26.400
 to hold up your hand.

00:44:26.579 --> 00:44:27.679
 I will hold up my hand

00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:28.539
 to send out God's blessing

00:44:28.539 --> 00:44:28.920
 on you,

00:44:28.980 --> 00:44:29.960
 and you hold out your hands

00:44:29.960 --> 00:44:31.079
 to receive God's blessing.

00:44:31.699 --> 00:44:32.480
 And so hear now

00:44:32.480 --> 00:44:33.299
 God's good word

00:44:33.299 --> 00:44:34.860
 from 1 Thessalonians 5.

00:44:35.659 --> 00:44:36.799
 Now may the God of peace

00:44:36.800 --> 00:44:37.960
 himself sanctify you

00:44:37.960 --> 00:44:38.400
 completely,

00:44:38.539 --> 00:44:39.480
 and may your whole spirit

00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:40.580
 and soul and body

00:44:40.580 --> 00:44:41.420
 be kept blameless

00:44:41.420 --> 00:44:41.920
 at the coming

00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:43.120
 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:44:43.660 --> 00:44:44.539
 He who calls you

00:44:44.539 --> 00:44:45.039
 is faithful.

00:44:45.460 --> 00:44:46.420
 He will surely do it.

00:44:46.780 --> 00:44:47.000
 Amen.

00:44:47.960 --> 00:44:49.100
 Thanks for joining us,

00:44:49.260 --> 00:44:49.980
 and I hope to see

00:44:49.980 --> 00:44:50.800
 all of you very soon.

00:44:51.280 --> 00:44:51.600
 Bye-bye.

00:44:51.600 --> 00:44:51.700
 Bye-bye.

00:44:51.700 --> 00:44:52.100
 Bye-bye.

00:44:52.100 --> 00:44:52.200
 Bye-bye.

00:44:52.200 --> 00:44:52.700
 Bye-bye.

00:44:52.700 --> 00:44:53.700
 Bye-bye.

00:44:53.700 --> 00:44:53.760
 Bye-bye.

00:44:53.760 --> 00:44:53.780
 Bye-bye.

00:44:53.780 --> 00:44:55.700
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.700 --> 00:44:55.720
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.720 --> 00:44:55.740
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.740 --> 00:44:55.780
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.780 --> 00:44:55.800
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.800 --> 00:44:55.820
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.820 --> 00:44:55.840
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.840 --> 00:44:55.860
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.860 --> 00:44:55.880
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.880 --> 00:44:55.900
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.900 --> 00:44:55.920
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.920 --> 00:44:55.940
 Bye-bye.

00:44:55.940 --> 00:44:55.980
 Bye-bye.