Sunday School Lesson

1. DANIEL
Chapter 1
“Living in Babylon & Drawing the Line”
How can I live in the world yet be free from its influence?
July 27, 2014
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
USA

2. JULY MEMORY VERSE
James 5:16
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and
pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man
avails much.

3. THE BOOK OF DANIEL
• Theological Theme: God’s Sovereignty
Daniel 5:21
21 …the Most High God is sovereign over all
kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he
wishes.
God controls the destinies of both pagan empires
and His exiled people.

4. THE BOOK OF DANIEL
• Chapters 1 – 6
– Historical narrative of experiences of Daniel and
his friends in Babylon
• Chapters 7-12
– Apocalyptic (futuristic) visions and revelations of
future events
Language: Daniel 1:1-2:4; 8-12 in Hebrew & middle
sections written in Aramaic

5. REFERENCES
Where God Was Born by Bruce Feiler, Harper
Collins, 2005.
Daniel: God’s Pattern For The Future, A Study
Guide by Charles R. Swindoll, 1992
Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy by
Beth Moore, 2006

6. Daniel 1:1-2
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king
of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came
to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord
delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand,
along with some of the articles from the temple
of God. These he carried off to the temple of his
god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house
of his god.

7. Daniel 1 – The Dates & Author
• Daniel was in 1st deportation in 605 B.C.
• Ezekiel was in 2nd deportation in 597 B.C.
• 3rd deportation in 586 B.C. with Temple and
Jerusalem destroyed
• Daniel is author with completion date of 530 B.C.

8. Daniel 1 – The Wars & Power
• Nebuchadnezzar succeeds his father as King
• Leads the Babylonians to defeat the Egyptians
under Pharaoh Neco at Carchemish (Syria)
• Judah had depended on Egypt for protection
• Nebuchadnezzar seizes opportunity to seize
Judah
• Jeremiah has prophesied all of this!

9. Daniel 1 - Babylon
• City in Iraq – 50 miles south of Baghdad on
Euphrates River
• Surrounded by 11 miles of outer wall
• Inner wall wide enough for 2 chariots to pass
• Entered by 8 gates – famous for Ishtar Gate
• “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” – 7 Wonders of
the World
• A planned community!

10. Babylon

11. Babylon

12. Babylon - A Planned City

13. Hanging Gardens of Babylon

14. Ishtar Gate of Babylon

15. Ishtar Gate

17. Babylon Area in the Bible
• Garden of Eden – Where Tigris & Euphrates
Rivers meet (southern Babylonia/Iraq)
• Tower of Babel – Genesis 11:1 describes the
“plain of Shinar”, known as Babylonia
• Abraham – Ur of the Chaldeans (southern
Babylonia) in Genesis 11:28

18. Tower of Babel 3500 B.C.?

19. Nebuchadnezzar’s god -Marduk
• Marduk (Merodach or Bel) – chief god of
Babylon
• Credited with creation- reenacted each new
year & celebrated with a festival
• Resided in temple of Esagila

20. Temple of Esagila for Marduk

21. Ziggurat & Esagila Temple

22. Prophecy Fulfilled in Daniel 1:1-2
Isaiah 39:5-7
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of
the Lord Almighty: 6 The time will surely come when
everything in your palace, and all that your
predecessors have stored up until this day, will be
carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the
Lord. 7 And some of your descendants, your own
flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be
taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the
palace of the king of Babylon."

23. Daniel 1:3-4
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his
court officials, to bring into the king's service
some of the Israelites from the royal family and
the nobility — 4 young men without any physical
defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every
kind of learning, well informed, quick to
understand, and qualified to serve in the king's
palace. He was to teach them the language and
literature of the Babylonians.

24. Daniel 1:5
5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food
and wine from the king's table. They were to be
trained for three years, and after that they were
to enter the king's service.

25. Daniel 1: 6-7
6 Among those who were chosen were some
from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and
Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new
names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to
Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and
to Azariah, Abednego.
• (Goal was to remove Jewish heritage and
assimilate into Babylonia culture)

26. Name Changes
Jewish
• Daniel – God is my judge
• Hananiah – The Lord shows
grace
• Mishael – Who is what God
is?
• Azariah – The Lord helps
Babylonian
• Belteshazzar – Marduk,
protect his life
• Shadrach – command of
Aku (pagan god)
• Meshach – Who is what Aku
is?
• Abednego – servant of
Nego/Nebo

27. Daniel 1:8-10
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with
the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief
official for permission not to defile himself this
way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show
favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the
official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the
king, who has assigned your food and drink.
Why should he see you looking worse than the
other young men your age? The king would then
have my head because of you."

28. Food in the Bible
• People & animals were vegetarians until after
the flood.
Genesis 1:30
30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the
birds in the sky and all the creatures that move
along the ground—everything that has the
breath of life in it—I give every green plant for
food." And it was so.

29. Food in the Bible
• After the flood, God added meat to man’s diet,
with one restriction
Genesis 9:3-4
3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food
for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now
give you everything.
4 "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood
still in it.

30. Food Restrictions for Israel
Leviticus 11:45-47
45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be
your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
46 "'These are the regulations concerning animals, birds,
every living thing that moves about in the water and
every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must
distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between
living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not
be eaten. '"

31. Why Food Restrictions for Israel?
• Kashrut – body of Jewish law dealing with
dietary regulations
• Kosher – foods that meets Kashrut standards
• Health benefits – sanitation, disease, spoilage,
digestion (meat & dairy together)
• Environmental – camel more useful as beast
of burden than food source; pig consumes a
quantity of food disproportional to its value

32. Why Food Restrictions for Israel?
• Short answer: “Because the Torah says so.”
• Torah does not specify the reasons
• “Chukkim” – laws for which there is no reason
• We show our obedience to God by following
these laws even though we do not know the
reason
• Following kashrut reminds one of Jewishness

33. Daniel’s Resolve Not To Defile His Body
• Royal food & wine may have been offered to
idols before serving.
• The food was not prepared according to
Jewish regulations.
• Daniel demonstrated the courage of his
convictions.

34. Daniel 1:11-14
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief
official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your
servants for ten days: Give us nothing but
vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then
compare our appearance with that of the young
men who eat the royal food, and treat your
servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So
he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

35. A Lesson from Daniel
• When faced with a seemingly impossible
situation (directive) in life, pray for an
alternative plan that will not compromise your
values.
• Have an alternative plan before refusing to
comply.
• Some things are not negotiable.

36. Daniel 1:15-16
15 At the end of the ten days they looked
healthier and better nourished than any of the
young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the
guard took away their choice food and the wine
they were to drink and gave them vegetables
instead.

37. Royal Food & Wine
• The young men had just walked 4 months
from Israel to Babylon
– Minimal food and water
• 10 days of heavy foods & wine –
– Bloated, lethargic, GI distress
• Montezuma's Revenge?

38. Daniel 1:17
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge
and understanding of all kinds of literature and
learning. And Daniel could understand visions
and dreams of all kinds.
• Did not refuse to learn opposing views
• God used knowledge of opposing views to
enhance their service to Him.

39. Applications of Daniel 1:17
• Know the enemy!
• Study opposing views to confirm your beliefs
– Example: Evolution
• Daniel was 20 years old (Age appropriate)
• Teach your children a Biblical World View
– View of world based on God as creator/sustainer
– View based on God’s word as TRUTH
– God is the source of all knowledge
– God allows man discovery of knowledge

40. Daniel 1:18-19
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring
them into his service, the chief official presented
them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with
them, and he found none equal to Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered
the king's service.

41. Daniel 1:20-21
20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding
about which the king questioned them, he
found them ten times better than all the
magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21 And Daniel remained there until the first year
of King Cyrus.
- Daniel served from 605 BC to 538 BC (67 years)

42. 4 LESSONS FROM DANIEL 1
by Rev. Ray Ellis
1. When we experience inevitable interruptions
in life, we should look for possibilities.
- Daniel and friends accepted their situation and
allowed God to use them.
- Daniel and friends had to redefine “Normal” in their
lives.
- God is present wherever we are.

43. LESSONS FROM DANIEL 1
2. Resist the temptation to play the blame
game.
- Daniel could blame others for his situation, he
was truly a victim of war.
- Daniel chose to honor God while living in a
pagan culture
- Romans 8:28 gives a promise that God can work
our situation for good and His glory

44. LESSONS FROM DANIEL 1
3. Resist the belief that you are entitled to a
“The Good Life”.
- Remember this world is not our ‘home’
- The Good Life is not a promise.
- God promises to be with us in every situation
- Thankfulness is the first step to moving away
from self-pity!

45. LESSONS FROM DANIEL 1
4. Remember that God wants to use us in more
significant ways than we ever dreamed.
Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

46. CLOSING THOUGHT
Matthew 5:13a
13a “You are the salt of the earth.”
Matthew 5:14a, 16
14a “You are the light of the world.”
16 “Let your light shine before men that they may
see your good deeds and praise your Father in
heaven.”

47. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 3:23 NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God,
Romans 6:23a NKJV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
Death in this life (the first death) is 100%. Even
Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died
in this life to pay the penalty for our sins. The death
referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death
explained in Revelation 21:8.

48. Revelation 21:8 NKJV
8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,
murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
Romans 6:23b NKJV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord.

49. Romans 5:8 NKJV
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I
will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to accept Jesus
as our Savior.

50. Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus
and believe in your heart that God has raised Him
from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the
heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:13 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall
be saved.”

51. If you have questions or would like to know more.
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at
601-979-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/