Daniel 1:1-21 CONQUERING COMPROMISE
Intro: In the early part of this century, an American ship
was wrecked off the Sicily Isles near the coast of England. The sea had been calm and the
weather clear, but the vessel was caught in a treacherous current that slowly lured it off
its course. Before the captain and the crew realized what had happened, the ship had
crashed into the rocks.
In life, too, powerful currents of compromise can catch the
soul and carry to shipwreck. Spiritual drifting is usually a slow and imperceptible
process. We know it has occurred when we have lost the strong resistance to evil and the
passionate desire for truth that we once knew.
Compromise is defines as
1. a settlement of differences by mutual
concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims,
principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.
2. the result of such a settlement.
3. something intermediate between
different thing
Often, life is filled with compromises. We are given
a choice as to how we will live our lives and what path we are going to follow through
life. When we come to these times of decision, it is imperative that we make godly
choices. Because the choices we make at the cross roads of life will determine our
usefulness to God and our effectiveness in His kingdom work.
Our text tonight is about four men who came to a time of
decision in their lives. They could either compromise and go with the flow, or they could
stand their ground and live for the Lord. The circumstances they faced and the decisions
they made set the course or the rest of their lives. Since this incident occurred, the
names of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego have stood tall as the names of great heros of the
faith. And, what of Daniel? Who would have ever have heard of Daniel if he had compromised
at this early stage of life? His name would be unknown to modern man, and we would never
have received this wonderful book. With that in mind, it is good to be able to say that
these young men stood their test and as a result, we are all blessed this evening.
As you and I go through life, there will always be times
where we are going to have to make decisions to do the right thing. When these times come,
and they most certainly will, we will either decide to go with God despite the cost. Or,
we will choose to compromise. The truths contained in this passage will help us as we face
the serious crossroads of life. Tonight, I would like to speak for a little while on this
thought, Conquering Compromise. My prayer is that we can glean the strength that we need
to always make our stand for the Lord.
I.. V. 1-7 THE PROBLEMS AT HAND
A. These Hebrew boys faced several problems. Each of these
had the potential to derail them and lead them off on a spiritual tangent. However, the
problems they faced, were not that different from those we face daily in our world.
1. V. 1-2 A New Home - These boys
had been brought up in and around Jerusalem. There they were constantly reminded of their
God and of His importance to life. The Temple with its sacrifices was there. The priests
and the scribes were there teaching. The prophets were preaching the message of Jehovah.
Now, they are slaves and have been hauled off the Babylon. Here, they are surrounded by
heathen worship, heathen images and heathen people. It would be easy to conform just to
fit in. (Ill. For the Christian, the danger is just as real. It is easy to be spiritual in
church. It is easy to be godly around godly people. However, when we separate from the
godly influences around us, we are placing ourselves in a dangerous position. We are
opening up our lives to the possibility of compromise. Therefore, it is important that we
are consistent in our church attendance, Heb. 10:25. It is essential that we surround
ourselves with God's people, 1 Cor. 15:33 It is easy to compromise and conform with the
world when we are away from the influence if godliness.)
2. V. 3-4 New Knowledge - These
young men were taught a new language and new ways of looking at life. All their lives,
they had been exposed to Jewish wisdom. Now, they are being taught the wisdom of Babylon.
They are being exposed to things they have never been exposed to before. It is be a
dangerous time for them. There is much pressure being exerted on them to conform to the
new world around them. (Ill. The same dangers face the Christian in this world today. We
are constantly being exposed to new ways of thinking and are being told that our way of
looking at the world, through the eyes of God in the Bible, is outdated, ancient and
intolerant. There is much pressure being placed on the Christian community to conform to
the world's way of thinking. We are told to accept homosexuality, alcohol usage, cursing,
promiscuous sexual activity, etc. However, God has not changed His mind about a single
thing! What He said 4,000, 3,000, or 2,000 years ago still stands today! It doesn't matter
if it hairlips the devil and if the entire world stands against it, the Word of God is
sure, it is settled and it is right! Psa. 119:89; Isa. 40:8)
3. V. 5 A New Diet - All their
lives, these four young men had lived by the dietary laws handed down by the Lord. Now,
they are faced with new food. Most likely, this food was unclean, by Jewish standards, and
most of the meat had probably been sacrificed to idols. Therefore, it would have defiled
these men and made them unclean before the Lord. (As Christians, we too are faced with
choices that run contrary to the best that God has purposed for us. There are decisions
about our choice of entertainment, our music we listen to, choices in our personal
relationships. We are confronted daily by choices to either do or not do certain things
that can cause us to be defiled. Now, I am saved, and nothing will ever change that! But,
the choices I make in life can either build me up, or tear me down as a servant of God. I
can never be lost again, but I can become defiled and put on the shelf by God, 1 Cor.
9:27. Therefore, it is extremely important that we constantly guard ourselves in this
matter of what we take into our lives. (Ill. David had a good plan - Psa. 101:3))
4. V. 6-7 New Names - When these
young men arrived in Babylon, they came carrying wonderful names. Each name carried with
it a testimony to the person of God.
a. Daniel - God is my judge
b. Hananiah - God is gracious
c. Mishael - God is without equal
d. Azariah - The Lord is my helper
When they arrived in Babylon, they were given new names.
a. Daniel became Belteshazzar - Which means, "Bel will
protect."
b. Hananiah became Shadrach - Which means,
"Inspiration of the Sun."
c. Mishael became Meshach - Which means, "Belonging to
Aku."
d. Azariah became Abednego - Which means, "Servant of
Nego."
Nebuchadnezzar's goal was to change their identity and
hopefully their way of thinking. However, it is plain to see as one reads the book of
Daniel, that even though their names were changed their character remained in tact. (Ill.
The world and the devil will try every tactic to force us to fit into their mold. However,
no matter what they say to us, call us, do to us or throw at us in life, they will never
be able to change what we are, 1 John 3:1-2! We must never forget that we are the twice
born children of the living God!
B. As we journey through life, there are going to be
constant attempts by the enemy to get us to let down our guard, to conform to the world's
standards and to do things we know to be wrong. However, these times of testing and trial
can be weathered safely and securely. God Himself has promised to help us when we face
times of testing - 1 Cor. 10:13; Heb. 4:15.
C. Looking at the stand these four young men took there in
Babylon will help us when we are faced with a crossroads in life. We see not only The
Problems At Hand, but next we see The Purpose Of Their Hearts.
II. V. 8-16 THE PURPOSE OF THEIR HEARTS
A. V. 8 Their Dedication - The
Babylonians could change their homes, their diet, their names, and their education, but
they could never change their hearts! These men had decided that they were going to serve
the Lord, whatever the cost! It would have been easy to say, "Well, it's all right,
everyone else is doing it!" Or "We had better do what the king says." Or
"We'll obey the king outwardly, but we'll just keep our faith to ourselves."
These options weren't good enough for these men! They were willing to commit themselves to
God's will despite the consequences. (Ill. Christians need this same level of determined
commitment! Many of us seem to find it too easy to give in to compromise. We need to
dedicate ourselves to God and His plan for our lives, even if it costs us our lives! Our
duty is to faithfully serve the Lord with all we have and are, the details are His
problem, Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 15:58!
B. V. 9-14 Their Desire - In an
effort to maintain their ceremonial purity before the Lord, they requested that they not
be forced to eat the king's meat. They knew they would be fed defiled and defiling foods,
therefore, they requested that they be allowed to have vegetables and water for a ten-day
period. Daniel and his friends knew that a vegetarian diet would not defile them and they
knew that God would honor their faith in Him. They were willing to put God to the test.
(Ill. It will not always be the easiest thing, nor will it be the most popular thing for
you to take your stand with God. It will not always be understood by those around you.
However, it is always the right thing! If we will be willing to stand our ground for the
Lord, He will certainly honor our stand and bless us. Matt. 6:33!)
C. The whole point of this section of the text is that
these young men made up their minds that they were going to live for the Lord, and they
allowed nothing to change them or to turn them from their purpose! As you follow them
through the rest of their lives, you see they stuck to their guns more than once. In
chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to die rather than compromise. In
chapter 6, Daniel, an 80-+ year old man, risked death in the lion's den rather than
compromise in his walk with God. What about us, do we have that same level of resolve and
commitment to the Lord and His work? Would you be willing to die before compromising with
the enemy?
D. Probably not! We compromise in many ways. In our speech,
in our dress, in our lifestyles, in our music, in had decided in their hearts that they
would die before they would compromise with the world, the flesh or the devil. We need to
strive for that same standard in our own lives. (Ill. There are a lot of God's children
who need to recommit themselves to the Lord tonight! There are many who have let down
their guard and have compromised in one or more issues. Others are flirting dangerously
close to doing the same thing. It is time for God's children to resolve in their hearts
that come what may, they will not disgrace the name of Jesus, and they will not compromise
in any area of their life!)
E. The dedication of these men can be summed up in 2 words,
Faith and Obedience. They were willing to trust God to
do what He had promised, and they were willing to follow Him, regardless of the personal
cost. What about you?
III. V. 17-21 THE PROMOTION FROM HEAVEN
A. V. 15-16 Their Experience -
Daniels experiment worked! God honored His Word and these men were healthier than the
others. (Ill. These 4 men knew something that many of us never get, and it is this:
"If we will do as God says, He will never fail us, even in the slightest way. He will
be absolutely faithful to honor His Word and His servants who trust that Word and do as He
says.) Lam. 3:23; Heb. 6:13-19. Come what may, you can count on the Lord!
B. V. 17-20 Their Excellence -
After 3 years, (Notice that they maintained their resolve all during this time!), they
stood before the king. When he interviewed them, He found that they were head and
shoulders above all the others and that they were 10 times better than his wisest
counselors. Again, this reminds us that God honors those who honor Him. (Ill. This does
not teach that serving God faithfully will make you smart, attractive and famous. It does
teach us that serving God has with it the benefit of being promoted in His work. God
placed these men where He could use them in that day, and He did use them in wonderful
ways for His glory. He will place us in this day and use us here and now if we will serve
Him as we should. The key is to never compromise, even in what we think is the smallest of
areas!
C. V. 21 Their Endurance - We are
not told how long Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego served there in Babylon, but we are told
that Daniel endured, in a place of power and prominence, for over 70 years. In fact, he
was nearing 90 when he faced the lions. This just encourages my heart because it reminds
me that no matter how long I live, or where I go in life, if I will always seek to honor
the Lord, He will consistently bless me and use me for His glory. (Ill. God is always
looking for vessels which He can fill up and pour out for His glory. However, to be
usable, we have to be clean, and to be clean, we must learn to never be guilty of
compromise - 2 Tim. 2:20-21. God's house is filled with all kinds of vessels. Some are
honorable and are being used for His glory. Others are defiled through compromise in one
or more areas of life and cannot be used. Which best describes your life?)
Conc: "A giant 400-year-old redwood came crashing down
one day, could figure out why. The tree had survived four centuries of storms, lightning,
and earthquakes--what had felled it?
"On closer inspection, investigators found that tiny
beetles had found their way inside its trunk and had begun eating away its life-giving
fibers, weakening its mighty bulk from the inside out.
"In much the same way, the devil tries to bring
Christians down through a steady drone of small, seemingly insignificant temptations.
While we are fighting and resisting him in one area, he may be setting up house in another
area of our lives. Satan will find ways to creep into our lives for the purpose of eroding
our foundations until our fibers have become undone and we come crashing down to the
ground.
"Show me a person who has fallen away from their walk
with the Lord, and I will show you a person who started making compromises in his or her
life long ago."
Are there areas in your life where you have begun to let
your guard down? Are you allowing things in you life that you used to think were wrong? If
you have begun the downward spiral of compromise, I am glad I can tell you that Jesus
allows u-turns! He has promised us that we can find unconditional forgiveness when we come
home to Him, 1 John 1:9. Where do you find yourself tonight? If the little beetles of
compromise are whittling away at your walk with God, then come back home and allow the
Lord to put you back where He wants you to be. Will you look deep inside and do what you
need to do tonight? If so, then come to the lord and allow Him to have His way in your
life.
