Series:
We DON’T Believe
Our
Culture Determines Our Values
Daniel
One
What
is culture anyway?
Definition
of culture: the beliefs, customs, practices, and social behavior of a particular nation
or people
It is how we
get along with each other – what things are considered normal and proper and
what things are frowned upon. All groups have cultures within which they
operate society. We are in many ways a product of our culture.
It affects
the language we speak.
The way we dress
The foods we eat
The holidays we observe
The entertainment we enjoy
Our literature, music, sports, and theatre are all cultural
those are normally things associated with every culture – normal -the
problem comes when we discern our spiritual values from our culture as opposed
to from the Lord through his word.
In Amsterdam,
it is ok to have sex with a prostitute – but what is culturally acceptable
may not be morally acceptable to us as Christians.
There are things in every culture that are acceptable by society at
large but we must reject because they are sinful.
Christianity
is cross cultural – it works in any society and influences our values
despite the traditions, customs, and social practices of that group. We
have to decide if we are going to be thermometers or thermostats.
Explain.
Thermometers
record the temperature – thermostats control the temperature.
What is our
American society telling us about moral values: while not everyone believes these things, our world is
forever attempting to press us into its mold and mindset. We are told to wear
our values loosely; there are no absolute truths. Anyone who disagrees is a
right-wing religious fanatic...
Everyone lies a little to get ahead
Who wouldn’t steal if they had the chance
What’s the harm with a little pornography
What I do in the privacy of my own home is my business, as long as it
doesn’t hurt anyone else
Sex shouldn’t be confined to marriage.
As Christians
we are often faced with two extremes: Preach against everything no matter how
small or minute and return to an OT philosophy of law. Or preach against
nothing and say we live in grace so anything goes.
I believe
there is a better alternative: we
have to develop a solid, objective set of values based on scriptural
principles? These principles then guide our decisions and relationships.
It is something Daniel had to wrestle with – what to accept and what to
stand firm on – we find his story in the book of Daniel beginning with the
first chapter.
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[a] and
put in the treasure house of his god.
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.
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.
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.
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[c] 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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. (NIV)
The
story of Daniel :
grew up in a Godly home –in Israel with its Jewish culture.
The Babylonians conquered Israel; destroyed the temple and deported
much of its population. as a teenager Daniel was transported to a new culture
– language, way of doing things, customs, new religious practices in a
foreign land.
Can you
imagine how hard it would be to be a small minority group in a society where
everyone else thought different than you?
In finding
themselves in a new culture, they were willing to accept some of it’s
customs, but when those customs violated their conscience before God, they
refused to go along with societal norms. Nebuchadnezzar tried to change them
through three mediums
Now
why was this done? Well, it was simply a form of brainwashing. They were doing
everything they could to remove from their memory any thought of God.
Education no longer had the purpose of information, but rather indoctrination.
Education
is a powerful tool. The role of Christian education is very important to the
Christian lifestyle. God says
study the scriptures to show yourself approved of Him.
Teachers
have a powerful role over students. Unfortunately many of our schools resemble
happy hour in Ybor City more than educational opportunities. .There
is a connection between the values that we teach, and the people that we
produce. Franklin D Roosevelt once said, "To train a man in mind, and
not in morals, is to train a menace to society."
Names
Their old
names had been related to Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God. But Nebuchadnezzar
gave them new names, related to the gods of his culture. The name Daniel means
"God is my judge." Hananiah means "Beloved of the Lord."
Mishael means "God is without equal." Azariah means "God is my
helper."
But their
names were changed so that they would be reminded of a pagan god. Daniel's
name became Belteshazzar, meaning "the god Baal favors." Hananiah's
name became Shadrach, meaning "illuminated by the sun god."
Mishael's name was changed to Meshach, meaning "who is like unto
Venice." Azariah's name was changed to AbedNego, meaning "the
servant of Nebo."
Names are
important. We have a historical
name Bates reflects on my family
Christian reflects on
Christ.
Food
they were to be
served the finest food and wine. Good
deal – maybe. Vs. 8 Daniel says: Daniel resolved not to defile himself with
the royal food and wine. Vs. 12
just give me vegetables and water – trial
by fire – trial by vegetables – because if it didn’t work – the
official and Daniel were in deep trouble.
As
a Christian in all cultures there must come a time where we draw a line in the
sand and say: I can’t do that. For Daniel, it was the issue of food;
I’ll go to your schools, I’ll even let you change my name but I won’t
defile myself with your food.
It’s
helpful to distinguish between personal convictions and Biblical convictions.
Personal Convictions come from family, community, and are often based on
personal tastes and preferences.
Personal convictions are just that and should not be forced upon others
Biblical Convictions have clear teaching in the Bible. The Ten Commandments
are clear. You don’t need a conviction to not commit adultery or lie or
steal.
The
challenge is some people want to battle over every personal conviction,
drawing the line in the sand when anyone disagrees with them over their
preferences.
To refuse to eat
at the king's table was an insult to the king. Furthermore, to refuse a direct
order was an act of disobedience and either rebellion or refusal carried with
it the penalty of instant death. In other words, when Daniel said,
"No" he was putting his life on the line.
Why?
the issue was not the meat and the wine. The issue was Daniel's convictions.
Daniel had a choice and that choice revealed his character, because choices
don't make character, choices reveal character.
1.
Daniel with his strong Jewish background did not want to eat that which was
not kosher.
The
issue of what food to eat made the Jews unique – it was one of the signs of
their Jewishness. Let people know who they were and they weren’t ashamed of
it. When we get to the NT, Jesus
says the sign that lets people know you are Christians is not a physical sign
by what you eat or wear or say; it is a spiritual sign by the way you love.
“By this shall all men know you are my disciples, by your love for
one another.” Mark 7:15
“Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him:” I Cor. 8
he says if you eat meat offered to idols it doesn’t defile you.
2. Even more
importantly, the meat and the wine had been dedicated to some heathen god and
in Daniel's mind, to eat this food and drink this wine, would mean that he
would be honoring a pagan god and pledging allegiance to that pagan god and
Daniel refused to do it.
Conviction
is the mortar of morality
Did
you notice what Daniel did? He didn't stage a protest. He didn’t have an
occupy Babylon sit it. He didn't firebomb the banquet hall. He didn't threaten
the king He just very quietly and graciously proposed an alternative.
He
could say no to the world, because he had first said yes to God.
But Daniel had the courage of his convictions.
Daniel did not let his value be determined by his culture. As a result,
he and his friends were:
Physically
Enriched vs. 15
Spiritually
Enlightened vs. 17
To interpret visions was a spiritual experience
Politically
Enthroned vs. 18
If
we do not have convictions on what we believe, our culture will determine our
values for us. Ultimately our values must be based upon the Word of God.