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Winterfest 2020- Pre-Event Lesson-1How Was Daniel Able to Pass the Test?Four Factors that Enabled Daniel to say, “NOT NOW. NOT EVER!”This lesson is designed to prepare students for the sessions they’ll experience at Winterfest. It will be helpful for students to read the book of Daniel before Winterfest, especially chapters 1-6. Daniel 1 Begin by asking students: What has been the hardest test you ever had to take in school? (Algebra? Biology? History? English Literature?) Those tests are challenging, for sure, but the toughest tests to pass are the tests of character; even tougher than all the challenging academic exams you’ve ever taken. Why? Because when our integrity is at stake, we have to go deeper than just what we KNOW. We must go all the way to the very foundation of WHO WE ARE. Character tests expose our hidden flaws; but they also reveal our strengths – our determination to love, our commitment to honesty, our faith in God.The Story of Inky Much of life is a test. Such is the story of a man named Inky. Inky Johnson is a former cornerback for the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team. Inky was projected to be a first-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft. But that dream disappeared when he suffered a life-changing injury in the second game of the 2006 season that left his right arm paralyzed. Since that day, Inky has demonstrated that his story isn’t one of tragedy but one of triumph. His testimony shows us that the things that happen in life are not designed by God to stop us but to redirect us so we can experience what He has in store for us. You can see a youtube video of Inky sharing part of the story here: We know what to do when things are going well. We know what to do when God says, “Yes.” What will you do when God says, “No”? What happens when God says “yes” and “no?” Can you accept what you don’t understand? Can you still see God’s plan when it doesn’t go the way you thought it would go? Inky Johnson is able to say “thank you” to God because he understands that his identity is not based in a circumstance and his happiness is not based in a situation. It comes down to the question, “Do I trust my plan or do I trust God’s plan? Am I going to stay true to God, even if my right arm gets paralyzed; even if I’m deported to Babylon? Tests in life reveal who we really are. Such was the case with another person, a young man named Daniel.The Story of Daniel In the Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter 1, we see the story of a young man who was stripped of every external support of his faith and identity in God. Very few of us will ever face a test like this. Daniel, though, comes out of it, not only with his beliefs intact, but with a character that will reflect the Light of God. Daniel himself tells the historical backdrop to his story in the first chapter of Daniel.“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim?king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar?king of Babyloncame 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.” (Daniel 1:1-2) Having defeated the Egyptians in 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar rode the wave of victory through Syria and Palestine, swallowing up smaller nations like Judah. The assault on Jerusalem resulted in Jehoiakim’s quick surrender and an agreement that Judah would become somewhat of a puppet regime, beholden to Nebuchadnezzar. This was a major turning point in Jewish history. It marked the beginning of a period in which Gentile nations would dominate the land and no king from the line of David would sit on Israel’s throne.Babylon and NebuchadnezzarNebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon, the dominant world power of its day and captor of the Jews. The grand and brilliant ancient city included fortifications, famous streets like the Processional, canals, temples and palaces. The Ishtar Gate led through the double wall of fortifications and was adorned with rows of bulls and dragons in colored enameled brick. Nebuchadnezzar’s throne room was likewise adorned with enameled bricks . . .Not far distant were the hanging gardens, which to the Greeks were one of the seven wonders of the world. How well the words of Daniel 4:30 fit this ambitious builder: “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place by the might of my power and to the glory of my majesty?” The first Gentile king to trample Jerusalem underfoot was Nebuchadnezzar, who helped himself to some of the temple treasures and selected a group of Judah’s finest young men to be taken to Babylon as his private servants. This is where Daniel enters the scene. Chosen to be deported, Daniel describes the selection process and what happened when he arrived at his new home in distant Babylon.“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.” (Dan. 1:3-4) “Cream of the crop” was the command to Ashpenaz. Nebuchadnezzar wanted the best that Judah had to offer as examples of his conquering power. They were to be youths (teenagers), physically fit, handsome, and sharp-minded. Young Daniel qualified, and so did Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (v. 6). The king ordered Ashpenaz to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. And the king ordered for them daily meals of his best food and wine, and planned that they would go through an education process that lasted three years. At the end of this, they would enter into the king’s personal service. (vv. 4b-5) Total indoctrination was the objective. Nebuchadnezzar wanted these boys to walk, talk, and think Babylonian-style. So right away they were enrolled in a three-year liberal arts program that probably included a study of agriculture, architecture, astrology, astronomy, law, math, and the difficult Akkadian language. The royal diet would strengthen their bodies for this task. There was more to the meals than just nourishment, however. All meals served at the king’s table were heathen feasts served in honor of their gods. To share in such a feast was the equivalent of honoring those false gods, admitting their claims and existence, and so practically denying the one true God. Even the food and drink were meant to compromise their convictions. The king was determined to replace the boys’ Jewish values with Babylonian values. Everything familiar had been taken away – their families, their homes, their religion. Some believe that the Babylonians even made them eunuchs, which, if true, explains why Daniel never married. The final blow came when they took away their identities. Their God-honoring Hebrew names were replaced with pagan names that honored the Babylonian gods.“The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar;?to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.” (v. 7) Imagine a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy living hundreds of miles from his family, forced to take college-level courses in a foreign language, constantly barraged by pagan philosophy, and surrounded by the intimidating sights and sounds of the big city. There’s no going home. No summer vacation. Only day in, day out brainwashing in the ways of the world. It would be quite a test of his beliefs, wouldn’t it? Daniel not only handled the test but passed it with flying colors.How did Daniel do it? How was he able to pass the test? From the scripture we see four factors that contributed to Daniel’s ability to say, “NOT NOW. NOT EVER!”1. He Made a Decision 2. He Made a Plan3. He Acknowledged God’s Work 4. He Controlled His Mind. 1. He Made a Decision“But Daniel resolved not to defile?himself with the royal food and wine” (v. 8a) Literally, Daniel “set upon his heart” that he would not defile himself by eating the unclean food. He didn’t wait until the banquet was spread before him to decide. He made up his mind BEFORE the delicious smells tantalized his teenage appetite. In the most private part of his heart, he set up a wall-like resolve that he would not compromise. What did he use as foundation material? The scriptural lessons he had learned at home and that had been handed down from Moses, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. The word of the Lord was unmistakable: “I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44). Daniel may have been living in an unclean world, but he was determined to remain clean. He made up his mind ahead of time what he would do.Daniel showed that inner conviction can overcome outer pressure. Why? Because the power of God is on our side. A key to tapping into that power is making up our minds like Daniel did, before the sweet smell of the temptation dances in front of us. Decide ahead of time that you will remain sexually pure. Decide ahead of time that you will not cheat on a test at school. Decide ahead of time that your behavior will not dishonor God. NOT NOW. NOT EVER! 2. He Made a Plan Having made his resolution, Daniel “asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.” (Dan. 1:8b). His approach showed real wisdom. He used his brain! He could have simply defied the commander’s orders and refused to eat. Instead, he built a bridge of understanding between himself and his boss. He pleaded passionately to not defile himself; then he listened to the commander’s point of view:““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.” (v. 10) Sensitive to his supervisor’s dilemma, Daniel proposed a ten-day trial:“Please test?your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.?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.” see.”(v.12-13) Daniel didn’t let his convictions put the commander on the spot. Instead, he respected the commander and his situation by leaving him with the final say. How could Daniel take this risk? Because of his faith in the God who honors those who honor Him. Daniel’s wisdom was based on the fact that God is in control. 3. He Acknowledged God’s Work From the opening curtain of this drama, God has been the unseen director, setting the scenes and guiding the players through their parts. God’s Hand has been at work. According to verse 2, King Nebuchadnezzar didn’t conquer Jerusalem – “The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand.” And according to verse 9, it was God inside the commander’s heart who was softening him toward Daniel:“Now God had caused the official to show favor?and compassion?to Daniel” (v. 9) Later in the story, the Lord became like a private tutor for the Hebrew young people: “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.” (v. 17) Although the Jewish captives were living under the shadow of divine discipline, separated from the land of promise and the temple, God had not abandoned them. His hand was moving silently in the thoughts and feelings of Jews and non-Jews alike, changing attitudes, affecting decisions, and, as a result, altering history. In Daniel and his friends’ case, God made “even [their] enemies to be at peace with [them]” (Proverbs 16:7). “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.”(vs. 15-16) 4. He Controlled His Mind Daniel had no power over his circumstances or the people around him, but there was one thing he did have power over – his reaction to these influences. Within that small circle of control, he chose to be a man of integrity and conviction, to honor God with his mind and body. And he let the Lord take care of the things in the larger circle – his boss, his education, his health, and his rewards in life. We are not responsible for those things that happen TO us but we are responsible for those things that happen IN us. Daniel controlled his mind and his thinking; therefore controlling his actions and his reactions. Solomon wrote, “For as he thinks in his heart, so?is?he.” Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)And Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” We must learn how to control our thoughts. It is so important because:Your mind controls your actions and emotions.Your will controls your mind.You control your will.Therefore, you control your actions and emotions. You can expect that bad things will happen to you. Jesus promised it to those who follow Him. He said in John 16:33b, “In this world?you?will?have?trouble. But take heart! I?have?overcome the world.” “Expecting the world to treat you fairly just because you’re a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to charge you because you’re a vegetarian.” - Dennis Wholey Stand up, get a hold on yourself, be courageous and trust God with the results. Because Daniel stood by his principles and trusted God with the results, God honored him with some special talents and distinctions that would sustain him for the rest of his life.“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. And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.” (vs. 18-21) Nebuchadnezzar had chosen young Daniel to demonstrate Babylonian power and supremacy. Ironically, though, Daniel outlived Nebuchadnezzar, his successors, and even the empire. He lived until the days of Cyrus, the ruler of the Medes and Persians. And he lives on today, as a reminder that God’s realm is higher and more supreme than that of any king. May we be as wise as Daniel and live as faithfully!Write a PrayerIt probably wasn’t easy for Daniel and his companions to turn down the king’s choice food. And it’s not going to always be easy for you to stick to your convictions either. So, write a prayer in the space below and express to God your need for His work on your behalf. Ask for His Hand to work in the hearts of all those involved. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Discussion Questions: Living in America in 2020 is much like living in ancient Babylon. Every day we are confronted with the false gods of pleasure, possessions, popularity, prestige and power. So… 1. What has been the hardest test you ever had to take in school? 2. What decision(s) do you need to make before you get into a compromising situation? 3. How can we live in Babylon without becoming a part of Babylon? 4. Name and discuss the four factors mentioned that helped Daniel to remain faithful. 5. What areas of your life might be straining under Babylon’s pressure and need to be reinforced? 16446515875Remember that God Has a Purpose through All of It“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me,?I will come forth as gold.”Job 23:10 (NKJV)0Remember that God Has a Purpose through All of It“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me,?I will come forth as gold.”Job 23:10 (NKJV)315595114935Possible follow-up questions for use after watching the Inky Johnson video:- How are the stories of Inky and Daniel similar?- Tell about a time when God said “No” to you. How did you react? How did the story turn out?- What is a situation in your life right now that you don’t understand that you need to bring to Jesus?- What challenge or difficulty can you thank God for today?00Possible follow-up questions for use after watching the Inky Johnson video:- How are the stories of Inky and Daniel similar?- Tell about a time when God said “No” to you. How did you react? How did the story turn out?- What is a situation in your life right now that you don’t understand that you need to bring to Jesus?- What challenge or difficulty can you thank God for today? ................
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