Boundaries In Babylon
Background of the book Of Daniel
The foretold exile had begun and Daniel and his friends were of the first to go. The exile was of
God’s doing because the Israelites had broken the covenant with God. God allowed the
Babylonians to come and discipline the Israelites because of his justice, not because of His
favor on the Babylonians. This was the beginning of 70 years of exile for the Israelites.
Meaning of the exiles names
Daniel “God is my judge” to Belteshazzar “O lady, (wife of the god Bel) protect the King!”
Hananiah “Yahweh is gracious” to Shadrach “I am very fearful of god”
Mishael “Who is what God is?” to Meshach “I am of little account”
Azariah “Yahweh is a helper” to Abednego “servant of the shining one”
Daniel 1:8-21(ESV)
8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that
he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And
God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief
of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink;
for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own
age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom
the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test
your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our
appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and
deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and
tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in
appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took
away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had
commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before
Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every
matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten
times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel
was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Pray
Though we are in this world we are not of the world. We once were of the world, but after
coming to the cross of Christ, having our sins washed away, and being indwelled by the Holy
Spirit of God through faith in Christ, we are now new creations. Our spirits now sit with Christ
Jesus in Heaven at the right hand of God where we are citizens of Heaven. How should a
citizen of heaven conduct themselves while in a foreign country, the world?
3 supporting points with 1 testimony
1. Resolve Not To Be Defiled By The World
a. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with
the wine that he drank.
i. Make the decision BY FAITH to trust God in the circumstance He has put
you in. Stop blaming God, repent if you brought this discipline on
yourself, and trust God to sustain you.
b. Resolve leads to favor and compassion even in a hostile circumstance
c. Merit does not guarantee acceptance or favor, but God brings it
2. Welcome The Testing Of Your Faith By The World
a.
b. Supporting scripture
3. Promoted and Preserved
a. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
i. By God’s faithfulness Daniel was promoted and preserved in Babylon the
whole 70 years of the exile.
b. Remain in the circumstance you were in when God called you
i. 17 Only let each person lead the life [ c ] that the Lord has assigned to him,
and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18
Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek
to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call
uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision
counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments
of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.
21 Were you a bondservant [ d ] when called? Do not be concerned about it.
(But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For
he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the
Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23
You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So,
brothers, [ e ] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain
with God.
4. Testimony
“To be in the world, but not of the world, you must be in the light”
We are not of the world just as Jesus is not of the world
15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [ a ] 16
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them [ b ] in the truth; your word
is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake
I consecrate myself, [ c ] that they also may be sanctified [ d ] in truth.
Faith overcomes the world
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has
overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes
that Jesus is the Son of God?”
1 John 5:4-5 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1jn.5.4-5.esv
We are citizens of heaven
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens, [ d ] but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household
of God , 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the
cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in
the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by [ e ] the Spirit. -
Ephesians 2:18-22
Discern the character of those around you
6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample
them underfoot and turn to attack you.”- Matthew 7:6 ESV
Don’t love the world
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father
is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and
pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along
with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2:15-17 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1jn.2.15-17.esv
How to know when the world is speaking vs God
“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the
flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit
of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children,
you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the
world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to
them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not
listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
1 John 4:2-6 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1jn.4.2-6.esv
We love because He first loved us
Action Points
1. What does it look like for me to be ‘set apart’ by God as salt and light that point to Jesus
in the school, workplace, and community that I am in?
Invitation to follow Jesus
“Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up
his cross and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24 ESV
Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Cole Parleir 2018