GateWay Church of Visalia
Daniel: Shining in Babylon
Built Different Daniel 1 & 2 Pastor Lance Ainsworth Oct. 5 & 8, 2023
Locations & Times
GateWay Church
1100 S Sowell St, Visalia, CA 93277, USA
Thursday 6:30 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Introduction
Daniel 12:3 NASB
3 Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
3 Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
Daniel 1-2 NASB
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
Babylon: specific Kingdom in the 6th century B.C. and represents a spiritual power at work in every secular kingdom in every age.
5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego.8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank;
You can’t make a difference unless you are different.
20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.
2 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 , and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days
44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 , and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days
44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
A stone cut out of the mountain without hands – Jesus. Matt:21:42-44
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. 47 The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
So What?!
1. I will remain faithful to God in Babylon. “Daniel made up his mind he would not defile himself”
Daniel: “God is my judge” -> Belteshazzar: “Baal protects the king”
Hananiah: “God is gracious” -> Shadrach: “Under the command of Aku”
Mishael: “There is none like God” -> Meshach: “There is none like Aku”
Azariah: “God has helped me” -> Abed-Nego: “The servant of Nebo”
Hananiah: “God is gracious” -> Shadrach: “Under the command of Aku”
Mishael: “There is none like God” -> Meshach: “There is none like Aku”
Azariah: “God has helped me” -> Abed-Nego: “The servant of Nebo”
The names you allow to label you often title the scripts you live by. – Chris Hodges
2. I am called to infiltrate and influence Babylon. GateWay Mission Statement, “Engage a ready world with the hope and joy of Jesus Christ”
v. 1:20 “he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.”
v. 2:47 “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings”
v. 1:20 “he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.”
v. 2:47 “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings”
Jeremiah 29:4-7 NASB
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’
4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’
Transformation > Assimilation/Separation.
Daniel: Shining in Babylon
Daniel 1 & 2 Pastor Lance Ainsworth
October 5th & 8th, 2023
Built Different
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: What is your definition of integrity?
Read aloud: Read Daniel 1:1-21, 2:44-48
1. Daniel 1:1-2 “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God”Why did the Lord allow Judah to be conquered? How would you feel if you were Daniel, a young teenager, and because of others you have now been taken captive? What does this tell us about God’s sovereignty?
2. Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank;” Daniel was not on a strict diet; he chose not to indulge in pagan rituals. V17 “God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.” God blesses Daniel’s integrity, is that always the case? Does God give knowledge and intelligence to His faithful servant or is this an exception?
3. Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” The kingdom of Babylon cannot stand against the Kingdom of God. Where do you see a resemblance between Babylon of 600 B.C. and Babylon of 2023? Why has mankind struggled with wanting to make our name great, where else do we see that in culture/scripture? How does Babylon attempt to indoctrinate and change our identity?
4. Jeremiah 29:7: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”
We have a few choices when it comes to living in Babylon:
Separation: We disengage from society and fortress up or become indifferent.
Assimilation: We gradually start to look, speak, and act like Babylon.
Transformation: We infiltrate and influence Babylon.
What are the effects of separation and assimilation? What does transforming Babylon look like in your context? Will you pray for GateWay to continue to be used as a transformative influence in Visalia?
Daniel 1 & 2 Pastor Lance Ainsworth
October 5th & 8th, 2023
Built Different
Prayer Requests:
Group Discussion: What is your definition of integrity?
Read aloud: Read Daniel 1:1-21, 2:44-48
1. Daniel 1:1-2 “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God”Why did the Lord allow Judah to be conquered? How would you feel if you were Daniel, a young teenager, and because of others you have now been taken captive? What does this tell us about God’s sovereignty?
2. Daniel 1:8 “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank;” Daniel was not on a strict diet; he chose not to indulge in pagan rituals. V17 “God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.” God blesses Daniel’s integrity, is that always the case? Does God give knowledge and intelligence to His faithful servant or is this an exception?
3. Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” The kingdom of Babylon cannot stand against the Kingdom of God. Where do you see a resemblance between Babylon of 600 B.C. and Babylon of 2023? Why has mankind struggled with wanting to make our name great, where else do we see that in culture/scripture? How does Babylon attempt to indoctrinate and change our identity?
4. Jeremiah 29:7: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”
We have a few choices when it comes to living in Babylon:
Separation: We disengage from society and fortress up or become indifferent.
Assimilation: We gradually start to look, speak, and act like Babylon.
Transformation: We infiltrate and influence Babylon.
What are the effects of separation and assimilation? What does transforming Babylon look like in your context? Will you pray for GateWay to continue to be used as a transformative influence in Visalia?