This week's Bible Study - September 2, 2007
Meeting Cultural Challenges
 Background Scripture:
Daniel 1:3-21
Quote of the Week:
"Culture is a little like dropping an Alka-Seltzer into a glass-you don't see it, but somehow it does something."
-- Hans Magnus Enzensberger
What impositions are put on you by the culture in which you live? As Christians, it can be very difficult to live in a culture without becoming part of the culture. I know people who live in different parts of the country and in different parts of the world, where the culture is admittedly different. Lifestyles and hobbies and median income and jobs and so on can be different. Even if you just stay in the United States, you can find a world of difference between New York City, Miami, Dallas, Minneapolis, Seattle and Los Angeles.
Does this mean that Christians in different cultures should appear more like their culture or more like one another? Should Christians look fairly much the same, in regard to character, wherever you go? Culture does impact us, to be sure. Depending on where you live, the culture may drive how people think and how they view certain things. However, as Christians, we need to define what our world view is. What provides the basis or foundation of our lives? If one has a Christian world view, it should impact their view of several things, including who they belong to, where they find fulfillment, the sanctity of human life, right and wrong, truth and what God is like, as well as many other things.
Your world view is shaped by your life - at first, for children, it is easy to mold, but it becomes harder to change over time. There are two basic world views - God's and man's. As children of God, we really don't have the latitude to make up our own sets of rules. There are some thing that we learned through experience - things not to touch or eat - these become common knowledge. However, the issue of right and wrong is not up for debate when it has been clearly defined by the Bible. While we should have non saved friends, we need to realize that their wisdom is very much self-based. They often scoff at God. Are they impacting our thoughts and how we view things? If you are around non-believers, does your language change and does the subject of conversations become more risqué? As we learn God's ways, we learn of blessings - we become like a tree bearing fruit when we follow his ways and life is as intended.
Following God's plan for life is like having a map of a mine field. If you were going to stroll through a mine field, would you want the map? Nobody wants to hit the mines, to be sure. However, we see that many go through life based on views that change based on society and culture. Many fill church pews each week, but want to follow the changing standards or to fit in with those around them. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. The real question is this - what has the biggest impact on your life? Is it Christ at work in your life, or is it the culture around you? Culture changes from place to place, and from generation to generation - Christ is always the same.
Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon and his reign was one of the most successful in history. Whenever he went up against other nations, he was the victor. The Babylonians had gone against Israel and defeated them. The city of Jerusalem was not destroyed, but captives were taken to Babylon. The king had ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials to watch over some of the select servants. This was a high priority task given to a high priority individual.
Ashpenaz didn't deal with all of the servants, but only some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility. From these, he chose the young men without physical defects, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand and qualified to serve in the king's palace. These were obviously the cream of the crop. The job that Ashpenaz had was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. They were to receive all the perks of the king's table - including daily food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, receiving the best of the best, and then they were to enter the king's service.
Why would the king want to get the servants from another country into his service? He had much to gain - these were the best of the enemy, and if they were converted into his service, it would be demoralizing to other Israelites. Also, by treating these men as privileged, he lessened the odds of the Israelites raising a revolt of any sort. Additionally, he was to benefit from their minds and service. If you were one of these young men, this would seem to be a great place to be - to experience the best of Babylon and to be treated as royalty. Deportation wouldn't seem so bad, perhaps.
When a missionary leaves America to go to another country, he or she will spend several years learning the language and the culture. We know from experience that you reach others by meeting them in their surroundings - speaking their language and respecting their culture. Rarely do missionaries go someplace unprepared. Whether it is a missionary or a new employee, you want them to learn the 'system' so that they can be of maximum benefit.
Four of these men were Daniel Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The Babylonians gave them new names - Belteshazzar; Shadrach; Meshach; and Abednego, respectively. What is in a name? The original meaning of the names of these four were based on the nature of God - judge, gracious, beyond understanding, helping. It is obvious that these men had good backgrounds and their families were God fearing. The meaning of the names these men were given in Babylon were far removed from God. You can see how the king wanted to lure them away from who they were. This is the same thing that happens today. The world is enticing us around every turn. It can become easy to forget who we really are.
Daniel and the others were given this royal treatment, which would have seemed to be a good thing. But, Daniel refused the royal food and wine. These were items that Daniel knew would defile him, based upon his faith in the Lord. There were standards that he lived by that he did not want to change. What do we stand on? Do we get beaten down and start living as 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do?' Think for a second about your own life - are you allowing yourself to be swayed into the way of the world or are you following the way of Christ? Do you excuse yourself for behavior because it is part of your culture? How far does it have to go before you will take that stand?
As Daniel told the royal official of his situation, God caused the official to show favor and have sympathy to Daniel. However, this put the official in a 'royal bind'. He wasn't serving the food and drink indiscriminately. He was truly following orders. The king had given him this position to do as he stated. Was it up to him to make the rules? The official truly believed that what he was feeding Daniel and the others was the best for them. He was afraid to not feed it to them and potentially bring tragedy upon himself.
Daniel saw the dilemma that Ashpenaz was in. So, he suggested a test in which Daniel and the other three servants would be given vegetables and water for ten days. If, after ten days, the official should compare their appearance with those who had eaten the royal food - and see what the situation is. What could possibly happen in ten days? In our age of fast food mania, with Super Size meals and calories galore, I think we can all imagine what would happen if you ate healthy for a week and a half, as opposed to fast food for every meal, or even a large steak. On a recent work trip to Phoenix, I had great steak two nights in a row and I could hardly move.
Ashpenaz was truly taking a risk with this test. He had orders from the king to do things in a certain manner, but trusted Daniel and his friends to the point that he was willing to take the risk. What if they did look worse? And, what if the king found out? However, at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any who ate the royal food. Because of this, they were able to stick with the vegetables and no longer having to eat the choice food.
It is amazing that the diet prescribed in the Old Testament is still yet to be linked to heart disease or any other maladies. Yet, so few follow it. There are the health conscious and the vegetarians, but they are following their own devices. The diet prescribed by society to be best changes over time. God's diet and his standards do not change. Where have you compromised on God's standards to go the way of the world? It may not seem like a big deal, but it is a chink in the armor. The more we allow the society to govern our behavior, the further away from God we are likely to end up.
Daniel and the others took a stand and God blessed them. He gave them knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. Additionally, Daniel was given understanding into visions and dreams of all kings, which would come into play in a large way later in the book of Daniel. It was based upon their stand that they took that God blessed them in so many ways. What if God's blessing to you was based solely upon your willingness to follow his ways and not the worlds? What if you abided by his code of conduct - in the words you used, in the topics of your conversations, in the amount of harmful substances you allowed into your body (including chocolate)? It's not that any of these things are necessarily harmful, but are you living to please God or yourself (or others)?
After the end of their 3 years, the chief official brought Daniel and his friends in to see the king. There were none equal to them. God often honors those who follow him by giving them success in many ways. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about anything which the king questioned them, they were found to be ten times better than the king's specialists.
Closing
God had been at work in the lives of Daniel and his friends. Even though they were taken captivity, God still blessed them. They were given the best that Babylon could offer, but it wasn't what God had in store for them. Sometimes, we see our perceived blessings as blessings from God - but when we stick with God's ways, his blessings are much more than what the world can offer.
Where have we compromised what God would have us to do, based on the culture around us? Are you going to be different as a Christian if you live in the Northwest or Southeast? Who are we trying to please? There are some things that would seem to be morally neutral, but God wants us to view the world as he views it, in all areas. Examine your relationships, your topics of conversations and the things you allow in your life. Know that God intends to bless you. Be willing to take a stand.
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