Sermon: Sept. 20, 2014
Title: Victory in Babylon
Scripture: Daniel 1:3-7
Songs: # 7 / # 304
Meanings of the names of the Hebrews in Babylon
Daniel – God is my Judge
Hananiah – Yahweh is Gracious
Mishael – Who belongs to God
Azariah – Yahweh helps
Combined, they say in my words, “Yahweh is a gracious judge who helps those who belong to Him.”
Judgment is central to Daniel, as we have already seen: Dan. 7:9-10, 13, 18, 22, 26; 8:14
The entire book of Daniel focuses on completion and restoration through judgment
The lessons in Daniel were given to bring us faith and strength for the judgment
The first lessons that God wants us to learn is on appetite: Dan. 1:8
Daniel “purposed in his heart”; he made a firm decision to obey God
Ellen White: In reaching this decision, the Hebrew youth did not act presumptuously but in firm reliance
upon God. . . . The first wrong step would lead to others, until, their connection with Heaven
severed, they would be swept away by temptation. (A Call to Stand Apart, p. 54)
Ellen White: There are many among professed Christians today who would decide that Daniel was too
particular, and would pronounce him narrow and bigoted. . . . But those who reason thus will find
in the day of judgment that they turned from God's express requirements, and set up their own
opinion as a standard of right and wrong. (Councels on Diet and Foods, p. 30)
The Bible often speaks of food and appetite
The first sin of humanity involved food: Gen. 3:6, 22-23
Appetite was one of the biggest tests that Jesus had to face: Matt. 4:1-4
Daniel understood the importance of appetite: Prov. 23:1-3; Dan. 10:1-3
Ellen White: As Adam fell through appetite and lost blissful Eden, the children of Adam may, through
Christ, overcome appetite and through temperance in all things regain Eden. (Testimonies, vol. 3, p.
161)
Because of their decision, Daniel and his friends were honored by God: Dan. 1:9-14
Once they made their decision, God provided a way of escape: 1 Cor. 10:13
Miracles come as a result of accepting and exercising faith: Gal. 3:5
God worked a miracle by turning the heart of Melzar: Dan. 1:15-16
Ellen White: God regarded with approval the firmness and self-denial of these youth, and his blessing
attended them. In Daniel and his companions we have an instance of the triumph of principles over
temptation and indulgence of appetite. (The Youth’s Instructor, November 12, 1907)
God continued to bless Daniel and his three friends: Dan. 1:17-21
Ellen White: As we near the close of time we must rise higher and still higher upon the question of
health reform and Christian temperance, presenting it in a more positive and decided manner.
(Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 112)
Ellen White: To make plain natural law, and urge the obedience of it, is the work that accompanies the
third angel’s message to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord. (Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 161)
Ellen White: When the third angel’s message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its
place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in
all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body. (Testimonies,
vol. 6, p. 327)
Ellen White: The work of health reform is the Lord’s means for lessening suffering in our world and for
purifying His church. (Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 112)
Health in Nuclear Fallout: At the time of the world's first plutonium atomic bombing, on August 9, 1945,
two hospitals were literally in the shadow of the blast, about one mile from the epicenter in
Nagasaki. . . . At University Hospital 3000 patients suffered greatly from leukemia and disfiguring
radiation burns. This hospital served its patients a modern fare of sugar, white rice, and refined
white flour products. Another hospital was St. Francis Hospital, under the direction of Shinichiro
Akizuki, M.D. Although this hospital was located even closer to the blast’s epicenter than the first,
none of the workers or patients suffered from radiation sickness. Dr. Akizuki had been feeding his
patients and workers brown rice, miso soup, vegetables and seaweed every day.
The Bible talks about fire falling on the earth in the last days
It falls in America: Revelation 13:11-14
Ellen White: While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies,
he [Satan] will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation.
. . . He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. (The Great
Controversy, p. 589)
Ellen White: A storm is coming, relentless in its fury. Are we prepared to meet it? . . . We need now the
sword of the Lord to cut to the very soul and marrow of fleshly lusts, appetites, and passions.
(Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 315)