Sermon Outline - "An Excellent Spirit"

MARANATHA LIFE

SERMON OUTLINE

"AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT"

1. Daniel was found to have an “excellent spirit.”

a) Dan:5:12: Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
b) Dan:5:14: I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.
c) Dan:6:3: Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

2. Setting the scene

a) Babylon, a pagan culture took over Judah, taking many of the Jews into exile.
b) The king told the chief eunich to bring some of the youths of the royalty & nobility of Judah, and prepare them for service in the palace.

i) Daniel was a “youth.” In Israel, a boy became a man at 13, when he had his bar mitzvah. So, Daniel was probably 10 - 12 yrs old.
ii) In that time, and until the last couple hundred years, nobility were thought to be “better people” than the common folk.

c) Training time was 3 years.

3. Daniel didn’t comporomise

a) Wouldn’t eat the king’s food

i) Dan 1:8 - But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
ii) God gave him favor Dan 1:9
iii) Daniel was willing to put the power of God to the test Dan 1:12-13
iv) God rewarded him with wisdom & understanding Dan 1:18-20

a) They were found to have 10 times the wisdom & understanding that the older magicians and enchanters.

b) Darius’s decree that nobody should petition any but him. ch 6

i) Was a trap for Daniel 6:5-7, 11
ii) Daniel didn’t hide the fact that he was worshiping God. 6:10
iii) God protected Daniel in the lions den.

c) Surrounded himself with companions of like precious faith, that wouldn’t comporomise

i) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abe

1. Daniel was found to have an “excellent spirit.”
	a) Dan:5:12: Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. b) Dan:5:14: I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. c) Dan:6:3: Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
2. Setting the scene
	a) Babylon, a pagan culture took over Judah, taking many of the Jews into exile. b) The king told the chief eunich to bring some of the youths of the royalty & nobility of Judah, and prepare them for service in the palace.
		i) Daniel was a “youth.” In Israel, a boy became a man at 13, when he had his bar mitzvah. So, Daniel was probably 10 - 12 yrs old. ii) In that time, and until the last couple hundred years, nobility were thought to be “better people” than the common folk.
	c) Training time was 3 years.
3. Daniel didn’t comporomise
	a) Wouldn’t eat the king’s food
		i) Dan 1:8 - But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. ii) God gave him favor Dan 1:9 iii) Daniel was willing to put the power of God to the test Dan 1:12-13 iv) God rewarded him with wisdom & understanding Dan 1:18-20
			a) They were found to have 10 times the wisdom & understanding that the older magicians and enchanters.
	b) Darius’s decree that nobody should petition any but him. ch 6
		i) Was a trap for Daniel 6:5-7, 11 ii) Daniel didn’t hide the fact that he was worshiping God. 6:10 iii) God protected Daniel in the lions den.
	c) Surrounded himself with companions of like precious faith, that wouldn’t comporomise
		i) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abe