Daniel Chapter 1 Part 2. Trained in the palace of the enemy

Daniel 1:3-5
And the king spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs that he should bring some of the sons of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the rulers; sons in whom was no blemish, but who were handsome and skillful in all wisdom; and who had knowledge and understanding, even those who were able to stand in the king’s palace, and to whom they might teach the writing and the language of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

Daniel and his 3 buddies find themselves in a strange land, subjected to strange customs and instructed in strange things. They had been taken from all the things that they were accustomed to and forced into slavery to be trained as administrators in the court of Nebuchadnezzar.

These three young men were just boys around fifteen years old. They had probably been accustom to the better things in life because we’re told in verse 3 that Ashpenaz was ordered to bring out from the children of the Jews the sons of the king and other rulers. These were chosen above the other children because of their education, their good looks and their personal fortitude. As children of the king and princes they had been afforded the best education and training available. But beyond that, they were chosen because of their blood, they were in essence children of the king.

Nebuchadnezzar was no fool. The lineage of these boys was known to the Jews, they would be easily recognized by them and considered as people worthy of confidence. Although these boys were “without blemish”, both figuratively and literally, and “skillful in all wisdom” having “knowledge and understanding”, Nebuchadnezzar knew that if he subjected them to just enough influence, just enough indoctrination and familiarization with his ways that he could brainwash them into serving him and his gods. His plan was to train them from a young age and twist their minds, becoming Jews that would worship his idols and influence their kindred to do the same. Once they were hooked in the idolatrous lifestyle, he would have complete control over them all.

This same tactic is one Satan uses with us. Once he’s taken us captive, he brings us, the children of the King of Kings, into his kingdom and slowly introduces us to his ways. At first, our lineage as the King’s kids enables us to stand in the palace of the enemy, but as we find ourselves separated from God and subjected to the influence of the enemy, we’re slowly immersed into his culture. Although we are “without blemish” before God because of the blood of Jesus, although we may be “skillful in all wisdom” and having “knowledge and understanding”, of the Word of truth, when exposed to enough of his brainwashing, we will submit and we will fall.

Notice the three methods of indoctrination the enemy uses to draw the children of the King farther away from Him.

1. He teaches us his language

We start by learning the language of the enemy, language that is not becoming of royalty. Cursing, blasphemy, vulgar speech, lewd and suggestive double entendre, language that begins to permeate our thoughts until it becomes our primary manner of speech.

We begin to use his language without a second thought of it because we even begin to think using that kind of language. Someone cuts us off on the freeway and we think, “You stupid *%&#!”, or “That just makes me so *^$!~!! mad.” We’ll find ourselves separated from the holy, proper manner of the speech of royalty and using the disgusting, guttural language of our enemy, even murmuring and complaining about the good things that the Lord has given to us and the grace He has shown us.

2. He teaches us his writings

We find ourselves reading literature that is contrary to the counsel and wisdom of God which ignores His word and instruction while it espouses that of our enemy. We begin to watch TV shows that encourage behavior contrary to that of a righteous child of God. We see movies that glorify adultery, fornication and homosexuality as natural, acceptable practices all in the name of love. We see things on the internet that are utterly vile and disgusting to the Lord, acts of depravity that were common in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which brought judgment and destruction upon them.

Before we’re aware of it, we find ourselves setting time aside to view these things. We find ourselves taking pleasure in them, entertaining ourselves with them and allowing them to take the place of the holy things that we not only truly desire, but also deserve as His kids. Paul condemns us in this behavior when he says in Romans 1:32, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

3. He feeds us from his table

If I’m really, really hungry and given the choice between two tables of food having on them;
Table A) Freshly picked steamed vegetables seasoned to perfection, a nice garden salad with oil and vinegar dressing, a baked apple for dessert and a big glass of ice cold water
or
Table B) A huge Porterhouse steak with a side of lobster, some fresh baked hot bread with a big slab of butter on it, an entire Key Lime pie for dessert and a 32 ounce Big Gulp Diet Coke,
I’d knock you to the floor and chew a hole through Table A to get at Table B.

Although I know that vegetables, fruit and water are much more wholesome and beneficial for me as well as being very satisfying, I am drawn away from what is good for me to that which is not good for me.

On a daily basis, every one of us can expect to be tempted away from the Lord’s table by the enticing aroma and appealing presentation of what the enemy has to offer. We know that one is good, providing health, nourishment and strength for us, and the other, although mouth watering, delectable and so very appealing to us is harmful and would eventually bring us death.

Satan’s ploy is to draw us away from the Lord’s table by appealing to our desires through the avenue of our needs. We need to eat to survive and to ensure that we eat, we have a desire to feed ourselves. We desire sexual relations as husbands and wives for the need to perpetuate our existence as humans. Our needs and desires are God given for the purpose of our continuance. Satan appeals to our needs and desires with substitutes that are outside of the intended means God has established. It’s an effort to separate us from fellowship with the Father and draw us away into sin.

Lust is nothing more than desire which we allow to get completely out of control. By this method our needs and desires are turned against us to keep us from fellowship with the Father. James 1:14 tells us, “Each man sins when he is dragged away by his own lusts and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And when sin has been completed, it brings forth death.”

Our enemy wants to entice us away from that place of communion, fellowship and restoration where we “eat of His body” and “drink of His blood”. The table of communion is where we become partakers of Christ’s fellowship with the Father and Satan desires to drag us away from there by enticing us with food from his own table by “nourishing” us with his delicacies. Nebuchadnezzar’s plan was to have the young men eat from his table for so long they developed a dependency on him for their needs. That’s Satan’s deceptive plan for us as well. After a while we find ourselves going to his table for our lusts.

Please hear this, it’s very, very important. We need to understand that the key to his trick is that when he drags us away by our lusts, we begin to feel that we cannot return. He accuses us and condemns us and tells us that God’s table is no longer set for us. “You’ve blown it now!” he says. “He’ll never accept you back to dine with Him so just pull up a chair, get comfortable and eat from my table. Look how appealing it is, smell the aroma, feel how comfortable the chair is. Taste my delicacies and eat until you’re full. Take all you want and then come back for more. Besides, you can never go back to Him.”

Folks, that’s a lie from the pit of hell!

1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” All you have to do is turn to Jesus! That’s what “repent” means. That’s right, turn around 180 degrees from where you’re facing at this very moment because He’s right behind you, He never left you, you just turned away from Him. But, you must read verse 10. “If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” That’s what “confession” means, agreeing with God that you have indeed sinned. Confession and repentance open a door that may have been slammed shut in the face of God. It also opens prison doors, breaks the chains of captivity and liberates us to return to God.

These three tactics are seducing us away from our royal heritage as God’s children! We must repent, confess and commit ourselves to prayer before God asking Him to deliver us from the chains we find ourselves bound with. We must begin to break free of the captivity of the enemy. If we don’t continue to stand before the King of Heaven in the very palace of the enemy, we will find ourselves being wined and dined by the enemy until we look around and find ourselves standing before the prince of this world, submitting to his bidding in our own lives.

If you find yourself in that place, escape! Don’t take up the ways of the enemy! Don’t use his language! Don’t eat from his table! At every opportunity try your hardest to escape. How?

And these things were our examples, that we should not be lusters after evil, as they also lusted. Nor should we be idolaters, even as some of them, as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit fornication, as some of them fornicated, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted Him and were destroyed by serpents. Nor murmur as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. And all these things happened to them as examples; and it is written for our warning on whom the ends of the world have come. So let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has taken you but what is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape, so that you may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Run!  Turn to Christ and run as fast as your feet will carry you, for the time is short and He is waiting, for you.