29. Daniel 1:10-26 TEST your servants for 10 Days Part 1

Time:  605 BC

Place:  King's court

Daniel 1:10-16

10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”

11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 

12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 

13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 

14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 

15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 

16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

Notice Daniel was NOT passive in this matter of 'not defiling himself.'

• Daniel saw through the difficult situation of the steward and then addressed his legitimate concerns

• Daniel was not unreasonable and insistent

• Daniel was firm, gracious and persistent with his principle

• Daniel took the initiative to suggest a workable plan that would not put the steward in crisis

• Daniel was a man of faith.  This seed of faith springs forth from a pure heart of 'not defiling' himself. 

How is Daniel's Faith manifested?

1. 'put us to the test' - our faith needs to be put to the tested
2. time is needed for the test - 10 days
3. he gives a proposal: instead give us vegetables and water 

The steward then consented to Daniel regarding this new proposal.

When we face awkward situations, we must look to God for wisdom not to be insistent, but have the wisdom to be flexible enough to let our faith be tested and come up with a wise proposal.

:)

25. Daniel 1:8 Resolves not to defile himself Part 1

Time:  605 BC
Place:  King's Court
Scripture:  Daniel 1:8


Here is a Spiritual Challenge to all of us:

Daniel 1:8  -  Daniel 'resolved' that  he would 'not defile himself' with the King's food or with the wine that he drank.  Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him 'not to defile himself.'

Dan 1:6 "Among these....."  There was a  small group of captives offered with the King's food and wine, not just 4 of them.

So here are these young captives being fed with the same meat the King eat!  Imagine!  And they get to drink the wine that he drinks!  The king's food and wine can be compared to a buffet of food in hotels where you get a variety of the best choice of food and wine.  Wine was expensive in those days, so Daniel and his friends could have just let loose, and let themselves enjoy the pleasure of life which they were entitled to, just like all the others.

Why would anybody object to this?  Would you object to eat the King's meat and drink the King's wine?  All this is paid for and you don't even need to pay one cent.  They can dine and feast like princes and sons of the monarch.

They are given the golden opportunity to live a royal life of plenty and luxury.  It is a living standard far above what they had back home in Jerusalem.

Here is Daniel in the new world.   He could have chosen to live this new luxurious lifestyle and nobody would question him.  There was nobody to watch over him from his past.  After all, it was the king's offer for him to have the best food and wine for the 3 years to come.


Would you object to this great offer?  When in Rome we do what the Romans do.  When in Babylon, do what the Babylonians do.  Follow the customs, the lifestyle, the food and the fashion of the day.  What they do, we do. What they think we think.  How they act, we act.  Where they go, we go. We all want to be accepted in the 'norm'.


Look at the 2  different reactions in this group:

1.  Most of the captives in this group did NOT give it much thought and accepted the king's offer.

2.  But Daniel declined the offer!

     Why?  Why?  Tell me Why.

The answer is in Dan 1:8 ... he resolved he would not defile himself.  "Defile" is a very strong word.  Why would the king's food defile him?

What does it mean when it says "Daniel resolves not to defile himself"?  

We will look into this tomorrow.

24. Daniel 1:6-7 Daniel & 3 Friends

Time:  605 BC
People:  Daniel and his 3 friends


Daniel 1:6-7

Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.  And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.


Please note that there were other Israelites in this group.  The author just wants to focus on these 4 people in the rest of the chapter.

First, let's take a look at their names.  

Their Hebrew names are meaningful to them for they represented God.  

• Elohim is God 
• Yahweh is God's Name.

You will see either 'el' or 'yah' attached to their names:

Daniel -      God is my Judge

Hananiah -  Beloved of Yahweh

Mishel -     Who is as God

Azariah -     Yahweh is My Help

Obviously these children had godly parents who gave them names reminding them of Yahweh Himself and His goodness.




Now, King Nebuchadnezzar changed their identities by giving them Chaldean names in order to assimilate them quickly to the Chaldean culture and their gods. 

Previously their names proclaimed their allegiance to God ( the "el" and the "iah" in their names).  Now, their new names identified them with the gods of the Chaldean .

In each instance of the Babylonian substituted names, they all exalted the heathen idols and names of Chaldean gods.  


With new identities, the king hope that these youths would forget about Yahweh God and wipe out their spiritual heritage back home in Jerusalem.  

With new names given, they would forget their roots and adopt to the new Chaldean philosophies and the paganistic idolatrous life-style.

King Nebuchadnezzar did all he could to "indoctrinate" these young captives to forget about their past and wipe out their memory of Jerusalem.  Daniel and his friends were to be 'Babylonianized' into the pagan culture.  Pressure was put upon them to totally conform and shape into the 'Babylonian' mold of life.

They were under a spiritual pressure cooker to worship the pagan gods.  They were pressured intellectually, psychologically and socially to compromise to go for the world.

:)

But Nebuchadnezzar failed!  


Daniel and his 3 friends were wise people and did not allow the bombarding of outward & environmental changes to stray their hearts from remaining loyal to God.  The Babylonians could change their names, education, diet, and homes, but  they could never change their hearts and devotion to God unless they allow it to happen. The world wants to 'conform' us.  God 'transforms' our hearts.   As the wisdom of Proverbs say, "Keep you heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." Proverbs 4:23


:)

21. Daniel 1:3-4 Young Exiles

Time:  605 BC
Place:  Babylon
People:  Daniel and his 3 friends; King Nebuchadnezzar; Ashphenaz


Daniel 1:3-4

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

This first group taken to Babylon were those in the kingly line descended from David. It is possible that Daniel had royal blood in him.  This was prophesied a hundred years ago by Isaiah to Hezekiah in Isaiah 39:1-8.

1.  The requirements for this 1st group of exiles:

• youths
• no blemish, ie. no physical defects
• well favored
• good looking
• skilfull in all wisdom and knowledge, ie. the top of their class
• competent to stand in the king's court

King Nebuchadnezzar was selective and chose the cream of the crop from Jerusalem to go for 3 years of training in the hope that they can serve him in his kingly court in Babylon.  These were children of captivity.  The anguish and grief of the youth separated from their homeland must have been indescribable.  They were not going for a 3 year holiday. It could be a permanent separation from their family and homeland forever. 

2.  Learn a new language - they were to learn the language of the Chaldeans and their literature.

"Chaldeans" is a term used interchangeably with "Babylonians".   As the Babylonian Empire grew, the Chaldean science and astrology dominated the Babylonian Empire. The Chaldeans had a powerful language in that day. They comprised of two dialects of Sumerian and Kassite which is similar to the Hittite language.

This was not easy at all for these young people. They had to begin all over again in a new school of Chaldean learning in this new environment.

As we study the Daniel Chapter 1, bear in mind that these young people did not have parents or pastors around to guide them in their growing up teen age years now.  They could be the most rebellious and unhappy teens to complain about their situation in a pagan world.  While they were well protected at home in Jerusalem with spiritual nurturing and guidance from spiritual elders, they are now put in an environment that is spiritually hostile to the Most High God, Yahweh.

Do you remember what it was like in your teens?

Or perhaps you are in your teens now, tell us what it is like growing up in this world?

When I grew up in my teens, I asked myself these searching questions:

• Who am I?
• What am I doing here?
• Who is God?
• What does God want me to do?
• What is the meaning of life?
• Why is life so tough as a teens?
• How do I make friends?
• Why do I want to be popular?
• How do I make the most of my life for God?
• What is God's will in my life and how do I participate?

The answers to these questions did not come right away. I went through long years of searching and questioning to finally experiencing God, letting go of my will and let God's will be done in my life.

There was a small book that had made a profound impact on me as a growing up teenager.  The book is called  "Bloom where you are planted." 

Often times, our ideals and thoughts carry us to faraway places and lands thinking that we are "better off" with "better education", "better opportunities", "better family background", "better friends", "better this" and "better that" etc.  It is all 'romantic' thinking.

I have long discovered that the 'better place" to be is to be content to 'bloom where God plants us' wherever and whenever. This is where God's will is manifested.

Daniel and his friends are embarking on this spiritual journey of 'blooming where God plants them' in Babylon.  Is Babylon a "better place" to grown up?  Is it going to be an easy road?  

We shall see that the road to eternal life is truly 'narrow' and 'hard'.  And Daniel proved faithful all the way through to the end when he was thrown into the 'lion's den' for his uncompromising faith to Yahweh God at an old age in his 80's.   

How urgent it is for us to study Daniel and follow his steps to love God with all our hearts to the end of our days.  "Bloom where you are planted by God."

:)

20. Daniel 1:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem

Time:  605 BC
Place: Jerusalem to Babylon
Scripture:  Daniel 1:1-2


The Book of Daniel begins with the King of Babylon conquering Jerusalem, deposing its king, and taking some of its royal and noble young men captive.

"And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand." (Daniel 1:2)

This phrase has deep spiritual significance.  Read this sentence carefully.

Here is the historical context:  God had prophesied long ago to the earlier King, Hezekiah, that the nation would be delivered to Babylon.  (2 Kings 20:16-17; Isaiah 39:5-6).  And the years had passed.  Did people take God's word to heart?  In fact, a century has passed.  People had forgotten God's words.  God sent prophets continuously to Jerusalem to warn the nation of their disobedience.  The people were stiff-necked and did not repent.  Continuous warnings were given that if they continued to disobey, judgment would come on the nation.

The time has come -  Judgment is at hand.

Judgment has coming upon Jerusalem.  "And the Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand." (Daniel 1:2)  The people of God were delivered into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.

Imagine!  God actually delivered His people into the hands of the enemy.

This is the consequence of sin of disobedience.  Can you feel the pain in God's heart?


Nebuchadnezzar plundered the temple and took "part" of its treasures "to decorate the house of his own god"(Dan 1:1-2).  Nebuchadnezzar not only was an enemy to Israel but he was also an enemy to Yahweh God.

Nebuchadnezzar did not have in mind to destroy the temple at this time. He wanted the nation of Israel to surrender to Babylon. So this was not a complete conquering of Jerusalem as "only part" of the vessels were taken back to Babylon.

God was giving time for the nation of Israel to repent.  Jeremiah warned the nations that they either completely surrender to Babylon or they will be wiped out in Jerusalem which eventually was the path they chose.

From history, we know what happened to the nation of Israel. They did not heed God's warnings. 

• It was a sad page in history when the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed by fire finally 19 years after this first siege in Jerusalem.

• For the next 19 years, Jeremiah continued to warn the nation to repent.  Before God's judgments come, He warns again and again to give time for individuals and the nation to repent.  No judgment of God ever comes without warnings.

• There were 19 years for the Israelites to repent!  Time was given to them!  How quickly those 19 years pass by and Jerusalem finally fell in 586 BC.

How readily are we to heed to these warnings and repent quickly of our ways before the judgment comes?


:)