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.

:)

28. Dan 1:9 - 21 And God Gave.....

Time:  605 BC
Place: King's Court

Today, I want to share with you how God acts when His people dares to stand up to live a holy life and not defile themselves.

Daniel 1:8 - Daniel takes the step of faith to live up to the holy calling. He resolves not to defile himself and so refuses the pleasure of food from the King.


Step of faith often requires some actions on our part.

1.  Daniel Spoke Up
2.  Daniel Asks


**Whenever we act in faith and stand up for God, God responds**

God always responds!

1.  Daniel 1:9  God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the enuchs.
2.  Daniel 1: 17 God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom...


I will be short today because I want you to meditate on these 2 verses: "God gave..."


In later articles, I will be expounding more on God's actions in blessing His people when we respond to Him in faith.




God responded and blessed Daniel and his 3 friends remarkable ways.

The same for you if you resolve not to defile yourself and live a live a holy life.

:)

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


:)

23. Daniel 1:5 King's Food & Wine

Time:  605 BC
Place:  King's palace in Babylon


Daniel 1:5

The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 

The king truly well treated these young men by providing them 2 great benefits:

• 'the King's food and wine' everyday 

This was no cafeteria food that we ate in our college days.  They were given the opportunity to eat gourmet food every day!  The Hebrew captives would be physically well nurtured with the best Babylonian food and wine.  Not only was it just 'food and wine' but that they would learn the Chaldean social manners of eating and drinking in the king's court. This is the best way to assimilate them to the Chaldean paganistic culture.

• 3 years of  the 'best' education and 'it's free' 

They would be under a rigorous program of training in the Chaldean education which would have included science, mathematical astronomy, astrology, divination, magic and rituals of all kinds.  The best education was provided for them in the king's court.

The purpose of all this is to train up these young people  to serve in the king's court with all the other high ranking officers.

Wow!!  Isn't this the dream of  many young people?  Isn't this the dream of becoming successful in this world?  What great benefits!  Isn't this what many Christians look for in their jobs?

As you can see, all this presented both an opportunity and a spiritual challenge to Daniel and his friends.  

• The opportunity of working for the king and his government meant that they would be well provided for with good lives for all their years.

• They would be spared from slavery and hard labor.

• The spiritual challenge now is whether they are able to stand firm before Yahweh God and not compromise to worship the gods of the Chaldeans in the pagan world.  

Will they be able to stand up for their faith?  We will find out tomorrow.

If you were in their shoes, how would you handle such a situation?

Where are the people of God today who know how to act wisely to make the right decision that pleases God?  Are you one of them?

:)

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."

:)

16. The Three Prophets - Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

When we study Daniel, bear in mind the other 2 prophets: Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

Take a look at the following "Highlighted Pink Box" below so that you can look at the significance of these 3 dates in the lives of the 3 prophets:

These 3 prophets lived in the same time period and they all experienced God's final judgment on Judah with the destruction of Jerusalem.

605 BC 1st Exile - Daniel 1:1-7
597 BC 2nd Exile - 2 Kings 24:10-11, 13; 2 Kings 24:14,16
586 BC 3rd Exile - 2 Chronicles 36:17-21

As you can see from the above graph:

• Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel were prophets living in 'extraordinary times'.
• Ezekiel (25 years ) and Daniel (15 years ) had the privilege of sitting under Jeremiah's prophetic ministry in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah:

• Jeremiah started his ministry quite young and prophesied for 40+ years.

• For 40+ years, he continuously warned the Israelites to repent and not to trust in deceptive words saying "this is the Temple of Yahweh, this is the Temple of Yahweh, this is the Temple of Yahweh." (Jeremiah 7:4)

• He pleaded the Israelites to repent from their rampant idolatry for God's judgment is at hand.

• Jeremiah kept close in touch with the far away exiles in Babylon.  He wrote a letter to the exiles in Jeremiah 29.

•  The Israelites did not heed the warning.  Finally at the end of Jeremiah's ministry when he was about 60,  the words of  Yahweh came true as Jeremiah prophesied:  the temple of Yahweh was finally destroyed in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel:

• Ezekiel was 25 when he arrived Babylon.  11 years later, Jerusalem was finally destroyed.

• When Ezekiel began his ministry in Babylon, he was 30 (Ezekiel 1:1) at 593 BC.  He was a priest (Ezekiel 1:3) and  would be very familiar with the temple layout as priests would normally begin to minister in the Temple at 30.  

• Ezekiel knew about the warning of the destruction of the Temple from Jeremiah's preaching.

• You need to be aware that much of Ezekiel's prophecy is related to the leading up to the Temple destruction.

• The false prophets in Jerusalem gave false hopes to the Israelites, so much so that the exiles believed the "false hope" that everything would be fine and that their exile would be short and soon to return back to Jerusalem.  But that was not so.

• Ezekiel spent a great time of his ministry correcting "false hope" warning the Israelites that the temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed.  

• With this knowledge, this will help you to understand the Book of Ezekiel better.

• Ezekiel was dealing with a hardened and rebellious people who were disillusioned, cynical, bitter and angry at Yahweh God.

• Therefore, Ezekiel used prophetic oracles, symbolic actions, allegories, visions and historical accounts to proclaim Yahweh's message to the Israelites to shock and awaken them of their false hopes and spiritual numbness. Isn't this so true of today's spiritual climate we are in?

• After the destruction of the Temple, Ezekiel continued to prophesy in Babylon to give hope that the temple will be rebuilt and a remnant of God's people would return to Jerusalem.  We see this promise coming true at the end of the Book of Daniel.

Daniel:

• Daniel was the first group exiled to Babylon.  He lived through all 3 groups of exiles arriving Babylon.  This is the first time the Israelites lived in a Gentile pagan world.

• There was a span of 19 years from the 1st exile to the 3rd exile.

• Daniel was already in his mid 30 when Jerusalem was destroyed.

• Look at how his peer, Ezekiel, describe Daniel in Ezekiel 14:14, 20.  Daniel is put in the same class with  Noah and Job for their "righteousness".  In the eyes of Ezekiel, Daniel was a man of holiness, purity and righteousness.

• Though Daniel was exiled to Babylon in his teens and had not seen Jeremiah for years, he held very close to his heart Jeremiah's words.  Daniel 9:22, "I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet..."  Daniel often read the writings of Jeremiah and recognized Jeremiah's words are inspired by God, long before the book of  Jeremiah would become part of the Hebrew canon.

• Daniel lived in a turbulent world politically with the transition to the dominant Babylonian Empire and the Persian Empire.  Daniel directed the heathen kings to recognize the one God of heaven who reigns above all. What a testimony!  The kings listened to Daniel.

:)

15. The Three Dates of the Exiles

Time:  622 - 586 BC
Place: Jerusalem & Babylon
People:  Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

When we study Daniel, we need to be aware of the 3 prophets that Yahweh God raised up to shepherd His people during this tumultuous time.

They all experienced the three dates of the Babylonian captivity when Israelites were driven out of their land to Babylon:

605 BC 1st Exile - Daniel 1:1-7

Daniel and other members of Judah's elite were taken into captivity.

597 BC 2nd Exile - 2 Kings 24:10-11, 13; 2 Kings 24:14,16; 2 Chron 36:9,10

Ezekiel along with 10,000 men of valor were taken into captivity.  King Jehoiachin along with other members of the royal family were taken to Babylon.

586 BC 3rd Exile - 2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36:17-21

After a siege of lasting approximately one and a half years, Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed. Most of the people were taken into captivity along with articles from the temple. Jeremiah and  the poorest people remained.

Take out your Timeline Graph and fill in Ezekiel and Daniel's age when Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC.  While we know Ezekiel's age, Daniel's age is an approximate estimation.

Ezekiel's age: 36
Daniel's age:  34

Please Take Note:  This is the first time in history when Israel as a nation was driven to a Gentile world.


:)

10. Ezekiel was among the 2nd Exile

Place:  Chebar River, River of Babylon
Time:  597 BC 

Ezekiel 1:1, "In the 30th year, in the fourth month, on the 5th day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. On the fifth day of the month (it was the 5th year of the exile of King Jehoiachin),  the word of the Yahweh came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.

Ezekiel  was among the exiles with King Jehoiachin.   Jehoiachin was carried off  to Babylon in 597 BC.  (2King 24:15)

The word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel in the 5th year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, which is 592 BC.  Ezekiel 1:1 tells us that Ezekiel was 30 years old when he began his prophetic ministry when the word of Yahweh came upon him.  So Ezekiel was 25 years old in 597 BC.

Please take note that Ezekiel was at Chebar River when he saw the vision.  Chebar River is mentioned 8 times in the book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel often comes to this Chebar River of Babylon because the exiles lived there.  "And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar River, and I sat where they were dwelling."

Tel-abib was located about 75 miles southeast of Babylon near the ancient city of Nippur.


Homework:

Take out your timeline graph and let's fill in the following 2 points:

1.  Ezekiel
2.  Ezekiels' age - 25

As we study Daniel, we also need to study the Book of Ezekiel alongside.

• Ezekiel was a contemporary prophet of  Daniel.   
• He was a little bit older than Daniel.  
• In Jerusalem, he sat under the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah for 25 years.  
• At the peak of his youth, he was exiled to Babylon along with 10,000 Israelites.  
• 5 years later, he started his prophetic ministry when he turned 30 in Babylon.
• From the graph, you can see that Ezekiel's ministry lasted for about 22 years, shorter than Daniel.

:)

4. Daniel is among the First Exile - 605 BC

Daniel 1:1-6

In the 3rd year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ... 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....to stand in the king's palace....Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.


Time: September 605 BC
Place: Jerusalem

In 605 BC,  Nebuchadnezzar deported the first group of Israelites to Babylon.

The Bible tells us that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah were among the first exiles.  They came from royal and noble families and were given an oppportunity to be trained to serve in  King Nebuchadnezzar's palace.

These were mainly teenagers.

We can guess that they must have been in their growing teenage years.

Homework:

Take your Timeline Graph out to put "Daniel" in the timeline.

• While we do not know the exact age of Daniel, the Bible tells us that he is in his youth.  Let's take an educated guess and say Daniel is approximately at the age of 15.  

• It's important that you see the age of Daniel as we move along in the Book of Daniel.

• So if Daniel was around 15, we can project backwards that Daniel was born around the year 620 BC in the land of Judah. This is why in my Timeline graph, I started Daniel's strip at around 620 BC.

You know, Daniel lives in a 'special time' of the days of Judah. My beloved, a significant event happened in 622 BC.  Do you know what it is?  God did an amazing act in that year for the Israelites!  You need to bear these important insights to heart to get involved into the life of Daniel.  Daniel did not become a man of God by accident at all!  :)

We need to look into the history not for the sake of history knowledge but to gain spiritual insights into the "special time" in which Daniel lived and how God worked out His salvation plan for His people.  In this way, we will be able to draw spiritual principles to understand how God works out His salvation plan in our times.

:)

3. 605 BC - The Book of Daniel begins at Jerusalem

Daniel 1:1

In the 3rd year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

The Book of Daniel begins at Jerusalem.

Place:  Jerusalem
Time:  September 605 BC 

Daniel 1:1 tells us a significant event - Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, came to besiege Jerusalem. This took place in September, 605 BC. How do we know?  It is the  3rd year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah.

Here are the following series of events in Nebuchadnezzar's life in the year 605 BC.

• 605 BC -  Nebuchadnezzar leads an army against Egypt in the Battle of Carchemish.  Egypt is defeated. 

• 605 BC May-June - Carchemish destroyed.  

• 605 BC August - Nebuchadnezzar learns of his father's death so he returns to Babylon to assume the crown as king of Babylon.

• 605 BC September - Nebuchadnezzar returns to Palestine, attacking Jerusalem and takes a few of the choicest of the people back to Babylon.  This is known as the  "1st Exile".

Take out your timeline graph and fill in the 605 BC Box.

The 1st exile takes place in the year Nebuchadnezzar was crowned as King of Babylon - 605 B.C. 

:)