Daniel 1:1-21
Daniel's Training in Babylon
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
There is something to be said about those in power and those who seem to be powerless...God's people and the country of Judah was defeated in war by the Babylonians...And many of the people of Judah were exiled to Babylon and were powerless...Yet, God remained with them...There is much to be said in how one sees his or her life and what one believes in...And what one believes in is how they see life...So although Daniel was an Israeli in exile, he seems to be getting along fine in Babylon, because of his strong faith in God...
The country of Judah was exiled to Babylon, because the country had disobeyed God's Word...Babylon's King was Nebuchadnezzar...The King ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites that were exiled in his country to assist with the royal family of Babylon...So the chief of his court brought in young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace...He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians...The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table...They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service...
The young men from Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah...The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego...But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way...Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink...Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age?...The king would then have my head because of you.”...But Daniel being a man of God and knowing that God is in control said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink...Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”...So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days...
At the end of the ten days the four young men from Judah looked healthier than all the others...God was with them...To these four men God gave wisdom and understanding...And God also gave to Daniel the ability to understand dreams and visions...At the end of the time set by the king of Babylon to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar...The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so the four entered the king’s service...In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom...
The king and his officials are in charge of Babylon...But as we read through the Book of Daniel it reads as though Daniel is given quite a gracious gift of power by God...I might compare Daniel to Joseph, when he was in Egypt years earlier...Daniel does not seem powerless in these passages, but very much living, working and believing in God...