The Gospel Project

Obedience                    UNIT 16: God in the Exile: Session 1   7 DEC 25

DAN 1:1-2 The time was during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, 604 – 656 B.C., probably early in his reign after 604 B.C. Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs in his Studying Adult Life and Work Lessons, July-September 1976, page 109 wrote, “James 2:26 says that “faith without works is dead.” James was not arguing that works was necessary for salvation. His point was that a saving faith will be evidenced by the good works it produces. The same may be said about faith under trial. A merely intellectual acceptance of facts about God will not prove to be sufficient in difficult times. The faith which stands up amid hardships must be one which reaches down into the heart or will. It is this type of faith that is alive and which enables one to remain true to God even in most difficulty circumstances. Such a faith was that of Daniel. It is necessary today if one is to bear witness to God in a hostile world.” The same can be said of good times. A merely intellectual acceptance of facts about God will not prove to be sufficient in easy times. It is much easier to forget God when things are going well by self-standards. God is remembered during a foxhole time of life when one needs help. While Daniel was captive in Babylon at this moment, he was not under serious danger.

DAN 1:3-4 Dr. Hobbs, page 110, “Young (p. 39) notes that the word rendered “eunuchs” may be used in a broader sense. It may mean “leading men.” This is probably the case here. The king ordered Ashpenaz to select certain ones of the children of Israel that they might serve in the palace. They were to be both of the royal family of Jehoiakim and of the nobility.” This was a choice assignment! This was no hardship. Daniel had been living the good life, and he would continue to do so as a part of the palace staff. We are to be under control of ourselves in good and hard times. We can best do this by listening to the Holy Spirit, who is our spiritual guide. The ability for self-control depends on several factors, including our physical maturity. Dr. Hobbs, page 110, “”Youths” does not specify a definite age. They probably were about fourteen years of age. But they were to be unusually bright, able, and of such nature as to fit into the splendor of the king’s court. To equip them for this service they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans.” Apparently Daniel and the others wanted these jobs and worked hard to learn all that was presented.

DAN 1:5 Dr. Hobbs, page 110, “”Meat” refers to food comprising a meal. The word (pathbag) is of Persian origin and may be rendered “delicacies” or “rich food” (RSV). Whatever it was, it was choice food. According to Oriental custom, the officers of the court were fed from the king’s table. So the food and wine were of the highest quality.” This was no hardship! Dr. Hobbs, page 111, “these young men were to be given a daily portion over a period of three years. Though information is scarce at this point, this probably was the time period of training for young men who were to serve in the king’s palace. Evidently this training was both physical (see v. 10) and intellectual (see v. 4). There does not seem to be any religious element involved in the training itself. Such special consideration would within itself be a temptation to young men at such an impressionable age. They could well have emerged more Babylonian than Jewish in their outlook on life.”

DAN 1:6-7 The first thing the Babylonians did was to change the names of the elite young Hebrew men to be trained to serve in the palace, to those that included names of the Babylonian deities. Daniel’s Chaldean name was Belteshazzar. Dr. Hobbs, page 11 noted that it means “may Bel protect his life. Bel was the chief god of Babylon, Bel-Marduk (see ISA 46:1).” The other three “Hebrew children” also had names for pagan gods. The king was trying in every way to turn them into Chaldeans. In addition to adapting to the provisions associated with the diet and habit of the king himself, the four Hebrews discovered thoroughness in the Babylonian attempts to erase from their minds all memory of former religious commitment. To this end, their names, all of which in some way incorporated the name of the true God, were replaced with names containing references to the diverse gods of Babylon: Daniel ("God is my Judge") to Belteshazzar ("Lady protect the king"), Hananiah ("God has been gracious") to Shadrach ("I am very fearful [of God]"), Mishael ("Who is what God is?") to Meshach ("I am of little account"), Azariah ("The Lord has helped") to Abed-Nego ("Servant of the shining one" [i.e. Nebo]

DAN 1:8 It is unknown specifically why Daniel considered the finest food in Babylon to be defiling. It may be speculated that it was because it was high in fat, previously offered to the deities and now eaten by the king's servants [as the Levites ate similar offerings], contained Law-forbidden meat-types, etc. or a combination of these. So he made a request to the prince of the eunuchs that his food be changed. "Eunuchs" normally meant men sexually neutered but it was also a term for high government officials (example: Potiphar in Gen 37:36). Here the most likely meaning is high government official or today "civil servants.”Daniel's determination to remain undefiled by not eating the king's food, which may have included ceremonially unclean meats as well as meats offered to idols, bears eloquent testimony to the fruitlessness of the Babylonian efforts to induct the Hebrews into Babylonian religion. The steward (v. 11) was reluctant to cooperate, but because of a friendship God had produced between him and Daniel (v. 9), he substituted water to drink and vegetables to eat (v. 12). The results of the ten-day experiment demonstrated God's approval of Daniel's courage and conviction. Even Nebuchadnezzar found the four Hebrews to be not only healthy, but also wise in giving counsel (Dan. 1:19).

Alcohol is a drug. However, alcohol was used under the Law as part of the worship of God. (Lev 23:13 RSV)  "And the cereal offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, to be offered by fire to the LORD, a pleasing odor; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin." (Num 18:12 RSV) "All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the first fruits of what they give to the LORD, I give to you." God also commanded it to be used at certain feasts of worship. Deu 14:26  "and spend the money for whatever you desire, oxen, or sheep, or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves; and you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household." Wine was made from fruit and strong drink from grains. Unlike today, the ancients did not know how to distill alcohol, so the alcoholic content was low. So the Bible does not teach never to drink alcohol, but moderation: (1) When you worship the Lord directly, either in an official position or as in a specific worship manner, make sure you are free from the effects of alcohol. (Lev 10:9 REV) ""Drink no wine nor strong drink, you nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations." Even grapes were forbidden when in the special service-dedication status of a Nazarite. (Num 6:3 RSV) "he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and shall not drink any juice of grapes or eat grapes, fresh or dried." This is not to be taken that other drugs that are not foods or beverages [when in moderation] are acceptable in worship as the American Indians do in native ceremonies. Drugs, and especially hard drugs, were not problems in Bible days such that the Bible makes no specific statement about them. What the Bible does do is state a principle that nothing is to be abused, especially that which can harm the person or others.

DAN 1:9 God was helping Daniel to do a good job for the Babylonians and thus he was well liked by this Chief of the Civil Service. So apparently Daniel made his request on religious grounds.

DAN 1:10 The Chief refused because he did not think a different diet would keep him as healthy as the current food. Note that Daniel did not go on a hunger strike or not otherwise eat the food while trying to get his request granted.

DAN 1:11-16 Keeping his cool, Daniel appealed to his immediate supervisor Melzar. Instead of trying to get a battle going between Melzar and his boss the prince, Daniel proposed a nutrition test. This was granted because Daniel was well liked by Melzar. At the end of ten days, the four looked healthier than all the rest. So Melzar officially changed the diet to "pulse." "Pulse" means "something grown", thus grain and vegetables. Since wine was taken away, that meant water and milk was drunk. Daniel stood by his convictions, no matter the personal cost. But he did it in a gentle manner without making the Babylonians to feel they were inferior. He did not decry their culture, but suggested a better way.

DAN 1:17-21 Because they kept themselves under control, they were not changed into Chaldeans, even though they learned their lessons so well, they knew more about what it was to be a Chaldean than most Chaldeans. In fact they knew ten times more than the king’s think tank of advisors. Some would say that they should have resisted all such learning, and should not have served their rulers. This was the stance by Jews in the time of Jesus against such Jews who were tax collectors. But Jesus never said such and did say the Jews were to pay taxes to Rome.

Daniel and his friends did all this while they were yet teenagers! (1 Tim 4:12 RSV) "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." Young people may not get the respect some deserve, especially the few who are wiser than their years.

They certainly were men of conviction but of a friendly and kind nature who did not profess superiority over the Chaldeans. (Titus 3:2 RSV) "to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all men." (James 3:17 RSV) "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity." (1 Pet 2:18 RSV) "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing."

 APPLY THE WHOLE BIBLE BEFORE YOU STATE A DOCTRINE!

Best Study Guide: How to Study the Bible Principles with Bible, A Study Sources by Orin T. Binkley.

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