In The Word
Read Daniel 1
The Choice Young Men
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego.
Daniel’s Resolve
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials,and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.
As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.
Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service. As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
We read in verse 1 that the Lord handed King Jehoikim over to Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. This was prophetical because it preserved the life of Jehoikim so that he would be an ancestor of Joseph, the foster father of Yahshua (Matthew 1:11, 12-16). This group that was taken to Babylon during Nebuchadnezzar’s first siege of Jerusalem, which included Daniel and others who were inclined to serve Yahweh. This preserved their lives so that Yahweh could use their lives for His glory. Yahweh’s plan for Daniel was very unique in that He would raise him up to be a prophet. He would proclaim the time frame leading up to the first and second comings of Yahshua, the Messiah. It would also give to us the church and the understanding of God’s time schedule for us. The Book of Daniel is the glue that binds together the Old and New Testament prophecies concerning Yahshua, the Messiah.
It was important for Daniel to undergo the trials that he went through in order to prove his faithfulness to Yahweh. He was offered wealth and political position if he would serve the gods of King Nebuchadnezzar. This is true today in any Christian’s walk. How many times have we been tempted to lie or compromise our standards in Christ to gain something that the world has to offer? God has not called us to be successful as the world sees success, but to be faithful to Him. Just a gentle but firm reminder: the Word of Yahshua is the greatest possession you will ever have! Don’t lose it, whatever you do!