SCRIPTURE READING: Daniel   1:1-21

GOLDEN TEXT:  Daniel 1:17

Of all of the prophets in the Old Testament there is one that stands out as the most fascinating. There is one who has more fulfilled prophecies than the rest. In the New Testament there is one prophet that is referred to more than any other. The prophet’s name is Daniel.

Was Daniel a prophet? (Matthew 24:15). Jesus said Daniel was a prophet.

1. Did Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, come to Jerusalem and besiege it in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah? (Daniel 1:1).

Note: Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in 605 B.C. If you compare the dating of Jeremiah 25:1 and 46:2 with Daniel 1:1 there seems there might be a conflict in dates, but there were two different dating systems that were used. The Jewish system that Daniel used was the non-accession year system and the one that Jeremiah used was the Babylonian accession year system. In the Jewish non-accession year system the year a king came to the throne was counted as the first year regardless of when in the year he began his reign. The official first day of a king’s reign began on the first day of Tishri, the seventh month of the year. In the Babylonian accession year system the year a king came to the throne was not counted as the first year regardless of when in the year he began his reign. The official first day of a king’s reign began on the first day of Nisan, the first month of the year.

2. Who was it that gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into the hand Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon? (Daniel 1:2). Were there articles of the house of God carried into the house of Nebuchadnezzar’s god? (Same verse).

Note: The word ‘Lord’ in this verse is the Hebrew word ‘Adonay’ and it is used as a proper name of God. It was God who delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah to Nebuchadnezzar. It was not Nebuchadnezzar’s power or strength nor was it by the power of his god. The word ‘Nebuchadnezzar’ means ‘Nebo protect my boundary’. Nebo was Nebuchadnezzar’s god.

Note: This was the first invasion of three invasions upon Jerusalem by Babylon in 605 B.C. The second invasion was in 597 B.C. during the reign of Jehoiachin, the son of Jehoiakim. Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar’s army and went into captivity with the other Jewish leaders including Ezekiel. This is recorded in 2 Kings 24:10-14. The third invasion was in 587 B.C. This is when the Temple and the city of Jerusalem was pillaged and burned as recorded in 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52.

3. Who did the king instruct to bring some of the children of Israel to serve in the king's palace? (Daniel 1:3).

Note: The phrase ‘the master of his eunuchs’ could and probably should be translated as ‘the chief of his officials’. These young Jewish captives are going to be serving in the government of King Nebuchadnezzar.

4. Did he choose young men without defects? (Daniel 1:4). Were they to be good looking, wise, knowledgeable, and quick to understand? Did he want to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans?

Note: Jewish tradition says that these young Jewish men that were taken captive were between the ages of 14 to 15 at the time they were taken.

5. Did the king feed them the same food from his kitchen that he ate from? (Daniel 1:5). How long were they to be trained in the language and literature of the Chaldeans? What were they to do after this training?

6. What are the Hebrew names of four of these young men from Judah? (Daniel 1:6).

7. What were the Babylonian names that were given to these four Jewish Lads? (Daniel 1:7).

Note: The meanings of the names are:

Daniel - (Hebrew) My Judge is God.

Belteshazzar - (Chaldean) Protect his life.

Hananiah - (Heb) God has shown grace.

Shadrach - (Chal) Command of Akkoo.

Mishael - (Heb) Who is what God is.

Meshach - (Chal) Who is what Akkoo is.

Azariah - (Heb) God has helped.

Abed-Nego - (Chal) Servant of Nebo.

Akkoo was the moon god and Nebo was the god of Nebuchadnezzar.

8. Was Daniel very careful not to defile himself with the king’s food and wine? (Daniel 1:8). Did Daniel make a request to the ‘Chief of the Officials’ regarding the food and wine?

Note: He wanted to obey God and eat kosher, not to eat unclean meats or to eat ceremonially defiled foods offered to the gods of the Chaldeans.

9. Who brought Daniel into favor with the ‘Chief of the Officials’? (Daniel 1:9).

10. Was the ‘Chief of the Officials’ concerned about losing his head over Daniel’s request regarding the food and wine? (Daniel 1:10).

11. Was Daniel going to make a deal with the servant? (Daniel 1:11).

12. What kind of foods did Daniel want to eat? (Daniel 1:12). How many days was this test to last?

13. What was to happen at the end of the testing period? (Daniel 1:13)

14. Did the servant agree to go along with Daniel with this test? (Daniel 1:14).

15. What happened after the days of testing? (Daniel 1:15).

16. What was the end result of this testing period? (Daniel 1:16).

17. Who gave these four young men knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom? (Daniel 1:17). What special abilities did Daniel have?

18. What happened at the end of the three years of training for these four young men? (Daniel 1:18).

19. Who interviewed them? (Daniel 1:19). Who did they serve?

20. Did the king examine them in all matters of wisdom and understanding? (Daniel 1:20). How many times better did the king find them than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm?

21. How long did Daniel continue to serve as an advisor to kings? (Daniel 1:21).

Daniel's Training in Babylon

(Daniel 1 NKJV) 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 gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. {3} Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king's descendants and some of the nobles, {4} young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. {5} And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. {6} Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. {7} To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. {8} But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. {9} Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. {10} And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king." {11} So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, {12} "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. {13} "Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants." {14} So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. {15} And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. {16} Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. {17} As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. {18} Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. {19} Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. {20} And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. {21} Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

(Daniel 1:17 NKJV) As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.