Daniel was taken captive to Babylon along with other young men where they were to be trained and assimilated into Babylonian culture. They were given Babylonian names and fed the king's food, which likely included meat offered to idols. Daniel and his friends refused to eat the king's food or embrace the Babylonian names and lifestyle. God blessed them for their faithfulness by giving them superior understanding over the other trainees. They impressed Nebuchadnezzar with their wisdom and served faithfully until the time of Cyrus, demonstrating that God honors those who honor and remain faithful to Him, even in a foreign land.

1. Introduction to Daniel

2. Overview of Daniel
• “As we near the close of this world’s history, the
prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special
attention, as they relate to the very time in which
we are living”...
• Daniel and Revelation describe by
means of symbolic visions the course of
human history and the final advent of
the kingdom of God.

3. Overview: Judgement a
pervading theme
• Daniel – ‘God is my judge’.
• A book about judgement- begins and ends
with references to judgement.
- Apostate Israel
- End: King of the North
- Nebuchadnezzar
- Belshazzar
- The judgement to come.

4. Overview: The Tale of Two Cities-
Jerusalem and Babylon
Jerusalem:
•Rule of righteousness
•Reveals the mystery of godliness
Babylon:
•The reign of wickedness
•Reveals the mystery of sin
The Stories and prophecies of the book of Daniel
illustrate the principles of the ancient conflict
between good and evil.

5. Overview of Daniel
• The climax in each narrative is the elevation of
the worshipers of the true God, and each
vision ends in the establishment of the
kingdom of God.
• This book continually proclaims the good
news that trial and temptations are followed
by blessings for those obedient to God.

6. What Christ and others thought about
Matthew 24:15
the Book
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso
readeth, let him understand:)
Paul – refers to the abomination of desolation and the
man of sin.
Early Church Fathers – many of them expositors of
Daniel and Revelation like Paul seem to have some
insight into the interpretation and fulfilment of the
texts.
Reformers – under sola scriptura Daniel and
Revelation we highly referenced for study
Others

7. Daniel Chapter 1
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of
Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto
Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah
into his hand, with part of the vessels of the
house of God: which he carried into the land
of Shinar to the house of his god; and he
brought the vessels into the treasure house
of his god.

8. 2 Kings 21:10-13
10 And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,
11 BecauseManasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations,
and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were
before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:
12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing
such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it,
both his ears shall tingle.
13 AndI will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the
plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man
wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

9. 2 Kings 21:13-16
14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver
them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey
and a spoil to all their enemies;
15 Becausethey have done that which was evil in my sight, and have
provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth out of
Egypt, even unto this day.
16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had
filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith
he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD.

10. God Intended for Israel to be a Light
Isaiah 42:6
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness,
and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee,
and give thee for a covenant of the people, for
a light of the Gentiles;

11. Jeremiah 25:8-9
8 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have
not heard my words,
9 Behold, I will send and take all the
families of the north, saith the LORD, and
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my
servant, and will bring them against this
land, and against the inhabitants
thereof, and against all these nations
round about, and will utterly destroy
them, and make them an astonishment,
and an hissing, and perpetual
desolations.

12. The Secular History – The first Invasion
• Jehoiakim (son of Josiah) was an Egyptian vassal until
Nebuchadnessar forced him to submit to Babylon in
605 BC. . Nebuchadnezzar personally lead his army to
conquer Jerusalem
• Jehoiakim revolted in 598 BC in 597 BC.
• Installed Zedekiah as rule.
• Took a large quantity of temple
utensils to Babylon
• Took 10,000 captives to Babylon.
(2 Kings 24:10-16; Eze 1:1)

13. The Secular History – The Second
Invasion
• Zedekiah made an alliance with Egypt against
Babylon. (Jer 37:7,8).
• Nebuchadnezzar again marched against Judah in 586
B.C scorching the land.
• Captured Jerusalem and
burnt it to the ground.
(2 Kings 25:9-10)

14. 2 Kings 24:10-13
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was
besieged.
11 AndNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city,
and his servants did besiege it.
12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of
Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his
princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in
the eighth year of his reign.
13 Andhe carried out thence all the treasures of the house of
the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in
pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had
made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said.

15. 2 Kings 24:14-16
14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and
all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and
all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the
poorest sort of the people of the land.
15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's
mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty
of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to
Babylon.
16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and
craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and
apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to
Babylon.

16. Spiritual dimension provides the explanation for
historical events.
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged
it.
Describes event in terms of secular history
Event’s spiritual dimension
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with
part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into
the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the
vessels into the treasure house of his god.

17. Daniel 1:3-7
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs,
that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the
king's seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and
skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and
understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand
in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning
and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's
meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three
years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

18. Daniel 1:3-7
6 Now among these were of the
children of Judah, Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for
he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to
Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and
to Azariah, of Abednego.

19. Hebrews Under Pressure
• To keep his empire intact
Nebuchadnezzar trains the cream of
the crop of the captives for future
service:
• A thorough Babylonian education and
training was necessary.
• After education the subjects would be sent
back to administer their homeland or serve at
the court in Babylon.

20. What did they have to learn?
1) The tongue (language) of the Chaldeans .
2) Literature of the Chaldeans.
Tongue (language)
• Akkadian (Native language of Babylonians)
• Sumerian (Ancient language of Sumer –used in
religious practices and technical literature.
• Aramaic (language of international commerce
and diplomacy)

21. What did they have to learn?
Literature of the Chaldeans
• The literature of the Chaldeans, whose name
became a byword for “magician” or “diviner”,
most likely included the study of astrology and
the art of divination.
• These were condemned in the old testament
(Deut 18:10)

22. Changing their names
• In the ancient Near East, names and their connotation formed
part of a person’s identity.
• Obliterating any references to the Hebrew God was the goal.
• Substituting names alluding and referencing Babylonian gods.
Nebuchadnezzar did not compel the Hebrew youth to
renounce their faith in favour of idolatry, but he
hoped to bring this about gradually.

23. Daniel 1:8-13
8 ButDaniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself
with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he
drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he
might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the
prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the
king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he
see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort?
then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
11 Thensaid Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set
over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

24. Daniel 1:12-13
12 Provethy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let
them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before
thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of
the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal
with thy servants.

25. Daniel 1:14-17
14 Sohe consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten
days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared
fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the
portion of the king's meat.
16 ThusMelzar took away the portion of their meat, and the
wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and
skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding
in all visions and dreams.

26. To eat or not too eat...
• Not just because some of the food was most
likely unclean, but also because it had been
offered up to idols before it was served.
• Babylonian royal mean began with an act of
worship, and those who participated in the
meal considered themselves as having taken
part in the religious rite.

27. To eat or not too eat...
• To refuse could have been regarded by the
court as an insult to the king and as evidence
of insubordination.
• The Hebrews refused to violate their
conscience; their determination not to do so
may indicate that they were in the habit of
turning away from evil.
• God honoured the faith of the young men and
performed a miracle.

28. Daniel 1:18-21
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should
bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in
before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 Andthe king communed with them; and among them all was
found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
therefore stood they before the king.
20 Andin all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king
enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

29. God Honours Faithfulness
1 Samuel 2:30
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that
thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before
me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for
them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise
me shall be lightly esteemed.
Though forced to undertake a process of assimilation,
the true source of their wisdom was not the Chaldean
curriculum, but the God of Israel.
By remaining firm in their challenge, they gained
experience that helped them in the future. They would
most likely have succumbed to the greater tests in
chapters 3 and 6 had they failed in this test.

30. Lessons
• God is in control– God is sovereign and directs the
world by His providence. While He gave Jerusalem
into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, he also gave
knowledge and skill to the four young Hebrews.
• Tests of character are opportunities to grow.
• Christians must stand up for what they believe- The
Hebrew youth did so and were willing to resist the
dominant culture of their day.

31. Christians today live in a strange land
• Surrounded by a culture hostile
towards most basic Christian values.
• The god of modern culture is the god of self-
personal gratification and self-realisation over
any sense of the other person.

32. Ask yourself
• Whose am I?
• Do I belong to the Lord?
• And if so, how am I to relate to the culture in
which I live?
John 17:18
18 As thou hast sent me into the world,
even so have I also sent them into the
world.
14 I have given them thy word; and the
world hath hated them, because they
are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world. Romans 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

33. Comments & Questions?

34. References
• Daniel Chapter 1 (KJV)
• Daniel – The Seer of Babylon, Gerhard Pfandl (Review and Herald Publishing Association)
• Wikipedia.org