seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Daniel 1:1 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.
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Here's a link to the commentary I read.
Setting the time: The prophet Daniel lived in the sixth century before the birth of Jesus. During this approximate period:
- Construction began on the Acropolis in Athens.
- Mayan civilization flourished in Mexico.
- Aesop wrote his fables.
- Confucius and Buddha lived.
- Greek art began to truly excel.
- The Greeks introduced the olive tree to Italy.
- The Phoenicians made the first known sea journey around Africa.
Who had the ability to serve in the king’s palace: Nebuchadnezzar demonstrated that he was a wise administrator and a shrewd tactician. Taking these young men as hostages reminded the people back in Jerusalem that they should not revolt against the recently imposed Babylonian rule.
Three years of training for them: The purpose of the food, names, and education was simple. This was an effort at total indoctrination, with the goal of making these young Jewish men leave behind their Hebrew God and culture. Undoubtedly, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to communicate to these young men, “look to me for everything.” Daniel and his friends refused, insisting that they would look to God.
That he might not defile himself: Daniel and his friends considered the king’s food defiled for at least three reasons. First, it undoubtedly was not kosher. Second, it was probably sacrificed to idols. Third, eating the king’s food implied fellowship with Babylon’s cultural system.
Please test your servants: Daniel saw the situation through the steward’s eyes and addressed his legitimate concerns. He wouldn’t let the chief of the eunuchs pay the price for Daniel’s conscience. In it all, Daniel was willing to put himself and his faith in God to the test.
Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams: This shows that purity of heart and faithfulness to God come before enlightenment in divine mysteries. Daniel would later receive great revelation, but now he simply showed himself a dedicated follower of God.
Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus: Daniel had a long, successful career in the worst of circumstances. He worked for tyrants who thought nothing of killing their staff and advisors, much less of firing them. His employer suffered the worst kind of hostile takeover when the Medo-Persian Empire conquered the Babylonian Empire. The seeds of his great success are evident in the very first chapter of the Book of Daniel.
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I would certainly suggest that everyone read the entire commentary linked above. There are some interesting discussions about Daniel and his buddies. Shadrach, Meshak, and Abendigo.
I was aware that this all took place only three hundred years before Christ arrived on earth. Did you notice that while the Persians were in power, humans were building the Parthenon, Budda and Confucious were doing their thing, and the Phoenicians were building and sailing around the continent of Africa!
Humans were really getting too smart for the britches again. Remember way, way, way back in Genesis when humans decided to build the tower of Babel? God had to intervene.
This time God caused the Persians to take the Israelites into slavery. This knocked them down a few pegs.
Daniel could have gotten quite fat and sassy in Persia. He could have eaten the finest food and drank the finest wine. Of course, he had to be contrary and order a Vegan diet! He stayed away from the big pig with an apple in its mouth. He stayed away from the fermented wine. He didn't put his belly through the agony of gas and constipation the rich food would bring. He stuck with Vegan, not because broccoli was his favorite, but because he needed to survive.
Daniel could have just gone with the flow. Instead, he spoke up, took a chance, proved his point and accomplished a little change in life. That little change, just getting them to give him broccoli instead of a pork chop, let him know God was going to be with him in Persia as He had been with Daniel back in Judah.
Daniel was a hostage for the rest of his life.
Now I was taught, in a Southern Baptist Woman's Study, that Daniel was physically castrated, making him a Eunuch. I've gone around thinking that for decades. But, turns out, Daniel may have dodged the castration.
Physical castration is ruthless. Castration means cutting off the balls! Just so you know, Daniel may or may not have lost his balls.
Back in Shechem, the Israelites got the Shechemites to consent to circumcision. Then while they were holding their thingies, the Israelites attacked to avenge the rape of their sister Dinah. I guess, in that it ended in death for the Shechemites, the Israelites were as cunning and ruthless as the Persians.
At any rate, Daniel was captured by the troops of Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Persia. He convinced a guard to change his diet, took advantage of the education offered, and did the right thing according to God.
Was he castrated? Well, he did have to leave his old life behind. He could no longer go to the Temple and worship God. He may have been castrated. He never married. Nebuchadnezzar was known for castration as a means to submission.
Recently, Hubby and I have been watching a lot of football. Washington is doing great! Anyway, I noticed that one of the quarterbacks is saying "here we go" at the beginning of each play. So.... I guess that makes a pretty good way to start this new Book.
Daniel! Here we go!
