Daniel Chapter 1A

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

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Before we get directly into the text of Daniel 1, it’s important to understand a bit more about the concepts revealed to us throughout the book of Daniel. This is specifically true where prophetic discourse is concerned.

Prophecy applies to and/or reveals information about:

• humanity in general
• Israel specifically, and
• God Himself

Humanity in General
Whenever we come across any portion of prophecy in Scripture, one or more of the above concepts applies. Ultimately, we learn that God is in full control of all human events that occur on the earth. Nothing takes Him by surprise. Nothing overturns His predetermined will. All things will culminate where He wants them to culminate and in the end, He will be glorified by all things.

In Daniel, we learn about God’s current and near-future plans (from Daniel’s perspective), and we also learn about God’s far-reaching plans for the future, not only from Daniel’s perspective but from ours today as well, since many of the things highlighted in Daniel have not yet occurred.

Realistically, –and most importantly, we learn what God’s plans are for the distant future – the “end times,” times that I believe we are living in today. We learn this through the statue that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about and Daniel interpreted in Daniel 2. There, we learn about the external character of the nations involved, as represented by the sections of the statue, along with their relative power and glory.

Daniel 7-8 reveals their internal character; –their haughtiness, brutality, aggressiveness, and vileness. They are represented by wild animals and birds of prey, symbolizing their hostility.

Israel Specifically
Throughout the book of Daniel, we not only learn how God directs the affairs of humanity, but how He was directly involved in the creation of the nation of Israel for His own purposes, above all other nations. This history of Israel occurs in two stages, as revealed in Daniel.

First, we learn of the near-future (from Daniel’s perspective), which is persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes (9:23-26; 11:2-35). Second, we learn of the far-future (also from Daniel’s perspective and ours, since this has yet to be fulfilled), which is persecution under the coming “man of sin,” or Antichrist (9:27; 11:36-45), a Roman-like ruler who will reign over the final global human-led kingdom leading up to the physical return of Jesus.

At the time this information was revealed to Daniel, God did not note that these would be two separate rulers. Though Daniel could not fully comprehend or appreciate this information, we understand it much more today because we have the entirety of God’s Word to study and compare. We also have a few thousand years of history that has passed since Daniel lived.

God Himself in Prophecy
–God’s sovereign rule over all time and space is stressed repeatedly in the book of Daniel. –Daniel includes two sub-revelations:

• God’s wisdom, and
• God’s power

–Absolute sovereignty demands perfect wisdom and limitless power (Constable) and –God’s perfect wisdom is seen in His insight into the course of human history and revealed to Daniel. –God’s limitless power is seen in the way He sets up and takes down Gentile kingdoms as He chooses to do so as well as delegating power and authority to Daniel. –All of this should cause our immediate humility and submission to Him, trusting in His will in all things.

In spite of what we would like to think, this world is not getting better. It is becoming increasingly evil and corrupt. We are on a crash course with God’s judgment because much of the world continues to rebel, reject and deny God’s truth. Because of His absolute sovereignty over all human affairs, it should be our goal to submit to Him, His plan and His care because of it.

–Through our submission to God, we gain insight into history – past, present and future. –We come to understand that God is guiding the course of evil to its ultimate and final end, which is eternal destruction. –He is also guiding the course of good to its conclusion, which is eternal victory and glory.

The question to ask ourselves is this: how should we live in light of the information revealed to us in Daniel? We should live as Daniel and his three friends lived, by separating ourselves TO God and His will and FROM the Babylon system of evil that undergirds this world.

–Daniel’s revelation should inspire us to persevere in these evil days and we should worship the infinite, eternal God who will ultimately bring us to Him in everlasting life in His eternal kingdom. –Studying the book of Daniel should bring us to our knees in worship and adoration of our God. It needs to be something that becomes part of our nature.

Daniel 1 is Introductory and it quickly brings us up to speed regarding how Daniel and his friends got to Babylon. It also provides us with information on Daniel and friends’ moral character. This moral character is necessary to receive wisdom, discernment and spiritual enlightenment from God’s Word and that applies to all of us.

Dr. Thomas Constable defines a chiasm, which is often part of Hebrew literature and it’s good for us to know because it sheds light on the way passages are set up often in Daniel. Daniel 1:1-14 is a chiasm: “A chiasm is a literary device in which a sequence of ideas is presented and then repeated in reverse order, creating a mirror effect.” An example is seen in the image.

Let’s get into the text of 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.

This is the 3rd year of Jehoiakim’s reign (2 Kings 24:1; 2 Chron. 36:6) as recorded by Daniel. Jeremiah, the prophet, wrote it was the 4th year of Jehoiakim’s reign (Jer. 25:1; cf. 46:2). Higher critics have pounced over this perceived “error.” The difference is probably due to Daniel writing from Babylonian perspective; Jeremiah from Jewish. Babylonians considered the first “year” as that king’s ascension year even if it lasted only months.

Daniel 1:2 states:

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.

Daniel clearly acknowledges God’s sovereignty here! We will see this adoration of God’s sovereignty repeat throughout the book of Daniel. The Land of Shinar is another name for Babylon, connoting an evil, hostile-to-God place. Babylon has always been hostile to God and remains so to this day even though the physical Babylon does not exist, its anti-God spirit does.

Carrying off the items from another people’s temple as Nebuchadnezzar did, showed dominion, especially over Israel’s God. Nebuchadnezzar was literally bragging that his god(s) was far more powerful than Israel’s God. Because of this set of events, Daniel reminded readers that –Israel AND God experienced humiliation at Nebuchadnezzar’s hands. Daniel spent the rest of the book vindicating God.

Daniel 1:3-7 highlights the training program.

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.

Nebuchadnezzar realized what he gained from Israel. He took those young men considered most promising, and without outward defect. They were placed in a training program that was to eventually make them his counselors and “wise men.” We have no idea how many other young men with Daniel and his three friends were part of this training, but it appears that only those four young men had expressed a desire to continue observing Jewish dietary laws and avoid the king’s delicacies.

Imagine what has happened to you as a young man in Jerusalem, minding your own business. You watch as your country is invaded and some of your own people are killed. You watch as many, including you, are taken to another land away from your homeland and you realize you may never see your homeland again. You are now in a completely different culture with strange gods and customs that you will be forced to learn about and even observe.

The good thing is that you’re not so far mistreated, though forced into an education you didn’t ask for and you are told to eat foods against your own wishes and God’s laws. You are being expected to assimilate into Babylonian culture to replace your own. However, because of your faith and commitment to God, you ask permission to not partake of the king’s delicacies and you request vegetables and water instead.

Part of the training program in Babylon includes the study of “literature of the Chaldeans” (v4). The word “Chaldean” has a double meaning in Daniel. First, it refers to ethnic or southern Babylonians or Babylonians in general, and –second, describes a class of astrologers and priests that emerged from the ethnic Chaldean. Like all cultures, Babylonian culture developed over generations so there was great history to be studied. What Daniel & his three friends studied was –history and –literature of this ancient part of the world.

The problem for Daniel and his friends became, how to participate in Babylon society without actually assimilating into Babylonian culture, which would be sin because of all the ungodly practices of Babylon? We Christians have the same problem today, which is why Daniel has many lessons for us as well, besides the obvious prophetic illustrations.

We’ve already learned that Daniel was (v4), good looking, without blemish, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand. In short, he would be an asset to Nebuchadnezzar, but Daniel was concerned with remaining free of sin without offending Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel’s request on behalf of himself and his friends (Daniel 1:8-12).

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.–

Daniel had already decided in his heart NOT to eat the king’s food, but…he did not want to offend offend God or the king, so…he asked the steward (chief of eunuchs), if he could refrain from eating the king’s delicacies.

Daniel provided a short duration to test the matter and Ashpenaz agreed. Notice that God honored Daniel’s heartfelt request and the steward acquiesced to Daniel and tried it for 10 days to see how things would go.

In today’s day and age, as Christians we should endeavor to follow God in all things and to be obedient to His will, rather than compromise our beliefs in order to avoid the world’s ire. This is a difficult and dangerous place to be, but as we see in Daniel, God honors those who put Him first.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective