The kingdoms of Israel and Judah are no more. Israel has been taken into captivity by the Assyrians, and Judah has been taken into captivity by the Babylonians.
Some of these captives were made servants in the house of the king of Babylon. They were going to be taught the Babylonian language and customs.
Daniel 1:3-4- 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; 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.
Those chosen had to be wise in different school subjects, they had to be able to solve problems, and they had to show that they could use wisdom and understanding in certain situations. This was going to take time! They had to learn a new language and pass a lot of tests!
Daniel 1:5-7- 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. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 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.
There were four main boys that drew not only the attention of the Babylonians, but also the attention of God. We known one by his Jewish name, and the other three by their Babylonian names- Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, andAbednego.
Why do you think they got God's attention?
Daniel 1:8- But Daniel 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.
Daniel knew that even though he was in a strange land God could still see him. He wanted to do what was right and please God. Perhaps, Daniel had heard all the things that Jeremiah had been saying before the captivity?
Daniel didn't want to eat things that God had said "no" to. So, he was going to request that a special diet be given to him. His friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, would also follow him and try to please God.
Daniel 1:9-13- Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 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. Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 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.
The Hebrew children went to man in charge and asked for a special diet. The man was worried. If these boys under his care looked sickly or weak, then he would be killed!
Daniel used wisdom and asked if the man would allow them this special diet for just 10 days. If they didn't look sick after that time, it would be a permanent thing. But, if they weren't doing well, they would go back on the king's food.
That sounded good to the man in charge.
Daniel 1:14-16- So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 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. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
After the 10 days, Daniel and his friends looked better than the other boys. The man in charge decided to change all of their diets to water and vegetables.
How did God feel about what Daniel was trying to do? He was very pleased! And, he blessed Daniel and his friends.
Daniel 1:17-20- 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. 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. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in 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.
Because they were willing to obey God and work hard, God gave them more wisdom and understanding than even the older wise men in the land of Babylon. But, it was going to take time, and God, before their skills were valued.
Daniel 2:1-2- And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a scary dream. He didn't know what this dream meant. But, he couldn't sleep because of it.
He called all of his old, wise men to come and tell him what this dream meant. But, to be sure they weren't making anything up King Nebuchadnezzar was going to test them.
Daniel 2:5-6- The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
King Nebuchadnezzar couldn't quite remember his dream. So, he wanted his wise men to tell him what his dream was and what it meant. If they couldn't, they would be killed.
Now, this was an impossible task for the old, wise men. They didn't know what happened inside the king's head! They tried to tell the king that it couldn't be done, but the king got mad, and ordered their death!
Daniel 2:12-13- For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
Even though, Daniel and his friends weren't standing in the king's court, they were still considered wise men. So, they would have to be killed, too.
Daniel was going to have to use the wisdom that God gave him and his friends to find a way to save their lives.
Daniel 2:14-16- Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
Daniel asked to be taken to the king. He asked King Nebuchadnezzar to give them a little time and then they would tell him what he wanted to know.
How was Daniel going to do that? He was going to pray and ask God for help!
Do you remember another man in the Bible that God gave wisdom about dreams to? Joseph!
Daniel probably heard the story of Joseph growing up. He knew that God could see what went on in people's dreams. He knew God could give the meaning of dreams. He was going to ask God to help him interpret King Nebuchadnezzar's dream.
Daniel 2:17-19- hen Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
God answered Daniel's prayer. He gave Daniel the dream and the meaning. And, Daniel and his friends thanked God!
Daniel 2:24-25- Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
Daniel went before King Nebuchadnezzar. He told the king that He served the Lord God Most High and that God had given him the answers that Nebuchadnezzar was searching for.
Daniel 2:28, 31-36 - But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Daniel described a large statue. It was a very interesting statue. It's head was made of gold. It's chest was made of silver. It's belly and upper legs were made of brass. It's lower legs were made of iron, and it's feet and toes were made of iron and clay mixed.
This statue stood there until a stone came from somewhere and smashed into it breaking it to tiny pieces. These pieces scattered into the wind like dust. But, the stone that hit it grew into a giant mountain.
What a strange dream! But, this dream had a meaning. This dream was God telling King Nebuchadnezzar about some things that were going to happen in the future.
Each part of the statue was made up of different material. These materials went down in value, but went up in strength.
King Nebuchadnezzar had been given a large kingdom by God. He was the ruler of a vast empire, and he was the head of gold.
But there would come another kingdom, the silver of the chest that wouldn't have the power of King Nebuchadnezzar. However, this kingdom would be stronger than the Babylonian kingdom and so they would be able to defeat it.
Their reign wouldn't last very long, though. Another kingdom would come along. This kingdom would be the brass of the belly and legs. Again, they wouldn't be as powerful as King Nebuchadnezzar, but they would have a stronger army. They would take control of the brass kingdom.
This kingdom would be the iron kingdom of the lower legs. The military might of this kingdom would be very strong! But, they wouldn't have the ability to control their domain like Nebuchadnezzar could.
At the end of this kingdom, there would be both strong and weak leaders. That's why the feet and toes had strong iron and weak clay in them.
The stone that would come and destroy the statue was the Lord God Almighty. There would be a time when He came down and conquered all of the nations of the world. Then, this stone would grow into a mountain that would rule the entire earth!
Daniel 2:46-47- Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
King Nebuchadnezzar was very impressed! He had asked the impossible. But, the God of Daniel was a God that could do the impossible!
Daniel 2:48-49- Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.
Daniel became a very important man in the kingdom of Babylon. And, his friends also became leaders in the land.
But, Daniel had made a mistake. He had let King Nebuchadnezzar worship him. He should have said, "Worship the Lord God Almighty! Not me." But, he didn't. And, God was going to have to teach him a lesson about that.
