Chapter 1: Sovereign God of a Separate People
What: Personal Defilement Story
Historical Narrative Told in the third person omniscient and written in Hebrew
Where and When:
3 rd Year of reign of Jehoiakim (born Eliakim 2 Ki 23:24 and son of Josiah ; Made king by Pharaoh Neco 2 Kin 23:24; gave all the silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco a his command and taxed the people of the land 2 Ki 23:25; became king at 25 and reigned 11 years in Jerusalem, 2 Kin 23:36; He did evil in the sight of the Lord 2 Chr 36:5; according to what his fathers had done 2 Ki 23:37; Nebuchadnezzar goes up against Pharaoh Neco at Carchemish Jer 46:1-2 and wins; Nebuchadnezzar makes Jehoiakim his servant for three years 2 Ki 24:1; Led a rebellion against Neb 2 Kin 24:1; Nebuchadnezzar took him away bound in chains to Babylon 2 Chr 36:6; God sent Chaldeans, Arameans, bands of Moabites and Ammonites against Judah to destroy it 2 Ki 24:2; Jehoiachin becomes king in his father?s place 2 Ch 36:8, 2 Ki 24:5-6; King of Egypt didn?t come out again because of Babylon 2 Ki 24:7 )
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem and sacked it, taking many of the vessels from the temple to Shinar, the house of his god. Eunuch/Chief Official orders some of the Israelites and some of the royal family and nobles to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans. Portion of King?s food and wine was to be given to these people
Who:
- Ashpenaz The Eunuch/Chief of Nebuchadnezzar?s Officials. Personally in charge of looking and bringing sons of Israel (some of which were of royalty or nobility) who had intelligence in every branch of wisdom and endowed with understanding and had the ability to serve. This would mean that this Official himself was very intelligent, had a perceptive eye and ear to understand what the youth is potentially capable of (3-4) Assigned new names to the Israelite youths so apparently he was in charge of starting these youth?s new life (7)
- The King ? appointed the daily ration from the King?s choice food and wine. Specified that the youths were to receive 3 years of training then they would enter into the king?s personal service (5-7) Personally examined the Youths at the end of 3 years (19,20)
- The Overseer ? allowed a minor test of diet for the youths (perhaps with Ashpenaz?s approval (11-14)
- The Youths (Collective) ? Sons of Judah specifically Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah whose names were changed to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
- Daniel ? writer of most of the book (not chapter 4) and remains through Cyrus first year and beyond (21). Seems to be the voice of the group (8-13; key 11)
Why written:
Confrontation:
Children of God versus Personal Defilement
King conquers the youths? home (1)
King carts youths away by commanding Official (3)
Chief Official changes youths? names (7)
King decides the youths are offered education (4)
With plans to enter them into personal service (5)
King decides that the youths will have his choice food and wine (5-7)
Daniel decided not to do this (8)
Asked Chief Official not to eat any of the choice food (8)
- Why was Daniel being defiled? Exodus 34:15 where Israelites are warned of covenanting with the inhabitants of the land who play the harlot with their gods and may invite an Israelite to eat what has been sacrificed to their gods.
Chief Official says no to the refusal of the Kings food (10)
Daniel asks overseer (11) to test servants for 10 days and see what happens (12-14).
- The Official was too close to the King to make a safe direct decision in that direction. This short test would show small results and not the potentially disastrous and long term results of emaciation from the original plan. The fact that the Overseer agreed to the test seems to hint that Ashpenaz gave him the nod (9).
Results: Plumpness, Perception and Position
In 10 days, they seemed better than all the youths (15)
- The food was continued to be withheld (16) eating the stuff grown and water
- Stuff grown can even mean potatoes?high carbs.
They grew in understanding and Daniel even understood all kinds of visions (17).
- They learned every branch of literature and God granted them knowledge
They were presented before King and became king?s personal service (18)
- The King was apparently smart as well since he talked with them himself to check their intelligence (19)
Nebuchadnezzar found that they were 10 x better than all the magicians and conjurers in the realm (19,20)
- Was Daniel a magician? Not really. He was the head of the magicians who were the sacred scribes or interpreters of omens?revealing secret things. Were they the same group of Magi who years later would visit Jesus? (Matt 12:1-12)
Daniel continued until 1 st year of Cyrus the King. (21)
Application:
Primarily, we see God?s plans are never laid waste by the sins of men. God has set out to enact a plan by which men can be saved and the sinfulness of men will not derail his plans. Instead, he will ride the waves of such and open up his revelation to all men. From Jerusalem, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, made a way possible that all the Gentiles would hear of Him and men would be drawn to Him.
Secondly, we also see God preserving His people in the very midst of persecution and establishing His people in a high place and favor within a Gentile, pagan kingdom.
Thirdly, we see that although men have trampled over the things of God and laid waste to the people of God and apparently have conquered over the belief of God?for God did not rescue His people from the ransacking and carrying away of the temple items, that God is not conquered.
Lastly we see that although it appears that way on the outside and for all intents and purposes it feels that way in the inside. Although those children of God may be immersed in a new pagan culture which is contrary to God and laughing at Him, they live peaceably. Not personally accepting the defilement and taking into themselves, but standing firm on the promises of God as the only living God and learning all they can from those around them. They were not defiled by education or by position or by dealings with them?but if they compromised on those principles of which their faith was established, they would have trampled over the very words of God.
These young boys were raised on the Law, on Jeremiah, on the Book of the Kings and the Chronicles, on Ruth?difficult books to us but these young boys? bread and butter. With this as their Foundation they would be immersed in this pagan culture learning all about it and shining the light of the Scriptures on it.
We as believers have every right to see the world as the sinful place it is, but we live in the world although we are strangers in a foreign land. We are not to entrench ourselves in the world?s table that their food and thinking becomes our food and thinking, but we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We serve in this world as unto the Lord and do it to our fullest ability. Are we to reject the education offered? Are we to reject the jobs offered? Surely if the education or the jobs are those which besmirch the Word of God we are to avoid those things?as in the Education of Drug Dealer to then work as a Drug Dealer. But we can learn, and study but never at any point are we to pervert the Word of God with what is being learned.
Rather we are to elevate God and His Word to the chief priority that in all things He may have the Preeminence. In our thoughts, in our lives, in our hearts and our subsequent actions?we are new creatures, dead to the world and it?s loves but living unto Christ.
So then the world may laugh and scorn and say that God?s Word lies ruined: the Bible is proven false, the one who you call Jesus is Dead, the apostles all died horrible deaths?no matter. God is the victor and you know what, God?s Word remains, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and a certain apostle who later died said that upon death he would be in the very presence of the Lord and one day, the dead in Christ shall rise, on the last trump, at the shout of the voice of the Archangel and we who are alive and remain will be caught up in the clouds with them.
-r-