DANIEL 1

INTRODUCTION:

1. Let me begin our study of Daniel by asking you to turn to Matt.24:15. As you can see from the words of our Lord, it is important to understand the book of Daniel.
2. The book of Daniel has been attacked vehemently by the liberals. Sir Robert Anderson wrote a good book called, Daniel in the Critics’ Den. Sir Isaac Newton was correct when he said: "To reject Daniel is to reject the Christian religion."

BACKGROUND TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL:

1. For many years God was warning backslidden Israel, through the prophets, to repent.
2. Finally, judgment came when God allowed the northern kingdom of Israel to be carried into captivity by the Assyrians in 722-721 BC.
3. Judgment came a little later for the southern kingdom of Judah when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged the city of Jerusalem in 606 BC.
4. Then in 598 BC, Nebuchadnezzar took more people back to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel (see Scofield’s introduction). Finally, in 587 he burned Jerusalem to the ground.
5. Therefore, God’s judgment against Judah was carried out in three stages; and the book of Daniel starts out with the first phase in approximately 606 or 607 BC.
6. We know more about Daniel than any other prophet. His name means, "God is my judge." He was of royal or princely descent (cf. 1:3), and was deported to Babylon in the first invasion in 606 BC.
7. Daniel eventually became a close advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar and despite the heathenism and corruption surrounding him, he maintained an excellent testimony in Babylon. He kept himself separated unto God, and unspotted from the world.
8. Daniel was a great man of faith, piety, humility, and dependence upon God. There is not one thing negative recorded about Daniel in the Bible.
9. And 2,600 years later, God is still looking for dedicated men and women like Daniel.

1:1 When Nebuchadnezzar captured Judah, he inaugurated what our Lord called "the times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24). This refers to the rule of the Gentiles over God’s chosen people Israel. The time of the Gentiles will not end until our Lord returns to set up His kingdom.

Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion took place "in the third year of the reign of Jehoikim king of Judah" (cf. II Kings 23:34 – 24:1).

1:2 This was God’s judgment against King Jehoikim and against Judah (cf. II Kings 24:1-15). Jehoikim = "Jehovah has set up" (cf. Jer.22:18,19).

The removal of the vessels from the temple was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah (39:1-8; II Kings 20:12-19). "Shinar" = Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar brought the vessels "into the house of his god" because he believed that it was his god who gave him the victory.

1:3 Isaiah told King Hezekiah that his sons would be taken away to Babylon (II Kings 20:16-18). Eunuchs were usually castrated men, but not all the time. For example, sometimes the word refers to government officials. It is translated "officer" for Potiphar in Gen.39.

1:4 "Children" here probably means teenagers. "Science" in Babylon included magic and astrology.

1:5 "Three years" training would be like studying in college.

1:6,7 The significance of the names, according to Dr. Charles Feinberg:

Daniel = God is my Judge

Belteshazzar = Prince of Bel (Baal?)

Hananiah = The Lord is gracious

Shadrach = inspired by the sun god

Mishael = Who is comparable to God?

Meschach = Who is like Shach? (The Babylonians worshipped the goddess Venus under the name of Shach.)

Azariah = The Lord is my help

Abednego = servant of the shining fire

1:8 Here we see Daniel’s consecration and dedication to God. Because he was separated, and willing to take his stand, God used him. As a devout Jew, Daniel would not defile himself by eating foods forbidden under the Mosaic law (cf. Lev.11:44-47). These meats were probably offered up to the heathen gods of Babylon. The key phrase here is "purposed in his heart." Christians must have their own convictions (not the pastor’s or their parents,’ etc.); these convictions should be based upon the Bible, and then they should stand firm upon them. William Pettingill wrote: "Daniel had never heard the modern proverb, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do,’ and if he had heard it he would have despised it. His mind was set on God, and, wherever he should find himself, he would do what God commanded him to do" (Simple Studies in Daniel).

1:9 It was God that "brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs." This is similar to Joseph’s experience in Egypt.

1:10 The prince of the eunuchs respected Daniel and did not want to force the pagan diet upon him, but was scared of being executed.

1:11-14 "Pulse" probably was some sort of vegetables. Daniel asked Melzar to give them a "ten days" trial and Melzar "consented to them in this matter" (1:14).

1:15-17 Daniel’s diet worked, and Melzar saw the true and living God at work. Daniel’s ability to interpret dreams would play an important part in his life in the days to come.

1:18-20 At the end of the prescribed course of study (3 years, according to 1:5), King Nebuchadnezzar personally examined all the young men with regard to "all matters of wisdom and understanding" (1:20). The king must have been a highly educated man himself in order to be able to question these young scholars so carefully. He discovered that Daniel and his friends not only excelled the other young men, but were "ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in his realm" (1:20).

1:21 Daniel’s career in Babylon spanned two world empires – he bridged the entire 70 year captivity. Dan.10:1 points out that Daniel actually lived beyond the first year of King Cyrus (cf. Scofield margin).