April 10, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Daniel? Here’s today’s reading:
Daniel 1 (NIV)
Daniel’s Training in Babylon
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............Continue Reading
Daniel 1
Daniel was faithful to God and in turn God blessed Him and protected Him. God provided Him both the physical stamina when he most wisely came up with this alternate plan for avoiding eating their food and holding true to his beliefs and the wisdom as he was able to translate visions and dreams better than their own magicians and astrologers to find favor in Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 1
Note that even in an exile situation, God shows Daniel favor and compassion with his captures.
Daniel. What a man of faith and courage. Facing so many choices. In a different culture he never backs down from what God’s principles are. Hard to believe God allowed Babylon to take the sacred things from the temple of God. And bring them to some abominable place. Daniel immediately starts controversy. I imagine myself not saying anything and just eating the kings food. Daniel’s faith is incredible as he makes his stand and trusts God to deliver. I do believe. But help my unbelief. I wish lately I could interpret my own dreams. Crazy stuff! God certainly has blessed Daniel because of his faith and obedience. I need this book at this time
You can change what someone is called on the outside, but you cannot choose for someone what they remain on the inside. And Daniel is determined to maintain his faith in the way that he lives. It is sad that he is there. How unthinkable that the people of God would be defeated and exiled, and yet we have read much of God’s warnings that that is what their disobedience would bring. And yet what is always the case, when Daniel is faithful to God, God is faithful to him and grants him favor with the king’s officials and then eventually with the king. And yet Daniel is not unsympathetic to the officials concern, and wisely suggests a test. Vegetarians unite! LOL. It is God making this work, not that it doesn’t speak well of eating vegetables. And as God’s sovereign plan unfolds, Daniel and his friends are shown to be better not only physically but also intellectually and in other skill and abilities. And this last verse just didn’t happen in that period of history: a person remaining in the court of the king through 3 different empires! May God grant us favor as we seek to influence our world with the greatness of His being and the good news of His Son!
Thanks Mark for your kind words to me from a couple of days ago. I am glad to read comments of our brothers and sisters in the Lord and then to share want I read. Tonight we are reading Daniel 1. As a child I remembered Daniel in the lion`s den and the fiery furnace. What great trust of these men upon God. I never was taught that they were make believe stories but what they really are. Historical facts that real did happen. And a real God that is righteous and just but also loves us. This is why our children and young people need to know that the Bible [ Word of God] is about historical facts not myths. It is about Jesus Christ throughout the Bible. I am so glad that our church teaches not just about things in the New Testament about also the Old Testament. God never lies . He gave us the Word of God to teach us. It is His main way of speaking to us. Our main way of talking to Him is through prayer. I don`t know why I said all this but many times I start to write and things come out. Maybe the Lord`s leading. Often times I have no clue if I will write anything but only read. May the Lord be glorified in anything we share. Lets get to Daniel. It says that in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon besieged Jerusalem. [ 2 Kings 23; 36–24; 17 and 2 Chronicles 36; 1–23] this is the time when this happened. It seems in the reading in kings and chronicles that after three years Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and Jehoiakim was taken in fetters. this appears to be when others are taken such as Daniel and his friends. When taken it would seem that they were already trained in many ways. King Nebuchadnezzar requested that certain children of Israel, and of the kings seed and of the princes. They were most likely royal seed. They had no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science. But also to be trainable in the ways of the Chaldeans. But Daniel and his friends loved the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And would not compromise their walk with Him. Even when their names were changed their character remained the same. Daniel [ Belteshazzar ] means protect his life or the Lord`s leader, Daniel means God is my judge. Hananiah [ Shadrach] Hananiah means Jehovah is gracious or gift of the Lord. Shadrach means degree of moon god or soft tender. Mishael [ Meshach ] Mishael means High place or who is what God is. Meshach means Agile or expeditious. And then the forth young man. Azariah [ Abed-nego] Azariah means Jehovah is keeper or hath helped. Abednego means servant of Nebo or servant of light. The source of these names and there meanings are taken from [ All the men in the Bible] by Locker. I have a series of 15 books that list many topics . If anyone is interested I would share. I have found them helpful at times. I`ll list a few here. All the Apostles of the Bible, All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, All the Kings and Queens of the Bible, All the Miracles of the Bible, to list a few. It was put out by Zondervan Books. Mike that leads the prayer on Saturdays also has this same series. I wrote this for I don`t believe many of us would have access to this series. I thought knowing the meaning of the names would help. God bless all.
Daniel 1
From the beginning of his captivity, Daniel refused to do anything that would defile himself before God. He was determined not to do so, and he trusted that God would be with him if it caused him any trouble. As a result, God gave him and his friends much knowledge and Daniel could interpret dreams and visions. And the king recognized how much more intelligent and wise they were as compared to his own staff. When we keep our eyes on the Lord, he blesses us with good things and other people take notice. This is one way we can witness to others, by acts of love, and our knowledge and wisdom of the ways of the Lord.
It is interesting how Daniel and the other men were chosen: “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.”
These are children of nobles and kings. Since it says that they have “no blemish” does that mean that they were NOT eunuchs?
It would seem counterintuitive for a ruler to allow descendants of kings to survive, and counterintuitive to God’s purposes to send the children and the sacred things into captivity, but God uses Daniel mightily to carry on HIs plan and purposes.
I imagine that they were not made Eunuchs….