Daniel 1:1-21
as taught by "guest geek" Richard Weisenberger
A key theological point of Daniel chapter one is this: God is sovereign in the world at both the national and individual levels. This is seen in the three-fold use of the Hebrew term nathan (give) by God:
1) Verse 2 – The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand which altered the course of world history.
2) Verse 9 – God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials thus precluding the spiritual assimilation of Daniel and his friends into the religion of Babylon.
3) Verse 17 – God gave Daniel and his three friends knowledge and insight which effectively defeated the religious practitioners of Babylon.
The Context – Deportation to Babylon (vv 1-2)
4) This event is the fulfillment of both Covenant promises (Deuteronomy 28:36-37) and prophecy (Jeremiah 25:8-9).
5) The use of the term Lord (Hebrew Adonai) in verse two emphasizes God’s sovereignty over Nebuchadnezzar’s victory.
6) Daniel mentions the deportation of the temple articles and their deposit in the Babylonian temple. Why is this important?
The Contest – Daniel’s First Test (vv 3-16)
7) The king orders that some of the conquered nobility be taken into his service. This was common practice and provided the king with access to the deported populace.
8) These youths were the cream of the crop, handsome and without shortcomings, intelligent and knowledgeable.
i. They were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans to better serve the king. This training would take three years.
ii. They were to partake of the king’s own table.
iii. They were given new names which were related to the Babylonian gods.
Daniel – “God is my judge”
Belteshazzar – “Lady [wife of Marduk] protect the king”
Hananiah – “Yahweh has been gracious”
Shadrach – “I am very fearful”
Mishael – “Who is as God?”
Meshach – “I am of little account”
Azariah – “Yahweh has helped”
Abednego – “Servant of the shining one (or Nabu)”
9) The four submit to all of these conditions without objection save one.
i. They can serve God and serve in a pagan court.
ii. Their training in Scripture and the religion of Yahweh would not be overcome by their training in Babylonian religion and thought.
iii. The Babylonian names appear to be jokes on their gods.
iv. But Daniel makes up his mind not to defile himself by eating the king’s food. What is really at stake here?
10) Daniel’s Test:
i. Daniel takes the initiative to ask for leniency.
ii. God intervenes in adjusting the attitudes of the commander of the officials.
iii. The commander of the officials has a legitimate concern.
iv. Daniel proposes a test to the overseer and submits himself to his final judgment.
v. God honors Daniel’s commitment. He and his friends pass the test and they are allowed to keep their vegetarian diet.
The Conclusion – Daniel’s Rise to Favor (vv 17-21)
11) God’s sovereignty comes again to the fore when He supernaturally augments the four friends’ natural intellectual abilities.
12) To Daniel God gives the special ability to understand visions and dreams. This anticipates significant portions of the book.
13) So great were their God given abilities that they were found by the king to be “ten times better” than all the magician/conjurers in the realm.
14) The chapter ends where it started, with a time note: God preserves Daniel from his youth through several Babylonian rulers down to the time of Cyrus, king of Persia, when he is about 90.
