Daniel 1:1–6

Whatever the difficulties in the word of God may be, they really arise from a lack of light.

Again and again, warnings came to the people of Israel and the kings of Judah. Their evil and idolatrous ways would bring the chastening hand of God upon them. They took no notice. Then the prophet Isaiah announced plainly that judgment would fall... Despite this message, the evil grew. It reached its height under Hezekiah's son, the wicked Manasseh... At last, in the reign of Jehoiakim, God fulfilled the words He had spoken through Isaiah. The government passed from the Jew to the Gentile. From then on the Jews will be under Gentile rule, until the times of the Gentiles close with the coming reign of Christ.

Daniel 1 opens with a solemn statement. The king of Babylon besieged and took Jerusalem. He carried king and people away captive, and took the vessels of the House of God to Babylon. This is very important to notice, as it gives us the ground on which the prophecies of Daniel proceed. The throne of David was the throne of Jehovah (1 Chron. 29:23), and Jerusalem was the city of God, the city of the Great King (Ps. 48:2, 8). God's intention from the first has been to administer the earth through the people of Israel. Israel is His centre. Jerusalem is His chosen seat of government, and the house of David its earthly rulers.

Here is the startling fact. The government God had set up in Israel was now to continue no longer. With it went the visible sign of His presence. God Himself stripped them of their name as His people. From now on they were "Lo-Ammi," not My people. That was their sentence, as far as He was concerned — whatever His grace might finally intend. For His "gifts and calling" are irrevocable.

Now here began "the times of the Gentiles." Chapter 1 of this prophetic book says that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. In 2 Kings 24 and 25 we read of three separate successful campaigns against Jerusalem by this same Nebuchadnezzar. The last was the complete and decisive one. Since then Israel has been subject to Gentile rule. Its kings have been only vassals.

Look at this state of affairs from nature's point of view. It is quite enough to discourage the heart, dampen the spirit and paralyse all energy. Jerusalem in ruins, the temple trampled down, the Lord's vessels in the house of a false god, and Judah carried away captive. Surely the heart would feel inclined to say there is no use in it. Why hold up the standard of practical discipleship and personal devotion any longer? That would be nature's reasoning, but it is not the language of faith. There is always a path along which the true disciple can run, even if he has to run alone.

The first two verses introduce the Book. They briefly show the ruin of Israel. They show the government of the earth — seen in royal power — passing from the king of Judah to the king of Babylon. These verses describe that solemn act plainly as the Lord's doing, for we read, "The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah" into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

The Lord had given Jehoiakim into Nebuchadnezzar's hand. He had abandoned His house in Jerusalem so completely that He allowed the sacred vessels of the temple to be taken into the land of Shinar. The sins of the kings of Judah had already profaned those vessels. So God's lampstand at Jerusalem was removed for a time. It was removed in judgment, because it had stopped giving out divine light to guide and bless people in the moral darkness of this world.

Sadly we read "some of the vessels of the house of God … he brought them to the land of Shinar" (Daniel 1:2). Precious vessels, set apart for the service of God's house, now found in the house of a pagan's god! Scripture first shows us Shinar in Genesis 10, 11 and 14 as a place marked by rebellion. There man challenges the rights of God and makes a name for himself. It is a kingdom of war and conflict. This is the character of the scene where His people were found, under God's governmental dealings.

At once we see the character of this Gentile king, for we read that he "placed the vessels in the treasury of his god." He has no true knowledge or fear of God. He has no real sense of the sacred character of these vessels. This is a warning sign of the godless character of the Gentile rulers during the times of the Gentiles.

There had been three deportations. The last one did the most damage: the temple was burnt, and very large numbers were led captive. But the seventy years of captivity count from the first one, which we would call relatively unimportant. Why was this first one the important one in God's eyes? Well, it's because of the vessels. Nebuchadnezzar had taken the vessels of the Temple to Babylon. He even put them into the house of his idols. Such a thing had never happened before. True, some kings had taken silver from the treasury, and even from the doors of the temple, to buy off the king of Assyria. Ahaz and Hezekiah did this. But the holy vessels had never been touched.

Blessed be God! There is always a wide space where true devotion can grow. There is always a path the true disciple can walk, even if he has to walk it alone. It does not matter what the outward state of things may be. Faith has the privilege of depending on God, feeding on Christ, and breathing the air of heaven — as fully as if everything were in perfect order and harmony.

When Judah was restored, all these objects came back — 5,400 of them (Ezra 1:9-11). That was the most striking feature of the journey home that brought the remnant of the people back to their land. At the start of these seventy years one thing stands out. The glory of the temple, the glory of its service of worship to the Lord, had itself gone into captivity.

God sent Isaiah to him with this message: "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts… And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 39:5-7). The opening verses of our chapter reveal the fulfilment of Isaiah's prediction. But what we want to call attention to is this: in fulfilling His own word in judgment, God remembered mercy. It is out of these very descendants of Hezekiah that He raised up witnesses for Himself in the middle of Babylon's idolatrous corruptions.

One thing prophesied against Israel was that their sons would become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 2 Kings 20:18; Isaiah 39:7. Daniel and his companions were an instance of this coming true, for they were put in the care of "the master of the eunuchs." Though the word saris means "eunuch," it is often translated "chamberlain" and "officer," because eunuchs held such positions of trust.

When Nebuchadnezzar first came against Jerusalem, Daniel and his three friends were carried captive among many youths of royal or noble birth. They were counted as men of exceptional intellectual ability — the pick of the nation in wisdom and understanding. The shrewd Babylonian king intended to strengthen his position with the cleverest men of conquered nations. He would work them into the army of magicians — the men who dealt with demon powers, and gave him guidance by their occult practices.

God permitted Nebuchadnezzar to carry them away as captives, and by that He was accomplishing His own purpose. But Nebuchadnezzar, now holding power over them, tried to make them serve his will. So a conflict arose at once between the thoughts of God and the thoughts of the king of Babylon… In one word, he wanted them to stop being Jews and to become Chaldeans, and to mix into their new religion the light they had received from the words of God.

The king of Babylon's efforts to use the people of God for his own ends bring this godly remnant to our notice. He would try to decorate his court with the leaders of God's people — the king's seed, the princes, and those who were good-looking and marked by wisdom, knowledge and science. The religious world will use the people of God for its own glory. But it cannot tolerate their God, their obedience to His word, or their separation from its own evils. So the world would gladly wipe out every trace of their link with the true God.

Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, as God allowed in His governmental ways. Zedekiah was the last of the house of David to sit on his throne, and he was blinded. It looked as if the lamp of David had been put out for good… The royal seed went into captivity in Babylon (Dan. 1:3). No one of the house of David reigned in Jerusalem.

Captive Jews were brought into Babylon, that splendid treasure-house, and among them Daniel and his three companions, as told in Daniel 1:3-6... The great Nebuchadnezzar meant to get out of his captives all the profit and progress that their scientific ability and learning could produce. He was just like the leaders of the nations today.

At Babylon Daniel and his companions had to acquire "the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans," that is, their ancient literature and language. What was that language? In Dan. 2:4 we find that the wise men answered the king in the Syriac language, that is Aramaic... this is held to be not the learned and court language, but the common language of the people.

In both the Hebrew and the Greek the words mean "knowledge," and are usually translated that way. They are rendered "science" only in Dan. 1:4, where "knowledge" and "wisdom" are also mentioned, and in 1 Tim. 6:20, where it is science, or knowledge, "falsely so called." In Daniel this no doubt refers to the speculations of the Magi. In the letter to Timothy it refers to the philosophers or Gnostic heretics, whose "knowledge" had no real foundation.

The world is always ready to make the people of God its servants, and to draw light from their knowledge. But it cannot tolerate them if they stay faithful to their God, obeying His word and keeping a holy separation from evil... He would have them, in a word, stop being Jews and become Chaldeans, and mix into their new religion the light they had received from the word of God. That is where philosophy comes from, even in Christian times — the philosophy Paul earnestly warns us against, as being "according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8).

To conform to their world, the minds of these men are to be trained in the learning of the Chaldeans. Their tongues are to speak the Chaldean language. Their bodies are to be fed with the king's delicacies, and their names changed to those of heathen gods.

Daniel was sent to the Babylonian university to learn and read the language and literature of the Chaldeans. The teens and early twenties are years full of special danger. These youths had been taken captive and were now far from home and from parental control and influence. The educational system of Babel was not designed to train young men to be spiritual, godly men. Its purpose was different: to train men for its own empire and glory, and to make them good Babylonians. Young people need to know that today. The educational system of this world does not exist to make them good Christians.

Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty ruler. But there was something in these men that was morally greater than anything found in Nebuchadnezzar... It is clear that there was moral formation in these men before they reached Babylon.

But that is not all. There was the positive blessing of God in giving them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom... God prepared each of them for what he would afterwards have to fill. God was their teacher, and the trial of their faith was a needed, essential part of their training in His school. Then, when they stood before the king, none was found like them.

"Prepared" does not mean the fish was created specially for this purpose — though that would be an easy matter for the Maker of the sea and the dry land. It simply means the fish was "appointed" for this service. Translators render the same word this way in Daniel 1:5, of the food intended for Daniel and his companions.

The king, therefore, would have these captives fed with his own food and drinking his own wine. Fed from his resources for three years, they might at the end of it stand in his presence (v. 5). He would have them, in one word, stop being Jews and become Chaldeans. They were to mix into their new religion the light they had received from God's own words. This is where philosophy comes from, even in Christian times. Paul gives a serious warning against that philosophy, as being "according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8).

Daniel was sent to the Babylonian university to learn and read the language and literature of the Chaldeans... The educational system of Babel was not designed to train young men to be spiritual, godly men. It had an altogether different agenda. Its purpose was to train men for its own empire and greatness; to make them good Babylonians.

In exchange for their loss of nationality, these captives are offered a most alluring prospect in a foreign land. They shall have a free course of the best education in the land. The king shall pay for the finest provision to meet their daily needs. And in the end they shall have a high position in the king's palace.

"But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank." By nature they would have received such food with thankfulness. But faith acts, and refuses it. The food was connected with the false gods of the country, being part of the daily food of an idolatrous king... Christianity comes in and delivers the conscience from anxiety about such things. "Eat whatever is sold in the meat market," Paul says, "without raising any question on the ground of conscience." The same holds at a feast. But if someone pointed out that certain food had been offered to idols, the Christian was not to eat it — for the sake of the one who said it, and for conscience' sake. The Jew, however, had to keep complete separation.

Those who are destined for a place as religious leaders in the Babylon-like corruption of Christendom must be trained in the religious schools of this world. They must, as it were, be taught "the learning and the language of the Chaldeans." They must benefit from the resources the world provides — "a daily portion of the king's food." And last of all, they must accept such titles and dignities as the world can give.

This led Daniel and his friends to decline these luxuries and be content with the simplest food and drink. God honoured the separation they practised in this matter, and He "gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom," as we see in verse 17. The knowledge they had came not from man but from God.

The opening verses of our chapter reveal the fulfilment of Isaiah's prediction. But here is what we want to point out: in fulfilling His own word in judgment, God remembered mercy. Out of these very descendants of Hezekiah He raised up witnesses for Himself in the middle of Babylon's idolatrous corruptions.

Hezekiah once received the messengers from the king of Babylon. Their attention flattered him, so he showed them all the treasures of his kingdom. Isaiah was then sent to him with this message: "Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house... shall be carried to Babylon. And some of your own sons... shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 39:5-7). The opening verses of our chapter show Isaiah's prediction fulfilled. But note this: in carrying out His own word in judgment, God remembered mercy. Out of these very descendants of Hezekiah He raised up witnesses for Himself in the middle of Babylon's idolatrous corruption.

Daniel means "God is my judge"; Hananiah, "Beloved of the Lord"; Mishael, "Who is as God"; Azariah, "The Lord is my help." These beautiful names were soon changed to names with pagan meaning, to blot out the very memory of Jehovah. Daniel becomes Belteshazzar (Bel's prince); Hananiah becomes Shadrach (lit up by the sun-god); Mishael becomes Meshach (who is like Shach — Venus); and Azariah becomes Abednego (the servant of Nego).

Daniel's name was changed to Belteshazzar, which means "Bel's prince," or "he whom Bel favours." This may have been a snare of Satan. By giving him a name and a place of honour tied to the chief god of the land, it would draw Daniel away from the worship of the one true God — and away from loyalty to the God whose name was woven into the name his parents gave him in Israel. The enemy of God and of our souls is that cunning. By both flattery and force he seeks to turn us from loyalty to Christ, whose blessed name is called on us — "Christians." The enemy tries flattery on Daniel and his friends first. When this fails to seduce them into idolatry, he tries the burning fiery furnace and the lions' den.

The people of Israel were God's witnesses in a world wholly given over to idolatry (Isaiah 43:10). God had set them in a high position to shine for Him, but their unfaithfulness cost them that place. Yet He never lacked a small remnant true to His name and His interests. Here, in the capital city of this king who sat in darkness, four of these lights shine out. The light that was despised in Jerusalem is now radiant in Babylon.

He would seek to decorate his court with the leaders of God's people. He wanted the royal line, the princes, and men who were good-looking and marked by wisdom, knowledge and learning. The religious world will use the people of God for its own glory. But it cannot tolerate their God, their obedience to His word, or their separation from its own evils.

They had lost every privilege of the temple, and the temple itself lay in ruins. They were captives at the mercy of a pagan king, pressed with every sort of alluring temptation. Yet they held the Nazirite's place of true separation through obedience to the word of God. No doubt Daniel's faith and energy acted on his companions and led them to follow him in the path of God's will. But if so, the others were willing to follow. All four are striking proof that God's grace is enough to sustain His servants in the worst circumstances imaginable.