For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Daniel 1:1-7

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. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

A. Find Out:

1. Who besieged Jerusalem? v.1
2. Who is seen to be behind this? v.2
3. What were to be the characteristics of the young men taken from Jerusalem? v.3,4
4. What was the chief official to do with them? v.4c
5. How were they to be treated? v.5a
6. For how long were they to be trained? v.5b
7. What first happened to these 4 young men? v.6,7

B. Think:

1. What sort of young men did the king want?
2. What did he want to do with them?
3. How do you think Daniel & friends felt about it when they were first taken from their homes and taken to a foreign land?

C. Comment:

First, we note in this amazing story that the captivity of these young men is stated to be the work of God! Sometimes God is behind what appear to be bad circumstances as He works out His purposes, and even when it involves judgement of a nation, it can be for our eventual blessing. Second, we see the intention of the king of Babylon. He wanted to take the best young men he can find and train them into his service. He wanted to get them to conform completely to his way of thinking – just like Satan does!

To achieve this, he wanted them to become fully acquainted with Babylonian life and history and for them to fully participate in the ways of the Babylonian court. He goes as far as to give them new Babylonian names so that they will forget their heritage – and their God! One of the main strategies of Satan is to get us to conform our thinking to his ways; that is why our thinking needs to be reformed (Romans 12:2)

D. Application:

1. Are we aware, as Christians, of the pressures upon us to conform to the ways of the world in which we live, which is hostile to God?
2. Ask the Lord to help you be conformed to HIS truth

Passage: Daniel 1:8-14

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

A. Find Out:

1. What did Daniel think about the royal food? v.8
2. Why was the official sympathetic to him? v.9
3. Why was he afraid to grant the request? v.10
4. So who did Daniel approach next? v.11
5. How long did he ask him to test them? v.12
6. What did he want him to do at the end of it? v.13

B. Think:

1. Why do you think Daniel didn’t want to eat the royal food?
2. How could the official have responded to Daniel’s request? Why didn’t he?
3. Look up James 1:5     How did Daniel show wisdom?

C. Comment:

First Daniel has a problem – he fears the royal food will defile him (make him unclean), so he doesn’t want to eat it, but it’s all he’s been given. Perhaps he recognised that too much rich food dulls the mind! Perhaps he is also aware that it is just the first part of a wedge to separate him from his godly background.

Second, we see Daniel exercising wisdom and perseverance, as he gently asks the official in charge about the food. The man listens sympathetically; he could have responded harshly and had Daniel punished, but the Lord is there working for him so that doesn’t happen. The trouble is the official is also fearful about being seen to be disobedient to the king, so he won’t budge! Daniel perseveres and next approaches his guard with a very reasonable idea, and because it is so reasonable the guard goes along with it!

There is a lesson here for us. Perseverance and gentle wisdom are better than strong words, especially when it’s in line with God’s will! How often do we ask the Lord for gentle words of wisdom to help change the minds of those around us?

D. Application:

1. Do we persevere with what is right, or do we allow ourselves to be easily put off?
2. Do we seek God for wisdom to overcome opposition or do we use the world’s methods of loud and strong words?

Passage: Daniel 1:15-21

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

A. Find Out:

1. How were they at the end of the test? v.15
2. How was this confirmed? v.16
3. How did God bless the four friends? v.17a
4. How did God bless Daniel in particular? v.17b
5. How did the king find them at the end of their three years of training? v.19
6. How did they compare with the king’s men? v.20

B. Think:

1. What does the passage teach us about eating?
2. How has God blessed these self-disciplined young men?
3. God’s blessing is almost tangible; it can almost be seen. How?
4. Look up Psa 1:1-3 / 2 Kings 18:5-7a What does God promise those who fully trust Him?

C. Comment:

First, we have seen how Daniel has been fully vindicated in his test. He and the other three are physically healthier than all the other young men and they also appear mentally brighter as well. Second, we see that this is all tied to God’s blessing of them; the Lord enables them to learn, to have understanding and even more, He gives Daniel in particular, the ability to understand visions and dreams. Third, we see as a result of this, their abilities are recognised as way ahead of the rest. The Lord’s blessing is clearly visible. These young men have sought to honour the Lord and the Lord has clearly honoured them.

We should not be afraid to say that the Lord DOES bless us in the material world (which He has given us to enjoy and to work in) when we seek to put Him first. It is clear throughout Scripture that, although we are not to go putting material well-being first before the Lord, we may expect the Lord to bless the righteous in every area of their lives, including the material.

D. Application:

1. Do we put the Lord first in all things?
2. Thank the Lord that He is with you and desires to bless you. Read Psa  37:5,6