Daniel 1

Overview:

Daniel classified as Prophetic Literature but also considered a Historical book Theme: The Book of Judgement

Chapters 1-6: Book of History (written in Chaldee) Chapters 7-12: Book of Prophecy (written in Hebrew)

Purposes: 1. To illustrate God's care for His people even in their captivity 2. To prove the Kingdom of God to be higher than any earthly kingdom 3. To show how God controls and directs the history of the nations 4. To show God as the only fixed and unchanging source and those who trust Him will never be shaken by the shaking up of the political world

Messages: 1. The sovereignty of the "most High God" is universal. 2. God reveals His secrets to His servants, He does leave them in the dark. 3.

theosu

Actually, the text of Daniel is in two languages: Hebrew (chs. 1, 8-12) and Aramaic (chs. 2-7). The Aramaic chapters pertain to the Babylonian and Persian empires, whereas the other six chapters relate to God's special plans for his covenant people. #gleasonarcher

v.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.

v.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.

v.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.

I think that a Christian man should be willing to be tried; he should be pleased to let his religion be put to the test. ‘There,’ says he, ‘hammer away if you like.’ Do you want to be carried to heaven on a feather bed? Do you want always to be protected from everybody’s sneer and frown; and to go to heaven as if you were riding in the procession on Lord Mayor’s day?

spurgeon finish strong, JJ

v.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.

J. Edwin Orr remembered something Billy Brice said to him: “Edwin, if Christians would only give over and above their reasonable service, the Lord would give over and above the usual blessing.” Daniel and his friends understood this principle, and God blessed them for acting on it.

enduringword

v.19

The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.

v.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.