Daniel 1:3-7
Daniel 1:3-7
New King James Version (NKJV)
3 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. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. 6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
My Thoughts:
Let’s continue looking at the main players in this book. We see Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs; this name seems to be of Persian origin. So what is an eunuch? Webster’s describes an eunuch as “a castrated man placed in charge of a harem or employed as a chamberlain in a palace or a man or boy deprived of the testes or external genitals.
So was Daniel an eunuch? While there is no passage I know of that states that Daniel was a eunuch, I would have to say yes. Isaiah speaks of the fall to Babylon, in (Isa. 39: 7) where he speaks of young men being taken away and made “eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon”. Also we see that Daniel was under the charge of Ashpenaz, the chief eunuch.
We see that Daniel was with no blemish, good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand. As a noble he would have had much training and may have even understood his place in life.
One thing that catches my attention is that Daniel did not have the Bible as we know it. So where did he get his training? Maybe his mother and father or maybe Jeremiah the prophet. He was prophesying during Daniels childhood, and if he had told the young Daniel of the prophesies of Isaiah from 100 years before, he may have realized as he was being carried away to Babylon, that he and his friends where whom Isaiah was talking about. (Isa. 39:6-7) “Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
Then we see their given names changed; Daniel the name Belteshazzar; Hananiah, was named Shadrach; Mishael, was named Meshach; and Azariah, was named Abed-Nego. This was not uncommon for the names of captives to be changed. Joseph was named Zaphnath-Paaneah by the Egyptians; Hadassah’s name was changed to Esther. This would have helped them forget their old lives.
Ellen White Statements:
So why add Ellen White Statements in to the study? While as Seventh-day Adventist we do not hold her writings on the same level as the scriptures, and I do believe she can give us much insight on this topic. Her writing also makes it clear that the Bible is the standard by which all teaching must be tested.
“God brought Daniel and his associates into connection with the great men of Babylon, that in the midst of a nation of idolaters they might represent His character. How did they become fitted for a position of so great trust and honor? It was faithfulness in little things that gave complexion to their whole life. They honored God in the smallest duties, as well as in the larger responsibilities.
As God called Daniel to witness for Him in Babylon, so He calls us to be His witnesses in the world today. In the smallest as well as the largest affairs of life, He desires us to reveal to men the principles of His kingdom. Many are waiting for some great work to be brought to them, while daily they lose opportunities for revealing faithfulness to God. Daily they fail of discharging with wholeheartedness the little duties of life. While they wait for some large work in which they may exercise supposedly great talents, and thus satisfy their ambitious longings, their days pass away.
In the life of the true Christian there are no nonessentials; in the sight of Omnipotence every duty is important. The Lord measures with exactness every possibility for service. The unused capabilities are just as much brought into account as those that are used. We shall be judged by what we ought to have done, but did not accomplish because we did not use our powers to glorify God.” {PK 487, 488}
Last thoughts:
When I read these verses, I think about how much this must have pained God to hand over His people to this ruler. (Hosea 11:8) says;
How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I set you like Zeboiim?
My heart churns within Me;
My sympathy is stirred.
The Israelites where to carry God’s message to the Gentiles. But we see that prophet after prophet failed to turn His people around, so God worked through three young men to change the world.
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The key to true witnessing is being faithful in the little things as well as the bigger things. I really like the thought of being a living light. Like a candle, we may flicker or with a strong wind may even appear to have gone out, but it’s always fascinating when in triumph it returns to it’s full glory. Even if the candle it self is small, the light still attracts attention. It only takes a small faithful spark to caught the whole place on fire; and how much more glorious when we’re talking about a fire of vigor and life; not destroying but bringing to light the loving character of God Satan tries to hide in his darkness.
I am a shy person. I know a lot of people don’t believe that but it is true. I have gotten better about it in like the last 15 years but put with a total stranger and I am in deep trouble.
ellen White says we will be held accountable for what we did NOT do. My sins of ommission. I so regret the times I could have, should have said or done something but was to afraid to try. I will have to answer for these. Daniel was one of 10,000 captives that were taken during two “visits”. He was taken in the first and Ezekial was taken in the second. This shows that Daniel could have studied with Ezekial or Jeremiah. The captives had to walk 1000 miles. It is believed it took them about two months before they reached Babylon. Even though the four boys (and the rest) were young, in shape, and extremely intelligent, it must have been a very hard trip. I’ve never heard how they were treated but since they were chosen to work for the king, I’m sure they weren’t horribly mistreated.
I was talking with a friend at work and he told me people are afraid to succeed that is why many people fail. It is very easy to always chose the easy option in every thing or situation but under many circumstance not the best option. We can be light at the tower that the whole world will see. We all have something that we see as a set back but we should not capitalize in it, instead lets us God to intervene so that we can be true witnesses.
God gives us courage and faith to press on after we failed. He draws us to all that’s good, gives us success and happiness. You’re right that’s what usually stands out as the strongest witness to the difference of having God on your side; His power in us overcoming our weaknesses.
I like that thought Joseph. thanks