Today’s passage: Daniel 2:1-16

Helpful thoughts:

• There appears to be a problem in the text…If Daniel completed a three year training program, how are the events of Daniel 2 happening during Nebuchadnezzar’s second year as king?
  • In ancient cultures, doing something for a part of the year would often be counted as a year.  So, it’s possible the “Three year” training program could have been completed in as little as fourteen months depending on when during the year it began.
  • The year a king would take the throne was called the “Accession year.” Then the next year would be called the “first year.”
    • Put these two practices of time keeping together and it’s possible for the training to be completed and for these events to occur during the “second year” of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.
• In a way, King Nebuchadnezzar was not wrong for being dissatisfied with his wise men.  They were responsible for being in touch with the gods and if they were really going to serve as they had advertised…  This request was not as ridiculous as it sounds.
  • The wise men were not wrong to admit their inability without some sort of divine revelation.  It wasn’t the wise men who were to blame as much as it was the belief system of the Babylonian people!
• Daniel again makes a wise appeal and schedules a time with the king.

Questions to consider:

1. In what way did the king’s request make sense?  In what way was his request absurd?  What would he be sure of after someone was able to accurately relay the details of his dream?
2. Why was Daniel’s appeal appropriate and make good sense?  What was going to happen to all of the wise men if no one even made an attempt to answer the king’s request?  Would it have been wise for Daniel to offer these kinds of services to the king prior to this dire situation?
3. If you found yourself in this position what would you do next? (We will find out what Daniel did tomorrow!)

Today’s passage: Daniel 1:8-21

Helpful thoughts:

• The king’s food consisted of items that were forbidden in the law and most likely would have been used as part of the worship of the Babylonian gods.  Eating it, at different times, would have been against the Jewish Law but also a part of the worship of false Gods.
  • It seems Daniel was the only one who was concerned with this issue among all the royals and nobles from Judah.  Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah seemed to be the only ones who were willing to follow his lead.
  • In staying true to his conviction, Daniel was going against the king’s desire for the young people to become Babylonian.
• Daniel had to make a second appeal.  Ashpenaz (The chief eunuch) did not grant his request at the fear of his own head.  The steward who was directly responsible for these four young men was only willing to grant Daniel’s request on the trial basis suggested.
  • Daniel adjusted his appeal to make it less risky for the steward.
  • Daniel entrusted the steward with the judgment of the results.
• The Hebrew word translated as vegetables could have included fruits, grains, etc.  It was a vegetarian diet.
• The four young men not only exceeded the abilities of the rest of their exiled peers, but they were found to be ten times better than every aid in the king’s service in all of Babylon.

Questions to consider:

1. Why did Ashpenaz and the steward hear Daniel out before rashly rejecting his request?  Who gave Daniel favor?
2. What made Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah so smart and wise?  Where did their intelligence and skill come from?
3. Why were these four young men given roles in the king’s service?  Why had God put them there?
4. Where has God placed you for His service?  How does He give you wisdom and knowledge for service?

Today’s passage: Daniel 1:1-7

Helpful thoughts:

• If you would like to read the narratives of the Babylonian conquest of Judah, read 2 Kings 23:36-25:30 and 2 Chronicles 36:1-21.
• King Nebuchadnezzar wanted for himself the best of the best, according to his own wisdom, and make them “better” by teaching them how to become Babylonian in every way.
• The four young men’s name changes mattered a great deal:
  • Daniel (God is my judge) became Belteshazzar (May the lord protect his life).
    • The “lord” being a Babylonian god and “his life” being the life of King Nebuchadnezzar…
  • Hananiah (Yahweh has been gracious) became Shadrach (Command of Aku)
    • Aku was the moon god of the Babylonians.
  • Mishael (Who is what God is?) became Meshach (Who is what Aku is?)
  • Azariah (Yahweh is my help) became Abednego (Servant of Nebo)
    • Nebo (Or Nabu) was the second highest god in Babylon after his father, Marduk.

Questions to consider:

1. Having just defeated Judah, what would Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding have been concerning the strength of his gods versus the strength of the God of Judah?
2. Do you think Nebuchadnezzar was intimidated or did he think he was doing these noble/royal young men a huge favor by attempting to turn them into Babylonians?
3. Why was he wrong?  Who decreed that Babylon would conquer Judah? Which God would prove victorious?
4. If God is your God, what can’t anyone ever take away from you?