Daniel: Someone Of Substance? Series

The Book of Daniel was written around 530BC, however the writer thought to be Daniel himself records a lot but not all the history behind the book. It’s a book that is deep, dynamic and divinely prophetic.

It is recorded by historical sources that the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar and his army had defeated the Egyptian Army at a place to the north of Judah around in our calendar about this time of the year September – October 606 BC and following that victory had swept down to Judah and taken control from the Judaean King Zedekiah.

Very early in the book we discover the story of four young men. Three of whom are better known by the Babylonian names than their Hebrew names; Young men from the line of King David who had been taken into exile as captives, think Boney M “By the Rivers of Babylon.” Boney M is a musical group young people. These young men included Daniel, who became Belteshazzar; Hananiah, Misha-el and Azariah who became: Sadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were picked as it says in the first chapter of the book because they were “strong, healthy, good-looking lads…widely read and well informed, alert and sensible with enough poise to look good around the palace.” (NLT) It appears in modern phraseology they were; ‘wise masculine eye candy?’ Later it was seen that there was more substance to them than that.

Another early distinctive in the book of Daniel, is the name that God is referred to by; Adonay; meaning “owner, ruler or sovereign.” Why because the writer firmly believes that God oversees the events that are taking place, that these circumstances have come about as prophesied, as revealed, and what is occurring is as a result of the sinful actions of the Hebrew people. Also that God is in charge of his present and future and even forecast the future for his people.

Well, these young men were trained along with other noble Hebrew Youth who were taken into exile, given the best of food, though they requested their own diet and thrived on it. You may have heard about the Daniel diet or Daniel fast. After three years of intensive training in which they excelled they impressed the King so much the four of them were made his Nebuchadnezzar’s, regular advisors.

By the end of chapter two, due to Daniel not only telling King Nebuchadnezzar what he the King had dreamed, but by interpreting the dream, Daniel was placed in charge of the whole of the province of Babylon and made chief magistrate in the Kings court, with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as his assistants.

As a complete aside there’s an officer couple in Sri Lanka with three sons whose names are ….

So in among this historical stuff, there’s the account of the three young fellas Sadrach, Meshach and Abednego who wouldn’t worship the idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had made, so, they were thrown in the fiery furnace. Key to their imminent demise was this reply to the King: Chapter 3:16-18: It goes like this.

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Back to that name for God, Adonay, “It highlights His absolute authority, covenant faithfulness, and relational nearness.” These young men knew God and in knowing him knew he was close to them and could be trusted no matter their predicament. They were part of his divine plan, and they knew it.

The outcome was after they were thrown into the furnace there were four men seen walking around inside it, and in the words of the King the fourth looked “like a god!” (3:25b) and the King called on them to come out, the fire had not touched them. The King blessed the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego because he had sent his angel to deliver them. The great Louis Armstrong made a hit song out of that.

Then Daniel interprets a dream for King Nebuchadnezzar, chapter 4, with the outcome that the king ended up after 45 years of rule having a break in the wilderness living like an animal having been chased insane from the palace. He ate grass, his hair was as long as eagles feathers and his hands like birds’ claws. However, after those seven years he ‘looked to heaven, he praised the Most-High God and his sanity returned.’ Ref Chapter 4:33-34.