Revealer of Mysteries (Daniel: Part 2)

Have you ever moved? If so, was it sudden or was there time to prepare and say goodbye to friends? Moving can create a lot of mixed emotions. It may be exciting in one way—yet produce anxiety in other ways. Leaving familiar people and places is never easy.

Today we are tracking Daniel, a teen who experienced a sudden move—so sudden, in fact, it’s more accurate to say that Daniel was kidnapped. As the story unfolds, we find that Daniel and other young Jews from Jerusalem have been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Not only are Daniel and others abruptly snatched away from family and home, but they are also chosen to undergo specialized training: a three-year regimen designed to teach them the history and language of their captors, the Babylonians. Talk about rubbing it in! To make things worse, the trainees had to eat a special diet ordered by the king. This diet was supposed to be the best food available, but the problem was, Daniel and his friends were Jews, and obeying God’s laws meant avoiding certain foods—foods that were on the royal diet.

But God was already giving Daniel and the others favor and wisdom, and they trusted God. Notice two things about Daniel’s reaction. First, he “determined not to defile himself†(1:8). Second, Daniel respectfully asked for consideration. At first, he got a “No†from the chief of staff, Ashpenaz, who feared for his head if he disobeyed the king. But Daniel did not give up. He waited and then asked the attendant under Ashpenaz for a trial period of ten days eating vegetables and water. Daniel asked, “Please test us…see how we look†(1:12-13).

That phrase “see how we look†illustrates Daniel’s confidence in God. He trusted that as they obeyed God, the difference would be evident and their dilemma would be resolved. And it was! At the end of the ten days, Daniel and the other Jews looked healthier and stronger than all the others. Not only that, but God gave these four young Jews special wisdom and understanding, and they became the king’s most capable advisors (1:17-21). Through His people, God demonstrated that He is above any other authority. As Daniel and his friends faced challenges, they relied on God, who continued to be faithful to them. • G. Kam Congleton

• What challenges are you facing today? How might God be inviting you to rely on Him?

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. Daniel 1:8a (NLT)

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Dan.2