Daniel… Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego

“In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” Daniel 1:1

Exile.

For more details on the sieges of Jerusalem, read 2 Kings 23:28-25:30 and 2 Chronicles 36.

The prophet Jeremiah sent word to the people living in exile on how they should live. Jeremiah 29:1-14

Ezekiel will come to Babylon to be a prophet to the exiles during Daniel’s time there.

Many Israelites were taken captive to the land of Shinar (Babylon) including royalty and nobility. Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were among those taken. They were to be educated in the literature and language of the Chaldeans for three years. I imagine it like a strict boarding school with overseers watching your every move including what you eat and what you wear. This is exactly the land that God called Abraham out of. Now his descendants were right back at square one.

Daniel decided to not defile himself with the kings food. His friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah joined him in the ten day test for their official and they came out looking better than the others. King Neb found them ten times better than all the others.

Note: favor leads to influence

This came in handy when King Neb had a disturbing dream and needed help interpretating it. Only he didn’t tell them the dream but wanted the wise men to be able to tell it also. Daniel was granted time to pray about it with his friends and get an answer from God. When God reveals the answer, Daniel blesses God. King Neb then promotes Daniel to a high office (like Joseph in Egypt).

Most scholars agree on the kingdoms represented in the first 4 parts of the statue (hindsight is 20/20), but there is debate on the 5th world power. Some see it as a mix of America and Britain (Anglo-American), having aspects of the Roman empire (iron) woven throughout. Some believe this kingdom hasn’t come yet. See the two charts below:

The Fiery Furnace

About 15-20 years later, King Neb had a 90′ statue made (for some perspective, check out the 90′ “Statue of Union” statue in Sugar Land, Texas). We know where Neb got this idea came from. He knew the interpretation of the dream from years before. He knew other kingdoms would come after him that were represented by the other materials in the statue, but King Neb wanted to defy God and show Him that his kingdom would last forever, so he made his statue entirely of gold and had everyone bow down to it or face the fiery furnace.

But a few refused.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These are their Babylonian names. They are the names they are referred to most in the text so that’s why we know them better than their Hebrew names, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Even though their Babylonian names are used more in the book of Daniel, their character is more in line with their Hebrew names.

King Neb gave them another chance and asked what god could deliver them from his hands.

Well Neb, you’re about to find out. These three know their God is able and He will deliver BUT if He chooses a different way, they will still not bow to the idol.

These are the “deliver from vs deliver through vs deliver by” scenarios:

Deliver from = God takes the thing away completely. This would be like having a cancer scare but then finding out you are completely healed before any treatment can be given.

Deliver through = God gets you through the thing. This would be like going through the cancer treatments and being healed in the midst of them. This is what these fellows face as they go through the fiery furnace. They get delivered through.

Deliver by = God delivers you from this world into heaven by the thing sent. We don’t often think of this one as an answered prayer, but sometimes God does.

Daniel 4 Another dream of King Neb that Daniel interprets… Another 30 years pass
Daniel 5 The Writing on the Wall… Darius the Mede (silver kingdom) takes over

The Lions Den

Daniel’s favor continues with the next King, Darius the Mede. He wants to promote Daniel above everyone else. Unfortunately, folks get a little jealous and devise a plan to take Daniel down. The problem was that Daniel was excellent in his job and in his ethics so they couldn’t find grounds to accuse him. So they used Daniel’s relationship with God against him.

Daniel had a habit of praying in this roof chamber by his window that faced Jerusalem. Daniel 6:10 You may remember from Solomon’s prayer in 1 Kings 8:29-30, that he asked God to hear the prayers of His people who prayed toward the Temple in Jerusalem. Daniel had been doing exactly that every day, three times a day and he wasn’t going to let a man made rule stop him.

King Darius was deeply distressed when he learned that Daniel would have to go to the lions den. The poor guy probably didn’t sleep and stayed up all night exerting himself to find a way to save Daniel. I wonder if at any point he decided to pray towards Jerusalem too. He did tell Daniel “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” Daniel 6:16

A stone was laid over the mouth of the den and it was sealed with the kings ring. Does this sound like something else that happens in the future? Matthew 27:59-66

I love that King Darius “arose at the dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den”. Yeah, that guy didn’t sleep. And then he called out to Daniel “with a troubled voice”. Those seconds before Daniel answered must’ve felt like an eternity to Darius. And then…

“Daniel spoke to the King, ‘Oh King, live forever!'” Daniel 6:21

Relief.

Well, not for the families of those who accused Daniel. Those lions were indeed ready to pounce before they hit bottom.

King Darius decrees that men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel. And things go well for Daniel from then on. We even see at the end of the chapter that Daniel will later serve Cyrus the Persian too.

Daniel 7-12 Prophecy and visions of the future… The Capital City of Susa is foreseen along with others