Faith in Impossible Times: A 4-Day Study in DanielSample

DAY 1 Daniel 1 - God’s Plan In Man’s Struggles

Taking on an Old Testament book like Daniel can be challenging. It has stories about past events, life lessons, and prophecies. A simple way to understand the book is to think of it as having six stories (chapters 1-6) and four visions (chapters 7-12). The six stories tell about life in the Babylonian court with Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar, some Jewish friends, and their foreign colleagues. The four visions Daniel shares are prophetic and use images of animals and objects to discuss and teach about future events. For this study, we will focus on the book's first half, covering four of the six stories.

Context and Setting

The story of Daniel begins after a long period of rebellion by God’s people who turned from Him to worship false gods. For 400 years, God warned them to turn back to Him and live in His blessing, but they refused. Daniel’s story is set in the context of God's response to their continued disobedience.

Daniel 1:1–2 (NLT) — 1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.

The book starts by setting up the context for all the stories. We meet King Jehoiakim of Judah and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. More than just giving us historical facts, the story shows that King Nebuchadnezzar’s victory over Judah happened because "the Lord gave him victory" (1:2). In that time, people believed that if one nation defeated another, it was because their god was stronger. But Daniel's version of the story tells us something different. He says that the God of Israel gave victory to Israel’s enemies. This means that Babylon's gods and armies weren't better; instead, it was part of Yahweh's plan for Israel to fall.

• How does it make you feel knowing that God would allow his chosen people to be conquered by a pagan kingdom?

WHY DANIEL

How did a nice boy like Daniel end up in the court of a pagan king? God's word records how and why Daniel and his friends were taken from Israel into the Babylonian court.

Daniel 1:3–7 (NLT) — 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. 6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego.

Daniel and his friends were taken captive by the Babylonians. It was common back then for a conquering nation to take members of the young noble class from the nation they defeated. The idea was to raise these young nobles to love and admire their new rulers so they might go back to their homeland and serve the interests of the conquering kingdom. At this time, Babylon was a successful empire that was growing quickly. The story focuses on Daniel and his three friends, but many other Jews were taken into captivity as well.

• Daniel was obedient to God, but His nation, Israel, was not. Why do you think he was not spared from suffering under God’s national discipline?
• What are some ways that we believe that if we follow God, then our lives will only be filled with good? How might this cause us to doubt God’s goodness?
• What has Daniel lost as a result of His captivity?

Finding Hope in the Darkness

Years before Daniel was taken captive, Babylon had already raided the land and taken others off into exile. At that time, while Daniel was still a young boy, God spoke to the people through His prophet, Jeremiah. Knowing that the people would be confused because God did not rescue them from their enemy, He told Jeremiah to send them a message. These are words that Daniel would have known.

Jeremiah 29:4–7 (NLT) — 4 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Jeremiah 29:10–14 (NLT) — 10 This is what the LORD says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

• How does this message offer hope to Daniel and all of Israel?
• In your own words, what was God’s message?
• In a difficult circumstance in your life today, what is something God has said in His word that gives you hope?

Virtuous Challenge

As part of his captivity, Daniel was expected to conform to the ways of the Babylonians. Just as fashion today moves in trends, so it was for these ancient people. Archaeological research of Mesopotamia reveals that men were depicted in one of two ways. The king and the warrior class were shown as muscular, while the wise men were pictured as bald and chubby with large eyes. As designated wise men, Daniel and his friends were expected to participate in a lifestyle we might consider overindulgence to fill the stereotype of wise men of that day.

Daniel 1:8–21 (NLT) — 8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” 11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. 18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus.

• Why did Daniel and his friends refuse to eat the king’s food and drink the wine?
• Was the point that they had a moral dilemma or simply to prove that Yahweh was better?
• Look back at the passage. Where do you see God at work in Daniel's challenging circumstances? How does this affirm that God has a continuing purpose in their suffering?
• How does this demonstrate that he is hopeful even in his present circumstances?
• In what ways can you demonstrate you belong to God even while you are in difficult circumstances where others choose a different way of life?

New Testament Application

Philippians 4:11–13 (NLT) — 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

• How do these words of Paul affirm that our circumstances as followers of Jesus will not always be ideal?
• What is the great hope Paul depends on to face hardship as an obedient follower of Jesus?
• Where do you need Christ-given strength today?