Lesson 1: Daniel in Babylon

Daniel 1:1-8

In this lesson we meet a young man who had been raised to live in light of his conviction

A. The Great Decline

Warnings for Judah to Repent

God warned Judah of its impending judgment through the preaching of the prophets. About 150 years before it happened, Isaiah had prophesied of its fate. Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah did the same thing.

Jeremiah, a contemporary of Daniel, prophesied the same thing. Over and over again God had warned them, but they did not listen.

The Rise of Babylon as an Instrument of Correction

God ordained Babylon "for judgment" and "marked them for correction" (Habakkuk 1:12. God used the Babylonian Empire for 70 years to bring judgment on Judah.

B. The Great Deportation

Criteria for Hostage Selection (Dan. 1:4)

1. They had to be young

2. They had to be "without blemish" (without flaws or handicaps)

3. They were to be strong and healthy.

4. They were to be highly intelligent, knowledgeable and able to learn.

5. They were to be young men of poise and social grace, able to stand in the right place and do the right thing.

Curriculum for Hostage Schooling

Nebuchadnezzar set out a 3-year course to bring Daniel and his friends in total control (Daniel 1:5)

First, he taught them the Chaldean language.

Second, he instructed them in "all the learning of the Chaldeans," including astronomy, astrology, architecture and religion.

Campaign for Hostage Seduction

Nebuchadnezzar didn't simply want to educate these young men, he wanted to brainwash them into thinking like Babylonians. to accomplish this he did three things:

First, he emasculated them. He made them eunuchs.

Second, he wanted to accustom them to the good things of the palace by offering them the king's food and wine.

Third, he wanted them to consolidate them into a single unit to represent Babylon by changing their Jewish names to Babylonian names. (Daniel 1:7)

C. The Great Decision

Daniel's Options

Daniel had learned that it is never right to do wrong. Where God said "No" Daniel said "No."

Daniel refused to be consolidated into the Babylonian culture by refusing the king's food and wine.

Daniel's Integrity

Daniel earned his fellow captives' respect. And he serves as a shining example to us of what can be accomplished when we determine to follow God no matter the cost.