Feb. 21, 2024

Daniel 1:1-21: Bible Study Worksheet 

Main Idea: Even in times of great trial and opposition, Christians must remain faithful to God and his gospel, imitating Christ’s own steadfastness as he endured persecution and death for our sakes. 

• God may sovereignly send you to a difficult place to spread His name among the Nations (1:1-3).

“Sometimes God may allow hardships to reach us because he wants his mercy to reach beyond us.” Dale Davis

• God works in spite of the sins of his people (1:1-2) 
  • This took place during the reign of Jehoiakim (609-598 BC), one of Judah’s worst kings who was attacked by King Nebuchadnezzar (605) and he was placed in the house of a pagan god in Babylon, most likely Marduk, the chief god of the Babylonians. 
    • Why would they do this?

• To say, “Our god is better and stronger than your god.”

• God works as he scatters his people (1:3)
  • In Deuteronomy the Lord had warned his people that if they disobeyed him, curses would come on them (Deut. 28:15)
    • The curses included military defeat (Deut. 28:25) and deportation (Deut. 28:64)
• Be prepared for the challenges non-Christians cultures will throw at you to lead you away from God (1:3-7)
• We all have a worldview, this is what shapes both the way we think and live.   

Isolation (1:3)

1. First step that the Babylonians would enforce on their captives, to shock their systems (culture shock), causing their world to be thrown into a tailspin. 
2. Purpose is to create extreme vulnerability as they are separated from their families and culture. Making them susceptible to “new ideas”

• We fail to appreciate the danger and deception of false ideas if we do not adequately prepare students for that environment and support them in this time of transition.

Indoctrination (1:4) “Brainwashing”

1. Process consists of finding knowlegable candidates to be taught “the Chaldean language and literature,” basically they are being enrolled in an educational indoctrination school for “three years.”  

Assimilation (1:5)

1. Converting from being followers of Yahweh, changing their minds, diets and lifestyles. 

Confusion (1:6-7)

1. Names and their meaning: 

Old Name:                

Daniel- Elohim is my Judge       

Hananiah - Yahweh is gracious   

Mishael - Who is like Elohim    

Azariah - Yahweh helps        

New Name:

Belteshazzar- " Bel protect the King"

Shadrach- "Command of AKU" Aku was a Babylonian Moon god

Meshach- "Who is what AKU is?" 

Abed-Nego- "Servant of Nebo" 

Determine early in your life and heart that you will not compromise your convictions and commitments to God (1:8-13).

• Resist the temptation to defile yourself (1:8)

1. Daniel was determined to not defile himself with the pagan King’s enticements.

• The reason Daniel viewed the food and wine as defiling/ unclean was because it was associated with the religious and spiritual items that were offered to idols. (Deut. 6:13-15)
• They were forced to be in Babylon but they would not let Babylon get in them. 

Win the favor of those in authority when possible (1:9-10)

1. Daniel and his friends impressed his superiors (Ashpenaz) and King Nebuchadnezzer. 

Wisely offer alternative solutions that are win-win (1:11-13)

1. Daniel knew that defilement would only further distance him from the Lord. 
2. He trusts God to honor their convictions and commitments to obeying his Word.
3. Their diets were simple, but were in direct opposition to the pagan gods.
4. This is what Daniel and his friends have been taught: You live or die by honoring God.

Trust God to honor your devotion and faithfulness to Him (1:14-21)

“Unless there is the element of extreme risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith” Hudson Taylor. 

1. Daniel and his friends were fueled by their faith that God would honor their devotion, given the element of extreme risk.

• God blessed them physically (1:14-16)

1. God blessed and rewarded the devotion of Daniel and his friends.

• God blessed them mentally (1:17,20)

1. “God gives knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom.” 

• God blessed them spiritually (1:17)

1. God enabled Daniel to interpret dreams and to receive visions. 
2. Daniel was gifted as a seer, or prophet. He was to serve as the very vehicle of God’s divine revelations. 

• God blessed them socially (1:18-21)
  • After their education, these Hebrew boys stood head and shoulders above all the other magicians, eunuchs and sorcerers. 
  • Daniel served in his influential position for 70 years. His integrity and uncompromising character had far-reaching results. 
    • God gave him the influence that led the decree of Cyrus to send the people back to their land and to the rebuilding of the wall under Nehemiah and to the reestablishing of the nation of Israel. 

Daniel and His three companions remained faithful to their true identity, obeyed God, and were a shining testimony and witness both to God’s providence and to his grace.