A L M A C I A S

DANIEL: PURPOSED IN HIS HEART

As we study the Old Testament, we find many accounts of servants of God who were great examples of courage and conviction and devotion. Children, as well as adults, are quite familiar with one such servant. The world might not know many things that are found in the Bible, but they do know about this great servant of God, Daniel. In the book of Daniel, we read about Daniel's courage, conviction, and devotion in different places, one of which is found in chapter one. As we study the introduction of this book, we learn that Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had attacked and besieged the city of Jerusalem. We also read that God had given Jehoiakim, King of Judah, into the hand of this Babylonian king. What happened here was that God punished the people of Judah because of their rebellion toward God, and God used Nebuchadnezzar to accomplish His purpose.

When king Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem the first time, he took part of the vessels of the house of God, and he also took captive some of the people of Judah, among whom were Daniel and his companions. When in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to Ashpenaz, the master of the eunuchs, to bring certain of the children of Israel who were of the king's seed and of the princes who would be trained to help Nebuchadnezzar rule Babylon. Daniel and his companions were in this group. These young men were to go through a rigorous three-year training to prepare them to be rulers in Babylon. In the very beginning of their training, Daniel and his friends were faced with a temptation that could have brought defilement upon them. They were instructed to eat of the king's meat and drink of the king's wine, which very likely had been offered to the gods of Babylon. Here was a group of young men who had been taken away from their families to a land they did not know, and were put in a very dangerous predicament if they failed to obey the king's orders. How did Daniel and his companions measure up to the task before them? We read that Daniel purposed in his heart that the would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat nor with the wine which he drank (Dan. 1:8). Not only did Daniel make this commitment, but so did his friends. The way we react to temptation when no one else is looking shows what kind of people we really are. Daniel and his companions were not going to disobey God, even if their lives were at stake. What kind of people are we?