1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3The king spoke to Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles: 4youths in whom was no defect, but well-favored, skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding science, and who had the ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans. 5The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years, that at its end they should stand before the king.
6Now among these of the children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs. 10The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.”
11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12“Test your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then let our faces be examined before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king’s delicacies; and as you see, deal with your servants.” 14So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.
15At the end of ten days, their faces appeared fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate of the king’s delicacies. 16So the steward took away their delicacies and the wine that they were given to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19The king talked with them; and among them all was found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the king. 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.
21Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus.
Daniel was taken from Judah to captivity in Babylon during the first invasion. He and his three friends were taken captive together, but life was not as bad as they expected it was going to be. They were housed and fed and educated for three years and at the end of that time they would be ready to work for the king. This didn’t seem too bad on the surface, if they just complied everything would be fine.
They were taken from a nation that had forgotten how to honour God to be educated by a nation that had never honoured God. It was not going to be easy to be faithful in these circumstances. The Babylonians had a good plan to submerge the Jews into their culture; they would supply their needs, food, clothing and shelter, creating a dependence on this new foreign power for their comfort and strength. Then they would educate them in the laws and ways of the nation. This education would be Godless and pagan, diluting the knowledge that they previously held as the people of God. Their family given Hebrew names were taken away and new ones given Daniel became Belteshazzar, Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael’s name was changed to Meshach and Azariah to Abednego. In all of this the enemy state made every attempt to erode any memory of the past life and loyalty to God and Judah. The plan to make them comfortable somewhere they did not belong subdued any thought of attack much more than cruel treatment.
Often, we think that a spiritual attack by the enemy is something that makes us uncomfortable and oppressed. However, it is easier to blunt our prayer life and Christian walk by making us comfortable in places we do not belong, than making us uncomfortable where we do.