Fri.’s Devo - Daniel was Chosen

Read: Daniel 1:1-2:23; 1 Peter 3:8-4:6; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 28:14 Daniel was among the first exiles taken to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar attacked King Jehoiakim in Judah. God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple and people from the noblest families. Daniel and his friends were in that category. It was the Lord’s plan to preserve certain people and objects from Jerusalem’s Temple since Jerusalem would be burned to the ground. Once the exiles were settled in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar had his chief of staff, Ashpenaz, select the strong, healthy, good-looking men, and test them. He was to find the smartest of them and bring them to the king. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were chosen. They were put through a training period, then, they would then be tested by the king to see if they were worthy of working in his royal palace. They were given food from the king’s menu which defiled Jewish laws. Daniel went to Ashpenaz and asked him if they could eat kosher food instead for 10 days as a test and if they were still healthy, they could continue. He agreed and after the 10 days, he found Daniel and his friends healthier than the rest, so he allowed them to stay on their diet. At the end of their schooling where they learned the language and literature of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar tested them and found Daniel and his three friends to be ten times more capable than his own magicians and enchanters. They were promoted to royal service and continued in that capacity until Cyrus came to be the king. One night during Nebuchadnezzar’s second year of his reign, he had a most disturbing dream. He called in the astrologers, sorcerers, magicians, and enchanters and told them to tell him his dream and what it meant. They begged him to tell them his dream but he refused. He was testing them to see if they really were magicians. He threatened to kill them and burn down their houses if they couldn’t tell him the dream and its interpretation. Daniel was not called to this meeting as he was probably still in training. When Ashpenez came to kill him and his friends, Daniel asked him why they were being killed. When he found out the reason, he went to the king and asked for more time. He was given more time and he and his friends prayed to God for the answer. That night, Daniel saw the dream in a vision and woke up to thank the Lord for hearing his prayer and answering it. He made the statement that God controls the course of world events which is good for us to remember in the light of what is going on in our nation. Daniel was chosen by God to be preserved to be a beacon of his light in a heathen land. He would be used to see into the future of the whole world and bring those mysteries to us. He is an example of how God can protect us in hostile circumstances and give us favor and honor in the presence of our enemies. In Peter, God gives us the secret to enjoying life and being happy. It is to see our tongue from speaking evil and from telling lies. When we are insulted, we should return it with a blessing. If our enemies want to do harm to us we shouldn’t worry or be afraid but instead, we should worship Christ. If we keep our lives pure, they will have no reason to attack us and instead be ashamed. It is better to suffer for going good, than to suffer for doing wrong. Jesus suffered having done nothing wrong, He was killed, then rose from death. He went and preached to the spirits in prison in Sheol under the earth. Then he rose from the dead and went to heaven where he is seated in the place of honor next to God. All the angels, authorities and powers are under his command. We must suffer like Christ did on this earth but we will also be raised like he was into heaven. We will all have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone dead and alive. Those who suffered for Christ will live forever with God. Lord, may we joyfully accept the sufferings of this world to obtain the glory of your kingdom beyond this realm. May we be like Daniel who refused to comply with the world around him but trusted God to make a way for him to remain righteous.