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The Book of Daniel | Session 2 | Daniel 1:5-21

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by Randy White Ministries Saturday, Jul 14, 1990

LISTENER’S GUIDE | SESSION 2 | DANIEL 1:5-21 | DR. RANDY WHITE



DANIEL’S PROPOSAL | 1:5-16

  • Verses 5-7

    • Introducing Daniel & friends - While we normally speak of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah using their Babylonian names, we continue using Daniel's Judean name.

    • This chapter will use their Judean names except for introducing their Babylonian names.

    • The book of Daniel will use the Judean names in the Hebrew sections and the Babylonian names in the Aramaic sections.

    • It is assumed but cannot be proven that the prince of the eunuchs (v. 7) is the same as v.3, Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs. The Hebrew words for master and prince are not the same.


  • Verse 8

    • The Hebrew word for purposed is a very common word that means to "set or place" something in a particular location.


  • If a person desires to honor God with their behavior, it begins with a decision.o While one would first presume that Daniel was desirous to remain kosher, that is likely not the issue (for reasons seen in v. 13).

  • One possibility is that the meat and wine was offered to idols, and eating such food was not specifically prohibited in the Law, it was always a "scruple" with the Jewish people (see Acts 15:29).

  • It is necessary to note that the Hebrew word translated defile is not the same Hebrew word as found in Leviticus 11:44 and other passages about eating unclean animals.

    • While this verse is in the singular, relating to Daniel, v. 11 later includes the other three.


  • Verse 9

    • God had brought Daniel into favour..


  • What normally would have been an immediate rejection was changed because of God's work on the heart of the prince of the eunuchs.

  • This act of God was celebrated in Psalm 106:46.

  • A similar act is seen in the life of Joseph, seen in Gen. 39:21 and Acts.7:10

  • In the return of the exiles, God would bring Jerusalem into favor with King Cyrus (Ezra 7:27-28).

  • Does God continue to do this in the Age of Grace?

  • There is no reason to believe that God has limited Himself from doing so.

  • However, He only appears to do this when He has a purpose of overriding the will of man, so it would be most rare, and in alignment with Romans 8:28.

    • Favour - Typically, "mercy," though there is no equivelent English word. The Hebrew is [hesed], which is a full package of mercy, tender-heartedness, love, grace, and[ֶ֫ ֶח ֶסד loving-kindness. In the New Testament, the Hebrew is transliterated into Greek for the name Bethesda, "house of hesed."

    • tender love - Only here is this word translated as tender love. Most often (30 of 44 times) it is mercy.


  • Verse 10

    • the children which are of your sort - Literally, "than the young men your age."

    • The prince of the eunuchs was at great risk to endanger the King's investment. The work of God in his heart brought him courage where others would normally be too timid to do anything except go with the status quo.


  • Verse 11 - The Melzar is a guard, and the word is of Persian origin. This is position, not a name.

  • Verse 12 - If you want to lose weight, this will probably do it. However, to build a money-making scheme of a diet out of this incident is simply a serious abuse of Scripture. At best, this can be used as an illustration.

    • Hermeneutical Principle: Never make a doctrine nor an application out of an ecdotal evidence.


  • Verse 13 - There was a tremendous gracious spirit the entire conversation. Daniel never threatened a hunger strike.

  • Since there were other Jewish captives that, presumably, ate the kings meat, one must either conclude that

    • the issue was not at the heart of the Jewish faith

    • Daniel was willing to compromise his Jewish principles if this experiment failed.

    • Since we have Daniel and his friend's strict obedience at risk of death later in the book, it is best to conclude that the issue was not at the heart of the Jewish faith.

    GOD’S BLESSING | 1:17-21


  • Verse 17 – God gave them knowledge –

    • It would be hard to presume that God gave them knowledge without the use of normal learning methods.

      • God's gift included:

        • Knowledge - putting theories to the test and learning from the results. While the word knowledge is used 120 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, this particular word is only used 6 times. While both have the same Hebrew root, this word emphasizes discernment of facts.

        • skill in all learning - literally, as in YLT, "understanding of every kind of literature." The word translated learning is the word for book or letter or anything written.

        • Wisdom-the proper application of learning.


      • Daniel’s extra gift: Even in Daniel's day, the prophetic gift of understanding in all visions and dreams was rare.

        • Note: as in v. 12, this is anecdotal evidence and cannot be used to build a claim that such an understanding is something that God still gives.

        • Note: many of the adherents of the Higher Criticism movement say the book of Daniel was written about 165BC. They do this to remove the necessary prophetic realm of the book. However, this verse explains the prophetic realm without need to compensate.

        • Verse 21 - Daniel chapter 1 serves as an introduction to the book. This verse serves to reaches forward so that the listener can have full awareness of the historical setting. The first year of king Cyrus is not the end of Daniel's ministry (see 10:1), but is the end of the Babylonian era.

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