There is an interesting parallel structure in the adventures of the four captive boys from Judah--Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 1) captivity, 2) faithfulness, 3) crisis, 4) God is glorified, 5) promotion. In all their strange and mysterious adventures, they stayed true to Yahweh, instead of conforming to cultural pressures and the temptation to keep themselves safe. It ended up very much to their advantage, as it does to ours.
1:3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring [certain] of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
1:4 Children in whom [was] no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
1:5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
1:6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
1:7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel [the name] of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
1:10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which [are] of your sort? then shall ye make [me] endanger my head to the king.
1:11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
1:12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
1:13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
1:14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
1:15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.
1:16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
1:18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
1:19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
1:20 And in all matters of wisdom [and] understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians [and] astrologers that [were] in all his realm.
1:21 And Daniel continued [even] unto the first year of king Cyrus.
In their adventures in Babylon, there is a pattern of captivity, faithfulness, crisis, glory to God, and promotion.
In Daniel Ch. 2, we find the dream that troubled Nebuchadnezzar, and his desire for interpretation. He called his wise advisers together and told them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means. This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me great gifts and rewards." Wow! That's a pretty big order. Nebuchadnezzar should have been watching late night television and calling "Psychic Hotline" for that. Of course his astrologers and magicians were stumped. "This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon . . . and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death." When Daniel found out what was going on, he asked for time and called Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael to "plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery," and God sent Daniel the dream and the interpretation, and he boldly delivered the Word of God to the king. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy." Of course Nebuchadnezzar had to believe, because Daniel didn't only have the interpretation, but the very dream itself. No magician or fly-by-night mind reader could do that. So God was glorified by Nebuchadnezzar : "Surely your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries. Then Daniel was promoted to a high position and given many gifts.
In chapter 3, King Nebuchadnezzar, apparently no less prideful than he was in the previous chapter, set up a 90' statue of gold, and demanded that when the music was played, all must bow down and worship the image, or they would be thrown into a blazing fiery furnace. Of course, our boys from Judah did not bow down (although Daniel is not mentioned in this chapter). Nebuchadnezzar was furious at their disobedience, but gave them one last chance. I LOVE their response; it's one of my favorite Old Testament moments: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
3:20 And he commanded the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, [and] to cast [them] into the burning fiery furnace.
3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Then once again Nebuchadnezzar saw the glory of God and praised Him before the people. "Therefore, I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo be cut to pieces and their houses turned to rubble, for no other god can save in this way. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo in the province of Babylon."
Daniel was tested again in chapter 6--same scenario--new prideful king:
6:1 \5:31\And Darius the Median took the kingdom, [being] about threescore and two years old.
6:2 \6:1\It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
6:3 \6:2\And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel [was] first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
6:4 \6:3\Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
6:5 \6:4\Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
6:6 \6:5\Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find [it] against him concerning the law of his God.
6:7 \6:6\Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
6:8 \6:7\All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
6:9 \6:8\Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
6:10 \6:9\Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
6:11 \6:10\Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
6:12 \6:11\Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
6:13 \6:12\Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask [a petition] of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing [is] true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
6:14 \6:13\Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which [is] of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
6:15 \6:14\Then the king, when he heard [these] words, was sore displeased with himself, and set [his] heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
6:16 \6:15\Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
6:17 \6:16\Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
6:18 \6:17\And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
6:19 \6:18\Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
6:20 \6:19\Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
6:21 \6:20\And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
6:22 \6:21\Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
6:23 \6:22\My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
6:24 \6:23\Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
6:25 \6:24\And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
6:26 \6:25\Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
6:27 \6:26\I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he [is] the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] unto the end.
6:28 \6:27\He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Captivity, faithfulness, crisis, God is glorified, promotion:
"And they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil who has taken them captive to do his will" (II Tim. 2:26).
"It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell me about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth" (3 John 3).
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered a sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:35-37).
"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (II Thess. 1:11-12).
"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory" (Romans 8:16-17).
"He who trusts in the Lord will prosper" (Prov. 28:25b).
When we are feeling like we are being held captive by the rotten things of this world, we must persevere in our faithfulness to God and His Word. He told us what to do: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path." Facing the crisis and holding on to Him, captivity will be broken, God will be glorified, and we will receive our promotion!
Captivity, faithfulness, crisis, God is glorified, promotion: Does it work for everyone? Maybe we should ask Joseph . . . but that's another story . . .
2:19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
2:20 Daniel said: "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever. to whom belong wisdom and might.
2:21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
2:22 he reveals deep and mysterious things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.
2:23 To thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for thou hast given me wisdom and strength, and hast now made known to me what we asked of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king's matter."
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