Daniel: a story of promotion and persecution

Part 1

Trials often precede Promotion (Daniel 1-5)

Daniel had survived being taken from his homeland Israel and moving to Babylon. The Head of the Eunuchs was in charge of all of the captives that had come from Israel. However, these were no ordinary captives.  They were from the Royal Family and others of the Nobility in Israel. Nebuchadnezzar was looking for the cream of the crop to fill the posts in Babylon. I am sure that Daniel experienced some culture and even religious shock, but he had purposed his heart not to eat the food from the King’s table.  (Dan 1:8)

He decided to eat the way that His God commanded, vegetables and water. Not my kind of food mind you, but, very healthy nonetheless. At the end of three years, Daniel and his friends surpassed the other Israelites that had been brought to Babylon and they were promoted to some of the highest posts in the Kingdom. (Dan 1:18-20)

As his story continues he was threatened with death because no one knew the answer to Nebuchanezzar’s dream of the statue but with God’s help, he survived by interpreting the dream and was promoted. (Dan 2:13-48)

The new King Beltshazzar was doing things his own way, when God interrupted the party and started writing on the wall and the Queen remembered that Daniel was a dream interpreter and he interprets the dream and was promoted. (Dan 5)

You would have thought by now that surely Daniel had suffered enough.  Surely it was time to sit at ease and relax, he had had enough, but he was to go through his greatest trial yet.

Key thought: Believers often go through seasons of trials.  The trials come to test our faith and develop character.  Some of those times are not our best moments because we get frustrated, vexed, troubled, worried and impatient while wondering how long this will take.  However, we must always remember that during those times we are to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus who constantly gives us the wisdom to make the right decisions during those times.