'Appreciating God's Love'
A) Jewish Youths as Kings Kids
Dan 1:5-6 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king's delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Just imagine how the 4 Jewish young slaves would have felt when they were taken to train alongside the princes and nobles. There was no barrier between they and the royalties - similar treatments, accommodations, delicious food meant for the king's table and highly respected even by the Babylonians themselves.
With such great blessings, they must be really grateful and thankful to the Almighty God. They would be rejoicing greatly for His favour and their good fortune of being treated as noblemen.
All His greatness in the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan Land flooded their mind, thus building up their strong faith in God.
They had the confidence that God had giving them the mission while in Babylon to glorify His Name and also to help and encourage their brethren to live in peace and prosperity.
Jos 4:22-24 then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."
B) Overcame Temptation
Eze 14:14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness," says the Lord God.
Since God credited Daniel to be a righteous man, he must have been taught from young to memorize and understand the Torah and also the understanding of the other biblical books such as Joshua, Kings, Chronicles and others.
From young, Daniel must have been a devout Jew - observing and keeping all the laws, feasts and religious ceremonies. Having the word of God in him, he was able to believe Jeremiah the Prophet and segregate him from the other false prophets.
His three Jewish friends too were devout Jews, otherwise they would have been killed during the fall of Jerusalem.
They saw that the delicious food meant for the king's table was a temptation which would defile them. Immediately, Daniel was prepared to risk losing everything and even their lives by telling the chief eunuch that they would not eat those delicacies including the wine.
Note brethren, will you be prepared to give up everything for our Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for you.
Dan 1:8-9 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.
C) Received God's Empowering
Dan 1:19-20 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
The Jewish youth displayed their faith in God by refusing to take the food and wine. Their willingness to give up their highly respectable positions and their lives is pleasing to the Lord. He rewarded them with great wisdom and understanding in all matters.
Note – we can now understand why the Jews are so brilliant. It is the word of God (the Law and the Prophets) guiding them into knowledge and wisdom, leading them to many types of discovery and great understanding.
Brethren, if you want God's wisdom, knowledge and understanding for your children, get them to read, understand and abide in His words; our Lord Jesus' teachings and the epistles. Then, they will be as wise, knowledgeable and brilliant as Daniel and his friends.
