Profile
Photos
Comments
of the famous stories that children learn in Sunday School is that of
Daniel in the lion's den. That, however, is only one of many amazing
tales about the prophet Daniel.
The
friendship between the pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar and the devout
Daniel, as relayed in the Book of Daniel is the true fascination for me.
Daniel,
of royal birth, was just a teenager when Nebuchadnezzar overran
Jerusalem, burning the city, killing its men of fighting age as well as
many of the women and children.
Nebuchadnezzar,
upon his return to Babylon, instructed Ashpenaz, the eunich in charge
of his palace staff, to select some of the Jewish youths brought back
as captives--those with ties to the royal families of Ben and Judah--to teach them the
Chaldean language (Aramaic) and literature.
He
instructed Ashpenaz to select young men who had read widely, who were
strong, healthy good-looking specimens--those who, according to the
king, would look good around the palace.
Though
we are not told in Daniel, it is almost certain that these young men
also became eunichs. Selected to serve in the royal household, the king
would not have wanted them to be distracted by the lovely women in his
harem.
 Of
all those chosen, three became the most famous. The eunich renamed
them, from the tribe of Judah, Belteshazzar (Daniel), Shadrach
(Hananiah), and Meschach(Misha-el).ÂÂ
God
gave these youths great ability to learn so that they soon
mastered the language as well as all the literature and science
(probably mostly black magic) of the time. God also gave Daniel the
ability to interpret dreams.
When
they completed their three years of training, the superintendent
(Ashpenaz) brought all the youths before Nebuchadanezzar for oral
exams, as he had been ordered to do. The king had long talks with all
of them but none impressed him so much as Belteshazzar, Shadrach, and
Meschach.ÂÂ
They
became a part of his regular staff of advisors. In all manner of
information regarding sound judgment and information, the king found
them to be ten times better than that of all the skilled magicians and
wise astrologers of his realm.
Daniel
(Belteshazzar) held his appointment througout the reign of
Nebuchadanezzar as well as into the reign of the Persiian kings until
the first year on the throne of the Persian, King Cyrus.
(To Be Continued)/a/rationing.htm
 <