Daniel Desires to Obey God, and Refuses the King's Food
Daniel 1
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The story of Daniel begins when the king of Babylon, named Nebuchadnezzar, conquered Jerusalem, and he took the gold and silver cups out of the house of God into his own place of worship. And he also took captive some of the children of Israel, children who were beautiful, and wise and filled with knowledge. Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. But they were given other names, these were: to Daniel - Belteshazzar, to Hananiah - Shadrach, to Mishael - Mechach, and to Azariah - Abednego.
And the king said that they were to be given a daily portion of his meat and his wine for three years, and at the end of that time they were to be brought before the king. But Daniel chose not to defile himself with the king's meat because it was commanded by God that no one was to eat the food or drink the wine of the enemies of God.
But God had put into the heart of one of Daniel's keepers tenderness towards Daniel, and the keeper was afraid of the king because Daniel and his friends would not eat the king's food. And so Daniel asked that for ten days he and his friends should be given vegetables to eat and water to drink, and the keeper agreed. And at the end of the ten days Daniel and his friends looked much healthier than all those who ate the king's meat.
And so for the rest of the three years, Daniel and his friends were given vegetables to eat. And God gave these four children knowledge, skill in learning and wisdom: and Daniel was given understanding in all visions and dreams.
And at the end of the three years they were brought before king Nebuchadnezzar, and the king spoke with all of them, and Daniel and his friends were found to understand much more than all the magicians in the land of the king.
Memory Verse: Daniel 1:17 "...God gave them knowledge, skill in learning and wisdom: and Daniel was given understanding in all visions and dreams."
Questions:
1. Who conquered Jerusalem and what did he take out of the house of God?
2. What were the names of the children taken by the king?
3. Why did Daniel refuse the king's food?
4. What did Daniel and his friends eat instead?
5. What was Daniel given by God?
Answers:
1. King Nebuchadnezzar, he took the gold and silver vessels
2. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
3. Because it was a command of God not to eat the food of the enemy
4. Vegetables and water
5. He was given understanding of all visions and dreams.
Vicki C. Gross/Feb'03
