On this side of heaven, knowing why God chooses certain people to go through difficult situations is impossible. There is always a purpose and an opportunity to show His power and compassion, to refine the chosen one. Many books in the Bible demonstrate God doing just that, and the Book of Daniel is no exception. Daniel’s life is a shining example of what happens when one is consistently faithful to the Lord—through the good and the bad.
When Was the Prophet Daniel Taken to Babylon?
The Book of Daniel begins with the nation of Judah being taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. God had warned the people of Judah for some time about their sin and lack of repentance and the impact it would have on God’s hand of protection. Therefore, in 605 BC, God allowed Jehoiakim, King of Judah, and his citizens to be “delivered” into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Not only were the Jews defeated. Their own God defeated them.
What Happened During the Prophet Daniel’s Lifetime?
Along with plunder from the temple of God, Nebuchadnezzar ensured that certain people were also exiled– exceptional people who could help Babylon grow in power and prominence. Enter young Daniel, one of those forced to leave his home and travel hundreds of miles to a strange, non-Jewish land.
Daniel (and other young Jewish men who were “handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning”) were not only chosen to receive special leadership training but also food from the king’s table. But those perks would require compromise, and Daniel refused to consent.
Why Did the Prophet Daniel Refrain from Eating Meat?
Though it was the choicest of foods, having come from the king’s table, Daniel had to refuse what was given him.
The problem, as Matthew Henry explains in his commentary on Daniel 1, was the fact food from the king’s table was food sacrificed to idols before it arrived at the table. Daniel knew that eating such food would be an insult to God.
Therefore, Daniel asked for a 10-day “vegetarian challenge” to prove he could remain strong without corrupting his body. Daniel appealed respectfully that he and his three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) be given only vegetables and water for 10 days and see if they could maintain their strength like the others who chose to eat meat
Their point was made at the end of the 10 days: they looked “healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate royal food” (Daniel 1:15).
How Did the Prophet Daniel Show Integrity Throughout His Life?
The story about Daniel refusing tainted food may seem an unusual detail to include in his book. Rather, it is just one example of Daniel’s faithfulness. Not only would he never compromise his faith. He would serve in the role God gave him with unparalleled integrity. He never doubted that God could do anything–including allowing him to interpret dreams, saving his friends from a burning furnace, and saving him from a den of lions.
God blessed Daniel by making him not only a leader but a prophet as well. First, God enabled him to explain several of the king’s dreams. Later, he began having visions from the Lord about the end times. At one point in Chapter 9, Daniel understood from the scriptures that “the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years.” So Daniel became an intercessor for the Jewish people as he pleaded with the Lord to “keep his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands.” He acknowledged the shame of Judah and Israel and begged the Lord to be merciful and forgive once again.
Daniel stands as an example of continuing to trust God’s plan even if it completely differs from what one has planned. Never once is there a word of complaint from Daniel.
However, many complaints came from native Babylonian leaders who envied his hard work and relentless faith. In one of the book’s best-known stories, they planned to eliminate Daniel.
Who Was the King that Threw the Prophet Daniel into the Lion’s Den?
After King Nebuchadnezzar died, there were several kings until King Cyrus of Persia overtook Babylon in 539 BC. He set up King Darius as Viceroy in Babylon. Darius appointed 120 governors to rule the kingdom and three administrators over them—one of whom was Daniel.
The other satraps and administrators were jealous of Daniel because Darius planned to make him administrator over the whole kingdom. So they devised a plan to trick Darius into meting out punishment to Daniel. They suggested that the king make a law that if anyone prayed to any god or man besides Darius during the next 30 days, they would be thrown into the lion’s den. King Darius put the decree in writing.
When Daniel heard about the decree, he did what was his habit. He went to his room, and with the windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt and prayed thrice daily. The opponents caught him worshiping his God and told the king. He was greatly upset because he respected Daniel, but the law was the law. He had Daniel thrown in a den of lions. Sunday school posters and coloring sheets don’t always show it, but Daniel was about 80 years old when this occurred.
The next morning, King Darius rushed to the den and yelled inside to ask if Daniel’s God had been able to save him from the lions. Indeed he had. Darius then ordered that all in the kingdom worship Daniel’s God.
Did the Prophet Daniel Return with the Other Jews to Jerusalem?
King Cyrus decreed that the Jews could return to Judea shortly after he took power. Daniel does not write of his return to Jerusalem with the other exiles. Ezra 8:2 does mention a Daniel in the list of people in a second wave of people leaving Babylon. However, this was during the reign of King Artaxerxes I (probably the son of Xerxes, mentioned in the book of Esther). Archeologists currently believe Artaxerxes’ reign started about 130 years after Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. Even if Daniel was only 13 (the year boys became men in Jewish culture), he’d have to be over 140 years old to participate in this second wave.
Where Does Daniel Fit into the Line of Prophets?
By nature, the books of the major prophets–Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel—include prophecy from God to the writers. Some prophecies called the Jews to repent and recount what would happen to the nation in the short and long term.
Daniel’s book goes even further and includes prophecies about the world’s end through visions he received. These visions involved strange creatures and happenings that he couldn’t understand alone. The angels Gabriel and Michael appeared to him separately, interpreting what these visions meant for the future.
His writing doesn’t recount whether these visions were shared with anyone else then. At some point, though, his writing did become part of the Scriptures the Jews passed along to one another. The Old Testament only quotes Daniel once (in the book of Ezekiel). However, he had clearly become a recognized prophet by the New Testament period. Jesus refers to “the prophet Daniel” in Matthew 24:15.
Revelation 13 recounts the same four beasts that Daniel saw in his visions. The Encyclopedia of the Bible indicates that scholars agree that Daniel’s writings have the requisite qualities of apocalyptic literature: special revelation given by “God concerning the imminent coming of the end of the present evil age and the final advent of God’s kingdom.”
Were these visions given to Daniel because of his integrity and unwavering commitment to God? One thing is certain: because of Daniel’s commitment to spending regular time with God in prayer and never compromising in his faith walk, Daniel was ready to hear and see from God.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/CatLane
Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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