Courage
And
Strength
In the years of the reign
of King Nebuchadnezzar there was many a war he fought and he seemed to be the one to come out on top. This pagan Monarch built up Babylon to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
He was the world ruler and when he went to plunder the other nations he would bring back the best of the youth to train them for positions of trust in his Kingdom.
This is the situation of Daniel and his companions. Daniel was born of the royal line so he was trained and well educated in the schools of Israel. He was fit for a high place in Babylon.
Daniel asked to have a vegetable diet. He knew he needed a clear discerning mind to do his part well in ruling the kingdom. Meat clouds the mind. Also the meat the King wanted to give them was offered to idols and Daniel was a worshiper of the true God and didn’t want that kind of food. The Lord could bless Daniel with much greater wisdom and talent because he obeyed God and ate the food God wanted him to eat.
The King found that Daniel and his three companions were ten times wiser than all the other wise men of the kingdom of Babylon.
The King had a dream. He could not remember the dream and he expected his wise men to be able to tell him what he had dreamed. Daniel asked the King to give him some time and he would tell the King what he dreamed.
Daniel prayed to God in heaven to give him wisdom to tell the King what his dream was. God showed Daniel what the dream was.
So Daniel told the King that he saw a big image made of Gold, Silver, Brass and Iron and a mixture of Iron and Clay.
The King was proud because his kingdom was represented by the gold head so he built a big image like the one in his dream and called all the people to worship his new image.
Daniels three companions would not worship the image so the King had his men throw them into the fiery furnace. Jesus came and walked in the fire with them. Their body was not burned at all. Not a hair was singed nor their clothes burned.
The King then gave Daniel many honors and set him over the others. But Daniel gave all the glory and praise to God for showing him the Kings dream.
God gave Daniel many dreams and visions about prophecy. He was faithful to God and lived for a long time and was a good ruler all that time.
Even after Nebuchadnezzer died Daniel was still the head Prince over the kingdom.
Daniel had the courage to obey His God and God gave him the strength to stand firm for the Word of God through many difficult times.
