As a young man, Daniel could have anticipated an outstanding future in Jerusalem. He came from a prominent family, and he had a first-rate mind (1:4). But, when the Babylonian army dragged him captive to a faraway country, they didn't ask about his plans and dreams.
True, the Babylonians recognized Daniel's potential and put him into a top civil service training program. But even the study material was distasteful to a Jew: it covered sorcery, magic, and a pagan, multigod religion. After graduation Daniel was put to work for the Babylonian king, who continued to war against Daniel's people for nearly 20 more years.
Anyone far from home feels lonely. But Daniel was one of those whose lives get lost in the shuffle of history - refugees, captives. He was destined to spend his life as an alien in Babylon. We have no record that he ever married or had family members nearby.
Great Personal Courage
Through his ability and God's blessing he rose to the post of prime minister of Babylon. Yet he remained an outsider. The higher he rose, the more prominent a target he became. Babylonians resented his foreign background and his political success. Their plots put him under pressure to compromise his faith, to fit in, to bend his principles. His life was often at risk.
Daniel's career near the top lasted at least 66 years, so that by the time he was thrown into the lion's den (chapter 6), |
