What Was Daniel's Babylonian Name

10 Things You Didn't Know almost Daniel in the Bible

Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
2016 22 Jun

10 Things You Didn't Know about Daniel in the Bible

The story of Daniel in the lion'due south den was i of the beginning stories I learned as a child. Right up there with Jonah and the whale and Noah and his ark, the story of Daniel'due south brave refusal to cease praying to the God of State of israel is cemented in my encephalon.

It wasn't until much afterwards, when I read the entire volume of Daniel for the first time, that I encountered many other fascinating tidbits near this inspiring Former-Testament hero. Hither are a few I find particularly interesting:

one. Daniel was an expat. Fifty-fifty though Daniel goes down in Jewish and Christian history books as one of Israel's finest, he didn't alive in Israel for very long. Deported as a captive when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem in 605 B.C., Daniel lived most of his life in Babylon.

two. Daniel had a bit of an identity crunch. His Hebrew name, Daniel, means "God is Judge." Shortly later his arrival in Babylon, however, probably every bit part of the Babylonian's attempt to brainwash the young exile, his name was changed to Belteshazzar, which means, "Bel's prince." Bel was the ruling god of the Babylonian pantheon.

3. Daniel was a vegetarian teetotaler (Daniel 1:12). Yup, long earlier tofu was trendy and Stevia reigned, Daniel and his friends shunned meat, sweets, and wine. Drafted along with other exiles of noble birth, Daniel was chosen for a three-year training class to set him to enter the male monarch'southward service. Part of his preparation involved eating the king's delicacies. Daniel refused, probably considering the meat and wine had been offered to idols and/or conflicted with Israel'southward dietary laws.

4. Daniel was a skilled negotiator. When ordered to swallow foods that offended his conscience, he made a apprehensive appeal to the steward in accuse. When the steward rejected his entreatment, Daniel made a counter-offer. "'Please examination your servants for x days: Give us nil but vegetables to swallow and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who consume the royal nutrient, and treat your servants in accord with what yous see.' At the end of the 10 days they looked healthier and ameliorate nourished than any of the young men who ate the purple food. Then the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drinkable and gave them vegetables instead" (Dan. ane:12-16). Score one for Daniel.

5. Daniel was an overachiever. Forget the dean'south list and Who's Who Amongst Israeli Exiles; Daniel and his friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego far surpassed their beau students in a test given by Male monarch Nebuchadnezzar."He institute them ten times meliorate than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom" in every matter of wisdom and sympathize virtually which he questioned them (Dan. 1:20).

6. Daniel was an honest pol. After graduating with high honors, Daniel and his three friends were appointed by Nebuchadnezzar to regime positions (Dan. 1:19). Daniel's political career spanned more than than 70 years during the reigns of several Babylonian and Persian kings.

seven. Daniel was an oneirologist. Oneirology, the study of dreams, became popular in the 17th century, but Daniel studied and interpreted dreams more than 500 years before Christ. Along with cognition and skill in literature and wisdom, God had given Daniel the power to unravel the mystery of dreams (Dan. 1:17).

viii. Daniel was prone to fainting spells, breathlessness, and weakness. Apparently receiving visions and revelation can be quite taxing. After receiving a vision describing future earth governments, "Daniel, fainted and was sick for days," (Dan. 8:17). A visit and a vision from the angel Gabriel had a similar effect on him: "I (Daniel) had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless."

9. Daniel was twice visited past God'south archangel. Most commonly known equally the affections who appeared to Mary in the New Testament to announce the coming Messiah, we first read about Gabriel in Daniel 8:xvi. His first recorded biblical assignment was to help Daniel interpret a puzzling vision.

10. Daniel was an octogenarian when he was thrown into the lion's den. The chronology of Daniel's life shows that he had been a faithful authorities servant for more 70 years. During a regime change, his exemplary resume caught the eye of the incoming King Darius, who appointed him as one of three national governors. His jealous colleagues decided to off the elderberry statesman, only because he was above reproach, failed to find any "charge or mistake" against him (Dan. 6:4). Adamant to bring about his demise, they crafted a plan for religious persecution, convinced the unwitting king to sign information technology, and targeted Daniel for execution while he prayed in his room. Instead of throwing Daniel a well-deserved retirement dinner, King Darius wound up throwing Daniel in as the lions' dinner.

Lions notwithstanding, Daniel'due south commitment to integrity, devotion to the Lord, and unwavering faith make him a biblical hero worth studying. The Erstwhile Attestation analogue to the apostle John, God calls both men "love." Five centuries apart, they wrote parallel and complementary stop times prophecies that give us fascinating and frightening glimpses into the future. Almost important, nevertheless, a study of the volume of Daniel gives us a powerful instance for how to alive righteously in a club that does not honor God. Only 12 capacity long, the book of Daniel is a must-read.

Lori Hatcher is a blogger, women's ministry speaker, and author of the Christian Minor Publisher's 2016 Book of the Year, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women. A Toastmasters International contest-winning speaker, Lori's goal is to help busy women connect with God in the craziness of everyday life. She especially loves small children, soft animals, and chocolate. You lot'll notice her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her web log, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@lorihatcher2) or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Publication date: June 22, 2016