Marked By God: Part 5

Marked By God: Part 5 || Day 4

Daniel 1:1-21

"During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded, “I am afraid of my Lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus."

Marked people understand how to be influential and separate at the same time.

It’s many years later and there’s a different king in charge. This king watched how God had humbled the king prior to him. He watched as that king threw three Hebrew boys in a fire and they came out without the smell of smoke on them. He watched as God put him in a pasture eating grass with the livestock for seven years. He watched as God restored his kingdom back to him after the seven years.

Now that king had died and it was his time to be king. Even though he had witnessed all the things happen from the hand of the one true God he refused to humble himself. Not only that but he allowed pride to take him to a place that angered God so much that it cost him his life and his kingdom.

The king decides to throw a big party. At this party he has all his concubines, all his leaders, and those of his top staff present. They all get drunk and he tells them to bring out the gold cups and serving bowls that they took from the House of God. They began to drink from these cups and worship their idols and false gods while drinking from these cups.

While their party is going on, a hand shows up and begins to write on the wall. But once again it’s a different king with a REVELATION PROBLEM. Everyone in the party sees the writing but no one can read it. He calls his magicians in, his wise men, but no one can read it. Finally, they call on a man named Daniel from the tribe of Judah with the mark of God on his life.

He stands in front of the most powerful king known to man at that time. And he reads the writing for the king. The writing is “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN."

MENE, which means, God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. TEKEL, you have weighed in the balances and found wanting. UPHARSIN, your kingdom has been divided and given to others.