Outline
Ⅰ
The principle of the Lord's recovery is seen with "Daniel and his companions" (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), as overcomers who were absolutely one with God in their victory over Satan's devices—Dan. 2:13, 17; cf. Rev. 17:14; Matt. 22:14:
A
In his devilish tempting of Daniel and his companions, Nebuchadnezzar changed their names, which indicated that they belonged to God, to names that made them one with idols—Dan. 1:6-7.
B
The name Daniel, meaning "God is my Judge," was changed to Belteshazzar, meaning "the prince of Bel," or "the favorite of Bel"—Isa. 46:1.
C
The name Hananiah, meaning "Jah has graciously given," or "favored of Jah," was changed to Shadrach, meaning "enlightened by the sun god."
D
The name Mishael, meaning "Who is what God is?" was changed to Meshach, meaning "Who can be like the goddess Shach?"
E
The name Azariah, meaning "Jah has helped," was changed to Abed-nego, meaning "the faithful servant of the fire god Nego."
Ⅱ
Daniel and his companions were victorious over the demonic diet—Dan. 1:
A
Nebuchadnezzar's devilish temptation was first to seduce the four brilliant young descendants of God's defeated elect, Daniel and his three companions, to be defiled by partaking of his unclean food, food offered to idols.
Morning Nourishment
Dan. 1:3-4 Then the king told…the chief of his eunuchs to bring some of the sons of Israel,…children in whom was no defect, who were good in appearance, who showed insight in all wisdom, understanding in knowledge, and apprehension in thought, and in whom was the ability to stand in the king’s palace…7 And the leader of the eunuchs gave them names…
The book of Daniel has just two sections. The first section, comprising chapters 1 through 6, concerns the victory, in their captivity, of the young descendants (including Daniel) of God’s degraded elect over Satan’s further devices. This victory was over the demonic diet (1:3-21); over the devilish blinding that prevents people from seeing the great human image (the totality of human government throughout human history) in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (ch. 2); over the seduction of idol worship (ch. 3); over the covering that hinders people from seeing the ruling of the heavens by the God of the heavens (ch. 4); over the ignorance concerning the result of the debauchery before God and the insult to His holiness (ch. 5); and over the subtlety that prohibited the faithfulness of the overcomers in the worship of God (ch. 6).
In his devilish temptation of Daniel and his companions, Nebuchadnezzar also changed their names, which indicated that they belonged to God, to names that made them one with the idols. The name Daniel, which means “God is the Judge,” or “God is my Judge,” was changed to Belteshazzar, meaning “the prince of Bel,” or “the favorite of Bel” (Isa. 46:1). The name Hananiah, which means “Jah has graciously given,” or “favored of Jah,” was changed to Shadrach, meaning “enlightened by the sun god.” The name Mishael means “Who is what God is?” but his name was changed to Meshach, meaning “Who can be like the goddess Shach?” The name Azariah, which means “Jah has helped,” was changed to Abed-nego, meaning “the faithful servant of the fire god Nego.” (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 6, 10-11)
Today’s Reading
The captivity to Babylon was the utter destruction of the testimony of God’s elect in the worship of the unique God, Jehovah, by the carrying of some of the vessels of the temple of God into the land of Shinar and their being put into the temple of idols (2 Chron. 36:6-7).“The king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, to bring some of the sons of Israel, including some from the royal seed and from the nobility…” (Dan. 1:3- 4). Among such sons of Israel were some young overcomers whom God used to gain the victory over Satan’s devices. Satan might have thought that God had been defeated and that on earth there no longer was the worship of God. The elect of God had been defeated, and God’s purpose on earth had suffered loss. However, God was not disappointed, for He still had some overcomers—Daniel and his companions. In His sovereignty He had arranged for these young people to be taken to Babylon, where they were His overcomers.
In principle, all the temptations that come to us are related to eating. Nebuchadnezzar’s devilish temptation was first to seduce Daniel and his three companions, the four brilliant young descendants of God’s defeated elect, to be defiled by partaking of his unclean food, food offered to idols… To Daniel, that choice food was actually the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That tree is something attached to Satan and even one with Satan, but the tree of life is something attached to God and one with God. To eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is to become attached to Satan; to eat of the tree of life is to become attached to God. When Daniel and his companions refused to eat Nebuchadnezzar’s unclean food and chose instead to eat vegetables, they were actually rejecting the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and taking the tree of life. Thus, even in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace there were the two trees. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 8-10)
Further Reading: Life-study of Daniel, msgs. 1—2