Read Daniel 1
How long were the four men supposed to be trained in preparation for the king’s court?
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3 years
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10 years
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4 years
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2 years
The king interviewed Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and found them _____ times better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in the entire kingdom.
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100
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1000
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5
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10
King Nebuchadnezzar ordered that young Israelite men be brought to him to serve in his court. What qualities did he wish these young men to possess?
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No physical defects
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Knowledgeable
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Suitable for instruction
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All of these qualities
What language did the king wish for the young men to learn?
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Hebrew
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Chaldean
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Greek
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Cushite
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, help me to know that I am in the midst of a war of cultures. Help me to discern between the secular culture and the spiritual culture and always to remain true to you. In Jesus name, amen.
Observation:
They were banished from their homeland as prisoners of war. They spent the majority of their lives in a foreign country with pagan traditions. Because they were considered the cream of the crop, David and his three companions, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had the opportunity to live the life of luxury, but they dared to be different.
They chose to adhere to the sacred customs of their homeland, rather than adopt secular culture in the land of their captivity. They chose not to defile themselves with the king’s meat and drink.
The king thought he had a proven and flawless Cultural Enrichment and Leadership Development Program. The king’s servant was afraid that Daniel and his contemporaries would be lacking before the king. He was afraid to let them follow their substitute dietary plan. Lest Daniel and his contemporaries prove themselves ungracious in temperament, or inferior in testing, they asked to prove themselves with a ten-day probationary period of eating vegetables and water rather than steak and wine.
At the end of their ten day trial, they faired healthier than the other candidates. At the end of the training academy, Daniel and his contemporaries proved to be 10 times better than all of the other graduates. They were able to prove themselves elite because they were dared to be different.
Reflect:
Questions to Ponder
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On a scale of 1 to 10, where is your commitment to Jesus? Why did you pick the number you did?
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Who or what has the most influence on your day-today decisions? Where does Jesus fall in the order of influential voices in your life?
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What step do you need to take this week to make your relationship with Jesus your #1 priority?
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