Audio Download

Daniel 1:1-7 Carried into the Land of Shinar to the House of his God

[Study Aired February 1, 2024]

God’s elect can understand the prophetic messages in the book of Daniel by comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1Co 2:7-13). It is by looking at the natural events that lay the groundwork for us, and comparing spiritual with spiritual, that we can understand the hidden meaning of all the symbolic places, peoples, times, dreams and events that have been hiding from the world today and given to God’s children to rightly divide “by His spirit” that gives us the honor of searching out those things to the glory of God (Pro 25:2). 

Those truths were no less hidden from Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:26) and even Daniel himself who was told “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Dan 12:9-10). Daniel’s revelation of the dream to Nebuchadnezzar is a type and shadow of how the elect by the spirit of God can rightly divide the word and see those seals opened in our life through Christ at “the time of the end”, which is another way of saying the day of the Lord when Christ comes into the temple we are (1Co 3:16) to open the seals which have been hidden from all the generations until God’s holy spirit was given on Pentecost to take away that blindness (Rev 5:5-10). 

God’s word is spoken in a mystery

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

[Those who love God are those who are blessed to read, hear and keep the sayings of the prophecy (Rev 1:3), including the commandments of God which demonstrate our love toward God and each other (1Jn 5:2-3)] 

1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Those books are being opened now if Christ is dwelling within us as our hope of glory (Col 1:27) as He prevails “to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” He is our wisdom (1Co 1:30) and the author and finisher of our faith (Php 1:6).

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

The vision of all

What we do know and believe is that “the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed“, so of course all the book [the whole bible] is prophetic and sealed (Isa 29:10-11) just as Isaiah was told, and as Daniel was told with these words, “shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Dan 12:4). 

Isa 29:10  For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
Isa 29:11  And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Physical knowledge and spiritual knowledge is increasing, but to whom God has given that spiritual knowledge is only typified by the prophets who prophesied not to themselves but to us (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11). Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that this knowledge would come from God who would make known the interpretation of the dream for Daniel to give to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:22, Rev 1:3, Mat 13:16-17). This witness of Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar is a type of how the manifest knowledge would be made known through the church (Eph 3:10) and preached in all nations until the end of the age (Mat 24:14). In both Daniel 12 and Revelation 12 we are told what God will do in the church through Christ (Dan 12:1, Rev 12:7, Php 2:12-13) both to will and to do, and all according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11).

Dan 12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Dan 1:1  In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
Dan 1:2  And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

The siege that took place by Nebuchadnezzar was in “the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim” which demonstrates that there is a process of judgment [3] that is about to unfold upon the nation of Judah. It is the Lord who gives us over to our enemies at an appointed time, “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand” (Pro 16:4). This captivity of Judah represents our time of being held captive by our Babylonian captors, and yet if we are God’s elect determined from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:3-4), we will go into that captivity God has purposed with “part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.” This is all telling God’s people that we must go into Babylon to ‘come out of her my people’ and yet He is always with us providing and protecting the manchild that will, at an appointed time, come out from under the tutors and governors, the schoolmaster that is being symbolized by this captivity of Judah into “the land of Shinar to the house of his god” where we bring “the vessels into the treasure house of his god” (Gal 4:1-3).

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Gal 4:1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 

Dan 1:3  And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; 
Dan 1:4  Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 
Dan 1:5  And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. 

Here we have king Nebuchadnezzar speaking to Ashpenaz,^H828 who is a Babylonian eunuch that represents Babylon today with no stay of bread or water, no ability to be born again or mature in Christ (Isa 3:1, Joh 3:3), and Nebuchadnezzar asks him “that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes.“

We are brought into a relationship with another Jesus (2Co 11:4) is what this symbolizes, and it is all ordained by God to take “of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes.” So we are compelled by God’s hand to go into Babylon as one of “the king’s seed, and of the princes” (Gal 3:16). Christ is our sufficiency in this life (2Co 3:5), even in our immature status in Babylon where we come behind in no gift as demonstrated by this verse where we read the seed was “skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans” (1Co 1:7, 1Co 3:3).

While we are in Babylon we are promised liberty by the food of the king, with the end goal of being healthy and able to stand before him. “The king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.” This is the lie of Babylon that cannot bring us to perfection (2Pe 2:19) and is an experience of evil we must go through to bring us to our wits’ end, and then, Lord willing, be given a hunger for the true manna from heaven like the prodigal sons that we are, if called and chosen in this age to be brought to that place of ‘coming to yourself’ in Babylon (Luk 15:17). We come to ourselves by the grace of God and realize that three years of being nourished by the meat and wine of this king is nothing less than empty calories, no stay of bread or water (Isa 3:1). As such we would never be able to stand before the true King with such a diet (Rev 6:17, Eph 6:11-13).

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

Luk 15:17  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

These children represent the elect who have “no blemish“, meaning no condemnation in Christ (Rom 8:1), and are “well favoured” to have the life of Christ within us as Mary was told about herself by the angel (Luk 1:28).

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Luk 1:28  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

God has called His people to be witnesses of these things from the foundation of the world symbolized by the way that the children of Judah were infiltrated into a Babylonian system that God purposed for a season until His people were called out from among them (Luk 24:48-49, 2Co 6:17-18).

Luk 24:48  And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Dan 1:6  Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 
Dan 1:7  Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

Verse 6 is interpreted by verse 7, as seen in the meaning of the names of “Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah” to become “Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.”  These men represent the seed of the woman that goes into Babylon and comes out of her by the grace of God (Rev 18:4). 

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

God knows those who are His, and they are given a new name, even from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:3-4), and even as they are going into Babylon to soon be called out of it by the hand of God (Hos 11:1). Four men going into Babylon also represent the whole world that has gone into Babylonian captivity represented by Adam and Eve being driven out into the wilderness (Gen 2:23-24). “Belteshazzar”, “Shadrach”, “Meshach” and “Abednego” typify therefore the whole world who will be reinstated to partake of the tree of life (representing the life of Christ) that is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev 2:7).

Gen 2:23  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Rev 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

All mankind start off with a carnal name, the mark and name of the beast (Rev 13:17) that is represented by the whole four names “Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah“ and represent the seed that has to fall into the ground and die and become a new creation represented by the names “Belteshazzar“, “Shadrach“, “Meshach” and “Abednego.” It is through the destruction of the old that the new man is born, and so in type and shadow we see in Daniel 3:26 where “Shadrach“, “Meshach“ and “Abednego“, along with “Christ” our new name (Act 9:4-6), are being purified in the fiery furnace, through a process of judgment [3] that Christ [1] is working within his elect both to will and to do of His good pleasure, as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:11-12). Daniel is a type of Christ in that regard as well, making up the fourth man in this group of three Hebrew men. He is kind of the head of the group, at least the first mentioned of the group of men typifying Christ, who is our head who has preeminence in all things (1Co 11:3, Col 1:18).

1Co 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

First names and seond names

Daniel = “God is my judge” to “Belteshazzar” = “lord of the straitened’s treasure”

Hananiah = “God has favoured” to “Shadrach“= “royal” or “the great scribe”

Mishael = “who is what God is” to “Meshach” = “guest of a king”

Azariah = “Jehovah has helped” to “Abednego” = “servant of Nebo”   let him be servant of all

Daniel = “God is my judge” to “Belteshazzar” = “lord of the straitened’s treasure”:

The body of Christ must be judged by God in this age in order to make strait the ways of the Lord in the wilderness of this life which is the progression being shown with the names Daniel and Belteshazzar.

Hananiah = “God has favoured” to “Shadrach”  “royal” or “the great scribe”

God’s children are shown God’s grace or favor in this life. That favor is demonstrated by His judgment upon us that teaches us to forsake ungodliness and worldly riches in this life (Tit 2:11-12, Heb 12:6). Through Christ we become a royal priesthood (1Pe 2:9) and his scribes who have the honor of knowing His words are eternal, that we read, hear and keep (Rev 1:3) and will be sought after by all of humanity in time (Joh 6:68, Joh 15:20-22).

Mishael = “who is what God is” to “Meshach” = “guest of a king”

The Jews wanted to stone Christ for making Himself out to be the Son of God, which is another way of saying “who is what God is”, and we read Christ’s answer to their explaining why they felt he should be stoned in these verses (Joh 10:33-38). 

Joh 10:33  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 
Joh 10:34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?  (Luk 3:38)
Joh 10:35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Joh 10:36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
Joh 10:37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Joh 10:38  But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Adam was the son of God (Luk 3:38), so in that way all mankind are sons of God. God is concerned with our spirit however, and when we are subject to the devil we are still sons of God, but of our father the devil (Joh 8:37, Joh 8:39) who was a murderer from the beginning (Rom 6:16). 

Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

If we become a new creation in this life through Christ our spirits are changed, a new heart is given, and we become a “guest of a king” invited to the wedding supper to partake of His life (Rev 19:9). We see God’s love toward us in that when we were yet sinners He died for us and came to us and was our guest (Rom 5:8-10, Luk 19:5-7). 

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Luk 19:5  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
Luk 19:6  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
Luk 19:7  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

Azariah = “Jehovah has helped” to “Abednego” = “servant of Nebo”  let him be servant of all

The mostly unknown ultimate goal for all of humanity is to be as Christ who thought it not robbery to be equal with God (1Jn 4:17, Php 2:6), the servant as his master (Mat 10:24, Joh 14:28), and it is only through our Father and Christ that this goal can be obtained (Joh 14:20) as He is our helper, and we are His workmanship that is being fashioned into a new creation that fits perfectly into God’s plan, because He is the one who put us there to be blessed to learn that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Psa 54:4, Psa 127:1, Eph 2:10, Act 20:35). 

Next week we will look at Daniel 1:8-21, a section of scripture that is very much a type and shadow event of how we are to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise (Eph 5:15-16), “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

When we are desirous of the Lord’s meat, His words, His truth, His portion, His will in our lives (Eph 5:17) as typified by Daniel not wanting to be defiled with “the portion of the king’s meat [Babylon (Isa 3:1)]” but rather he wanted to eat what he knew would be healthier for him and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. This dietary carefulness on Daniel’s part typifies for us a blessed people being given a “hunger and thirst after righteousness” for the true bread of life Jesus Christ (Mat 5:6) who satiates God’s people today in fulfilling the will of God in our lives, consuming the old man, the first temple, and building a new creation that will stand forever (Joh 2:19-21). We are standing healthy before the King when we fulfill His will (1Jn 2:16-17).

Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21  But he spake of the temple of his body.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: [the first temple Forty and six years [6+4= 10 flesh]] but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever [Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. A process of judgment [3] is needed to create a new temple (1Pe 4:17), his body that will last forever (1Co 3:16]. 

In our next study we will examine this next section of Daniel:

Dan 1:8  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Dan 1:9  Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 
Dan 1:10  And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
Dan 1:11  Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
Dan 1:12  Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
Dan 1:13  Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
Dan 1:14  So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
Dan 1:15  And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat. 
Dan 1:16  Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. 
Dan 1:17  As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Dan 1:18  Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan 1:19  And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 
Dan 1:20  And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
Dan 1:21  And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.