Daniel’s Real Identity

Though Daniel is a common name, his life was very uncommon by any standard. We see in the first chapter of Daniel, that “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it” and he carried off articles from God’s temple into the treasure house of a Babylonian god. When the Babylonians conquered their foes, instead of decimating all those who stood in their way, they instead employed an unusual strategy. They chose the best looking, brightest, and articulate young men to serve under the Babylonian King. (v.3-4) Through training in one of the best universities in the world at the time, instead of forcing the best and the brightest to serve as soldiers or slaves – they trained them to eat, drink, and think as Babylonians. These young men would grow to become Babylonians in their minds and hearts, giving their allegiance not only to the nation but the culture and lifestyle of Babylon.