Daniel 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
The book of Daniel is a book of God’s providence, the fact that God is sovereign and God is in control no matter who appears to rule at the moment. Providence is a word that comes from a word that means “provide-ance.” There are actually two words, “pro” and “vide” that literally have the idea of the providence of God, that God is able to look ahead and provide for us before we even know we have a need.
Throughout the book of Daniel, you see the providence of God. Daniel’s country, of course, had been over taken by Babylon and the mighty king Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, along with others, had been taken captive and shipped miles away to Babylon, a foreign land.
The other week we were having Family Camp here on the Bill Rice Ranch and I thought during Family Camp, “If my child were taken to Washington D.C. for reeducation and an identity overhaul, what would I do?” When Daniel was taken to Babylon they changed his name, his diet, his education. They wanted to erase everything that made Daniel what he was as a part of God’s Jewish people and make him something Babylonian. They tried to change his very identity. If your child were in that position, upon what would you rely as a parent? Would you rely on what you had done in teaching your child or would you rely upon the providence of God?
I framed that question in such a way as to probably warrant someone saying, “I wouldn’t trust myself. I would certainly trust God.” Obviously, we should trust God and not ourselves, but the point is that God provides through parents and beyond parents who take action. Daniel was a wise young man. From whence did he get that wisdom?
Verse 4 tells us that when he went to Babylon with the other captives, they were searching out young people who were “skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach.” The question is, “How did Daniel come to Babylon already equipped with that?” It is quite obvious that he had parents who had actively been teaching and training him.
In verse 17 it says,” God gave them [Daniel and his three friends] knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.” In Proverbs 4 the Bible teaches us the importance of parents teaching wisdom to their kids and it also teaches that God is the source of wisdom. So, God is the source of wisdom and parents are the conduit for wisdom. Parents are the ones whom God uses to give knowledge to young people. So, God provides through parents and beyond parents who take action. Daniel’s parents were not in Babylon, but what they had taught, God honored and He provided when they were no longer able to do what they had done when Daniel was growing up.
Look at Daniel’s purpose. Verse 8 says, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.” He was not going to change who he was just to be in Babylon. He was a wise young man. He was not a rebel. He was a young man who knew how to appeal to authority, but he was a man who had made a determination just the same that he was not going to defile himself. This was a purpose that predated Babylon. Where did he get this? God certainly strengthened this resolve, but this was a resolve that was instilled in his heart by parents who are not even named in this account.
From whence did Daniel get the confidence that is so obvious in him? In verse 12 he speaks to the man in charge of their care and says, “Prove thy servants.” He basically says, “You want to change our diet. Let us eat what we believe is right for us to eat as Jewish young men and test us.” That was confidence when he was far from home, far from parents, and far from any adults in his life that he had before. God was the One Who provided for him when his parents were gone because God had provided through his parents when they were there.
As a parent, you can rest in the providence of God when you obey the commands of God as His child. God provides through parents and God provides beyond parents who simply take God at His word and take action.