Glimpses of What's Normally Unrecognizable

1. The three “God gaves” in Daniel chapter one:

a. V.2 Daniel subtly contradicts the propaganda of the Babylonian military machine.

b. V. 9 God makes possible Daniel's holiness and devotion by softening the heart of an otherwise unaccommodating eunuch.

c. V.17 God makes possible the Hebrew youth's mastery of Babylonian knowledge and impresses a king to open doors for them.

2. Application:

a. God cares for his people by raising up four Hebrews into places of political influence before the large numbers of Jewish refugees come for the time of captivity in Babylon. Had not God done this, probably the Jewish nation would have melted into oblivion due to depression and trauma.

b. When circumstances most disturb you and you're tempted to say, “God has absconded and left me alone!”, remember the four young men who never ultimately judged God based on circumstances, but judged circumstances based on what they knew about God and his covenant.