The Book of Daniel: Chapter 1 - Be the Part.

Hello.

How are you today?

I hope your day is going on beautifully.

Today, we begin a series of Bible Study on some Bible personalities, principles, teachings and much more.

We will be studying The book of Daniel today.

I love studying about the life of Daniel because of the theme of ‘Excellence’ in it. This man made us realize that living a life of Excellence is possible. He made us realize that a dedicated life of service to God is rewarding and fulfilling.

I hope by the end of our study, we would have learned valuable lessons and gained practical insight on living excellently for God.

Let’s begin.


The Book of Daniel.
Chapter 1.
Title: Be the Part.


Vs.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;”
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Vs.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 mi ght teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.”
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 - The king requested for men of skill and capacity. He requested for men of distinction. Daniel was one of them. He was exceptional even amongst his peers. Yet, the king still wanted them to go through a dietary change that would make them fit perfectly in his legion of men of caliber. He wanted the Best of the Best.


Vs.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.”
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Vs.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.”
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- Daniel was a determined and principled person. He knew who he was and what he carried. He was a  disciplined man who knew that the king’s diet would defile him. So, he requested for another type of food. Daniel knew what he wanted.

Vs.9 “Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.”
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Vs. 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.”
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Vs.11-12 “Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.”

Vs. 13-16 “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. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 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. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.”

- An excellent life is one of promotion but you have to prepare for it. It also means that you must take care of your body. To achieve greatness and operate at a maximum capacity, you must work on your body and mind. Eating and drinking the right and healthy things is a must. You see, you must not just look the part; you must be the part.

Vs.17-21 “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. 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. 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. 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. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.”

 - To be the ‘best amongst the best’; you must be disciplined, forgo some ‘pleasures’, work on your diet and yourself. You shouldn’t just look the part; you must be the part.


I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. It’s time to implement in our lives the things that made Daniel the exceptional and excellent person he was. He knew who and whose he was and that made the difference in his life. Let’s walk in that knowledge and begin our journey towards excellence.

Yetunde.
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