Daniel’s Friend

We do not know exactly how Daniel felt but he had every reason to be angry, frightened and sad. He had become a prisoner. But Daniel had a wonderful Friend who was with him all the time. That Friend was God Himself. Daniel often talked to Him in prayer and also read the parts of the Bible he had in Babylon. This way he learnt how great, perfect and almight God is. He could read there that God had created the world and that He loves every person. Daniel came to believe that God loves him too. God is always with him and helps him.

School

The Bible tells us that the King of Babylon sent his officials to pick out some of these young prisoners who were handsome and intelligent so that they could be trained for good jobs in the king’s palace.

Daniel and some of his friends were chosen for this special education that was to last for three years. They had a lot to learn! The language of Babylon was new to them. They had to study hard to learn to read and write it. They also had to study the poems and the essays that had been written in the Babylonian language. Many things had to be learnt by heart. But they were very well taken care of.

Daniel and his friends were ready to learn all these new things, but they did not want to be like the Babylonian people who prayed to false gods. These people did not know the true God that the Bible tells us about, the God who is completely good and wise and loving. Instead, the Babylonians made statues of stone and wood and called them gods. Daniel and his three friends made up their minds not to forget that they were God’s children. Above all, they wanted to obey God and to please Him in the school, in the palace or wherever were.

Difficult Test

Very soon they faced a difficult test. They were offered some delicious food. But there was a real problem. The four young friends knew that the food had probably been offered to a statue of a false god. The Babylonians believed that if they offered food to one of these “gods” (who really were not gods at all), that god would bless them – give them what they needed – rain for their crops or make them well if they were sick.

Daniel and his friends knew that if they took the food they would be agreeing to the lies that these false gods could answer their prayers. God wanted them to show that they prayed only to Him and trusted in Him alone for all that they needed.

So what did they do? After all, they were at the enemy king’s palace! Will they be brave enough to do something? Or will they stay silent?