From the Book of Daniel

Imagine, if you will, what it must have been like for these individuals. Forcibly removed from their home, perhaps after witnessing the death of their parents, these boys, probably in their mid-teens, found themselves in what amounted to a prisoner of war camp.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar gave the order to bring in some of the captives from the royal family and nobility. We are told that the king was looking for handsome young lads of high intelligence who were quick learners. In other words, Nebuchadnezzar wanted the cream of the crop. Those who were selected were to undergo a three years crash study course - school if you will - during which they were to be well cared for, but compelled to learn the language of the Chaldeans as well as their captors literature, culture, customs. At the end of their studies they were to be brought before the king for an oral exam. Those lads whom Nebuchadnezzar found to be intelligent and engaging would then enter into service in the king's palace. One can only speculate on the fate of those who failed the test.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were four of those selected to study under the Chaldeans. But almost from the start there was a problem. The food that the students were given to eat would have compromised the young men's religious beliefs.

It would have been easy to reason, "God has allowed me to be taken captive and placed me under this authority. If I don't eat what is put before me I could end up in worse trouble than I'm already in. Best to not rock the boat. After all, others live off of this food and don't seem to have any ill effects. God knows my plight and will understand."

But these young men didn't use human reasoning. They relied on the Word of God and politely asked permission not to defile themselves with the king's food and drink.

Such a request could have been their death sentence, but God caused Daniel and his friends to find favor in the eyes of the Chief Official.

The man, however, was not pleased with the idea. "I'm afraid of Nebuchadnezzar," he explained. "This food comes from the king's own kitchen. When the king sees you looking worse than the other young students who are eating and drinking what he ordered for them he will have me beheaded!"

"Give us a ten day test," Daniel wisely suggested. "During that time we will eat nothing but vegetables and drink only water. At the end of the ten days, compare our physical condition with that of those young men who eat the royal food and drink the royal wine. Then judge what to do."

The official agreed to the test and, to his surprise, at the end of the ten days Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the food and drank the wine which the King had commanded.

The guard then willingly took away the royal food and gave the Jewish captives a diet of vegetables and water.

Because they have proven themselves faithful to God, God gave the young men extra help. He granted Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah special knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. In addition, Daniel was given the special gift of understanding visions and dreams.

At the end of the three years the boys were brought before Nebuchadnezzar and the king, after giving them some tough questions, found that none of the other young captives could equal Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah in wisdom, understanding and poise. He put them into service in the royal court and soon discovered that they were ten times better at their jobs than the magicians and enchanters of his kingdom.

These young men had, at an early age, put their trust in God and followed God's law even when doing so put their lives at risk.

They knew that, in the end, it was God they were accountable to and not man, no matter how high that man was in authority.