The Kingdom of God Versus the Kingdom of Man (1): Babylonian Cultural Assimilation (Daniel 1:1-8) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Plan of Nebuchadnezzar
II. The Purpose of Daniel
Stuart Olyott on Daniel 1: “If Daniel had not stood firm at this point, could he possibly have stood firm later, when threatened with death in a lions’ den? If his three companions had compromised in their early life, how would they have fared when faced by a burning fiery furnace? It is because they honoured God in a small thing that they were able to honour Him when bigger issues were at stake. People who fall into serious sins only do so because they have learned to tolerate smaller ones” (Dare to Stand Alone, p. 22).
John Calvin’s prayer (after his exposition of Daniel 1:1-9): “Grant, Almighty God, since thou here proposest a remarkable example before our eyes, that we may learn thy power to be so great as not to be sufficiently celebrated by any human praises: and since we hear how its herald was a profane king, nay, even a cruel and proud one, and thou hast afterwards deigned to manifest thyself to us familiarly in Christ, — Grant, that in the spirit of humility we may desire to glorify thee, and to cleave entirely to thee. May we declare thee to be ours, not only in mouth and tongue, but also in works; not only as our true and only God, but our Father, since thou hast adopted us in thine only-begotten Son, until at length we enjoy that eternal inheritance which is laid up for us in heaven by the same Christ our Lord. — Amen.”