The Best Taken

In the third year of the reign of Jehoaikim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid seige to it. The Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels from the house of God. Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Babylon, to the house of his god, and put the vessels in the treasury of his god.
The king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility-young men without any physical defect, good looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the kings palace- and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end if that time they were to serve in the king's court. Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief official gave them other names: he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah. Daniel 1:1-7

Countries are still being ravaged and the best are taken. For these young men, they would have been about 15, this would be devastating. The families would grieve and mourn and cry unfair. Yet the prophets had warned it would happen. It happened because the king walked in evil practices and caused the people to sin. 

These four young men were taken into a foreign kings court and had their names changed: Daniel, whose name meant God is my judge, received the name Belteshazzar, which means Bel protect him. To any good Jewish boy this is horrible. Yet it happened for a purpose.

What purpose could God have in allowing these four young men to be taken into the court of a evil king bent on destruction? We will see throughout the book that God did indeed have a plan. He raised these young men up as they honored their God and did not compromise. They became leaders and showed the power of their God.

We so often cry unfair when we see nations dispossessed. Yes we must stand against cruelty and help the helpless but who knows where they are destined to go? Only God, who loves them dearly, knows the plans He has for them. He has a hope and a purpose. Right now they are suffering but a new day is coming. I pray they find that place. Amen!

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