The Final Exam

Daniel 1: 18-21

Daniel and his friends have finished their three-year course of studies. Not only did they master every branch of Akkadian and Sumerian scholarship, but Daniel also mastered oneiromancy, the interpretation of dreams. This was no doubt a gift from God, similar to Joseph's ability; and since the king expected his wise men to be able to do this (chapter 2), he may have had opportunity to hone this skill in his course of study. 

(18) Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. 

Now Final Exam day came, and the king himself will administer the oral exam. Ashpenaz was doubtless very proud to present his students to the king. 

(19) The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they entered the king's personal service. 

Out of the entire group of brilliant young men, the king found that the four highest scorers on all the exams were none other than Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Mechach, and Abed-Nego. 

So these four got the jobs, they were appointed to be the king's own personal advisers, very responsible posts in his government. 

(20) As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. 

And the king's judgment on their "grades" was vindicated, as in their positions of authority they proved to be superior to all the other government officials, and even, ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers in the whole realm. These were considered the smartest, most learned men, and these Jews outshone them all. 

God honored their faith and their commitment to His ways, and they served with distinction. 

(21) And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king. 

We're not told how long the four lads lived, but at least Daniel lived to a ripe old age. The first year of Cyrus would probably be calculated as 536 B. C. when Daniel retired. So if he had been about 15-20 years old in 605 when he was deported out of Judah, then he probably lived to be at least 90 years old, because he was still kicking two years after his retirement, in "the third year of Cyrus" (10: 1). 

O my Father, this story concerning these four of your children of Israel is so amazing and fantastic. It almost reads like a fantasy novel. But Your Truth is so much better than any dime paperback. All the ideas for the world's storylines seem to have come from the true biographies You have chosen to preserve. 

To know these four young men and the wonders You worked in and through them in the pagan society You placed them in, is a real treat to enjoy. We're not told of their family lines and they had no descendants after them, they just stand alone in this epic. But they stand tall, faithful to the only One that is True. And they did not have any of the advantages we have: Your completed Scripture, which supplies everything we need to know to do Your will. 

And the Time to live after Your Son has fulfilled all the Law, and history has almost finished playing out. We can see the whole story, and we will receive the promises that all these ancient people hoped for and never saw (Hebrews 11). 

O Father, You are so good! You have been so good to me, to have chosen me and drawn me to Yourself through all the troubles and heartaches, and caused me to be born into Your own family. And even allowed me to live where I do and be in the human family I have. 

My Father, help me to grow in my appreciation of You in the midst of all the troubles that surround us all in this vale of tears. Be our strength when we're weak, be our supply when we are impoverished, be our light that we can shine in the darkness. 

And let our stories go out, our experiences of what You are doing. And we will gain the victory through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! 


(Today is Holy Saturday. Go here to see what Jesus was doing while His body was in the grave.)