Idolatry can take many forms. Ellen White, inspired 19th century writer, had this to say of idolatry practiced then: “Many who bear the name of Christians are serving other gods besides the Lord. Our Creator demands our supreme devotion, our first allegiance. Anything which tends to abate our love for God, or to interfere with the service due Him, becomes thereby an idol. With some their lands, their houses, their merchandise, are the idols.” Does this still apply to many professed Christians today? To the Israelites, pagan idolatry led to them soon having little regard for the proper observance of the Sabbath. The same writer said: "Heathen merchants and traders from the surrounding country had been intent upon leading the children of Israel to engage in traffic upon the Sabbath. While there were still some who would not be induced to sacrifice principle, and transgress the commandment of God, others were more easily influenced and they joined with the heathen in their endeavor to overcome the scruples of their more conscientious countrymen; and the idolaters boasted of the success that had attended their efforts. Many dared openly to violate the Sabbath.”

Out of the great numbers who were taken to Babylon, the Bible only speaks of four who had the courage to stand up for their faith when in the hands of a ruthless pagan nation. These four were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (v6). They were youths who had been well educated and highly placed in the nation of Judah, and they were among a group chosen to be educated for three years in the way of the Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar aimed at blotting out of their minds as much of their former identity as he could, so their names were changed to reflect the names of local pagan gods; Daniel became Belteshazzar, Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael was given the name Meshach and Azariah was renamed Abednego (v7).

They were tested straight away, by being offered what most of the captives would have seen as the high privilege of getting a daily provision of the king's meat and his wine (v5.) But, because it was against their principles, Daniel and his three companions risked death by refusing the offer. They proposed a test, asking for only pulse (vegetables) and water to be given to them for ten days and after that time, for their health to be compared to those eating the king's meat. Surprisingly, because absolute rulers do not normally take kindly to their orders being contradicted, king Nebuchadnezzar agreed to their request (verses 8 - 14.) Then, in verse 15, Scripture says: "and at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat." They were allowed to continue eating in the way they had always been taught.

A brief but very clear summary of that first chapter was made in the 1880s by Christian writer Ellen White:

“The first chapter of Daniel teaches the lesson that what we eat and drink has an influence upon the powers of the mind, and that if we would have healthful bodies and clear minds, we must be careful of our diet. If we are careless in this matter, and eat simply to gratify taste, the digestive organs are impaired, and the brain is confused, and neither can act their parts as fully as God intended they should.
“Daniel and his companions determined to banish from their diet everything that would defile, and a power from above worked in harmony with their efforts. As a result they had the privilege of following their own course in the obtaining of their education. And the education they gained was better than that gained by any of the magicians, astrologers, or wise men in all the king's realm.” Sermons and Talks, Vol 2 p314.

“What if Daniel had made a compromise with those heathen rulers, and had denied his God? ...That one wrong step would probably have led to others, until, his connection with Heaven being severed, he would have been borne away by the power of temptation. But while he clung to God with unwavering, prayerful trust, he could not he forsaken. The divine protection is pledged to those who thus seek it, and God cannot forget his word". Signs of the Times, 4 Nov, 1886.

There is no prophecy as such in this first chapter, but it lays the foundation for what God intended to do through Daniel and his companions throughout the 70 years of the Jewish captivity in Babylon.

The experience of the first chapter also prepared Daniel for the death decree which, through no fault of his own, he was to face in Chapter 2.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a great image, but could not remember the details. He called on his Chaldean wise men but they could not detail or explain the dream, saying:

“There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter.... And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh” (Daniel 2:10,11.)

The Chaldeans could not show it, even through their gods. But the one true God used Daniel to show the king what he wanted to know. That will be detailed in the next chapter.

Next Chapter: Daniel 2