Daniel 1:11

Letters to the Faithful - Daniel 1:11

Berean Standard Bible

Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

King James Bible

Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

Hebrew Text:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּנִיֵּ֗אל אֶל־הַמֶּלְצַר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִפְקִ֣יד שַׂר־הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים עַל־דָּנִיֵּ֖אל חֲנַנְיָ֥ה מִישָׁאֵֽל וַעֲזַרְיָֽה׃

Transliteration: 

Vayomer Daniel el-hamelzar asher hifkid sar-hasarisim al-Daniel Chananyah Mishael vaAzaryah.

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Then Daniel said to the steward

Daniel, a young Hebrew captive in Babylon, demonstrates wisdom and courage by addressing the steward. This steward is likely a subordinate to Ashpenaz, the chief official. Daniel's approach shows respect and tact, qualities that are emphasized throughout the book. His willingness to speak up reflects his faith and conviction, setting a precedent for how believers can engage with authority figures.

whom the chief official had appointed

The chief official, Ashpenaz, was responsible for the training and well-being of the captives. His appointment of a steward indicates a structured hierarchy within the Babylonian court. This reflects the organized nature of the Babylonian empire, known for its administrative efficiency. The delegation of duties also suggests trust in the steward's ability to manage the young men.

over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah

These four young men, all from the tribe of Judah, were selected for their potential to serve in the king's court. Their Hebrew names, which honor the God of Israel, contrast with the Babylonian names they were later given, which reference Babylonian deities. This renaming was part of an effort to assimilate them into Babylonian culture. Their steadfastness in maintaining their identity and faith is a recurring theme, illustrating the tension between cultural assimilation and religious fidelity.

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Beloved saints of the living God, grace, mercy, and peace be unto you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us today incline our ears to a passage that may seem small to the casual reader but is mighty in its revelation of godly character and apostolic conviction. We turn to Daniel 1:11, a quiet verse that marks the beginning of a divine confrontation—not with swords or fiery sermons, but with courage, obedience, and holy resolve. “Then Daniel said to the steward…” In this short phrase, we see the opening of a divine tension between the kingdom of Babylon and the kingdom of God, a tension that still exists today in every age and in every soul.

Here we find Daniel—a young man, taken from his homeland, stripped of his heritage, trained in the language and customs of a pagan empire. He has been given a new name and placed under the rule of the chief of the eunuchs. Babylon wants to shape him, to erase his identity, to reprogram his mind and redirect his loyalties. This is not just political captivity—it is spiritual warfare. The Babylonian system does not merely seek to enslave the body but to conform the heart.

But Daniel, though young and seemingly powerless, stands with the quiet strength of heaven. He does not riot, nor does he rebel recklessly. He does not compromise, but he does not posture either. He chooses a higher way—the way of holy resistance wrapped in wisdom and humility. And so, in verse 11, he speaks—not to the king, not to the chief ruler, but to the steward. He speaks to the one who has been placed over him, and he speaks not with pride, but with purpose.

This moment matters. Daniel’s words are the beginning of a line in the sand. He has already purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s food. But conviction without action is not faith—it is sentiment. Daniel moves with boldness. He appeals to the one who has been set over him. This is a principle that we, the Church of God, must recover: that true holiness is not loud arrogance, but consistent integrity. Daniel does not stage a protest—he makes a request. He knows who he is. He knows whom he serves. And though he is in Babylon, Babylon is not in him.

Let us take heed, Church, for we too dwell in a foreign land. This present world is not our home. We live in spiritual Babylon—an age that demands compromise, that feeds the flesh, that redefines truth and trains us to forget Zion. But let us be like Daniel—firm in our purpose, gentle in our appeal, unwavering in our allegiance. The world may rename us, but it cannot redefine us. The culture may surround us, but it cannot consume us unless we yield. What gave Daniel favor was not just his intellect or his eloquence, but his faithfulness. He purposed in his heart, and then he spoke with wisdom.

Now observe the divine wisdom in Daniel’s approach. He speaks to the steward—the one who holds influence in his immediate context. He does not shout to heaven while ignoring the chain of authority. He does not cry out for deliverance while refusing to be disciplined. He walks in respect, even while standing in resistance. This is not weakness. This is maturity. This is the posture of those who will rule with Christ. If you cannot speak with grace to your steward, you will not speak with authority to kings.

There is a lesson here for every believer, especially for the young. Daniel was likely a teenager, yet he bore the weight of eternity in his decisions. He did not wait until he was older, freer, or more established. He walked in holiness when it was hardest. And because of that, God gave him favor. You may be young, you may feel outnumbered, but if you will purpose in your heart to honor God and walk uprightly, He will open doors before you and shut the mouths of lions behind you.

This verse also reminds us that God's strategy is not always dramatic. The story of Daniel does not begin with the lion’s den or the fiery furnace. It begins with vegetables. It begins with a decision over food, over daily discipline, over what no one else would consider significant. But in the kingdom of God, obedience in small things opens the door to authority over great things. Those who will not defile themselves at the table will not be shaken in the trial. Those who are faithful in private will be used in public.

And Daniel does not walk alone. He is not an isolated voice. He is joined by Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—young men of similar conviction. Though Babylon renamed them—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—their true identity remained hidden in God. Saints, we need holy fellowship. We need comrades in the faith who will say, “We will not bow. We will not eat. We will not defile ourselves.” Daniel’s strength was not in his isolation but in his alignment. He stood with others who stood. If you want to survive Babylon, walk with those who seek Zion.

So what shall we say to these things? The spirit of Babylon still calls. It calls through media, through systems, through subtle compromise. It whispers, “Eat what the world eats. Think how the world thinks. Worship what the world loves.” But the Spirit of the Lord raises up a standard—men and women of resolve, young and old alike, who will say, “No. We belong to God.”

Let the Daniels arise. Let those with a pure heart and an excellent spirit be found in this generation. Let the Church be known not for its noise but for its character, not for its popularity but for its purity. Let us speak with boldness when needed, and with gentleness always. Let us appeal with wisdom and walk with righteousness. Let our lives preach before our mouths do.

And know this: God sees. He saw Daniel in Babylon. He sees you in your school, in your job, in your city, in your trial. He watches over the faithful, and He brings increase in due time. The God who honored Daniel will honor you, if you walk the narrow road, if you purpose in your heart, and if you refuse to compromise. One day, your story may be read not because of a great miracle, but because of a small act of obedience that God used to shift a kingdom.

So today, remember Daniel 1:11. It is not a shout. It is not a miracle. It is a step. It is a decision. It is a moment where heaven leaned in and said, “There is one who has chosen Me.”

May we be found in that number.

In the name of the Holy One of Israel,

Amen.

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O Sovereign and Eternal Lord, God of our fathers, God of Daniel and the prophets, God of the righteous who dwell in Your presence and serve before Your throne, we come before You now in reverence and humility. You who sit enthroned above the circle of the earth, You who rule the nations with wisdom and search the hearts of men with fire, we cry out to You, asking for Your Spirit to fall upon us with fresh clarity and holy boldness. You who gave wisdom to the young and understanding to the simple, speak again to Your people in this generation through the ancient witness of Daniel, Your servant, who feared You more than kings and walked upright in a crooked land.

Lord, we remember that Daniel did not stand in the land of his fathers, but in the courts of a pagan empire. He was not surrounded by priests, but by astrologers. He did not dine among the righteous, but among those who bowed to idols. Yet he purposed in his heart to honor You, and You honored him. He was young, yet his wisdom was from above. He was captive, yet his soul was free. He was offered the delicacies of Babylon, but he chose the disciplines of Zion. O God, raise up such hearts again!

We thank You, O Lord, for preserving this record, not for history alone but for the present hour, that we might learn the path of holiness, the way of bold obedience, and the strength of gentle resistance. In a world that seeks to rename, reshape, and reprogram Your people, grant us the spirit of Daniel. When the world offers compromise and seduction, give us the discernment to say no—not with pride or rebellion, but with faith and grace.

We see, Lord, that Daniel did not raise his voice in rebellion, but opened his mouth in wisdom. He spoke not to overthrow authority but to appeal in righteousness. He did not demand but requested. He did not boast but reasoned. And You, O God, gave him favor. Let us learn from him to walk in honor while standing in truth. Teach us to speak with conviction and compassion, to resist without rage, and to stand without self-righteousness.

We pray now for every believer placed under unjust systems, for every young man or woman facing pressure to conform to the spirit of this age. Strengthen them, Lord. Let the fear of God outweigh the fear of man. Let the whisper of Your voice silence every seduction of compromise. Let their steps be established in righteousness. Guard their hearts from pride and despair. Let them know they are not alone—that as You were with Daniel, You are with them even now.

We pray for the stewards, for those in authority—whether just or unjust. Turn their hearts as You turned the steward’s heart toward Daniel. Move upon kings and gatekeepers, managers and magistrates. Open doors no man can shut. Position Your people in places of influence, not to boast, but to bless. Let the spirit of excellence rest upon them. Let their lives be so marked by wisdom and integrity that even Babylon must take notice.

Lord, raise up a generation of Daniels, Hananiahs, Mishaels, and Azariahs—young men and women with holy conviction and unshakable character. Let them be trained in the language of the land but not captured by its customs. Let them excel in their fields but not bow to foreign gods. Let them stand together in covenant fellowship, refusing to be defiled, encouraging one another to faithfulness, and walking as a prophetic witness in the midst of compromise.

We ask, Father, for the grace to purpose in our hearts before the test comes. Let us not wait for the fire to decide if we will bow. Let us not wait for the lion’s den to decide if we will pray. Let us resolve now to be Yours, wholly and without reservation. Let us resolve to choose obedience in secret, so that we may stand in boldness when the trial comes in public.

Forgive us, O Lord, for the times we have dined at Babylon’s table and called it blessing. Forgive us for the ways we have adopted the ways of the world while wearing the name of Christ. Cleanse us from defilement. Restore in us the conviction of holiness. Renew in us the desire for purity. Let us hunger for what is clean more than what is convenient. Let us thirst for righteousness more than we crave approval.

And now, Holy Spirit, empower us. Empower us to speak with wisdom to the stewards around us. Empower us to walk in humility before kings. Empower us to choose vegetables when others demand delicacies—symbolically, to choose the narrow path, the disciplined life, the consecrated way. Let us be content with less if it means we gain more of You. Let us embrace simplicity if it means we walk in sincerity.

May Your Church be a remnant of resolve in the midst of a generation that bends. May Your people shine as lights in the darkness, not with arrogance, but with authenticity. Let the world see that our hope is not in the systems of men, but in the living God who reigns above all. Let our integrity be louder than our sermons. Let our devotion be deeper than our declarations.

We ask this not for our fame, but for Your glory. Not so that we are remembered, but so that Christ is revealed. May every decision of holiness be a testimony to Your worth. May every refusal to compromise be a declaration that You alone are God. And may the fruit of our obedience be seen—not just in favor with men, but in the advance of Your kingdom.

We pray this in the name of the Son of Man, who stood before governors and rulers without fear, who lived without sin, and who now sits at the right hand of the Father—Jesus Christ, our Savior and our King. Let His name be exalted in us as it was in Daniel. Let His Spirit govern our lives as it governed the exiles of old.

To You be glory in the Church, now and forever.

Amen.