Daniel 1:4-5, New International Version

“Young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.”

I would like to name this message, “Kids in Babylon Now and Then.”

To help explain why, we will look into what Babylon represents in the Bible, their way of living, and how they treated Daniel and his friends who were chosen people of the Lord.

Babylon was a city in ancient Mesopotamia that was the capital of Babylonia. The Babylonian Empire was the most powerful state in the ancient world, and known for its advancements in law, architecture, mathematics, and science. The empire also produced the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was the wealthiest civilization in the ancient world. Babylonians were polytheistic and worshiped a large pantheon of gods and goddesses. (Information from the history record)

Through the Bible, we also learn that Babylonians were viewed as gentiles and set apart from God’s people. They did not have the law of God, nor did they follow Him. However, God raised it up as a tool to discipline His people during the time of the exile. The king of Babylon treated Daniel and his friends with feasts and wealth, taught them knowledge, and showed them how they could have a successful and prosperous future. (Daniel 1:4-5)

After reading all of this, do you realize that Babylon is still in the world today? This is the perspective that the world wants the young generation to see from and to chase after. Daniel and his friends may have parents who were following God or rejecting and rebelling against God. They could have been lost and confused when they saw all of the things offered by the king of the Babylon. They could have also believed that this was the new way to go and to live, and the old way, the way that the Lord God Almighty, no longer existed. We may even wonder if some of the other young Israelites not mentioned, turned their back to God and adapted the Babylonian lifestyle and worshiped false gods? The gods of wealth, fame, knowledge, and their own self?

Yes, there are many who were lost and many who lost their identity. They forgot the promises of their Creator. Thank God that He does not forget. His love and promises are still there. They are alive and He is on the move. This is the same thing that we see happening generation after generation from then until now. The hope of the Lord is not lost in any generation. In the same way that we saw the Lord raise Daniel and we saw victory in his obedience, we will see the same now.

Christ followers, stand firm and move with faith! Our God still has His good will for you and your family!