Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—Daniel 1:3-7
by: Linda Harris.
The four Hebrew boys faced four disruptions in their lives:
• They became isolated from their land, religious structures and families.
• They were indoctrinated in Babylonian culture.
• The temptations of the royal cuisine challenged their beliefs.
• Their name changes threatened their identities. Their Hebrew names glorified God (through the suffixes -el and -iah) while their new names extolled Babylonian gods.
Think about times when you have been isolated, indoctrinated, or tempted. How did you feel? Has someone labeled you “troublemaker” or “unwanted”? Have you been told you’re not attractive or smart? Those descriptions are not your identity. Your worth comes from God, who sees you as loved, precious, and desirable.