God, Science, History, and Education
Daniel and his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), were Israelite prisoners of war in ancient Babylon. These four young men had been either members of the royal family or nobles before they became prisoners.
All four met the qualifications that the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar required for young men working in his court. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted:
. . . youths in whom was no defect,
who were good-looking,
showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom,
endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge,
and who had ability for serving in the king’s court . . . .
Daniel 1:4
The king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to teach the Chaldean language and its literature to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and to the other young Israelites Ashpenaz chose to work in the king’s court.
Sometime later King Nebuchadnezzar began to have dreams and difficulty sleeping. One dream was particularly troublesome to the king. When none of the king’s magicians, conjurers, sorcerers, or Chaldeans could tell him what the dream meant, the king ordered all of his wise men to be killed, including Daniel and his three friends.
Daniel asked the king to give him time so that he could learn what the dream meant. Daniel talked to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah so that they could ask God to be compassionate on them, so that they would not be destroyed with the other wise men of Babylon.
God sent Daniel the interpretation in a night vision. After the vision, Daniel said something that I believe applies powerfully to a child’s education. Let’s read it and then I’ll explain what I mean.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven;
Daniel said,
“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
For wisdom and power belong to Him.
It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to men of understanding.
It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And the light dwells with Him.”
Daniel 2:20-22
Think about how these ideas apply to your children’s education.
Daniel and his friends sought God’s wisdom.
Daniel knew that God is at work in history. He is the One who changes times and epochs and who removes and establishes kings.
Think about great literature that teaches truth and remember that it is God Who gives wisdom to wise men.
Think about scientific study and discovery. It is God who reveals the profound and hidden things. He is the One who knows what is in darkness. All light dwells in God.
I am grateful for your opportunity to honor God by how and what you teach your children. Let’s read Daniel’s words again:
“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
For wisdom and power belong to Him.
It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to men of understanding.
It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And the light dwells with Him.”
Daniel 2:20-22
Excellent!