1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
What is the Time Frame of the Book of Daniel
It has been well established by historians that Jehoiakim was appointed king by Necho II, King of Egypt, in 608 BC. Therefore this event occurred in 604 BC as years of the King of this time were often counted after the first year was completed. So in other words, he became King in 608, but his first year was not counted unil 607 BC and therefore the third year of Jehoiakim was 604 BC. To see the historical documentation of this on wikipedia click → this link.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Verse 1 and 2 document 5 historical facts:
- Jehoiakim was king of Judah;
- Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon;
- Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem;
- Jahoiakim fell into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar;
- Nebuchadnezzar took a portion of the sacred vessels of the house of God and carried them to Babylon
The Bible is the most historically accurate document known to mankind. It documents 6 thousand years of history. Archaeology has verified all of what the Bible states as historical fact. Even though we don’t have any archaeological evidence of anything from before the flood, the subsequent approximate 4300 years have not been recorded with such perfect accuracy by any other document known to man such as the Bible has. Jesus is God and Jesus is the Word of God. The Bible is the Word of God and that makes Jesus synonymous with both God and the Word of God. {John 1:14} God cannot lie. {Hebrews 6:18} Therefore the Bible is historically accurate. That is not a statement made in faith. The Bible itself has proven to be historically accurate.
The prophet Jeremiah foretold the overthrow of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in {Jeremiah 25:8-11}.
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
( Daniel did not want to eat the meat of the Kings table because it could be unclean (pork, shell fish, sacrificed to idols, did not have the blood drained out of it, etc) Babylon was a Pagan nation and their food was traditionally sacrificed to idols. In Chapter 15 of the book of Acts in verse 19 and 20 of the book of acts it says that Christians are to abstain from the pollutions of idols, from things strangles and from blood.
Acts 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Virtually every piece of meat on the market has blood in it unless it is officially labeled as Kosher. Meat producers don’t want to drain the blood for two reasons. It makes the meat heavier and many people think it tastes better with the blood and therefore both reasons increase profits. The Jews were required to drain the blood from the animal when they killed it. Many meats are also strangled and sacrificed to idols by modern meat producers. Therefore, by eating meat, the majority of modern Christians are doing something that the Bible strictly prohibits. These are health laws. The Jews were given a large number of health laws. This goes to show that just like the law of gravity, the natural health laws still apply to modern day New Testament theology.
Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
Leviticus 3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings
Leviticus 17:10-14 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
Leviticus 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Deuteronomy 12:16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.
Deuteronomy 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 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.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
One of the things that the Manah of the Bible represents is health food. Moses lived to a healthy age of 120 years and he was just a strong as he was at 40. He was perfectly fit when he died. This is Gods plan for your life. In order to achieve it you must eat healthy food and stay away from pharmaceutical drugs. God made herbs for the healing of the nations. He did not make the pharmaceutical industry for that purpose. A healthy tomato does not come with a disclaimer with a long list of health risks that modern medicines do, yet it has many properties which promote good health. It has been well known for millennium there are many fruits, vegetables and herbs that have health restorative properties.
Deuteronomy 34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.