His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents in this part a wide image of the Prophet Daniel, a symbol of purity, wisdom, and spiritual chastity, and a model of the believer who remains firm in his faith despite captivity and trials, and how God turns affliction into glory and testing into blessing that declares the name of the Lord among nations.

1. Daniel’s position and prophecy

• His name means “God judges,” and he is one of the major prophets with Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

• He prophesied much about the last days, and his book contains symbolic and difficult time expressions.

• He lived during the Babylonian captivity and was of noble or royal lineage.

2. His selection in Babylon and excellence

• Daniel and the three youths were chosen because they were of good appearance, wise, understanding, and knowledgeable.

• After three years of training, he surpassed all the magicians and wise men tenfold.

• Although a captive of war, God raised him to a high position because of his purity.

3. Daniel’s asceticism and purity

• He refused to defile himself with the king’s delicacies or wine and requested a plant-based diet.

• He lived ascetically even in palaces and fasted long fasts without pleasant food, meat, or wine.

• His fasting was fasting of repentance and humility, using sackcloth and ashes.

4. His wisdom in interpreting dreams and visions

• He showed that God—not himself—is the revealer of mysteries.

• He interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream without the king telling him the dream beforehand.

• In humility he declared: “There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets.”

5. Glorifying God through trials

• After interpreting the dream, the king bowed before him and exalted him, and appointed the three youths over Babylon’s provinces.

• God permitted captivity to reveal His glory and turn evil into good.

6. The furnace of fire and the three youths

• They refused to bow to the golden image and declared: “We must obey God rather than men.”

• They were thrown into the furnace heated sevenfold, and “one like the Son of the gods” appeared with them.

• They came out unharmed, and the king glorified God and forbade speaking against Him.

7. The lions’ den and Daniel

• Officials envied him and obtained a decree forbidding prayer to any god.

• He opened his window and prayed openly without fear.

• He was cast into the den, and God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths.

• The king proclaimed: “He is the living eternal God… the deliverer and wonder worker.”

Spiritual conclusion

Daniel is a model of the faithful man in exile, steadfast in principle, unchanged by palaces or trials.
He teaches us purity, ascetic life, prayer, and faith that God can turn captivity into dominion, the den into testimony, and affliction into glory for His holy name.

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