Daniel 1:17-21 | Wisdom that Triumphs
Daniel 1:17-21 - 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Symbolism of Ten in Biblical Narrative
In Daniel 1, there is a number scattered throughout the account: "ten days" and "ten times" (v12, 14, 15 and 20). Is this a coincidence? I don’t think so. The number ten is often used as a symbol of completeness and fullness in the Bible. For example, the Ten Commandments, which form the moral code of Israel, are usually seen as a 'complete' set of laws for the ancient commonwealth (Exodus 20:1-17). Further, in the Exodus narrative, God sends ten plagues to Egypt, demonstrating his 'complete' power over Pharoah and the gods of Egypt (Exodus 7:14-12:36). Echoing the experience of Daniel, the Church of Smyrna was encouraged to suffer persecution for “ten days" to receive the reward of their ‘completed’ test: the "victor's crown" (Revelation 2:10).
Daniel's Endurance and God's Favour
What, then, does ten symbolise in Daniel 1? I believe it is a symbol that reveals the favour of God that comes after a completed test. Daniel endured a plain diet of pulse for "ten days" (1:12), and, after his three-year training program was completed, was found "ten times" better in wisdom (1:20)—a wisdom that caused him to outlive the kingdom of Babylon itself (1:21). In one sense, the words of Jesus to Smyrna are words typified by Daniel. He was faithful to the very end of his days, and received the crown of victory that accompanies wisdom. Daniel outlasted his conquerors, showing that the God of wisdom is the victor. What a story full of irony! "The God whom Nebuchadnezzar was seeking to eliminate is triumphing." [1]
Wisdom Rooted in God
But let me clarify this further. The unrivalled wisdom of Daniel was not rooted in the liberal arts of Babylon; it was a "wisdom and understanding" rooted in God. Consider, for example, the word "understanding" (1:17). This word includes the "qualities of success and insight", which contributed to the action of studying God's word (9:1-2). [2] "It is associated with obeying God's covenant (Deuteronomy 29:9), turning to God (Jeremiah 10:21), and trusting God (Proverbs 16:20)." [3]
But Daniel was not only a man who lived deep in the word and prayer like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; he was set apart from even them in wisdom. Stephen Miller says,
"The young prophet was miraculously endowed with a gift highly prized in that day, especially in Babylon—the ability to understand all kinds of visions and dreams.” [4]
The truth is that Daniel was an instrument of divine revelation. God spoke directly to him (Daniel 2:28). Unlike other wise men of Babylon, Daniel could see clearly behind the curtain of mystery (1:17b). "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven" (John 3:27), and God had poured a full and complete knowledge upon Daniel.
Daniel as a Foreshadowing of Christ
For this reason, when we look at Daniel, it is almost impossible not to see Christ, the ultimate embodiment of wisdom and understanding (1 Corinthians 1:30). "Daniel prefigures Christ, who was both the wisdom teacher par excellence, who made known the secrets of God, and wisdom incarnation, the final and full word from God." [5] Through Daniel, the archetypal wise man, God caused exiles to outlast Babylon, and through Jesus, the ultimate wise man, we who live in a spiritual Babylon, will too be crowned victorious in the end (Revelation 18:21).
Triumphing in Christ
Wounded, tired, hurting exile on the way, be, therefore, confident. The Christ whom our world is seeking to eliminate is triumphing. He has won on the cross, is winning now, and, will culminate his victory in the end. In the meantime, "boast in the Lord", for his wisdom is unrivalled (1 Corinthians 1:31).
[1] John E. Goldingay, Daniel (vol. 30; Word Biblical Commentary; Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1989), 27.
[2] Joe M. Sprinkle, Daniel (Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary; Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), 59.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Stephen R. Miller, Daniel (vol. 18; The New American Commentary; Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 70.
[5] Wendy L. Widder, Daniel (ed. Tremper Longman III and Scot McKnight; The Story of God Bible Commentary; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2016), 38.