The Daring Deeds of Daniel: A Historical Novel Based on the Lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

By David Siriano

Imagine the faith needed to stare down a hungry lion?

Daniel is renowned as a biblical prophet who had divine insight into the historical events of his time as well as future events yet to take place. After being taken captive as a young man from his own land in Judah, he became a prophetic voice God used to speak to many leade

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Siriano Ministries
• Release date: Oct 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986399720

David Siriano

David Siriano is a graduate of Zion (Northpoint) Bible College in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and has a degree in Bible. He served as a pastor in the New England States and in New York for forty-five years until 2008. No longer pastoring, he now travels with his wife, Elsa May, as he conducts end-times Bible prophecy seminars nationwide.

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INTRODUCTION TO THE DARING DEEDS OF DANIEL

AN HISTORIC NOVEL OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL

Daniel is renowned as a biblical prophet with an understanding of the knowledge and historical events of his time, and of future events that were yet to t ake place.

Daniel was taken captive as a young man from his homeland of Judah along with other young men, most notably Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The captivity of the people of Judah in Babylon lasted for seventy years.

Daniel’s fate was sealed by God to be in the place to which he was taken so that he could serve as the prophetic voice in speaking with many leaders in various important positions in the governments of Babylon and Media-Persia. His ministry covered the times of Kings Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus.

Not only was Daniel placed in these highly sensitive positions, but he also had to face and speak to these self-indulgent pagan kings, evil sorcerers, heathen idolaters, and those who plotted against the saints of God. He also had to speak for God in confronting a horrible sacrilege of the sacred objects that were used for worship in Jerusalem.

While we believe that Daniel did indeed write his own book and lived approximately 500 to 600 years before the time of Christ, there are some who do not believe he wrote the book at all.

For example, I took Hebrew lessons from a rabbi whose teaching was of a reformed background, and he did not believe that Daniel wrote the book. He said that no one could have made such predictions that could have transpired so accurately. He believed that someone after the time of Daniel compiled the historical events and created the narrative that took place and used the material to write it in Daniel’s name.

Of course, I believe that Daniel wrote and compiled the many miraculous astounding events that took place and were spoken during his time. They are now used as the voice of God to make an impact upon the many generations that are in expectation of end-time events.

Although Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are seen only in chapters one, two and three of the book of Daniel, I have used this novel to have them in conversations with Daniel throughout the entire book.

LIST OF SOME OF THE CHARACTERS

Daniel

Daniel was a righteous man of royal lineage and lived from about 620 to 530 BC. He was carried off to Babylon as a young man in 605 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon . He lived into his 80’s or 90’s and was still living when Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and Persians . He and his three Hebrew friends were treated as magi (Daniel 1:3 – 7;   2:47 ).

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

These three were taught at a young age to have faith and trust in God. Their original Hebrew names are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Confronted with death in a fiery furnace, their story served as a powerful example to those who may doubt their faith or are faced with difficulty in their lives.

Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar is first mentioned in 609 BC, during the destruction of Babylon’s archenemy, Assyria. He was the crown prince and eventually became the king following his father Nabopolassar. Daniel interpreted his dreams and Nebuchadnezzar repented three times during his reign.

Belshazzar

He was the son of Nabonidus, a king not related directly to Nebuchadnezzar. He became king and is spoken as Nebuchadnezzar’s son, perhaps in the sense of a successor. The handwriting on the wall happened during his reign.

Darius

He conquered Babylon and was related to Cyrus the king of Persia, and he was king when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den.

Cyrus

King of Persia who sent Darius to conquer Babylon. He released the Hebrews who were in captivity so they could return to their land.

Ashpenaz

One of the chief officers that attended about the persons of the king. These officers were commonly called eunuchs; they were the guardians of the women kept for the king.

Melzar

The officer who was appointed over the employees in the palace and entrusted with the oversight of Daniel and his three companions.

Arioch

Arioch was the captain of the king’s guard whom King Nebuchadnezzar charged with putting all the wise men to death after one of his dreams.

Michael

The archangel who stands to defend the nation of Israel (Daniel 12:1). He opposed Satan when he argued with him over the body of Moses after he died (Jude 9). He has command over angels when fighting the Devil over Israel in the tribulation in Revelation 12:7–11. The angel Michael is the only one in the Bible called an archangel, meaning that he is chief among the angels. Michael’s will be the voice of the archangel when the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 NASB).

Gabriel

The angel Gabriel was responsible for interpreting Daniel’s visions. His main function is to reveal the things of God, a role that is written about him in other literature as well. Gabriel is believed to be the angel that was sent to destroy Jerusalem in the book of Ezekiel. Besides Michael, Gabriel is understood to also be a guardian angel of Israel defending them from the evil angels of other nations.

UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF DANIEL’S TIME

(Approximate dates)

Daniel’s birth 620 BC

Babylon defeats Assyria and becomes world power 609 BC

Nebuchadnezzar becomes king

Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem 605 BC

Daniel and friends taken to Babylon

Second group of Jews led to Babylon 597 BC

Temple in Jerusalem destroyed and third group of 587 BC

Jews taken to Babylon

Belshazzar becomes king in Babylon 553 BC

Babylon falls – Darius the Mede made king of Babylon 538 BC

First group of Jews return to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel 536 BC

Foundation of temple started

Daniel dies 530 BC

Second group of Jews return to Jerusalem with Ezra 457 BC

Third group of Jews return to Jerusalem with Nehemiah 446 BC

LESSONS FROM DANIEL FOR TODAY

Daniel was able to interpret a dream of King Nebuchadnezzar’s about the strongest nations of his time around 600 BC to the weakest nations of today. As seen in chapter two, the dream was of an image with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet and toes of iron and clay, showing a decline in political, moral, and cultur al value.

Each successive nation over the centuries became inferior to the previous one as they degenerated in leadership, strength, character, and importance. They gradually went from being great powers to being filled with division and failure, lacking cohesiveness and thus making it easy for them to collapse and be conquered.

In his explanation to Nebuchadnezzar about the weakest nations, Daniel said, And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay (Daniel 2:43 NIV). This would be a mixture of ideologies and principles that could never harmonize.

Today, America and other nations can be depicted as mixtures of iron and clay. The blending and association of good with evil has contributed to their weakness. Now no one wants monarchy or dictatorship as in Bible times, but democracy without godliness is one of the weakest forms of government.

America’s past has not been perfect, but America today involves the extended rights of people who have brought abortion, the LGBTQ+ movement and same-sex marriage, drugs, societal unrest and decay, and the rejection of biblical values and principles that were given to us by previous generations.

We are living on the far edge of immorality involving the decline of the family that has come with decades of steady deterioration. That is the mixture of iron and clay in the feet and toes that Daniel talked about. That is where we are today. America is in the throes of collapse. It has happened to the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and the Roman Empire, to name a few.

For what purpose? So that, as Daniel said, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold (Daniel 2:44–45 NLT).

PRAY FOR AMERICA.

1: DANIEL DARED NOT TO EAT THE KING’S MEAT

AT HOME

As a teenager, my heart was broken when I realized that the country and land that I loved was being ravaged and torn apart by a foreign power. The hated armies of Babylon were at our doorstep. They began to dominate our country like no one else had done before. Our king, who we trusted in and hoped would be the stalwart leader of our people, was suddenly cast aside l ike a toy.

Over one hundred years ago, the northern tribes that comprised the rest of Israel lost their land and were defeated as the terrible armies of Assyria cast them aside and scattered them across the regions of the north. It was now our turn to feel the same wrath that they endured.

I frantically searched for my friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. We had been friends for a long time. I was a few years older than they were, but as young children, we played all the games that our other friends played. We also practiced with the bow and arrow, challenging each other in practice to see who was best at targets placed at various distances.

As teenagers, we wondered what would happen to our parents, friends and homes, should our country be attacked and destroyed! Our parents were godly people who brought us to the temple and raised us to serve God. But we were scared!

Daniel, Hananiah said, we have to find a way to defend ourselves!

How can we use our background and experience to stay alive? Mishael asked. Perhaps with the bow and arrow to help our fellow countrymen?

Azariah did not have as much hope. He said, I am afraid that we will not be able to survive. I am not sure that God will rescue us.

I feared that this could be the greatest catastrophe in the past thousand years of our people’s history. Still, I told my three friends that the great prophet Samuel had said that God is our stronghold and refuge, and that He is a shield to all who will trust in Him. This is our time to trust in God, that He will protect us and watch over us, I reminded them. The armies of Babylon were getting close to my home in Jerusalem. My friends and I were anxious, but I told them, These are not times that we should fear.

"Daniel, I am having trouble sleeping at night. It