Daniel 5,11-12 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father; your father the king; made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. "Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar.

Daniel 6,3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.

Daniel was born in Israel and was taken into Babylonian captivity in the year 605 B.C. He was put in the position of being a servant of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar; he went through the process of brainwashing which was an attempt to rob him of his identity. Therefore, they also gave him another name. However, Daniel had an unshakeable and deep-grounded faith in his God. As a result of this faith, God gave him extraordinary wisdom and understanding.

When king Darius issued a strict law (princes and governors who were jealous of Daniel influenced the king to do that) that, whoever asked something from any God or person apart from the king in the period of thirty days, they would be thrown into the lion's den, Daniel did not stop praying. Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

His piety and faithfulness to God also were demonstrated through his courage. He did not allow the circumstances to paralyze him with fear and he maintained his integrity before God and the people. We can also learn from Daniel. jk

Additional verses to study: Genesis 41; Daniel 1-4 + 6, 11:32; Joel 3:1-2; Acts 2:1-21; Hebrews 11