“Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.” Daniel 1:3-5
“Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon’s king.’” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good.” For the king was thinking, “At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.” (Isaiah 39:7-8) Isaiah wrote of these years before it happened. Here we can see prophecy being fulfilled.
The Old Testament reveals that the majority of God’s people have not always followed the Lord and kept His commandments. It has always been the “faithful remnant” within the Jewish nation that has come through the trials and judgments to maintain the divine covenant and make a new beginning. The same principle applies to the church today, for not everybody who professes faith in Jesus Christ is truly a child of God. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” (Matthew 7:21)
In His messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor, our Lord always had a special word for “the overcomers,” the faithful remnant in each congregation who sought to obey the Lord. Daniel and his three friends were a part of the faithful Jewish remnant in Babylon, placed there by the Lord to accomplish His purposes. These young men were superior in every way, “the brightest and the best,” prepared by God for a strategic ministry far from home. They were handsome, healthy, intelligent, and talented. In every sense, they were the very best the Jews had to offer.