Daniel’s Faithfulness
April 7, 2022
Commentary
The king wanted these young men to be strong and healthy so he said that they were to eat the same food he ate and drink the same wine that was served to him. They knew that if they were to eat the king’s food, they would break God’s law. This food may have been offered to idols. Also they knew that those who were set apart to serve the Lord were never to drink wine (Num. 6:1-4). Daniel decided not to eat the food God did not approve of (v. 8). The strong moral conviction of these four young men made an impact on this Babylonian official (v. 9). The official feared for his life because anything short of obedience meant execution (v. 10). The king’s official had put a guard in charge of Daniel and his three friends (v. 11). Wisely choosing to negotiate rather than to rebel Daniel worked out a diet of vegetables and water which the guard agreed to (vv. 12-14).
At the end of the ten days they were healthier than those who had dined on the king’s food (v. 15). After this, the guard let them eat vegetables instead of the rich food and wine (16). Daniel and his friends learned all they could about their new culture so they could do their work with excellence (v. 17). At the end of three years the king interviewed them and gave them positions in the royal court (vv. 18-19). They became his advisors and Daniel served until King Cyrus reign (vv. 20-21).
Application
Daniel determined to honor God even though he was living where people did not have the high standards God demanded. It is my desire to live by God’s standards no matter how strong the peer pressure may be to do otherwise.
Daniel 1:8– 21 (NET)
8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the royal delicacies or the royal wine. He therefore asked the overseer of the court officials for permission not to defile himself. 9 Then God made the overseer of the court officials sympathetic to Daniel. 10 But he responded to Daniel, “I fear my master the king. He is the one who has decided your food and drink. What would happen if he saw that you looked malnourished in comparison to the other young men your age? If that happened, you would endanger my life with the king!” 11 Daniel then spoke to the warden whom the overseer of the court officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 “Please test your servants for ten days by providing us with some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who are eating the royal delicacies; deal with us in light of what you see.” 14 So the warden agreed to their proposal and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies. 16 So the warden removed the delicacies and the wine from their diet and gave them a diet of vegetables instead. 17 Now as for these four young men, God endowed them with knowledge and skill in all sorts of literature and wisdom—and Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 When the time appointed by the king arrived, the overseer of the court officials brought them into Nebuchadnezzar’s presence. 19 When the king spoke with them, he did not find among the entire group anyone like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and insight the king asked them about, he found them to be ten times better than any of the magicians and astrologers that were in his entire empire. 21 Now Daniel lived on until the first year of Cyrus the king.
Illustration: Quick Decision in Poland
We took a group of 75 high school teens to Poland to do missionary ministry. The first Sunday we were in a church where they were going to serve communion with real wine. Being responsible for this group of young people I was forced to make a quick decision. Would we participate when the wine was passed in one large glass. Based on Biblical principles, it is my conviction that grape juice and not real wine should be used in a communion service. Also putting your lips on a glass that everyone else has sipped from might expose us to some disease such as aids. I did not want to offend the church people but neither did I want to compromise our standards. Therefore, I suggested to our young people that when the glass came to them, they just raise the glass to their lips and without taking a sip, pray and thank the Lord for His shed blood. This did not offend the people but also did not compromise our standards. (Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).