Daniel 1: Part 3 of 3

Sometimes we look at the characters of the Bible as though they were old and out of touch with reality, especially out of touch with the reality of our day. However, I wonder how many of us today would find ourselves fitting in comfortably with the conditions we read of in Scripture. Lion’s dens do not sound like comfortable overnight accommodations and fiery furnaces do not sound like the saunas of our time.

The characters that are presented for our consideration in Daniel are extraordinary human beings. We are even amazed at the decisions and actions of some of the pagans who came in contact with Daniel and his friends. Think for a moment of the incredible impression Daniel and his friends must have made on the guard that the king had assigned to their care as well as their security. He did not “do his job” without regard for the lives entrusted to his care. He apparently watched them and got to know their characters because he responded with both fear and trust when Daniel asked him to ignore the king’s orders in favor of their own proposal.

This guy could easily have put the king’s food in front of them and forced them to either eat or go hungry. That would certainly have been a different story, but God apparently moved the heart of this guard to listen to the pleas and proposals of Daniel and his friends. There is no indication that Daniel or his friends begged, pleaded, cajoled, or manipulated their way into getting the food that they requested, the food that was approved by the God of Heaven. They merely laid out a plan which they knew would honor God, a plan which God could honor in and through them. This plan did not involve ignoring the king’s commands altogether because they did not advocate or insist on a hunger strike. They did not try to anger the king whom they were now honor-bound to serve as though he were their own king.

What if God had not responded to this gesture of faith? What if He had not blessed them with the tremendous health that he gave Daniel and his friends? They had agreed to eat the food provided by the king if God did not favor them in this plan. Would not God have been honored just as much by their message of faith and their obedient service to the new king without insisting on their adherence to dietary laws?

God softened the heart of the guard toward these young men of Israel. He made it possible for them to remain faithful to Him and obedient to His commands while still obtaining the king's favor. This reminds us of Luke 2:52 where it says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (KJV) The Lord then favored them with better health than could be provided by the best nutritionists and dietitians at the king’s disposal, better health than the others who were attending the University and eating from the King's table. He not only blessed them with health but He also gifted them in extraordinary ways so that they could do incredible things (interpret dreams, etc.), further setting them apart from the king’s other experts. In this way, they proved that their service to the king would be most effective and most desirable if they remained faithful in their service to God first (see Daniel 1:17-20).

Thought: When God gave the commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, the first commandment that He gave was an instruction to put Him first. He said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, KJV) Since that time, the enemy of our souls has tried to tempt us in many ways to ignore God’s commands and put our own needs or desires in front of His. So this is nothing new and yet we fall prey to the tactic on a daily basis. Jesus’ own response to such temptations was to quote Scripture and to stand firm in the face of the temptation and its consequences.

We often speak and sing of victory in Christ as we gather for worship. However, I wonder how often we are actually experiencing the kind of victory that Daniel and his friends experienced, victory over temptation and victory over sin by not yielding? Are you yielding to temptation today or are you standing firm. To stand fast, you may need to quote the Scripture to the enemy of your soul. I encourage you today to stand fast by knowing God, knowing the Scripture, and committing yourself to being true to your Saviour, regardless of the temptations that assail you.

By His grace, there is more to come…