Lessons from the life of Daniel
Daniel 1:5,8-17a (NCV)
The king gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day, just like the food he ate. The young men were to be trained for three years, and then they would become servants of the king of Babylon...
Daniel decided not to eat the king’s food or drink his wine because that would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.
God made Ashpenaz, the chief officer, want to be kind and merciful to Daniel, but Ashpenaz said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my master, the king. He ordered me to give you this food and drink. If you begin to look worse than other young men your age, the king will see this. Then he will cut off my head because of you."
Ashpenaz had ordered a guard to watch Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel said to the guard, "Please give us this test for ten days: Don’t give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink. After ten days compare how we look with how the other young men look who eat the king’s food. See for yourself and then decide how you want to treat us, your servants."
So the guard agreed to test them for ten days. After ten days they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men who ate the king's food. So the guard took away the king’s special food and wine, feeding them vegetables instead.
God gave these four young men wisdom and the ability to learn many things...
The king gave the young men a certain amount of food and wine every day, just like the food he ate. The young men were to be trained for three years, and then they would become servants of the king of Babylon...
Daniel decided not to eat the king’s food or drink his wine because that would make him unclean. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.
God made Ashpenaz, the chief officer, want to be kind and merciful to Daniel, but Ashpenaz said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my master, the king. He ordered me to give you this food and drink. If you begin to look worse than other young men your age, the king will see this. Then he will cut off my head because of you."
Ashpenaz had ordered a guard to watch Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel said to the guard, "Please give us this test for ten days: Don’t give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink. After ten days compare how we look with how the other young men look who eat the king’s food. See for yourself and then decide how you want to treat us, your servants."
So the guard agreed to test them for ten days. After ten days they looked healthier and better fed than all the young men who ate the king's food. So the guard took away the king’s special food and wine, feeding them vegetables instead.
God gave these four young men wisdom and the ability to learn many things...
So what was wrong with the king's food?
Yes, Israel has strict laws about food preparation. Foods that are appropriate for Jews to eat are called KOSHER.
In the Law of Moses, you will find regulations about MEAT -- laws about the types of meat and laws about the preparation of meat. At the time the laws were strictly cerimonial. But now medical science shows that kosher foods are healthier.
I have seen no laws in the Bible describe dietary rules related to WINE. Israelites were permitted to drink wine. They grew grapes and did not have refrigerators or freezers. The only way they could preserve the fruit of the vine is through fermentation. Jesus drank wine. He even made wine. (see John 2)
The Bible has only one caution about wine -- drinking too much, getting drunk. (Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:29-35)
Bible has stories about rulers who made foolish impulsive decisions under the influence of alcohol. (Esther 1, Matthew 14:1-12)
During Daniel's time, there were some sects and clans of Israel who saw the dangers of alcohol. Alcoholism is not only a modern problem. So just like today, there were many in Daniel's time who made personal choice to abstain from drinking any alcohol, and thus avoiding both temptation and danger. (See Jeremiah 35)
Daniel also knew another warning from the wisdom of Solomon:
Yes, Israel has strict laws about food preparation. Foods that are appropriate for Jews to eat are called KOSHER.
In the Law of Moses, you will find regulations about MEAT -- laws about the types of meat and laws about the preparation of meat. At the time the laws were strictly cerimonial. But now medical science shows that kosher foods are healthier.
I have seen no laws in the Bible describe dietary rules related to WINE. Israelites were permitted to drink wine. They grew grapes and did not have refrigerators or freezers. The only way they could preserve the fruit of the vine is through fermentation. Jesus drank wine. He even made wine. (see John 2)
The Bible has only one caution about wine -- drinking too much, getting drunk. (Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs 23:29-35)
Bible has stories about rulers who made foolish impulsive decisions under the influence of alcohol. (Esther 1, Matthew 14:1-12)
During Daniel's time, there were some sects and clans of Israel who saw the dangers of alcohol. Alcoholism is not only a modern problem. So just like today, there were many in Daniel's time who made personal choice to abstain from drinking any alcohol, and thus avoiding both temptation and danger. (See Jeremiah 35)
Daniel also knew another warning from the wisdom of Solomon:
When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
And put a knife to your throat.
If you are a man given to appetite.
Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food. (Proverbs 23:1-3 NKJV)
Should Daniel stand on his convictions and suffer for it? Or should he find some loop hole, some excuse to compromise, and go along with the king's command?
It is interesting to see how Daniel and his friends solved the problem. Here we have a powerful lesson in negotiation. (My children have often used this on me!)
It is interesting to see how Daniel and his friends solved the problem. Here we have a powerful lesson in negotiation. (My children have often used this on me!)
FIRST, Daniel understood the motives of the one in authority. The king wanted only what he thought was best for Daniel.
The king was concerned about Daniel's health.
SECOND, when speaking to the ones in authority over him, Daniel appealed to their motives for his wellbeing.
THIRD, while the ruler saw only two options:
"A" (eat and be healthy), and
"B" (no eat and be weak).
And if those were the only to options which Daniel saw, he may have told the king, "I still won't eat any of your filthy pork!"
Te king would have executed Daniel, and that would be end of the story about Daniel. But Daniel offered option "C", a third
But Daniel offered option "C", a third alternative which would satisfy the needs of the king without violating Daniel's personal
convictions.
This the first test for Daniel and his three friends. If they had taken the easy way out here, how would they stand when the tests became harder?
Daniel's experience has a couple more lessons for us:
[1]
Passing the test requires ADVANCE preparation. When you were in school, if you decided to start learning the lessons the night before a test, you were already too late. Daniel and his friends understood that. Long before this test came, they had already learned God’s Word, and they already had learned to apply it in their lives. Their spirits were already sensitive to right & wrong, and they already understood the trap of moral compromise.
It is equally important for us to study, learn, and know God's Word, before we need it. If we think we can wait until trouble comes, and then research what God's solution is, then it will already be too late. (See Proverbs 1:20-33)
[2]
In addition to the wise counsel of God's Word, Daniel and his friends benefited from "positive peer pressure." Those four young men encouraged and challenged each other to walk faithfully with God.
We all have the need for fellowship with like-minded believers. Cults understand that principle! Notice that when the cults send their folks to knock on your door, you will never see only one. They come in pairs. Each one watches to make sure the other doesn't waver in faith.
How can we Christians believe that we live independent, strong in our faith? That is so foolish! So many people tell me, "I don't go to church, but I read my Bible and pray." God never intended that we be Lone Ranger Christians. I am not talking about sitting in pews on Sunday morning watching the preacher. No, we need Christian brothers and sister who, like Daniel's friends, will encourage us, support us, and challenge us to walk with Christ.
We not only need good Christian friends, we need to be a good Christian friend.
Of course, our focus is not on what friends think, but what God thinks.
[3]
Now jump ahead about 500 years.
Jesus faced his final test, and He faced it alone. Oh, He had 12 close friends, but one turned against him, and the other 11 ran away, leaving Him alone. But Jesus passed the test. He accepted death, and then defeated death.
But what about the Disciples?
They failed their first big test. But one failure does not require a lifetime of failure. After Pentecost, all stood the the ultimate test, also paying with their lives.
And what about us? How well do we do on those tests that we face every day?
The grade we have earned is "F". But when the report card comes out, we see our grade has been changed to "A+"!
Why? Jesus traded test papers with us. He took our Failure, and gave us His "A+ for excellence."
Passing the test requires ADVANCE preparation. When you were in school, if you decided to start learning the lessons the night before a test, you were already too late. Daniel and his friends understood that. Long before this test came, they had already learned God’s Word, and they already had learned to apply it in their lives. Their spirits were already sensitive to right & wrong, and they already understood the trap of moral compromise.
It is equally important for us to study, learn, and know God's Word, before we need it. If we think we can wait until trouble comes, and then research what God's solution is, then it will already be too late. (See Proverbs 1:20-33)
[2]
In addition to the wise counsel of God's Word, Daniel and his friends benefited from "positive peer pressure." Those four young men encouraged and challenged each other to walk faithfully with God.
We all have the need for fellowship with like-minded believers. Cults understand that principle! Notice that when the cults send their folks to knock on your door, you will never see only one. They come in pairs. Each one watches to make sure the other doesn't waver in faith.
How can we Christians believe that we live independent, strong in our faith? That is so foolish! So many people tell me, "I don't go to church, but I read my Bible and pray." God never intended that we be Lone Ranger Christians. I am not talking about sitting in pews on Sunday morning watching the preacher. No, we need Christian brothers and sister who, like Daniel's friends, will encourage us, support us, and challenge us to walk with Christ.
We not only need good Christian friends, we need to be a good Christian friend.
Of course, our focus is not on what friends think, but what God thinks.
[3]
Now jump ahead about 500 years.
Jesus faced his final test, and He faced it alone. Oh, He had 12 close friends, but one turned against him, and the other 11 ran away, leaving Him alone. But Jesus passed the test. He accepted death, and then defeated death.
But what about the Disciples?
They failed their first big test. But one failure does not require a lifetime of failure. After Pentecost, all stood the the ultimate test, also paying with their lives.
And what about us? How well do we do on those tests that we face every day?
The grade we have earned is "F". But when the report card comes out, we see our grade has been changed to "A+"!
Why? Jesus traded test papers with us. He took our Failure, and gave us His "A+ for excellence."