Daniel Stands by His Convictions

GOLDEN TEXT: “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.”—Daniel 1:8

DANIEL 1:8-20—Today’s study (designed as a lesson on the value of temperance) takes us back to an experience of Daniel, a servant of God who was among the Israelites taken captive to Babylon. Daniel, together with his three companions—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—had been chosen from the captives “to stand in the king’s palace,” evidently as special advisers to the king, as later developments indicate. They were chosen because of special qualifications; that is, they were “children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science.”—Dan. 1:4

The term “science” as here used does not carry the same meaning as we attach to the word today. The Hebrew word from which it is translated appears several times in the Old Testament, but only in this instance is it translated science. It is used by Solomon in his request to the Lord that he be given “knowledge” in order to rule Israel wisely and justly. (II Chron. 1:10,12) It appears in Daniel 1:17, where we read of all four of these Hebrew captives that God gave them “knowledge.” From these uses of the word we get the thought that it is descriptive of a special, God-given vision, or insight, into matters which ordinarily could not be understood.

Nebuchadnezzar depended to considerable extent upon advisers who allegedly were gifted with this sort of knowledge—the magicians, the astrologers, and the sorcerers. Now that he had overthrown the king of Israel and taken his people captive, he was desirous of securing for his own benefit any of the Israelites who might have special talents of wisdom and “knowledge,” that is, God-given knowledge.

What Nebuchadnezzar was not aware of was that in Daniel, and the other three Hebrews with him, he was securing the services of men who were indeed guided and blessed by the true God of heaven before whom the wisdom of all the “wise men” of the heathen and heathen gods must inevitably perish. The king found, when the real test came in connection with his dream and its interpretation, that his trusted wise men failed, and that it was young Daniel, endowed with “knowledge” by the God of heaven, who was able to give him the information he so urgently desired.

In having these young Hebrew captives selected and especially trained to “stand before” him, the king arranged that they should be served the same kind of “meat” and “wine” that he had. This was probably not with the idea of showing them favor, but rather in the belief that by living on the same diet as his own, these young men would be better able to solve his problems for him.

The account tells us that Daniel “purposed in his heart” that he would not eat the king’s meat, nor drink his wine. The reason he gave to the “prince of the eunuchs” having charge over his training was that he did not wish to defile himself. According to the Jewish Law, certain kinds of meat were “clean” and other kinds, “unclean.” Evidently Daniel concluded that the “kings meat” was of the latter variety and so decided that it would be better not to eat it.

This one passage alone should not be taken as a blanket condemnation of the use of meat as food. Whatever the reason may have been, Daniel’s “knowledge” enabled him to realize that the king’s diet, including the wine, would not be the healthiest for him under the circumstances, and that it was contrary to God’s Law given through Moses at Sinai.

The “prince of the eunuchs” was both skeptical and fearful of the outcome me of Daniel’s position. He was quite sure that the type of food Daniel was insisting on would cause these young Hebrews to become weaklings in both mind and body; and he knew that in this event he would be blamed by the king and probably lose his head. Daniel did not arbitrarily disregard the eunuch’s feelings in the matter. He realized that this servant of the king was merely carrying out the orders of his master, and he did not wish to get him into trouble.

But Daniel was confident—confident that if he followed the course he believed would be pleasing to the Lord matters would work out satisfactorily to all concerned. So he proposed a ten day trial. He suggested to the “prince of the eunuchs” that he and the other three Hebrews be provided with “pulse” and water for ten days, and that then their condition of health be compared with the health of, those who ate the king’s meat and drank his wine during the same period of time.

This was a fair proposition, and doubtless was much appreciated by the eunuch in charge. The account tells us that “God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs,” and this fair test that was suggested by Daniel would be another reason for the eunuch to appreciate the noble qualities of this unusual captive.

Daniel’s confidence was justified, for we read that “at the end of the ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” Moreover, the Lord blessed these Hebrews with knowledge and understanding above their associates.

QUESTIONS:

Why were Daniel and his three associates chosen to “stand before the king”?

Is a Christian defiled by eating meat?

Does faithfulness to the Lord always have its reward?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |