Daniel: A Man of Conviction

KEY VERSE: “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.” —Daniel 1:17

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Daniel 1:3-5, 8-12, 15-17

TODAY’S study 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 unique qualifications; that is, they were “children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science.”—Dan. 1:4

Nebuchadnezzar depended to a considerable extent upon advisors who allegedly were gifted with that 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 king’s meat was of the latter variety, and so decided that it would be better not to eat it.

The prince of the eunuchs was both skeptical and fearful of the outcome of Daniel’s position. He was quite sure the type of food Daniel was insisting on would cause these young Hebrews to become weaklings in both mind and body; and he knew 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 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 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 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,” (Dan. 1:9) and this fair test 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 (vs. 15) 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.

Solomon wrote: “Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Eccles. 12:13) Daniel did this, and so must we if our consecrated lives are to be found acceptable to God. May we have the same courage of our convictions.

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