8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way. Daniel 1
Daniel saw his circumstances very differently from those around him who were happy to indulge in the royal food and wine of the king’s palace. After all what could be wrong with consuming the same fare as everyone else – but not Daniel and his three friends, they asked to be fed only vegetables and drink water.
The Hebrew word for “Holy” literally means “SEPARATE” or “SET APART”.
Daniel and his fellow exiles were slaves within the Babylonian system but at least in part they decided not to comply with its rules and regulations. They didn’t eat the food, nor drink the wine supplied by its rulers, they kept apart. Everything else in the Book of Daniel followed from this decision to be separated onto the God of Israel by keeping His Kosher laws. Though they lived under the Babylonian system they determined to honour the God of Israel within it. This is very similar to the position of the Church today, we must live and function in this Babylonian world system but yet be set apart for our Lord who has delivered us from its control. We are the only people on earth who have the freedom not to bow down to this system and live now for God’s Kingdom.
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 ‘Please test your servants for ten days: give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.’ 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. Daniel 1
Daniel was able to use wisdom in approaching the guard in charge of them and God had already ‘GIVEN HIM FAVOUR AND SYMPATHY’ with him. The external system was not favourable towards the Jewish exiles, but just like Joseph in Egypt, God gave favour to His own people living within it. Their first test was a short test of appearance after ten days on a plain diet and they looked better than all their peers. Nothing is too difficult for God.
Then they had three years of intense learning in a different culture, with foreign tutors, in an alien language, yet God brought them out above all their peers.
17 To these four young men GOD GAVE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ALL KINDS OF LITERATURE AND LEARNING. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
God had a plan and purpose for these young exiles in Babylon, He brought them out above all the king’s wise men but their hearts were committed to Him. God blesses those who are His, Daniel and his friends prospered in Babylon.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.