The Secret to Spiritual Success
What is the secret of staying true to God in a world where every influence that surrounds you screams for compromise? How do you stay true to God in a world that is more than ready to rationalize away the truths of God’s word, and give you every reason or excuse you could ever possibly need to sooth your conscience as you let go of God and embrace the world?
The secret – which is so well illustrated in Daniel – was expressed very nicely by Jesus.
Luke 16:10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
It is our faithfulness in the things that we most often consider to be small and trivial that is the true test of our character. If you are not faithful in that which you consider to be a small matter – if you will compromise on the little things in your life – Jesus says you will not be true when the big tests of life comes your way. It is not so easy to change the course of your life when the crisis comes. The way you lived when things were easy is, more likely than not, the way you will go when the going gets tough.
University of Babylon
Daniel 1:3-4 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
The book of Daniel began with a story of defeat. God’s chosen people found themselves defeated and in subjection to a pagan nation, their cities destroyed, and they themselves carried away as captives into a foreign land. However, the story ends with a note of victory.
Divine Providence
At the very beginning of Daniel’s exile, we find the hand of divine providence at work. Daniel, through no fault of his own was taken prisoner to a foreign land, yet God was working out His purpose in all this.
Daniel was found to be “gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand.” Evidently, he had not only received considerable education back home in Judah, but also had some good solid common sense and quick wits about him. Daniel had, so to speak, done his homework – and his faithfulness in his studies while at home opened the doors of providence once he was in Babylon. A reminder that we never know what the results of our faithfulness in the common daily routines of life will be when God takes matters into His own hands.
A King’s Generosity
Daniel 1:5-7 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
As captives Daniel and his friends could have become slaves living out the remainder of their lives in mindless drudgery. As captives, members of a repeatedly rebellious nation, Nebuchadnezzar could well have decided to make an example of them. But instead of playing the despot, he chose young men from among the captives to be educated “that they might serve before the king,” and enrolls them in what was in its day the most prestigious college in the world.
Babylon was in its time the preeminent center of learning for the arts and sciences of that day. In addition to this, as will be seen in the next few verses, he appoints them daily provision of his own royal food and drink. Instead of giving them that which some would have thought good enough for mere captives, he offered them the very best the kingdom had to give.
Rocking the Boat
Daniel 1:5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king.
Although the provisions made by the king were most generous, Daniel and his companions had a problem on their hands. The food and drink, especially that favored by heathen kings, most probably consisted of much that they could not eat or drink without disobeying God.
Nebuchadnezzar meant well, but the diet very probably was most decidedly contrary to the dietary rules ordained by God in Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11. Also, much of it no doubt had been offered in sacrifice to the idols of Babylon. Thus, eating it would have constituted a kind of communion service with the Babylonian gods.
Making Choices
What then should they do? Everybody else apparently went along with the program. Why should they be different? Why should they make waves? After all, they were captives in a foreign land. Shouldn’t they be grateful for the generous treatment they had been given? Besides, what could they do? They had no leverage with the powers that be. Unless God Himself should give it, they had no power, no influence, not even with the lowliest of the officials in Babylon.
How easy it would have been to rationalize the situation, to say, “There is nothing we can do. Let’s Just go with the flow and make the best of a bad situation. After all, God will understand.”
Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
No Excuse, No Compromise
It is important to note that the real issue here is not food and drink, but loyalty to God and standing firm in your faith. Food and drink were only the outward manifestations of this issue. Will they be obedient and loyal to God no matter what the cost to themselves? Or will they bow down to the will of man? Will they compromise their position with God for earthly favors? Will they use the difficulty of their circumstance as an excuse for disobedience?
Daniel and his friends had already made their decision. They, like every one of us must also do, answered Joshua’s challenge. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15).
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