To Be Like Daniel

To Be Like Daniel

For some time now, my body has not done well with red meat. Last Sunday we visited some friends who have a large and luscious vegetable garden. They were kind enough to send us home with  freshly picked carrots, beets, zucchini, heirloom tomatoes, and green beans. There was enough for the two of us that we had delicious vegetable meals for most of this week. Not one time did we have meat with the vegetables and did not miss it at all. We enjoyed the meatless meals so much that we have decided to only have fish or chicken on occasion and fresh veggies in season the rest of the time.

This gift brought to memory the book of Daniel and how, when he was held in captivity in Babylon with his 3 friends, he requested pulse (legumes, peas according to Websters 1828 dictionary) instead of accepting the king's meat and wine he was provided. Daniel is such a wonderful book, full of God's intervention in Daniel's life and his friend's lives. I will be doing different articles from this book and it seems fitting that the first one should be when Daniel requested pulse. The Lord's control of all things is seen from the beginning of this book, as it is in all the bible.

Daniel 1

When Jehoiakim had been king of Judah for 3 years, Jerusalem was besieged by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, "and the Lord gave Jehoiakim into his hands, with part of the vessels of the house of God which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god." These vessel are prominent in a later chapter of the book of Daniel.

V3-4 The king told the master of his eunuchs (a castrated male), to bring certain of the children of Israel, of the king's offspring, and of the princes. These children were to have no blemish, be "well-favoured", skilful in wisdom, cunning in knowledge, understanding science, and that had the ability in them to stand in the king's palace, children whom they could teach the learning and language of the Chaldeans. These are very specific requests, and it seems likely that these "children" were teenagers at the youngest. V5 has the king appointing them a daily portion of the king's meat, and of his wine, and they were to be nourished for 3 years. At the end of that time they would stand before the king.

 

V6-9 we learn who 4 of the children were and of the changes of name they were given. Daniel who was named Belteshazzar, Hananiah, who was named Shadrach, Mishael who was named Meshach, and Azariah who was named Abednego. I wonder if the reason for these name changes over time, combined with the plan to teach them the "learning and language of the Chaldeans" was to remove the memory of their Jewish origin.  If this was the plan, it was doomed to fail.  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: "God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs."

V10-15 The eunuch was fearful of Daniel's request, he thought that when the king saw that Daniel did not look as healthy as the rest of the captives, he would be in danger of losing his head. But Daniel asked for only 10 days, to be fed pulse and water, as mentioned above, pulse is legumes - beans, peas. At the end of 10 days Daniel and his friends appeared "fatter and fairer in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat." And God's control again, V17 "As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." This last gift will be very helpful to Daniel in the times to come.

V18-21 At the end of the three years, which was the time set by the king, the children were brought before king Nebuchadnezzar. The king spoke with them; and among all the children, none were like Daniel and his friends, and therefore they stood before the king. The king found them to be "in all matters of wisdom and understanding" 10 times better than all of his magicians and astrologers that were in all his kingdom.

Oh to be like Daniel, to have wisdom and understanding.