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.

The Importance of Convictions

The Importance of Convictions

Which do you have the most of? Convictions or Preferences? What are the beliefs that you stand on? Are they based on the Word of God? or are they based on your opinions?

An excellent example of a conviction is in the book of Daniel. There are several examples of Daniel's convictions, this one is in Chapter 6. Daniel has been given much authority in the kingdom of Darius, by this time he is an old man. And as it will be certain men "sought to find occasion against Daniel...but they could find no fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." (Daniel 6:4) And so a petition is drawn up stating that if anyone prays to God or man for thirty days, that person will be thrown into a den of lions.

What was the first thing that Daniel did? "he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled down upon his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." (Daniel 6:10)

Daniel had strong conviction. Even though he had been taken away from Jerusalem a very long time ago, he continued without interruption by the commands of man, to pray and give thanks to God. We know the rest of the story, Daniel is thrown into the den of lions, the lions mouths are shut, and Daniel is preserved. Even King Darius said to him "Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." (Daniel 6:16) What a testimony his life must have been.!