Inoffensive Faith

In an effort to break down their cultural differences, the captives were given Babylonian names, and since the Babylonians did not follow the Jewish law, they had no hesitation about eating things the Jews were forbidden to eat, such as pork, certain kinds of fish, or other unclean animals.  Determined not to break God’s commands, Daniel requested permission to eat a diet where they didn’t have to worry about accidentally eating meats God had forbidden the Jews to eat.   

 

Because of Daniel’s respectful and undemanding attitude, he request was taken seriously by those in charge, although they were hesitant to grant it, fearing it would not provide all the needed nutrients, as Daniel 1:9-10 tells us.  “Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.  And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.”

 

When his request was denied, Daniel requested to be allowed to try the diet for just ten days.  This would give enough time for deficiencies to begin to show up, while not lasting long enough for them to become too serious.  He neither gave up hope, nor did he become demanding and rebellious, as we see in Daniel 1:11-14.  “Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.  Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.  So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.”

 

It was a reasonable request, presented in a respectful manner by a person who had consistently been respectful, and to reject it out of hand would be capricious.  They were given permission to make the test.  Because the results of the est were favorable, they were allowed to continue with a largely vegetarian diet, with most of the protein coming from beans, nuts, and grains, as we see in Daniel 1:15-16.  “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.  Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.”

 

It is important to understand Daniel and his friends were not vegetarians or vegans.  They were simply avoiding the meat because they did not want to accidentally eat things God had forbidden for Jews.  As a result, God honored their decision, giving them special intellectual abilities, according to Daniel 1:17-20.  “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.  Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.  And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.  And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”

The intellectual capabilities were not the result of eating the proper diet, but were the result of God blessing their obedience.  Many today get caught up in eating a vegetarian diet or not eating certain kinds of meat, ignoring what God said in Genesis 9:3.  “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”  Like circumcision, the prohibitions on certain meats was a sign of their covenant with God, and does not apply to other people. 

 

I Timothy 4:1-5 makes it clear that those who set dietary standards as part of being a Christian are no longer living by faith, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.  For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”  As Romans 14:23 tells us, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”  The motivation behind our actions are often more important than the actions themselves.

 

Daniel has set us an important example.  As Christians, we ought not try to impose our standards on the world or get upset when they do things that are not right.  That does not mean we let down our standards, but that we follow God’s leadership and allow him to accomplish his plan.  There is no indication that God was upset with the others for not taking the same position Daniel took, but he was pleased that Daniel chose to not eat the king’s food.  Romans 14:22 instructs, “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”

 

God blessed Daniel in other ways, as well as his intellectual blessings.  Seventy years after he went into captivity, he was still actively prophesying, as Daniel 1:21 points out.  “And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.”