The Difference That God Makes in a Life

“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 servant.”  Daniel 1:12-13

Daniel, a man of God, and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known as Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego, were all taken in captivity when Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, overran Jerusalem with his army.  All four of these young men were worshippers of the God of Israel and had been taught the ways of God from their youth.  They were very conscientious about adhering to the laws of God and refrained from eating certain foods, particularly meats that had been forbidden for the Jewish people to consume.  The food that was served in Babylon had likely been consecrated to the Babylonian gods.  Daniel had requested of the prince who was over his care that he might not defile himself in partaking of the king’s food and wine.  He agreed to serve Nebuchadnezzar as long as any of Babylon’s laws did not conflict with those of the LORD God.

Upon hearing Daniel’s request, Ashpenaz, the prince, became fearful.  He answered to Nebuchadnezzar.  What if in withholding those rich foods and wines from these four Jewish men, they became weak and frail and not able to carry out the duties assigned to them?  However, Daniel had a solution.  He spoke to Melzar, his personal attendant, and requested that they test him and the other three men.  Daniel said, paraphrasing: “I beg of you, just give us ten days and feed us vegetables, fruits, and grains and give us water to drink.  Then compare our appearance to that of the other young men who eat the king’s rich foods and then judge who looks healthier.  If this test proves me right, then allow us to continue our chosen diet.”

Melzar agreed to Daniel’s proposal of a lighter diet for ten days which was not a statement on vegetarianism for the Jews did eat some meats, but not the meats that were forbidden, like pork.  After the ten days passed, the physical appearance of the four captives from Israel was compared to that of the young Babylonian men who had spent the last ten days dining on the delicacies and wines of the king.  My guess is that what they ate was high in cholesterol, saturated fat, salt, and lots of wine.  At the end of the test period, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were what we would call the “picture of health”.  They were strong and energetic, more so than their Babylonian counterparts.  (So when your mother told you to eat your vegetables, she had a good reason!)  It wasn’t the type of food alone that gave them such vitality and a healthy appearance, but it was mainly God’s blessing upon them for shunning a path to sin and persevering to live holy in honor to the God of Israel even though having to live as captives in a strange land.  There is an old saying, “When the cat’s away, the mice will play”, or another saying, “Whatever happens in Babylon, stays in Babylon”, but neither of these sayings applied to Daniel and his three companions.  They were honorable young men, filled with integrity, and were committed to serve the LORD.

Even though it would be hundreds of years before Jesus would come to earth as a Man, these four godly men were following His example.  Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 16:24-25, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”  After examination by Melzar, Daniel and his three friends were allowed to continue their simple diet.  That was the deal that Daniel made with Melzar, and Melzar honored it.  God had brought Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah over this first hurdle as they faced life in the “new normal” as residents of Babylon.  There would be other hurdles to overcome and challenges to meet living in a heathen land, but God would be with them every step of the way.

The United States, founded as a nation based upon the principles of Christianity, almost seems like a heathen nation now.  Christians are mocked, and the ungodly want nothing to do with God, Jesus, the Bible, church, or righteousness.  Thus, it is time, now more than ever, for those of us who name the name of Christ to be like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and maintain our allegiance and worship of Almighty God, standing upon His word, and not surrendering to those who desire to destroy the very foundation of peace, joy, and love that marks the life of all those committed to Christ.  If we stay strong in the faith, God will be with us every step of the way.