DANIEL SIMPLIFIED
CHAPTER 1.8
Gleanings
from the Book of Daniel:
A
Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series
DANIEL
Chapter
One
The Early Life of Daniel in Babylon
The Outline of Daniel Chapter One
1. The Deportation of Judah (Vv. 1-2)
2. The Design of Nebuchadnezzar (Vv. 3-7)
3. The Deportment of Daniel (Vv. 8-16)
4. The Development of Daniel (Vv. 17-21)
Introduction
Thus far, Daniel, along with his three
friends, and Judah’s elite children were taken into captivity by King
Nebuchadnezzar II of the Babylonian Empire. To stand in the King's court, the royal
youth was subjected to a three-year training program whereby they would be
indoctrinated into Babylonian customs.
As part of their daily routine, they
were permitted to eat and drink the finest foods and wine at the King’s table. Nebuchadnezzar’s
reasoning was to give them a life of luxury and pleasure as opposed to the
common meals given to captives. But, it was common for most nations to
dedicate what they ate and drank to their gods.
Being transported from his Hebrew
environment to Babylon was quite a transition for Daniel. Under Judaism, all
Hebrew children were taught the Mosaic Law (cf. Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy
6:7-8). So, Daniel would have been removed from his spiritual upbringing in the
Oral Torah. The following passages prove how God chose and assisted Daniel to
be His prophet of the Captivity.
3.
The Deportment of Daniel (Vv. 8-16)
(Verse 8)
But 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: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not
defile himself.
A Man of God
The first two words of verse 8, But Daniel, will carry him through the
next seventy years. Daniel's desire was not to conform to his new environment
because his prior Hebrew religious training was set apart from the world.
There were three obstacles Daniel
needed to overcome to maintain his relationship with the true God:
1. The acquisition of heathen learning
2. The eating of heathen foods
3. The bearing of heathen names
Daniel’s
name change, temporarily, and Babylonian education was not much of an issue to
him. However, when it came to the consumption of certain foods, he stood up for
his convictions. So, Daniel will serve as one of the heroes of the Bible and a
role model on how to live righteously under subjugation in a secular world.
But Daniel purposed in his heart
Daniel took certain
precautions to live a godly life contrary to hostage dictates. Observe the
steps on how this was accomplished:
A. He purposed in his
heart not to defile himself
B. He patronized the master eunuch through God
C. He proposed an alternative plan of action
A. He purposed in his heart not to defile himself
At present, the
decision Daniel made set the course of the nation. Daniel purposed in his heart, meaning he made a decision to be resolute and stand firm in his mind not to contaminate himself both morally and
spiritually. No doubt after Daniel had finished praying, he resolved to do
right in the eyes of God, and not eat the king’s diet.
Daniel not only
remembered what his parents taught, i.e., to the statutes of God, but he also adhered
to another principle outlined in the Law as such:
Leviticus 1:44 - For I am the
LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye
defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth.
Following, Daniel’s
actions do so set a standard above others. He outwardly displayed he was not
ashamed of his faith in the true God of Israel. And, he did not compromise his
beliefs.
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
Defilement
In biblical times, to
defile one’s self meant to become polluted, soiled, desecrated, or unclean.
This was considered an abomination in the eyes of God.
Three types of
defilement examples are explained:
1. Sexually
Committing adultery
with someone’s wife constitutes defilement.
Leviticus 18:20 – Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's
wife, to defile thyself with her.
2. Religiously
Worshipping images in
God’s House is considered profane and idolatrous.
Jeremiah 7:30 - For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight, saith
the LORD: they have set their abominations (idols) in the House which is
called by My name, to pollute it.
3. Ceremonially
Someone touching beasts,
unclean animals, or four-legged insects is disqualified for worship (see also unclean
animals, Leviticus 11:26-27):
Leviticus 11:24 - And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth
the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
Meat and Wine
Food and wine from the
king’s table no doubt was tempting. However, for Daniel to eat the king’s meat
would indicate he was eating something dedicated to foreign gods. Likewise,
wine in Babylon was frequently dedicated to idols.
Therefore
he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself
B. He patronized the master eunuch through God
Daniel, as noted in
verse 9, through God, had gained favor and befriended Ashpenaz, the prince of
the eunuchs.
C. He proposed an alternative plan of action
Daniel
being the spokesman for the four, unashamedly, uncompromisingly, and unafraid
proposed an alternative plan (see verse 12) to Ashpenaz that he did not defile
himself with the king’s food and drink.
(Verse 9)
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and
tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
Because of Daniel’s
commitment to take a stand for the Lord, by God’s sovereign divine direction
(see Daniel notes in verse 2), he was honoured and brought into favour with Ashpenaz,
prince of the eunuchs. Similarly, while Joseph was in Egypt, God was working on
his behalf with Pharoah. Favour of others toward the godly is the doing of God.
A proverb elucidates
the principle:
Proverbs 16:7 - When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at
peace with him.
Definitions
The word favour [Hebrew, חֵסֵד (chêçêd)]
connotes kindness, goodwill, or loyal love. And, the phrase tender love indicates compassion or deep sympathy. So,
harmonious with Proverbs 16:7, the prince of the eunuchs was sympathetic to
Daniel.
(Verse 10)
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
(less healthy) than the children which are of your sort
(contemporaries)? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
In response to
Daniel’s request, Ashpenaz, the prince of the eunuchs, answered with hesitancy
and angst. In fear, Ashpenaz informed Daniel of his life being in danger if the
king’s orders were disobeyed. The term, endanger
my head, meant decapitation, like others at the fit of Nebuchadnezzar’s
wrath. Hence, Ashpenaz, worried that their faces would appear less healthy than
the others, did not agree with Daniel’s request.
(Verse 11)
Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of
the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
(Verse 12)
Prove (test)
thy servants, I beseech (pray) thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and
water to drink.
The Appeal
Since Ashpenaz
refused Daniel’s proposal, Daniel respectfully requested Melzar to grant him
and his three friends a ten-day trial period. He suggested an alternative diet of
pulse and water, so they would not profane God’s Law.
Melzar
Melzar (literally, steward), was a title rather than a proper name.
As a subordinate of Ashephenz, Melzar was the palace officer in charge of the
food service for the king, and responsible for the daily provisions of Daniel
and his three friends. It was this officer to whom Daniel persuaded a ten-day
pulse and water diet.
Pulse
Pulse is taken from a Hebrew
word (זֵרֹעַ, zêrôaʻ) meaning vegetables, or cereal-type grain grown from seeds. Sometimes
the grains were mashed into porridge. It was the basic staple for military
rations, slave labor, and the poor common population.
For example, hospitably, the necessities of King David and
his followers were ministered to by the citizens of the land east of the Jordan River:
2 Samuel 17:28-29 – [They] Brought beds, and
basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn,
and beans,
and lentiles,
and parched pulse (grain)…for David and his
people to eat.
(Verse 13)
Then let our countenances (appearances) 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.
In a display of faith on Daniel’s part, he firmly believed
God would deliver. So Daniel gave his reasoning to the chief steward. In
effect, Daniel said, “After ten days, if our appearance has not changed for the
better, then give us the punishment we deserve.”
Insight: Normally, omitting meat and wine for ten days would
not result in anyone being healthier. The appeal was meant to demonstrate
Daniel’s dependence upon the Lord, thus resulting in a miracle from God.
(Verse 14)
So he consented to them in this matter, and
proved them ten days.
Subsequently, Melzar agreed
to the terms of the test and permitted Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
to undertake their unusual ten-day supplementary diet program of common food. Again,
Melzar most likely reasoned there was not much risk in allowing them only ten
days.
The outcome of Daniel’s ten-day trial proposal is relayed in
the forthcoming study.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why is Daniel a great example of a man
of God?
2. What was the drawback of the king’s
meat and wine?
3. Why did Ashpenaz refuse Daniel’s
proposition?
4. What was the rationale behind Daniel’s
proposal?
5. Who was Melzar?
6. In Daniel’s case, what is meant by
defilement?
7. Why did Daniel request just ten days?
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