Ten Times Better
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Daniel
The Book of the
Prophet Daniel
“… some stopped the
mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire!” Hebrews 11:33, 34
Chapter
1:8-21 Ten Times Better
8. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile
himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he
asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
9. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in
the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
10. and the chief of the eunuchs said to
Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink;
for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are
of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king."
11. Then Daniel said to the steward whom
the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah,
12. "Test your servants for ten
days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13. Then let our appearance and the
appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal
with your servants according to what you see."
14. So he listened to them in this
matter, and tested them for ten days.
15. At the end of ten days it was seen
that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who
ate the king's food.
16. So the steward took away their food
and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
God
always has someone prepared to aid the ones, who belong to Him, from the cradle
to the grave and actually long before they are born. That person may not be a
believer, but he will in that area for which God calls him, faithfully carry
out His purposes. During a famine, the Lord trained crows to feed Elijah and
then chose a poor widow to house and maintain him until the famine was over.
The Persian emperor Cyrus, a pagan, encouraged the Israelites to return to
their land, rebuild their temple and helped to finance the entire project. God
called him His servant.
An
older brother of mine, now an octogenarian, could be termed a very common
believer. Living alone with his wife, who has Alzheimer, his hands are full,
caring for her 24 hours a day, as well as taking care of the house and sizable
property around it. His age limits his ability to take care of other concerns
and expenses. His credit card bill grew into the thousands and the tires on his
pick-up truck became bald.
When
she was younger and well, my sister-in-law cleaned house for a lawyer, who was
not a born-again believer. He became aware of my brother’s plight and one day
handed him a check for $500. He also totally paid his credit card account, told
him to buy the best tires for his truck and charge him with the bill. His wife
was shocked and told my brother that this was totally uncharacteristic of her
husband. Ah yes, but when the sovereign Lord puts His hand upon someone, they
suddenly become obedient and act as they never have before on behalf of His
child.
The
pastor of the church that our son, Steve, and his family attend got a part-time
job as a prison guard. All the guards knew that one prisoner was trafficking
drugs, but were afraid to do anything about it. The pastor went in, found his
stash and confiscated it. Later, as he walked between the cells, he heard the
prisoners talking, loud enough so he could hear, about what might happen to
him. One big black man said, “That white boy doesn’t plan on living long!”
Before
he met the Lord, the pastor himself had been on drugs and knew what it was like
to be in precarious situations. However, that walk through the cell block left
him shaking to the depths of his soul. Before leaving it, he said, “I’ve got
nothing against any of you guys. I was just doing my job.” Every prison has a pecking order and on top is
a really big rooster. The next time, he entered the block, this prison “general”
came to him and said, “You’re right, you’re just doing your job, so don’t worry
about it. No one is going to touch you.” This time there was silence, as he
walked through the aisle.
“God
gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.” In
the citadel of idolatrous Babylon, God moved the heart of an important official
for the sake of the teen-aged Jew that He greatly loved (9:23; 10:11,19). When
someone is longing and determined to please his Lord, in whatever circumstances
he finds himself, He will arrange for his sanctification. No situation is too
godless to prevent the intrusion of the Almighty.
Here
is a young man far away from the godly influences that formed his early life,
and yet his present circumstances have not dented that, which has been solidly
fused into his character. His surroundings encourage him to cooperate with the
emperor’s command, no Jewish superior is there to oversee his actions and his
flesh may crave the wonderful cuisine placed before him. He could easily
justify his participation. No one and nothing is stopping him from indulging in
it, but Daniel simply is not going to touch this food. How we need this kind of
young Christians to stand against the perversion in our day! How rare they are!
The
Babylonian dieticians had designed the food to be fed to the candidates for
royal service towards the highest development of their physical and mental well-being.
The king has signed his personal approval upon it and any exception taken would
become visible within ten days. The man in charge is responsible, at the cost
of his head, to see that everyone complies perfectly with the command.
It
is one thing to put yourself in danger; it is another to risk someone else’s
life. Daniel’s God is good and He is patient with those who have not learned
His ways, but who are about to see heavenly reality for the first time. He
allows them to put Him to the test. With all that we have learned up to this
point taken into account, a 10-day trial period of vegetables and water
begins. It ends with a shining proof
that demonstrates the fact that the faithfulness of God trumps the very best
that the world has to offer.
This
is not a lesson in the advantages of vegetarianism; please, let’s not turn this
story into a test for the value of health foods or natural diet. This situation
is nothing less than a proof of the power of God, favoring the faithfulness of
these young men! Do not cheapen the
jewels of spiritual principle with the cheap imitation of carnal reasoning!
These are days, when churchmen put the faith of George Mueller, which has been
an inspiration to millions, under a microscope and try to find a psychological
or sociological reason for placing 2,000 orphans solely under God’s care,
without asking help from anyone. No wonder Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk.18:8)
If
we cannot see the Word of God with spiritual eyes, it would be better not to
open its pages… “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has,
more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he
has will be taken away" (Lk.8:18). Heed the warning from Jesus
Himself! The one who studies the Scriptures solely with the mind of men comes
under deception. He does not have the insight that he thinks he has. The one
taught the textbook, authored by the Holy Spirit, through the tutorship of the same
Spirit, will have an ever-increasing knowledge of the ways of God.
Having
seen the reality of divine intervention, Nebuchadnezzar’s official reacted
favorably to his first experience with Jehovah of Israel. He had learned the
lesson and he acts accordingly, willing to put his life on the line in trusting
Him, assured that the true and living God will defend his decision. We should
not underestimate his commitment; he is defying the order of the highest
authority on earth.
You
do not have the luxury of enjoying the biblical accounts without making
personal application. That is to waste the incomparable teaching, which God has
given to man, not to be found elsewhere on this earth. They are there as
lessons, which we must apply to our lives and allow to come into our
experience. The story of Daniel and his three companions must become our story.
They
teach us the ways of God, which are far higher than your ways. Man’s ways, besides
being inferior to God’s, are
actually contrary to His. Your fallen nature has ruined
your mentality, has “conformed (you) to this world”, and you must “be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Ro.12:2).
This is Paul’s command to believers and a process that takes place throughout
our lives. The disciples demonstrated that, in spite of their sincerity, they
didn´t see things at all, as Christ saw them. Peter showed, even after his
baptism in the Holy Spirit, that there was need for correction in his way of
thinking (Gal.2:11-21).
17. As for these four youths, God gave
them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had
understanding in all visions and dreams.
18. At the end of the time, when the
king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs
brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19. And the king spoke with them, and
among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Therefore they stood before the king.
20. And in every matter of wisdom and
understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times
better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his
kingdom.
21. And Daniel was there until the first
year of King Cyrus.
The
four Hebrew were divinely equipped, aside from their natural intelligence and
abilities. The carnal mind will see Samson as a muscle-bound giant; God’s
student will see him with a normal physique, clothed with the mighty Holy
Spirit. Concerning these youths, the text states it plainly: “God gave them
learning and skill.” Daniel was especially endowed, even at his young age, with
the Spirit of prophecy. Clearly, they had something besides, what Oswald
Chambers called, “the accident of heredity.”
The
chief of the eunuchs, having experienced divine intervention, confidently
brought these models of heavenly favor before his king. Nebuchadnezzar
interviewed all the prospects, but the finest that earth provides, can never
match the gifts of the Spirit. “Therefore they stood before the king”, while
all the rest took inferior positions. These four adolescents rose mightily, not
only above the other youthful candidates, but over “all the magicians and enchanters
that were in all his kingdom.” When you have discovered the most gifted and
talented on the face of the earth, multiply times ten, if you hope to come
close to estimating the ones, who have been prepared by heaven.
When
it comes to the eternal purposes of God, nothing less will do. Whom He calls,
He enables. Every servant of God must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus
told his motley crew of Galilean fisherman, tax collectors, rebel activists,
common women, and whatever other unworthy profession was represented by the
120, who went to the upper room, “You
will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Ac.1:8). They
turned the world upside down.
“I will build my church” (Mt.16:18)…
that was the high and mighty purpose of Christ for the next 2,000 years. The
book of Acts tells the beginning of the story and it unfolds an account of a powerful,
supernatural work that spread from Jerusalem to Europe. It invaded the capitol
of the Roman Empire and planted a church in its bowels. The church is a heavenly
bride, who will reign with Christ. The highest abilities of men are unworthy
for this task. Every member of the body of Christ must exercise heavenly gifts
in order to function there.
Seeing
the divine presence in the church is what causes the world to believe: “I in
them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world
may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (Jn.17:23).
It is not about trying to get Christians to unite, it’s about being one with
the Father and the Son. The supernatural life of the Son, shining through the
believer, is what will open the unbeliever’s mouth with awe. That’s what it
means to be a witness for Christ.
Where
is the power? Where is the anointing? That’s my question. We are not getting
the job done, never mind the outward, numerical success that some seem to have.
We must recognize our spiritual bankruptcy and put the prayer meeting back
where it belongs at the head of Christian activity. We must pray until the
church once more vibrates with heaven’s dynamics. We must see ungodly people
smitten with fear, under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. We must see
violent conversions. We must see church gatherings graced with the atmosphere
of heaven. Can it happen again? It had better happen again, before all is lost
in the maze of mere human endeavor.
Daniel
stood before the king, outlived him and continued in the royal court until the
reign of the Persian, King Cyrus. The work that God does in a man remains. “The one who endures to the end will be
saved” (Mt.10:22), not because endurance saves, but because God’s salvation
endures! There is too much reliance on human determination these days, and
little evidence of a genuine, lasting work of God. Please don’t tell me that it
is normal for a large number of Christian leaders to fall into sin. It’s not
normal; it is evidence that there is too much sham among us. Daniel was there,
representing the Kingdom of God before Nebuchadnezzar. He was faithfully there
to interpret the writing on the wall for Belshazzar. He was there when the
Persians overthrew the Babylonians, served under Darius, and continued into the
reign of Cyrus. The genuine work of God in a man lasts!
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