8 “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs 9 that he might not defile himself. Now God made Daniel to find favor and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs. 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 than the youths which are of your own age? so should ye endanger my head with the king. 11 Then said Daniel to the steward, whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king’s meat; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14 So he hearkened unto them in this matter, and proved them 15 ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths 16 which did eat of the king’s meat. So the steward took away their meat, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.”
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
1. What principle ruled Daniel’s life?
2. What special circumstances opened the way for a violation of this principle?
3. In what request was the ruling principle of his life revealed?
4. How had the Lord prepared the way that this request might receive some consideration?
5. In his reply to Daniel’s request, what did the prince of the eunuchs say was his attitude toward his king? What had the king decided upon in this particular case?
6. What unfavorable result did the prince of the eunuchs expect would follow any departure from the diet ordered by the king? In what personal danger would this involve him?
7. What reasonable trial did Daniel then suggest? What diet did he ask for himself and his companions?
8. What test was to determine the comparative value of the two kinds of diet? What would this result decide?
9. What answer was made to Daniel’s request?
10. At the end of the ten days’ trial, what was the physical condition of Daniel and his companions?
11. What permanent change was accordingly made in their bill of fare?
NOTES.
[See also article on page 6, “With Thee Is the Fountain of Life.”]
1. THE only source of life in the universe is God. Ps. 36:9. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.” Acts. 17:25. Those who lay hold upon God’s life through faith in God’s gift of His Son (1 John 5:11, 12) become temples for this life (1 Cor. 3:16), and living stones in God’s house (1 Peter 2:4, 5). When a believer in the Gospel defiles his body, he defiles the temple of God, and this means destruction. 1 Cor. 3:17.
2. Now it was because the people of Jerusalem had lost sight of the fact that they themselves should be the temple of God, and that this was the essence of true religion, and had fixed their minds upon a temple of stone as the Lord’s temple, and had substituted mere ceremonialism for the true religion of the heart and life, that they had been deprived of their beautiful temple, the outward services were interrupted, and all the ceremonials of religion had ceased.
3. BUT during all this experience, Daniel and his companions had been true to right principles, and, knowing their value, they clung to them in Babylon as to their life, for such they were. The test of loyalty to principle came to them over the question of their food. “Why did Daniel and his companions refuse to eat at the king’s table? Why did they refuse his meats and wines?—Because they had been taught that this class of food would not keep the mind or the physical structure in the very best condition of health to do God’s service. The four Hebrew captives were thereafter permitted to have the diet they had chosen. What effect did it have upon the mind and character? They had conscientiously refused the stimulus of flesh and wine. They obeyed God’s will in self-denial, and He showed His approval.”—Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, No. 1, p. 60.
4. NOTE just what the record says was the result of the trial. The countenances of Daniel and his companions “appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” Two things would contribute to this result: Daniel and his companions maintained, and doubtless improved, their former condition of health, while those who departed from principle degenerated in health and appearance. No doubt their loyalty to principle under severe trial brought to Daniel and his companions a fuller flow of life than was contained even in the food which they ate, and this fulness of life revealed itself in their physical appearance. On the other hand, those who denied their faith suffered a loss, which also showed itself in their appearance.
