Principles and Faith of Daniel.
THE Sabbath-school lesson being the first chapter of Daniel, we were recently led to examine somewhat closely the action of Daniel, recorded in verses 8-16, and the faith displayed in his action. The position which Daniel occupied, at that time, was a peculiar one, in several respects; this must be duly considered in order to appreciate his faith. 1. He was a captive. Thus he was inferior to an ordinary subject. When Paul was abused by his persecutors, he caused his abusers to tremble by declaring himself a Roman citizen. Daniel enjoyed no such privilege. He was of that class usually held or sold as slaves, by all Oriental nations. Under the Persians the Jews became colonists, rather than slaves, but this was not the case in the early part of the Babylonian captivity. 2. He was brought under special obligation to the king by being raised from his servile position in order to become one of the king's wise men or counselors. It was for this purpose that he and his three brethren were placed under the special charge of an officer, who was to care for them, and supply all their wants. 3. The food brought to them was according to the King's own appointment; not that which might be prepared for general use by the officers. And this is yet more apparent from the consideration following. 4. It was a "portion of the king's meat." The word here rendered "meat" is a Persian word, and is nowhere used in the Bible except in the book of Daniel,—in verses 5, 8, 13, 15, 16, of chapter 1, and in chapter 11:26. The last named text reads:—"Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him." Our common translation does not nearly give the full meaning of the original, which is, "lordly food," "delicate food, or dainties of the king's table." This idea is readily gathered from the construction of Dan. 11:26, and it is also the true idea of Dan. 1. 5. It therefore appears that, in refusing the portion of the meat,—that which was by appointment of the king himself—he was not only apparently disregarding the king's authority, but disregarding the king's regard for him, and scorning his kindness. Hence it would have been easy to construct a charge against him of both rebellion and ingratitude. 6. But Daniel was not influenced by any such motives. He was always faithful in the kingdom; see chap. 6:1-5; and when the danger of the king was revealed to him, he gave such advice as tended to "a lengthening of his tranquillity;" chap. 4:19-27. He was also kindly considerate of the welfare of the officer, and promised to comply with the king's appointment if there was prospect of endangering the head of the officer to the king; chap. 1:10. 7. Therefore it appears that Daniel acted solely out of regard to the authority and will of God. He "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." In all probability the king's dainty food contained that which God had forbidden to be eaten,—that which was unclean in its nature. And, though Daniel is supposed to have been of the royal family, he had respect to the counsel of the Lord which was given to the Levites, to abstain from the use of wine. Wisdom dictates abstinence from wine, and abstinence is favorable to wisdom. 8. Daniel also had confidence that the plain, simple, vegetable diet, which he chose, was favorable to health, and to the development of strength and wisdom. He was willing to be proved. His confidence was of that nature that he did not shrink from a test of his faith. In this, as well as in other respects, he stands as a pattern to the people of God in these last days. 9. Finally, when he was proved, and was found to be fairer in flesh on his simple diet, and ten times wiser than his associates or competitors, he took no honor or glory to himself. He interpreted the dream of the king when all the wise men of Babylon, failed, but said: "This secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living." "But there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets." Daniel is one of that great "cloud of witnesses" who testify to us of the faithfulness of God, Heb. 11 and 12, and who is set before us as an example of faith and righteousness; Eze. 14. Paul says that "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4. And surely there is much to learn in the lesson here given to us by Daniel,—much comfort and hope to be derived from the example of his faithfulness, and from the Lord's dealing with him.