Rev. Don Campbell

Daniel 1:3

THOUGHT FOR TODAY, September 14, 2019

“DANIEL KNEW WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE”

Daniel was one of the exiles carried into Babylonian captivity about 605 B.C. Babylon was sensual, luxurious, indulgent, cruel, proud, powerful, and pagan, with 4,000 gods and 53 temples. Daniel faced a great test: Would Babylon paganize him or would he remain faithful. He had to make decisions in three areas: 1) bearing a heathen name, 2) the acquisition of heathen wisdom, and 3) eating heathen foods.

Daniel accepted the imposition of a new name because he knew that it does not matter what others call us unless what they call us is true. Calling Daniel “Belteshazzar” did not mean that Daniel trusted the god “Bel” to keep him safe. Acquiring the secular wisdom of the Babylonians would not be harmful, so long as Daniel was firm in his faith. There are some areas in which we can compromise with the world, but there are others in which any compromise may result in a departure from the faith.

Daniel drew the line at eating heathen foods: “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.’ Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ‘Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,’ Daniel said. ‘At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see’” (Daniel 1:8-13).

Their refusal to eat the meats and other foods had nothing to do with veganism or vegetarianism. Eating these foods would defile them for two reasons. One, they were offered to idols. Two, some of them were undoubtedly unclean according to the law of Moses. He could have secretly disposed of the food, but the effect would have been the same as if he had eaten—in the eyes of his handlers and his own people, he would have become a partaker.

We may choose to be vegans or vegetarians, but we pervert the Scriptures when we use Daniel to advocate that such a diet is more Christian than any other. Peter was instructed to “Rise, kill, and eat” (Acts 10:13). All kinds of animals, reptiles, birds were on the menu, causing Peter to object that he had never eaten anything unclean. The response was “What God has made clean, do not call uncommon” (Acts 10:15).

CONNECTIONS

1. Can we draw lines for ourselves in some issues, while accepting others who do not observe our lines? (Romans 14:1-4)

2. Should we sometimes observe other people’s lines even though we know God did not draw the line? (1 Corinthians 8:7-13)