The First Stand

Daniel 1:8-16 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
 
HOW would the royal diet defile Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah? “Defile” means to be unclean in the Lord’s sight. The young Hebrews were concerned the king’s food would be unclean – not because of meat and wine - but because of the use and types of meat.
     Concern for how the meat had been used relates to God’s worship command in Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.” To join with others at the king’s table could include meat that had been sacrificed to idols. In Leviticus 17, God also particularly commands the Jews against idol-sacrificed meat. To consume such food would be to say to their pagan hosts, “We accept your ways – and your gods.” The “Faithful Four” would stand their ground.
     The type of meat could also defile the Jews. The LORD was very specific in the law to not eat pork and other non-split hooved animals, certain birds and sea animals. No meat could have blood remaining in it. The meat had to prepared in a particular way. Sitting at the king’s table, the men would be susceptible to disobeying this particular dietary command.
     Under God’s New Testament of grace we aren’t to be concerned with the types of meat we eat. (See God’s instructions to Peter in Acts 10.) But we must be concerned with the ways of health and vitality. We are to be thoughtful to consume, as far as possible, the foods that offer good nutrition and health to our bodies. Keep in mind your body is the Lord’s temple as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians. We must honor God to seek good health in our ability to do so.
     Yes, we are faced with uncontrollable illnesses. But let’s strive to eat what strengthens our minds and bodies. Be wise for God’s glory, so you, as Daniel, Azariah, Mishael and Hananiah, will stand for God with your personal dietary choices.  
 
The Ultimate Meal
Matthew 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”