12 February | Youth
«But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.» Daniel 1:8
Daniel is my favorite book in the Bible. I am enthusiastic about his stories and prophecies, which changed my life. I recently had the privilege of studying it verse by verse in some Bible classes. They were precious moments for strengthening my faith.
The first chapter narrates the exile of Daniel and his three friends to Babylon, which occurred in 605 BC. They traveled around 1,500 kilometers from Jerusalem to the city governed by King Nebuchadnezzar. In addition to those noble and slender young men, the monarch took with him around five thousand sacred vessels from the temple.
After teaching the Babylonian language and culture to Daniel and his friends, Nebuchadnezzar changed their names to ones whose meanings honored pagan gods. Daniel was called Belteshazzar, which means “Bel protects the king’s life.” Hananiah was called Shadrach, which means “servant of the god Sin.” Misael came to be called Meshach, which means “who is equal to Aku?” And Azariah became Abednego, which means “servant of Nego.”
The name change of the young Hebrews was yet another strategy by the king to influence their char-acter. The intention was to “format” their minds so that it conformed to the standards of the current culture. Is it not the same intention that Satan has in our days?
The next step was to have Daniel and his companions take part in the royal table, which contained all kinds of delicacies. The objective was to bring them closer and closer to the court, in order to incorporate them into the service of Babylon. However, the four young people remained firm in their convictions and decided not to contaminate themselves with that food. More than presenting unclean animals, they were probably dedicated to the Babylonian gods.
Daniel proposed to the chief officer that he give them only vegetables and water for ten days. The result was surprising: the young Hebrews became ten times healthier and stronger than all the other young people in Babylon and “therefore they served before the king” (Dan. 1:19).
God also has a magnificent plan for your life. Even in the midst of challenges, be faithful to Him. The Lord has a table full of blessings for you.