FRIDAY, 5 JULY 2024
TEXT:
Daniel 1:1-17
1.
It was the third year of King Jehoakim’s reign in Judah when King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon declared war on Jerusalem and besieged the city.
2.
The Master handed King Jehoikim of Judah over to him, along with some of the
furnishings from the Temple of God. Nebuchadnezzar took king and furnishings to
the country of Babylon, the ancient Shinar. He put the furnishings in the
sacred treasury.
3.
The king told Ashpenaz, head of the palace staff, to get some Israelites from
the royal family and nobility.
4.
–young men who were healthy and handsome, intelligent and well-educated, good
prospects for leadership positions in the government, perfect specimens! – and
indoctrinate them in the Babylonian language and the lore of magic and
fortunetelling. -
5.
The king then ordered that they be served from the same menu as the royal table
– the best food, the finest wine. After three years of training they would be
given positions in the king’s court.
6.
Four young men from Judah – Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah – were among
those selected.
7.
The head of the palace staff gave them Babylon names: Daniel was named
Belteshazzar, Hananiah was named Shadrach, Mishael was named Meshach, Azariah
was named Abednego.
8.
But Daniel determined that he would not defile himself by eating the king’s
food or drinking his wine, so he asked the head of the palace staff to exempt
him from the royal diet.
9.
The head of the palace staff, by God’s grace, liked Daniel,
10.
but he warned him, “I’m afraid of what my master the king will do. He is the
one who assigned this diet and f he sees that you are not as healthy as the
rest, he’ll have my head!”
11.
But Daniel appealed to a steward who had been assigned by the head of the
palace staff to be in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
12.
“Try us out for ten days on a simple diet of vegetables and water.
13.
Then compare us with the young men who eat from the royal menu. Make your
decision on the basis of what you see.”
14.
The steward agreed to do it and fed them vegetables and water for ten days.
15.
At the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the
others who had been eating from the royal menu.
16.
So the steward continued to exempt them from the royal menu of food and drink
and served them only vegetables.
17.
God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life. In
addition, Daniel was gifted in understanding all sorts of visions and dreams.
(The Message Version Holy Bible)
TOPIC:
A DETERMINED HEART
The
God we serve expects all His children to show commitment to Him in all of their
dealings. When that is done, He manifests Himself to His people for the sake of
His glory.
The
story of the Babylonian captivity and the commitment of Daniel and his three
friends should be a great lesson for us.
Even
when given the opportunity to eat from the king's kitchen, Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael and Azariah were determined to keep themselves pure. Hence their
request to be given vegetables only. God showed Himself in the lives of these
people as He honoured them in the end.
The
Bible recorded that they looked healthier and better nourished in the end of
the ten days and God gave them knowledge and understanding of all kinds of
literature and learning.
When
we set ourselves apart for God in this life, He honours us in ways we never
imagined. Therefore, we should be determined to live for Him in spite all the
temptations and challenges that life throws at us.
QUESTION: How
do you respond to the ungodly opportunities that come your way?
PRAYER: Heavenly
father, please grant me the grace to be determined to live for You, no matter
the adverse conditions in which I find myself in Jesus name. Amen.
Remain
Blessed
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