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Dr. Johnson C. Philip

Ask students of any Sunday-school to name their favorite book in the Old Testament, and a large number of them would say “Daniel”. Here is a book that has charmed generations, and the fascination is still not dimmed. Such is the greatness of this book with a mere 12 chapters.

In the last article we noticed the way in which Nebuchadnezzar ordered the training of hostages. Almost 70 noble and royal young people meeting stringent physical and mental criteria were selected. However, the book gives us a glimpse of developments in the lives of only four of them. Perhaps there were many in the group who were more promising than these four, but what resulted in the end was determined not by their inherent abilities, nor by their training, but by what spiritual decisions they made.

We noticed that a whole system of brainwashing was introduced to lead them into making decisions that would eventually favor the political agenda of the Chaldean empire. Since politics and religion are never really separate, especially in pagan nations, the religious element also dominated the training programme. Thus the first stage of brainwashing was to substitute spiritually meaningful Jewish pagan names, specially with names commemorating pagan deities. Changing names looks like a trivial affair, but for a committed believer even minor attempts at destroying his faith is not trivial. He resists all attempts against his faith, small or big. This is what our heroes did, and as the story unfolds we notice one victory after another. Immediately after the name-changing incident, the Scripture says:

But Daniel 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: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8)

The first part of this verse gives us a clue to the victories of Daniel and his friends. Though only Daniel is mentioned here, the subsequent verses confirm that his three friends were also with him in this decision. The verse begins with, “But Daniel purposed in his heart”. Mind is the first place where all spiritual battles are fought, and won or lost. This is seen in the cases of Miriam, Samson, Elijah, Jonah, Samson, etc. Each one of these persons had seen many spiritual victories, but then fell into disobedience because they could not control their minds.

The case of Elijah is particularly noteworthy. No sooner had he seen the fire of God falling from heaven and accomplishing the humanly impossible feat of consuming everything, and no sooner had he executed the 450 priests of Baal, he got this message from Jeezebel. According to the messenger, Jeezebel would do the same to Elijah as what he had done to the priests of Baal. This was enough to frighten him out of his guts, and he ran for his life. But had he paused to think, he would have realized that had the queen really wanted to kill him on the spot, she could easily have sent a couple of her assassins instead of the messenger. They could have killed him easily. The presence of the messenger instead of an assassin meant that she did not really want to kill him. Yet he ran on hearing the messenger because of the fright he developed in his MIND. And that was the mental tool Jeezebel used. This was a time of religious revival, and had she killed Elijah, the population would have turned against her. Thus she used the mental weapon, and won decisively.

All spiritual battles begin in the mind. That is why the psalmist says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalms 119:11). That is why Scripture reminds that though we walk in the body, the war is ultimately of the mind. According to him, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;), Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:3-5).

This is the reason why the world aims at minds rather than anything else. The twentieth century education system, TV, radio, magazines, and even many games are tailor-made for mind-control and mind-manipulation. Multinational companies pay by millions for a single TV advertisement not because they are foolish, but because these amounts are nothing compared to the minds they are able to capture and mould. The humanists, Marxists, radicals, and all kinds of perverts are today aiming at the education system and the media because whoever has these two in their control has the entire population in their hands (through mind-control). Perhaps this is one area where Christians are not sufficiently careful.

The number of parents is not small who send their children to the best schools, hostels, ultra-liberal society, and everything in today’s society that is dazzling, only to find that the children are gone forever. In a world of competition, they provide the best of the world for the children, hoping for greatest earthly achievements, only to realize much later that their souls have been pawned to the Devil himself. Perhaps it is time to take stock, teach a little discernment to our children, and become sufficiently discerning ourselves. Daniel was only a Teenager, but he had not only spiritual discernment, but also the courage to go along with that. Perhaps this is the best gift that many of us can give to our younger generations.

Daniel decided that “he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank”. While food does not look like an important factor in spiritual life, it was definitely important for the Jewish believers. The Old Testament had laid strict guidelines for all walks of life, including the consumption of food. Strict Jews follow these regulations even today. Daniel knew that the food served in a gentile palace would definitely include meat that is forbidden for the Jews. Further, all food served to the trainees would first be offered to idols. Whatever the purpose of such offering, regular consumption of this food would put them into situations where they would not be able to oppose idolatry. As officers in future they might even be required to oversee making such offerings. Thus if a separation is not maintained right from the beginning they would not be able to resist such requirements in future.

Many would no doubt argue that since food was plentiful and the items numerous, Daniel could simply have consumed what was proper for a Jew, avoiding just those items that were forbidden. Rather than making fuss each time the food was served, Daniel felt it better to avoid impure food altogether. This approach has important ramifications for separation, purity, and taking of a spiritual stand.

For example, there are many Christians who would prefer to continue involving in situations that are not appropriate for a separated believer. Situations where the holy and the profane, the divine and the earthly are mixed without discernment of fear. These compromising Christians claim that in such situations, exercising their discernment, they avoid involvement in all that is contrary to their faith. They do not realize that the world does not see them as “separated” people. Rather, their mingling with the “mixed crowd” on one hand and avoidance of certain things on the other hand is perceived by the world only as making a lot of fuss. Instead of being seen as holy and separated believers, these people are seen only as self-righteous and fussy people who want the best of both the worlds.

According to the Bible the message of separation is, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you (2 Co. 6:17). There are many people who have seen the systems of the world as well as systems of God, but who do not like to separate out by following the above command. Rather, they would prefer to continue in the carnal system but maintain an appearance of holiness by being choosy. Not only is this contrary to the Bible, but it also confuses one’s testimony. People are not able to perceive where these people (with their feet in two boats) stand. Eventually the stress of balancing between the two worlds takes its toll. Over the years their resistance breaks down, and finally they fall into compromise.

Dilemma: Taking the decision was not easy for the hostages. The menu was decreed by the king, and therefore this was a royal order, tantamount to a law. Since these hostages were eventually to serve the Chaldean empire, any refusal to obey at this stage would mean certain death. Modern people brought up in democracies have very little idea of monarchies. In such kingdoms a single offensive act was enough to lead a person to death. The delicate balance between life and death is seen in the cases of the butler of Pharaoh, the restriction from entering the inner court of the King at the time of Esther, the immediate hanging of Haaman when Esther complained about him, etc. It is also seen in the way Daniel was cast into the den of lions, the way the three young men were cast into furnace, and the way in which John the Baptist was beheaded at a single request from the princes. Safety of life was a delicate issue in ancient monarchies, and in such a situation the decision not to eat the royal food was a declaration that they would die rather than violate God’s commands. It also shows a clear perception that God’s laws are higher than man’s (Acts 5:29).

In addition to the threat to their lives, many other arguments could also be advanced for not refusing the food. They could humanly claim that since God Himself allowed them into this predicament, they had no option other than eating what they are forcibly given. This is a common argument with Christians these days. Laying the responsibility upon God, they hasten to embrace the world. But surely this is a mockery against God.

The four friends could also argue that since they were in captivity in an alien land under a pagan administration, they were no longer strictly under the Law. These types of arguments can definitely be seen in many Christian circles today. These friends could also argue that here was a situation where witnessing to the pagan nation through an exemplary life was more important than the presumed hair-splitting found in Mosaic Law. Or they could have been so much dazzled by this royal treatment that they could simply overlook matters of spiritual life. They could have argued that “trivial” things related to food could be left for a period when they were finally “settled” in life.

Above all of the above arguments, they could have reasoned that winning the king’s favor and getting to high administrative positions would help them to better serve the interests of their own people back at “home”. All the above arguments are seen among compromising believers today. While the reasoning of these believers looks reasonable at surface, we should not forget that all of them overlook the sovereignty-factor. For a believer, questions of life become meaningful, and decisions become purposeful, only when he takes God’s sovereignty also into account. Without this, all our answers are only carnal justification.

It is always a good question to ask ourselves: how would we behave in our spiritual, moral, and social life when left alone to ourselves. When there is no church for fellowship, no Christian population to relate with, and where none in positions of authority understand or respect our outlook or commitment. How would our children behave if they ever have to live in such situations ? What choices would they make ?

No doubt, many of us would flow with the current, make choices dishonouring to God, and then blame it all upon the circumstances. We might even say that there was no visible alternative. These arguments would make a lot of sense when the most important ingredient of the story is missing. That is the sovereignty of God.

When the sovereignty of God is taken into account, every picture looks different. Temptations turn into testings, crises become turning points, and disappointments become tools to make us better people. This is what Paul meant when he said in Romans 5:3, “And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience. There is a purpose in our lives for everything allowed by God. It would be revealed only if we live faithfully instead of falling into compromise and subsequent self-justification.

As far as Daniel and his beloved friends were concerned, they knew their situation very well. Being intelligent, they fully understood the dangers of making right choices. Yet they chose to suffer for God, rather than compromise and enjoy the temporary pleasures of Babylon. What a wisdom, what a trust !! (To Continue)

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