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In Daniel 1, we are greeted with a familiar story of four
young men who were chosen by a foreign king to join the ranks of the elite. In
order to be part of the chosen few, the Babylonian empire required that they be
men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of
learning, well informed, competent for understanding and qualified to serve in
the king’s palace. Wow! I know that list would have disqualified me from
serving in the king’s palace! Getting chosen
by the Babylonians for this crucial role was like being chosen in the NFL
draft, winning America’s Got Talent,
becoming a supermodel, and winning Jeopardy.
These guys had incredible potential and fit what Babylonian society defined as “top
tier” people in society. You would think that chapter one would be about these
amazing young men, but it’s not. It’s
about God.
Daniel
clearly conveys that he, along with his companions, would not defile themselves
on the king’s food and chose to eat nothing but vegetables and drink water for ten
days. At the end of the time period, they looked healthier and better nourished
than the other young men who ate the royal food. Perhaps this story is about
how we should incorporate Daniel’s diet into our life (not a bad thing!) but no,
it’s not about eating vegetables rather than Uno’s Pizza. It’s about God, and
that’s the point not only of the book of Daniel, but the entire Bible. God is always
the star of the story, and the director, and the producer. In chapter one, it
is clear that God gave Daniel and his companions favor before the royal
officials. It is God who gave them their
incredible health, knowledge and understanding.
The meteoric success of Daniel and his companions in a foreign land is about
God and His favor. Our lives must be lived seeking the favor of God for His
glory.
Jason
Esposito
Lead
Pastor,
CrossWay Church, Germantown, WI
www.crosswaygt.org
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