Thursday after Invocavit
Posted on February 25, 2021 by under
Scripture: Daniel 1:3-16 (NKJV)
1:3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. 6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
8 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; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.”
11 So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
Devotion
What a temptation Daniel and his three friends faced! God had allowed Judah to be plundered by the Babylonians and these four young men to be taken into captivity. They had been deprived of their homes, of their Temple, and of a future in the land of their birth. But their Gentile captors were offering them “good” things—food and wine from the king’s own table! But those things were unclean, according to God’s Law. And even if they chose to obey God and refuse the food, their captors might become angry and punish them severely.
It is easy to see how the men might have been tempted in this situation to simply eat the food and to justify their eating of it with all kinds of arguments. But instead, they took the path of the Lord Christ, for whose coming they longed even more than they longed to return to their former life in Israel. They accepted the lot that had fallen to them. They feared God above men, they loved God more than they loved their own appetites, and they trusted in God even when all they had had been taken away. They determined not to sin against the Lord. And the Lord blessed them greatly.
We will face all kinds of temptations in this world. Let us learn from these godly men to trust in the Lord and to do what is right, even if it hurts. We, too, will be blessed in the end.
Prayer: O Lord, mercifully hear our prayer and stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty to defend us from them that rise up against us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
