Hello
Friends!
Welcome
back
to our Encouraging Concepts Bible
study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book
of Daniel painted as a panoramic
landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in
ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago…
“The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT
& FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST,
PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 1: Verses 8-16)
8 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. 9 Now
God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the
eunuchs. 10 And
the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath
appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse
liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger
my head to the king. 11 Then
said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Prove
thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and
water to drink. 13 Then
let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the
children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal
with thy servants. 14 So
he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten
days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the
children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away
the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them
pulse – Daniel
1:8-16
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: These four godly young “children of Judah” had outwardly expressed their loving LOYALTY to the “God” of their “fathers” and their personal
overt OBEDIENCE of “heart” to His mandated loving “Law” of which was “given” unto the “Hebrews” in kind. Therefore, the “Lord” rightly REWARDED each of “them” for their fine – FAITHFULNESS unto HIM!
After all, “God” Himself IS still the righteous “rewarder” of absolutely ALL of “them ” of whom “diligently seek” Him in FULL favorable “faith” and willingly WALK in solemn separation apart from the SATANIC wicked waning “world” system:
But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him
– Hebrews 11:6
“But“… The OPPOSITE is absolutely TRUE as well! WHY? Because “without faith” in our Great “God” Himself, the Holy “scriptures” themselves everywhere diligently DECLARE that it is emphatically quite “impossible to please him” rightly as such – BEWARE!
Here
in these poignant “passages” we find that ”Daniel” is referring not only
to HIMSELF in general, but also
to his trusting FAITHUL courageous “companions”
named “Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah” of whom were ONE with him in their righteous RESOLVE and reverent REQUEST
in kind. WHY? Because ”Daniel” was the loving leader
in taking this RIGHTFUL standing before his Grand – God Almighty!
Purposed IN Heart!
Continuing
with our serious “study” of this AMAZING Biblical
narrative
we will now “learn” how these teenage
boys of whom were no doubt ENCOURAGED
along by “Daniel” could
powerfully “purpose” to highly HONOR their
Divine and Sovereign loving
“Lord” through a firm willful OBEDIENCE to
His PROPHETIC plan
for “their” young lives:
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
Often
times, there would be NO
helpful “Hananiah,” mindful “Mishael” nor adamant “Azariah”
if there was NOT first and foremost a diligent “Daniel” at the helm! In fact, the other “three”
of his captured “companions” might NOT have stood
in solid strength of a strong made-up “mind” if it had NOT
been for the determined directs of “Daniel”
of whom had first DARED to take a poignant position
absolutely ALONE in the midst of this solemn situation –
Spiritual SUBMISSION!
CONTEXTUAL COMMENTS: The poignant PURPOSE of
these four FAITHFUL young “Hebrew”
lads of whom had expressed their loving LOYALTY to the Great “God”
of their “fathers” and their obvious OBEDIENCE to
His righteous “law” can be found throughout
the Old Testament narrative within that
particular “time” of human HISTORY and associated “Dispensation” of the LAW in kind:
And every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or
whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth,
them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination. Ye shall not make
yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye
make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. For I am
the Lord your God: ye
shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:
neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth. For I am the Lord that
bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be
holy, for I am holy. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of
every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that
creepeth upon the earth: To make a difference between the unclean and the
clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be
eaten – Leviticus 11:41-47
Depart ye,
depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the
midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord – Isaiah 52:11
The “Lord” thus rightly REWARDED theses FAITHFUL few for their firm “faithfulness”
as they truly TRUSTED and overtly OBEYED their great “God”
alone within a willful WALK in sweet separation unto “Him” as they dutifully “depart” from this – WICKED world system!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: However, CONVERSELY within
the “church” body itself within our “Dispensation of Grace” today, ALL is
now completely “clean” at this particular “time” for His own righteous “remnant” to eagerly ENJOY unto the “fulness thereof” according
to “conscience” sake whether a “Jew” or a “Gentile”
alike:
Even so then at
this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace – Romans 11:5
On the morrow, as they went on
their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to
pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but
while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a
certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the
four corners, and let down to the earth: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted
beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the
air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said,
Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And
the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that
call not thou common – Acts
10:9-15
But meat
commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither,
if we eat not, are we the worse – 1
Corinthians 8:8
Whatsoever is sold in the
shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is
the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to
a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no
question for conscience sake – 1 Corinthians 10:25-27
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: We will find something very SIMILAR to
the caring
case of “Joseph” and his proconsul “Potiphar” found again in the Pentateuch of
the Old Testament book Genesis concerning such
a CAPTIVE commentary:
These are the
generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old… – Genesis 37:2a
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer
of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the
Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a
prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his
master saw that the Lord was
with him, and that the Lord made
all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight,
and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had
he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him
overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house
for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was
upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he
had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did
eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured – Genesis 39:1-6
In
having a brave loving LEADER
such as ”Daniel” in their midst, “they” too indeed DARED to strongly STAND alongside him in kind. Beloved, “we” too TODAY
often owe MUCH to such spiritually-minded mighty “men of God” whom are WILLING and AVAILABLE to assist “others”
in taking – The RIGHTEOUS Road!
It was no doubt the gentle disposition, loving ways
and submissive spirit of this young lad “Daniel” of which
had wonderfully WON over this
powerful “prince of the eunuchs” in heart. And “Daniel” was
rightly regarded with fervent “favor” by this
particular “prince” of whom also held a fierce “fear” for his
fleshly “lord the king” all the while holding
unto a “tender love” of right RESPECT felt for “Daniel” as well…
Now God had brought Daniel into
favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. And the prince of the
eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat
and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children
which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king – Daniel
1:9-10
We must REMEMBER that this
fine “favor” took place during a ravaging REIGN of total TERROR within a despotic
diatribe where caustic “kings” demonically DO only as they
will! And the smallest offense may CONDEMN a man’s “head” to be entirely
“endangered” unto a desperate – Daunting DEATH!
HOWEVER… Our Great “God” heartily holds
the helpless HEARTS of absolutely ALL men under
his Sovereign sweet control including
such maniacal rulers as “Nebuchadnezzar” himself.
In fact, He even Providentially provides HIS people
with firm “favor” where they LEAST expect it…
Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom
the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah – Daniel
1:11
Notice
that the “Holy Ghost” utilizes these godly
young lad’s “Hebrew” names “Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah”
here. WHY? Because it is quite proper
that they should be used in this context! And also notice how “God” had Sovereignly
acted THROUGH this pragmatic
proconsul of whom was “set over”
these “children of Judah”
by the “prince of the eunuchs” as He
Sovereignly provided “Daniel”
with a HEART of hope-filled HELP here.
HOW? Through the presiding officer
named “Melzar” of whom was “set over” them “all”
had ultimately CHOSEN to take right RESPONSIBILITY of
adamantly altering the appointed “portion”
of the “king's meat” and dank “drink” as this daring “Daniel” had requested. WHY? Because it was the presiding “prince” of whom had decided himself NOT to
directly interfere with their EXCELLENT
exercised experiment of an overt OBEDIENCE unto “their”
great “God” in kind…
Prove thy servants, I beseech
thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let
our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the
children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal
with thy servants – Daniel 1:12-13
Here
we find “Daniel” turning to this man named
“Melzar” and boldly “beseeches”
of him to “prove” his submitted
sound “servants” for a suitable
time for only a brief “ten days”
within the required “three years”
of total training originally SET
forth by “King Nebuchadnezzar”
himself. Therefore, “Daniel”
soundly suggests a trial TEST run of a nutritional nature THROUGH a carefully consumed kosher “Hebrew” delectable DIET
confidently commanded by “God”
Himself consisting of a grainy wheat “pulse
to eat” and drawn “water to drink”
in kind. WHY? Because it was His purposeful
poignant PLAN for the nigh “nation” of insolent “Israel”
placed under His looming LAW rather
than to “eat” the king’s pathetic – PAGAN potage!
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman
shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves
unto the Lord: He shall
separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of
wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes,
nor eat moist grapes, or dried – Numbers 6:1-3
And
AFTER this
predetermined “consented” time of careful TESTING as
a sufficient
sum granted “them” from “God” Himself had taken place, “their” outer physical “countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh”
than absolutely “all” the other
chided “children” of whom indiscreetly
had instead foolishly INDULGED in the “kings”
vain vittles:
So he consented to them in this
matter, and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenances
appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the
portion of the king's meat. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat,
and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse – Daniel
1:14-16
Thus,
the sheer satisfaction of their observant OBEDIENCE
unto which “Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah”
had in keeping themselves rightly UNDEFILED with the corrosive “king's
meat” and wicked “wine”
no doubt also provided them with a good DIGESTION and were thus much more physically HEALTHY than were “all”
the other “children” combined – In BODY and SPIRIT!
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Beloved, “God”
Himself can GREATLY help each of “us”
too as we seriously “study”
His WONDERFUL ways
“begat” in the “word of truth”
itself. And often times, a very difficult problem
can be best SOLVED through our solemn PRAYERS personally PRESENTED
unto Him! In fact, true “knowledge”
and “skill” in all “learning”
and “wisdom” are the “good” and “perfect” gracious GIFTS given
from our fine “Father of lights”
in heaven:
Every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should
be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures… – James 1:17-18
Therefore,
may “we” practically PRAY
in the mighty POWER of the “Holy Ghost”
as much over what we must LEARN from Him as to what we must DO for
Him – In Jesus’ Mighty Name!
In
closing:
REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding
of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to
the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited
physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:
And in the days
of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever – Daniel 2:44
And
our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will
rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD
some 2,600 years ago could
possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
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