When Daniel was a young man, he was taken captive by the Babylonians. Against his will, he was forced to travel many miles to their capital city. The King, Nebuchadnezzar, ordered certain captives to be groomed for use in the royal household as advisors whose knowledge he felt would be useful to him during his reign. There was no way the king could anticipate the future influence of Daniel and his companions, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-negro. The presence of these four men before Nebuchadnezzar would result in a coming profound and divine influence.
The king ordered that these people would be treated with the highest care, including a diet that anyone else would relish. We can say without hesitation that Melzar, the leader of the eunuchs overseeing the provisions for these God’s elect, that they were offered a kingly supper. Daniel and his companions out of conviction and to honor God objected to the king’s plans by asking to be examined if they were healthy after just 10 days from eating what others would call a poor diet. The record of this occurrence has lessons for every believer.
Even if it seems the world has kindly intentions toward the believer, we must carefully examine the details of what the world offers. No believer can be comfortable in the world’s environment. We must view everything according to God’s desire and how he would seek to bless us. We must beware of how the world views us such as in this case giving these men new names.
Scripture says that Melzar and Daniel became close friends even though they were connected through captivity. In our service to God, it is easily possible that a believer can have a close friend with an unbeliever. When the Bible tells us to come out from among them and be separate, this is not intended to downgrade any opinion of a fellow human being. It is to guard ourselves against any negative influence by those of the world.
There is a standard that every believer in Christ must present a positive testimony to the unsaved. Melzar was concerned that he would have to answer the king even to the point of is death if Daniel’s plan did not work.
At this point in the recalling of Scripture, Daniel offered consolation and encouragement to Melzar. The anxieties and stress of this world can only be addressed by the influence of the Holy Spirit. This is a true and important message needed by those who have yet to accept Christ. The issue is no longer food or what diet for them to have. The issue was Daniel’s encouragement to trust God’s working. The issue also was to give vital representation to the needs of the unbeliever. It is a heavy responsibility for each person who claims Christ to say to the world, “test us, look to us as we obey God. “
We must be bold enough to stand our ground before the world. We must allow ourselves the opportunity to be a strong witness to anyone that needs a message of divine intervention regardless of where we are in our life journey. It begins with us having a strong and powerful relationship with God. As a result, that relationship is what we declare to the world. Our message is not to condemn a diet and make it the biggest issue. Our message is to say before all that God makes a difference in our lives and can you, too.
Christian Writer 