Daniel 1.11-Daniel Perseveres By Means Of Faith
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday December 15, 2011
Daniel: Daniel 1:11-Daniel Perseveres By Means Of Faith
Lesson # 16
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 1:1.
Daniel 1:11 presents Daniel’s response to Ashpenaz rejecting his request to abstain from the diet prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar that would result in Daniel being ceremonially unclean according to the dietary regulations of the Mosaic Law.
Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego. 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. (NASB95)
Verse 11 is composed of the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “but” which is followed by the third person masculine singular qal active imperfect form of the verb ʾā∙mǎr (אָמַר) (aw-mar), “said” and this is followed by the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel” and then we have the preposition ʾěl (אֶל) (ale), “to” and this is followed by the articular masculine singular form of the noun měl∙ṣǎr (מֶלְצַר) (mel-tsawr), “the overseer” and then we have relative particle ʾǎšěr (אֲשֶׁר) (ash-er), “who” and this is followed by the third person masculine singular piel active perfect form of the verb mā∙nā(h) (מָנָה) (maw-naw), “had appointed” and then we have the masculine singular construct form of the noun śǎr (שַׂר) (sar), “the commander of” and this is followed by the articular masculine plural form of the noun sā∙rîs (סָרִיס) (saw-reece), “the officials” and then we have the preposition ʿǎl (עַל) (al), “over” and its object is composed of the masculine singular proper noun dā∙niy∙yē(ʾ)l (דָּנִיֵּאל) (daw-nee-yale), “Daniel” and the masculine singular form of the proper noun ḥǎnǎn∙yā(h) (חֲנַנְיָה) (khan-an-yaw), “Hananiah” and the masculine singular form of the proper noun mî∙šā∙ʾēl (מִישָׁאֵל) (mee-shaw-ale), “Mishael” which is followed by the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” and lastly we have the masculine singular form of the proper noun ʿǎzǎr∙yā(h) (עֲזַרְיָה) (az-ar-yaw), “Azariah.”
The conjunction wa is marking a contrast between no possible solution to Daniel’s problem and a proposed solution which would require God to intervene on behalf of Daniel.
The noun měl∙ṣǎr means “overseer” and refers to an individual who was a subordinate of Ashpenaz.
The relative particle ʾǎšěr means “who” and refers to the overseer who was subordinate to Ashpenaz.
The verb mā∙nā(h) is in the piel stem and means “to assign” and its subject is Ashpenaz and its object is his subordinate who is not named.
The noun śǎr means “commander” and is modifying the noun sā∙rîs, “officials” and is used once again to describe Ashpenaz indicating that he was the “commander” of Nebuchadnezzar’s officials.
The noun sā∙rîs is used to describe Ashpenaz and means “officials.”
In verse 11, we see Daniel addressing a subordinate of Ashpenaz.
He does not do this to go around Ashpenaz but knows that the overseer is under Ashpenaz’s authority.
The subordinate could lose his head as well and Daniel and the subordinate know this.
Both Daniel and the overseer know that Ashpenaz could execute his subordinate for being insubordinate.
The subordinate is not going to take a chance of granting Daniel’s request since if Ashpenaz sees the appearance of Daniel and his three friends looking far worse than the others who ate and drank from the king’s table, Ashpenaz would hold him accountable.
Therefore, the overseer is acting on Ashpenaz’s authority when dealing with Daniel.
So Daniel makes a suggestion to this overseer who was subordinate to Ashpenaz which is recorded in verse 12.
Daniel requests a ten day trial period in which he, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah would eat only vegetables and drink only water.
Then, in verse 13, Daniel suggests to the overseer that after this period, he could compare their appearance with the appearance of those young Israelite men who adhere to the diet prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar.
The overseer could determine at that time if this diet of vegetables and water would cause their appearances to look worse than those young Israelite men who adhered to the diet prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar.
The overseer could determine if the health of Daniel and his friends was better than the health of those who adhered to the king’s prescribed diet.
Ashpenaz’s subordinate would pass along Daniel’s suggestion.
Verse 14 records that the overseer granted this request.
This would have had Ashpenaz’s blessing since again the subordinate would not want to take the chance of this suggested diet failing and his superior seeing Daniel and his friends looking worse than the other young Israelites in the training program.
Verse 15 records that after this ten day period, Daniel and his three friends possessed a healthier appearance than the other young men who ate and drank from the king’s table.
Thus, in verse 16, we see the overseer continuing to keep Daniel and his friends on a diet of vegetables and water.
This decision would of course been passed down from Ashpenaz.
So Daniel’s suggestion here in Daniel 1:11-14 does not endanger Ashpenaz’s life.
From Ashpenaz’s perspective, if Daniel’s suggested test fails, then he could keep Daniel on the diet prescribed by the king.
However, from Daniel’s perspective, his suggested diet gives God an opportunity to intervene in his life since the only way it could succeed is if God intervenes.
Daniel knew that God wanted him to obey the dietary regulations of the Mosaic Law and keep himself ceremonially pure.
He also knew that God wanted Ashpenaz to respect Nebuchadnezzar’s authority since this is God’s will for all mankind that they obey all those in authority like Nebuchadnezzar as taught by Paul in Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:17.
So God does not want Daniel to disobey Him and Ashpenaz to disobey Nebuchadnezzar.
Thus, in order for both men to obey Him, God Himself would have to intervene in this situation and he does.
Remember, Daniel 1:9 records that because Daniel was determined to keep the dietary regulations of the Mosaic Law, God caused him to receive kindness from Ashpenaz in the form of merciful acts.
One of these merciful acts was Ashpenaz allowing this test to take place, which allowed God to intervene on behalf of Daniel.
Therefore, Daniel 1:11-16 teaches that God intervenes on behalf of His children who are obedient even if they are under the rule of a pagan ruler like Daniel was.
So Daniel 1:11-14 demonstrates the great faith and perseverance of Daniel.
Faith for the Christian is trusting in the authority of the Word of God in order to govern one’s life.
The Bible never separates faith from obedience (Hebrews 11:8).
The Lord will test the believer’s faith after conversion in order to produce endurance in them (James 1:2-3) and in Daniel 1:11-16, we see the Lord testing the faith of Daniel in Babylon.
The Lord rewards the believer after his faith has been tested (James 1:12) and in Daniel 1:11-16, we see the Lord rewarding Daniel for his faith, which would make Daniel invincible in spiritual combat.
In Daniel chapter one, we see Daniel listening to the voice of God in the Mosaic Law and determined to obey the dietary regulations of the Mosaic Law, which expresses his faith in the Lord.
Daniel trusts God’s word even though it could have resulted in his death.
He is obedient regardless of the consequences.
His circumstances seemed impossible and even frightening to him undoubtedly and unknown but he obeyed God nonetheless.
He trusted that God would do what is right and what was best for him in Babylon.