Lesson in Brief
Daniel demonstrates an unusual but health fear of God, which forms the foundation of his resolve to not defile himself as he is assimilated into Babylonian culture and beliefs.
If we are to lead as God intends in the marketplace, we must have a similar resolve. Let’s learn about Daniel’s resolve as a way for us to think about our own resolve.
Introduction
A transcendent life purpose is essential to leading well as a Christian in the marketplace. We cannot lead the way God intended if we don’t have a set of core convictions about our life purpose that extends beyond our vocation. Without deeply held beliefs, you’ll negotiate away too much of yourself as you fall for the temptations that are sure to come your way.
From a leadership viewpoint, the book of Daniel starts with him showing firm conviction at a young age. Let’s read Daniel 1:1-16 (NIV):
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. 6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved[1] not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
Daniel 1.1-16
Discussion
In this opening story, Daniel—who is also the author of this book—is writing about himself in the third person.[2] He and his friends must have been intelligent, talented guys because they met the king’s criteria for being handsome, smart, strong, and healthy. They were without blemish.
The phrase “without any physical defect” recalls the language in Leviticus 21.16-24 and 22.17-25 where men with physical defects were not to approach the presence of God: “it may suggest…that we are to see Daniel and these young men as sacrifices for Yahweh (the Lord), fully dedicated to him and ready, if necessary, to suffer death in order to be faithful.” [3]
They were to learn the Babylonian literature, which was extensive. Babylonian religious beliefs were undoubtedly part of this. They were to be fully assimilated into the culture and wisdom of the Chaldeans, so they could serve Nebuchadnezzar, who did not reserve prominent government service only for Chaldeans or ethnic Babylonians. As he conquered nations, he pooled the best brains and abilities into his government.[4] But to incorporate such talent into his government, he first had to assimilate them into his beliefs and culture. The idea of multi-culturalism would have never seen the light of day under Nebuchadnezzar.
The phrase in verse 8, “Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine,” concerned having contact with unclean meats or meats that had become contaminated with heathen worship.[5] In addition, recall that Jewish dietary laws did not prohibit wine. So when Daniel combines meat and wine in the same thought, it is reasonable to conclude that some of his resolve may have come from his instinctive revolt against the program of total assimilation he was facing. “At this point, the Babylonian government is exercising control over every aspect of their lives. [Daniel and his friends] have little means to resist the forces of assimilation controlling them. They seize on one of the few areas where they can still exercise choice as an opportunity to preserve their distinct identity.”[6]
The essence of Daniel’s first test of leadership was trading purity for luxury, power, and position—trading purity for success.
In Proverbs 23.1-3 (NIV), we’re reminded to control our desires for luxury and power (the two often go together), even if it means putting a knife to our throats while eating in the presence of a powerful, rich superior:
When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, 2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. 3 Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Proverbs 23.1-3
“If you are given to gluttony” is a way of saying “if you lack self-control.” If we are not self-controlled people, this will be revealed when we’re sitting to dine with a wealthy, powerful individual.
“Do not crave his delicacies” is a way of saying “don’t crave his life—it’s not all that it appears to be.” Being around people who hold economic, social, or political power can be intoxicating. We may see a path to power, wealth, or a better life by associating with them. We may conclude that if we develop a strong relationship with this ruler, personal benefits will flow from this relationship to us. We may buy into their façade that all is right in their world. In the moment, we fail to understand that wealth and power are fleeting. We fail to realize that God offers us much more satisfaction in our covenant relationship with him than any amount of pleasure that wealth or power can offer us. We see the physical in front of us and forget the unseen awaiting us in the future.
Later on in this book, under Cyrus, Daniel appears to be eating the king’s food and drinking his wine. Note how he gave up these things while he was in mourning (Daniel 10.1-3 NIV):
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
Daniel 10.1-3
But at the beginning when they were entering into the king’s court, Daniel and his friends were unwilling to make this tradeoff decision. They were unwilling to set aside their deeply held religious beliefs in order to go along with the crowds. They didn’t trade their principles for the expedient.
We will learn that David and his friends are highly competent guys who gain the favor of the king. But once they arrived in the king’s orbit, they understood the inherent temptation[7] that was coming to them: to trade their deeply held beliefs for wealth and power, which often become the god of those who have them. To have wealth and power and yet remain fully dependent on God for one’s sustenance is difficult. Few can accomplish this well.
Even though they are in a permanent exile in Babylon, an unclean land to Daniel and his friends, they knew they could still show their loyalty to God by acting on their faith when it came to their purity.[8]
Four Things About Daniel’s Resolve
For Daniel to have this type of resolve, several things must have been true. First, he must have valued obeying God more than the opportunity for advancement, convenience, or luxury. His decision to not defile himself was first and foremost a highly personal decision that was likely made the day they were taken from their homeland. Daniel and his friends knew, early on, that allegiance to their faith would be tested. They knew the importance of the moment even though others around them did not. One point of learning here is this: the time to decide whether you will obey God and suffer for him is not made when the suffering event presents itself. It is made well in advance of the suffering moment.
Secondly, he understood that setting precedence was significant. It was a pivotal decision in that it prioritized allegiance to God as he ministered to foreign, godless kings. If Daniel had faltered here, at this point, then he would not have had the foundation to face the more dangerous tests coming in the future.
Thirdly, He knew why he was making this decision. It was a purposeful decision. He knew what God required of him. And God’s requirements weren’t simply rules to follow. Following the law was how Daniel and his friends demonstrated their believing loyalty to God.
Lastly, he took the time to produce a solution that, if followed, could create a win-win situation for everyone concerned. Hence, it was a powerful decision. He was “threading the needle” on trying to be faithful to God and yet continue to fulfill the king’s wishes. The most potent choices we’ll ever make in business are highly personal, highly pivotal, and highly purposeful.
Summary
Let’s use Daniel as our model. Let’s not sacrifice our Christian beliefs, our dependency on God, our covenant with him just to make more money, have more influence or exert more power. Let’s resolve now to make a highly personal, pivotal, purposeful and powerful decision. Let’s not trade our purity in God for success in this world.
[1] resolved: עַל־לִבּ֔וֹ; on one’s heart, set upon his heart. This phrase in the Hebrew text occurs only four times. Twice in Exodus 28.29-30: “Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord…Thus Aaron will always bear the names of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.” Jeremiah 44.21: “Did not the Lord remember and call to mind the incense burned in the towns of Judah…” Some exterior element is enough important that it is connected to the “locus of one’s thoughts, volition, emotions and knowledge of right from wrong, understood as the heart” (Logos). Resolved, ESV, NIV, LEB, Tanakh; purposed ASV, KJV; determined HCSB; made up his mind NASB.
[2] Archer, 4.
[3] Thompson, 317
[4] Archer, 32
[5] Archer, 35
[6] Matthews, Daniel 1.8
[7] Wisdom Sayings, p. xxx
[8] Thompson, 321.
