Daniel 1:14

Letters to the Faithful - Daniel 1:14

Berean Standard Bible

So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.

King James Bible

So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

Hebrew Text:

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע לָהֶ֖ם לַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיְנַסֵּ֖ם יָמִ֥ים עֲשָׂרָֽה׃

Transliteration:

Vayishma lahem ladavar hazeh, vaynasem yamim asarah.

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So he consented to this

This phrase indicates the agreement of the Babylonian official, likely Ashpenaz or the steward under him, to Daniel's request. Daniel and his friends had asked to be tested with a diet of vegetables and water instead of the king's food and wine. This consent shows the favor Daniel found in the eyes of the official, which can be seen as God's providence at work. It reflects the theme of divine intervention and favor, as seen in other biblical narratives like Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 39:21).

and tested them

The testing implies a trial period to evaluate the effects of the proposed diet. This reflects the wisdom and faith of Daniel and his friends, who trusted God to sustain them. The concept of testing is prevalent in Scripture, often associated with proving faithfulness and reliance on God, as seen in the testing of Abraham (Genesis 22) and the Israelites in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2).

for ten days

The specific period of ten days is significant, as the number ten often symbolizes completeness or a full cycle in biblical numerology. This short period was sufficient to demonstrate the effectiveness of their diet and God's provision. The number ten is also seen in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the ten plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12), representing a complete set of divine instructions or judgments.

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So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. Thus speaks the sacred text, unveiling a moment of divine providence in the court of Babylon, where Daniel and his companions, steadfast in their covenant faith, stand under trial. The steward, appointed over the young Hebrew captives, yields to their plea, granting them a test of ten days to partake not of the king’s delicacies but of pulse and water, honoring their resolve to remain undefiled by the provisions of a pagan court. This verse, set amidst the exile’s shadow, reveals the quiet workings of God’s hand, weaving faithfulness and favor into the tapestry of His people’s obedience.

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, chosen for their wisdom and comeliness, face a trial not of swords but of steadfastness. The king’s meat and wine, rich with the allure of Babylon’s splendor, carry the taint of idolatry, offered perhaps to false gods or prepared in violation of the law given through Moses. Yet these youths, rooted in the fear of the Lord, choose the humble fare of pulse—seeds and vegetables—over the opulence of Nebuchadnezzar’s table. Their request, bold yet courteous, reflects a heart anchored in covenant loyalty, trusting that obedience to God’s commands will not lead to ruin but to blessing.

The steward’s consent, though cautious, marks a divine opening, for the Lord, who turns the hearts of kings like rivers of water, softens this servant of Babylon to grant the trial. Ten days—a span brief yet sufficient—become a crucible for faith, where the unseen hand of God upholds His servants. This test is no mere dietary preference but a stand for purity, a declaration that allegiance to the God of Israel surpasses the fleeting honors of an earthly court. The number ten, oft symbolic of completeness in the sacred writ, underscores the sufficiency of God’s provision, proving that His ways sustain beyond the riches of men.

In this moment, Daniel 1:14 shines as a testament to the power of resolute faith. The young men’s obedience, tempered by wisdom and humility, invites divine favor, setting the stage for the Lord to manifest His glory. As the steward consents, so God prepares to reveal that those who honor Him will not be put to shame, but will shine as lights in a foreign land, their lives a living testimony to the One who sustains His faithful amidst the trials of exile.

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To the elect of God, pilgrims and strangers upon the earth, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, who are scattered yet sanctified, burdened yet blessed, contested yet kept—grace and peace be multiplied unto you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who reigns from heaven and upholds all who fear His name.

Beloved in the Lord, I write unto you concerning steadfastness in consecration and the hidden strength of holy resolve. For it is written in the book of Daniel, that when the young men of Judah were carried away to Babylon and set in the court of the king, they purposed in their hearts that they would not defile themselves with the portion of the king’s meat nor with the wine which he drank. And when their request for a purer portion was presented, the steward of the king, being moved, “consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.”

O people of God, see in this the wisdom and witness of the Spirit. For though Daniel and his companions were removed from their native land, taken from the courts of the temple to the palace of Babylon, their identity was not lost, nor was their covenant compromised. They were among a people ruled by pride, taught the language of magicians, seated under the gaze of earthly kings, yet their hearts were fixed upon the King of Heaven. Their bodies were in exile, but their souls remained in Zion.

Let every saint take heed: when you are set among the systems of this world, surrounded by its temptations and fed by its philosophies, you are not bound to partake of its defilement. The Lord still honors those who purpose in their hearts to remain pure. Holiness is not a garment for the temple alone, but a fragrance that must be carried in every court, every prison, every foreign place. Babylon cannot corrupt what God has sealed.

Daniel did not protest with wrath, nor did he conform in fear. He requested, he reasoned, and he waited. And the steward, though himself a servant of the king, “consented to them in this matter.” Mark this well: God is able to turn the hearts of gatekeepers and governors, of stewards and systems, to make room for the faithful. When a man sets his heart toward the Lord, heaven moves, and even Babylon must bend.

And they were “proved ten days.” Though brief in number, those ten days were weighty in meaning. They were a season of testing, a measure of patience, and a proving of the inward vow. For purity must be proven, not only professed. Resolve must be refined, not merely declared. And the Lord, who watches in secret, gives reward openly.

O Church of the Living God, be not swayed by the delicacies of Babylon. Its food is rich with vanity, and its wine is filled with pride. It offers what delights the eyes but dulls the soul. It will train your speech, polish your posture, and attempt to rename you—but it cannot own your spirit unless you yield it. Be as Daniel. Keep the covenant. Honor your God. Trust Him to defend your cause.

To the young among you, who stand in the halls of secular knowledge and among the enticements of this age, take courage. You are not too young to purpose in your heart. You are not too weak to stand. And the God who granted favor to Daniel will preserve you also. To the elders and leaders, who guide the flock and walk before them—lead not with fear, but with resolve. The Lord will prove His servants, and those who endure shall shine as lights in a crooked generation.

And to all who feel exiled—who labor in systems not built upon righteousness, who dwell in lands that know not your God—remember: your presence there is no accident. You are not hidden from the Lord. Babylon is not beyond His reach. In the court of Nebuchadnezzar, the Lord was near. In the days of your testing, He is at hand. In the season of your proving, He shall show Himself faithful.

So then, let your hearts be established. Let your convictions be firm. Let your resolve be holy. Be courteous in speech, but unyielding in truth. Serve with excellence, but bow only to the Lord. Eat not the portion of compromise, and drink not the wine of deception. For after ten days, the Lord will distinguish His people. He will make it known who has trusted in Him.

Now unto Him who watches over His servants in every land, who honors holy resolve and grants favor before men, who raises up the faithful and establishes them in every generation—unto Him be glory, dominion, and praise forevermore. May your hearts be kept in peace, your paths in righteousness, and your testimony in purity, until the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

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O Most High and Sovereign Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, who rules among the nations and searches the hearts of all men—You who dwell in light unapproachable, yet make Yourself known to those who seek You in truth—be praised forevermore.

We lift up our voices to You, the God of holy purpose and covenant faithfulness, who calls His servants even in a strange land and proves them in the furnace of consecration. For You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, and You do not forsake those who set their hearts to honor You.

We remember before You, O Lord, the faithfulness of Your servant Daniel, and the favor which You caused to rest upon him in Babylon. Though he was carried far from Jerusalem, yet he was not far from Your presence. Though he dwelt among the courts of kings who knew not Your name, still he purposed in his heart not to be defiled by the delicacies of the ungodly. And when he sought a better portion, the steward was moved to mercy and consented to him in this matter, and he was proved ten days.

So now, O Righteous Father, we beseech You to grant unto us that same spirit of devotion which was in Daniel, that we too may purpose in our hearts to walk uprightly in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Let us not be overcome by the enticements of Babylon, nor drawn away by the portion of this world. Let us not bow to the pressure of compromise, nor defile the temple of our bodies with the customs of the ungodly.

But rather, O Lord, give us strength to endure our proving. When we are tried, let us be found faithful. When we are tested, let us not shrink back in fear or hesitation. May our resolve be unwavering, our conscience undefiled, our witness unshaken. And if it pleases You to set before us a season of ten days, or ten years, or a lifetime of quiet testing, let us embrace it with patience, knowing that You watch over all who hope in Your mercy.

As You caused the steward to show kindness to Daniel, so we pray that You would incline the hearts of those in authority to favor Your people. Open doors that no man can shut. Cause those who rule in earthly courts to recognize the excellence of those who serve in heavenly fear. Let the lives of Your consecrated ones shine brightly in every place, that Your name may be glorified among the nations.

And O Lord, let not our proving be in vain. Let it yield the fruit of righteousness, let it bring forth honor to Your name, and let it set us apart as vessels fit for Your use. For You test not to destroy, but to refine. You prove not to cast away, but to establish. And You raise up those who humble themselves before You, even in exile, even in obscurity.

We pray for Your Church, scattered in every corner of the earth—many of whom are in places where their loyalty to You is tried daily. Strengthen them, O God of Daniel. Grant them courage and discernment. Cause their portion to be holy. Let their countenance shine with the wisdom from above. Let their endurance be as a testimony before rulers and people, that the God of heaven is with those who walk in truth.

Now, O Lord, sanctify us wholly—body, soul, and spirit. Purge from us every hidden compromise. Teach us to wait, to watch, and to worship in the midst of trial. And when the ten days are fulfilled—whether literal or prophetic—let us be found increased in strength, favored in sight, and confirmed in calling.

Unto You who tries the hearts, who grants favor, who watches over every proving of Your saints, be all glory, majesty, dominion, and praise. We yield ourselves anew to Your purpose. We welcome Your testing. We long for Your appearing. May our consecration rise as a sweet incense, and may our lives bear witness that we belong not to Babylon, but to Zion.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord and King, who Himself was tested and yet without sin, we offer this prayer.

Amen.