Did Daniel In The Bible Eat Meat? or Vegetable

Did Daniel In The Bible Eat Meat? or Vegetable

Did Daniel In The Bible Eat Meat? Daniel, in the Bible, does not eat meat. The Holy Bible records that Daniel was identified in his heart that he would certainly not taint himself with the king’s section of food nor with his wine. Therefore, he asked the royal princes if they could be exempted from eating the king’s food. The Babylonian diet consisted of unclean meat.

Animals were not killed properly according to the Leviticus law (Leviticus 17:14, 15).

A section of the previously eaten pets was used as a sacrifice to pagan gods (Acts 15:29).

The use of indulgent and unhealthy food and beverages was contrary to the strict principles of temperance.

To keep a clear mind, Daniel did not want to get drunk on royal wine.

Thus, Daniel and his friends were determined not to do anything that would hinder their physical, mental, and spiritual growth.

Why Did Daniel Refuse To Eat The king’s Food?

“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 Fischel that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8 (NASB)

Now what’s interesting is you see Daniel and his friends that experience something they experience captivity, they’re immersed in the culture, they have to learn the new language, they have to learn the literature, they even get new names. And all that happens; you know what, there’s no conflict with their faith.

I mean, if they want to call me a different name, they can call me a different name, you know if they want me to learn the language we’ll learn the language we can speak your language they want me to learn the literature and the writings of the Chaldeans that’s fine that’s not in conflict with my faith.

Also Know About: Was Jesus a vegetarian?

But here we see a conflict occur because now they’re saying eat the king’s choice food, and for whatever reason, Daniel says, I’m not going to defile myself, and what I mean by whatever reason I mean we don’t know the exact reason of what defile this food. It could have been a couple of things. One, there could have been blood in it. Meaning it was just strangled, and Daniel and his friends were taught not to eat anything of any meat that had blood still in it.

It could have been sacrificed to idols, and by eating the meat, you’re paying homage to that particular God, and they didn’t want to worship any other gods, or it could have been just unclean meat. It could have been pork or something that wasn’t allowed for them to eat.

So whatever it is, basically Daniel says, I’m not gonna defile myself. And what we see in the scripture what I find it’s interesting. Do you see how it says in verse eight that Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself? I can’t prove it to you, but it makes me think this Daniel may have been influencing his friends. He may have found out about this meat.

You know what? That’s gonna defile me. He might have said dish Hananiah Meshach and Azariah. He might have said, ” Hey guys, this meat will defile us if we eat it. He may have influenced them, and in the same way, I say that we two, as brothers and sisters in our walk with Christ, know certain things in this life will defile us.

Okay, we mean it might not be food like we see in Daniel, but spiritually the things we consume can defile us because, remember, our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and God dwells within us, and God has called us to a higher calling. And so we have to be very, very careful what we consume with our eyes, what we see with our eyes, whether it’s on our iPhones on our smartphones on our computers, whatever we may see with our eyes, we have to be careful that we don’t allow those things in our life which will defile us even what we hear the music we listen to.

Okay, I believe there are certain things we can eat that can defile us and compromise our walk. And so, I’m not here to be prescriptive for you. You’re gonna have to pray and seek the Lord and ask him, Lord, is there anything that I’m consuming or allowing into my life that would defile me because I don’t want to defile my walk before you I want to walk holy and blameless I want to walk with you and live a life of a true life of a disciple of Christ. 

Now, if we keep moving along, take a look at what Daniel says in verse 9 says 

“Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials and the commander of the official said to Daniel I am afraid of my lord the king who has appointed your food and your drink for why should you see your face is looking more Haggard than the ewes who are your own age then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 

Now, this is very interesting. Think about this well. Here’s the good thing God grants favor in the sight of the commander of the officials. Still, here it tells the commander of the officials when he hears about this idea that they’re not gonna eat the king’s choice food, what does he say? he says, I’m afraid because why should you why should he see your face is looking more Haggard than the other youth. 

Now think about this in this official mind. His thinking was that this was the best food. This is the king’s choice of food. Who would turn it down? I mean, this is the best. You can’t get better than this. He’s saying that you’ll look healthy and be healthy if you eat this food choice. See, the way in the world is very different than our spiritual walk with Christ.

Okay, they would say that what’s wrong with this? This is okay. Everybody does this is good for you. Okay, we have to have that spiritual discernment to know what’s going to defile us and what’s not going to defile us. And so look what he says there, then you would make me forfeit my head to the king. I mean, we live in a very different time frame today.

Okay this overseer would lose his life if he didn’t take care and be responsible for these youth. He’s not to make them look sickly or anything. I want to point out that Daniel doesn’t approach this official with a bad attitude, or this is my right, or you don’t understand who I’m from. I’m a Jew. I come from the Highest God. He doesn’t approach the king, the official. With this, look what he says in verse 11. He says 

“please test your servants for ten days and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the use who are eating the Kings choice food and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

Amazing verse, Daniel doesn’t assert his rights, doesn’t in any way say not. He says just to test us. Daniel is confident he was taken a step of faith. He knew that whatever that meet was, whatever that food was, it would defile him. He was obedient to God. God granted some favor because of his obedience. So he says, you overseer, you determine, you make the determination just test us, and so the overseer probably is like okay all right, I can do that ten days that’s not a long period let’s do it. 

So look at verse 14: “so he listened to them in this manner and tested them for 10 days”. 15 “at the end of the ten days, their appearance seemed better, and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the Kings choice food.”

Now I don’t think they meant that they were fatter or obese. I just think that’s trying at the scriptures are trying to say hey listen they were better in appearance they appeared healthier they appeared vibrant and so what happened that overseer saw this with his own eyes and he’s like.

so verse 16 says, “so the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine which they were to drink and kept giving them vegetables.” 

Amazing story Daniel’s obedience God gives him the favor he interacts with the overseer in a very respectful manner, and God honors that, and they appear more healthy. 

Now look at what God does further for Daniel verse 17 “As for these for use God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom who gave them this that’s right God gave them this every branch of literature and wisdom Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.” 

It gets even better. Look at verse 18 “then at the end of the days which the King had specified for presenting them the commander of the officials presented them before King before Nebuchadnezzar.” 

look at verse 19 “the King talked with them and out of all of them not one was found like Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah so they entered the King’s personal service as for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the King consulted them he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurors who were in his realm.” 

Every time I read this story, I’m just amazed at it. Think about this: they’re taken captive there in Babylon, and Jerusalem is destroyed. Yet God is still sovereign over the details of their diet. Daniel walks in obedience. He says no, I’m not gonna defile myself, I’m not gonna do that, and God gives him favor with the commander of the officials, and he demonstrates that just a simple diet of vegetables in water they look healthy. And God honors that small test of obedience with incredible wisdom, in fact, wisdom so much wisdom that when they start to talk to the king.

The king, who was a genius, finds them ten times better than all in his realm. Now I suspect King Nebuchadnezzar had some very wise men working in his court working in his administration. And so these men were probably 40, 50, 60, maybe even 70 or 80 years old. Wise, experienced men are talking with these youth who are just 16, 17, and 18.

Okay, look at the witness that Daniel and his friends are for the king. We’re going to see that this is a bit of a big influence on King Nebuchadnezzar because you don’t know how to walk and take a small step of faith and not defile yourself, being careful what you expose yourself to what you see, what you hear even what you eat.

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