Day 1 – A Tough-Minded Teenage Vegan
Read Daniel 1: 1 – 8
God had warned the people of the southern kingdom of Judah that he would judge them for their sin if they did not repent. God raised up the nation of Babylon and ordained them for judgement and correction (Habakkuk 1:12). King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem in 606 B.C. and took Daniel and many other hostages with him back to Babylon. By taking the holy things from the temple, he wanted to show the conquered people that their god wasn’t sufficiently strong to save them from defeat. The best and brightest of the hostages were chosen for specific service to the king. Daniel was about 15 years of age when he and several of his friends entered a three-year program where they would be taught the language, history, and culture of the Babylonians.
The king’s ultimate plan was to develop future kingdom administrators who looked Jewish in appearance but were Babylonian in thinking and lifestyle. He wanted them to renounce the important things of their former country and culture and embrace the new Babylonian gods and lifestyle. He changed Daniel’s name, which means, “Yahweh is my judge,” to Belteshazzar, ‘Bel protect his life.” The king most likely knew that Daniel believed there was a definite prohibition against eating unclean food and especially against eating food that had been offered as a sacrifice to the Babylonian gods. To eat such food was to participate in the worship of a pagan king’s god. Before he was taken into exile, Daniel had made a commitment to honor and serve God. Daniel’s current conditions were very different from when he first made that commitment. Even though Daniel was young, in the minority, and away from his support group and knew the penalty for disobeying the king, he had the integrity to honor his commitment.
Q1: A careful reading of Isaiah, II Kings, Jeremiah and Micah reveal many prophecies of judgment and warnings given to the nation of Judah to repent before the impending invasion of Babylon. Was there ever a time in your life when you also chose to ignore warnings to repent? What reasons do some people give for disregarding God’s call to repentance?
Q2: Think back to a situation in your life where you felt pressure to do wrong when you knew what was right. What did you choose? What were the results of your decision?
Q3. How do you think Daniel acquired the strength to stand the way he did? How can he be an example for you?
Final thought: “Make good choices” is an often-repeated phrase we use to parent children and even admonish ourselves. Daniel had an important choice to make – follow his commitment to God or conform to the culture of his new home. Daniel made the right choice and it opened the door for continued service to Yahweh and his people. What choices will you make today that show your commitment to your Heavenly Father?