Having plans to teach through the Book of Daniel this summer, I’ve decided to spend some extra time there over the next couple of months. Practicing what I preach, I’ve begun noting the Big Buts within the text. Here, in a series of posts are some observations. If you’re looking for a text to read through a little at a time, I invite you to grab your copy of the Scriptures, turn to Daniel, and follow along.
The Book of Daniel is a mystery to most. I’m willing to bet that, unless you’re in a wildly dispensational church setting, you can count on one hand the sermons or lessons you’ve ever heard out of Daniel—and further, that three fingers’ worth of those were on either Daniel and the Lion’s Den or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace. Part of the confusion may be that Daniel is divided into two parts—the first is a narrative section (chapters 1-6) and the second has to do with visions of the future (chapters 7-12) and this makes reading, studying and applying the texts a little tricky. But, buts will help. I promise.
Give chapter one a read.
The first handful of verses serve to set the stage historically—this is when it occurs; these are the kings and kingdoms involved, and so on. The writer asserts at the very beginning that “the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah” into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands. Allow that to sink in. Although God’s people were being persecuted and were suffering, let it be clear that their God was sovereign over it all. So, Daniel proceeds in the knowledge that God has ‘placed His people here.’ The three buts in chapter one outline the chapter nicely.
In verses 3 through 6 the Babylonian king ordered an official in his court as to the selection and training of men from among the Israelites to serve him. Part of his directions included the special diet they were to maintain—food and wine from the king’s table. It isn’t clear what about this diet was offensive to the Israelites—it may have been that this food was forbidden by their dietary laws or perhaps that it had been offered to Babylonian gods. What is clear? Follow the buts.
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink.
Daniel said to the official… Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance… and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.
Following the buts: Daniel and the men with him made a decision to honor God to the best of their ability; God gave them great assistance by moving the official’s heart to sympathy; God blessed them in their righteousness.
The chapter goes on to record that God provided the men with great wisdom and insight which gained them great favor with the king among all of his servants. In the most difficult and undesirable of settings, God was at work in and through his people.
Take a step back for a moment. Daniel, as I mentioned at the outset, is a difficult book because the first half is narrative and the second half is predictive of the future. But, what if we considered the early narrative chapters as providing crucial lessons for how to live in the future that the latter chapters predict? Suddenly the book is connected.
Daniel is going to predict some very difficult times ahead. But before we get to that, let’s consider the importance of making decisions that honor God no matter the setting; let’s trust that God will not abandon us but will accompany us always; and let’s expect that He will bring His plans to fruition, no matter the circumstances. Pretty important. Very helpful.
Any thoughts?
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