Ezekiel 45 - Daniel 2

Isaiah prophesied to Hezekiah when Assyria was the great power in the world -

"...Hear the word of the LORD.
17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." (Old Testament 2 Kings 20:16 - 18)

Daniel, a contemporary in Jerusalem with Lehi and Nephi, was one of those. My immediate thoughts of Daniel was much like Joseph of old. He was of highest integrity in keeping all the commandments even at the risk of losing his life. The words of the following hymn seem to exemplify his life -

1. Choose the right when a choice is placed before you. In the right the Holy Spirit guides;And its light is forever shining o’er you, When in the right your heart confides.

[Chorus]Choose the right! Choose the right! Let wisdom mark the way before. In its light, choose the right! And God will bless you evermore.

2. Choose the right! Let no spirit of digression Overcome you in the evil hour. There’s the right and the wrong to ev’ry question; Be safe thru inspiration’s pow’r.

3. Choose the right! There is peace in righteous doing. Choose the right! There’s safety for the soul. Choose the right in all labors you’re pursuing; Let God and heaven be your goal.

The story of Daniel begins where -

"...the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans." (Old Testament Daniel 1:3 - 4)

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) were a few of those selected to stand in the palace. To all those being trained -

"...the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king." (Old Testament Daniel 1:5)

Being true to his covenants -

"...Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." (Old Testament Daniel 1:8)

Daniels refusal was not necessarily because it was meat or wine -

"The term meat referred to the food that graced the king’s table (compare Genesis 1:29). The reasons for Daniel’s refusal to eat the food may have included the following: (1) some of the foods used by the Babylonians were likely among the items forbidden for consumption in the Mosaic law (see Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14); (2) Babylonians, like other heathens, ate beasts that had not been properly drained of blood (see Leviticus 3:17) and thereby violated the Mosaic law; and (3) the heathens consecrated the food of their feasts by offering up part of the food and drink as sacrifices to their gods. Consuming such food would be participating in the worship of false gods. Moreover, food was viewed as contaminated and unclean according to Jewish law when it was prepared by anyone considered unclean, such as the heathens (see Leviticus 7:19–21). Daniel was strictly loyal to the Lord and refused to be involved in any practice associated with anything unclean or idolatrous." (Old Testament, CES Manual)

The prince of eunuchs was concerned for his life if he allowed these Israelites to eat other than commanded by the king. Daniel suggested to the prince -

"...Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants." (Old Testament Daniel 1:12 - 13)

Well sure enough, in ten days -

"...their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat." (Old Testament Daniel 1:15)

I'm sure much of this countenance was not necessarily a result of pulse, but their desire to keep the commandments of God. And -

"...at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah..." (Old Testament Daniel 1:18 - 19)

"And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm." (Old Testament Daniel 1:20)