How to Live in His Presence

How to live in His presence is a question most people ask, especially Christians. Here is the basic commitments to God you will learn.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that, he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank, therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself  (Daniel 1:8).

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem in 606 BC and return to his own land, taking many hostages with him.  And among the captives were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah (whose names were changed).  Even as a young man, a teenager, perhaps, he was intelligent, well-trained, and God-fearing.  He was likely raised in a well-to-do home and educated in the Word of God and the ways of man. And Daniel had strong commitment to obeying God.

In Babylon, his commitment to God was tested repeatedly, and he passed every test, as did his three friends who were taken captive with him.  Once Daniel was removed from Jerusalem, he never returned.

Nebuchadnezzar instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good looking, to go through a three year training course to learn the language and the literature of the Chaldeans. 

So, Daniel and the other gifted young men were included in this immersion.  The Chaldean language is a difficult tongue and it’s used in giving instruction in all of Babylon’s learning, including astronomy, astrology, architecture, literature, and religion.  And associated with magic and divination, which were important in this culture.  Daniel and his three friends were in a very pagan environment indeed.

As part of their training, the king appointed for them daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, so that after the three years training, they might serve before the king.  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies and wine, meaning he decided ahead of time what his convictions would be, an important step for all believers in avoiding compromise.

The meat and wine would have been leftover portions of sacrifices to the Babylonian gods.  Jewish law did not directly prohibit learning the language and culture of a foreign nation or accepting the name assigned by a foreign king.  But to eat unclean food, especially that which had been associated with pagan sacrifice, was viewed as participating in the worship of false gods and was an act of defilement.   

The captors changed the names of the four Jewish youths, but they could not change their hearts.

Consider this:

• What would you have done if you were in the same situation like Daniel and his three friends?
• Do you easily compromise your beliefs for the fear of man?

Prayer:  I thank You Father for today, help me to remain steadfast in my faith and not to compromise with the things of this world, especially with the current unrest in our world today.

Read:  Daniel 1:1-8