HOMILETICS
SECT. IV.—THE TRIAL (Chap. Daniel 1:11-21).
God works by means, and in doing so deals with men’s minds as well as their bodies. Daniel was delivered out of his difficulty in regard to the food by a suggestion made upon his own mind, and favourably regarded by the person with whom he had to do. This suggestion was the proposal of a trial for ten days with pulse [20] instead of the king’s meat, and water instead of wine. Melzar [21], the subordinate officer, who could agree to the proposal with less risk to his head than his chief, and who was, no doubt, in the meantime, to reap the material advantage of it, consented to the proposed trial. The trial was made, and proved, by the divine blessing on the humbler fare, eminently successful. At the end of the period, no doubt could exist that the four Jewish youths were not only no worse in their looks for their pulse diet, but actually appeared fairer and plumper than those who had subsisted on the royal dainties [22]. Nor was this all; for at the end of the three years’ study and preparation prescribed for them by the king, they were found, on examination, to have made much greater proficiency than the rest, and, indeed, to possess a wisdom and understanding greatly superior to any of the magicians [23] and astrologers [24] within the realm. The result was, in the providence of God, an influential appointment to each of the young men about the king’s person as his attendants and councillors [25]; God, as Calvin observes, aiming at exalting Himself in and through the person of His servants. They “stood before the king,” an expression that finds its parallel in such passages as Luke 1:19; Matthew 18:10; 1 Samuel 16:21; 1 Kings 12:6; 1 Kings 12:8. The purpose of Divine Providence in thus elevating Daniel is indicated in the closing words of the chapter, “Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus” [26]. Daniel was to acquire an influence which should operate on Cyrus to do what was already written of him in the Scripture of truth,—release the Jewish captives and restore the Holy City with its Temple and worship” (Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1-4) [27]. We observe from the passage—
[20] “Pulse,” מִן הַזֵּרֹעִים (min haz-zero’im), “out of the vegetables.” Dr. Rule observes that according to Buxtorf, Daniel and his companions would thus be allowed free use of grain, pulse, and spices, not necessarily excluding vegetable oils for the preparation of such food as they had been accustomed to at home, like their ancestors before entering the land of promise, and many of them afterwards (1 Samuel 17:17-18), living as do multitudes in the Levant at this day. He thinks it cannot be inferred that they suffered any severe privation. They were content to live moderately and humbly.
[21] “Melzar.” Hengstenberg thinks that Melzar was perhaps the official name of the sub-overseer of the royal attendants. Melzar, or “the Melzar,” observes Dr. Rule, whatever that may mean, being in a subordinate station, and therefore not directly responsible, like his chief, consented to make a brief trial by way of private experiment.
[22] “Fairer and fatter in flesh.” Dr. Pusey remarks that even now God protects religious abstinence, and quotes the words of Chardin: “I have remarked that the countenance of the Keshicks (Keshishim or monks) are in fact more rosy and smooth than those of others; and that those who fast much, I mean the Armenians and Greeks, are notwithstanding very beautiful, sparkling with health, and with a clear and lively complexion.”
[23] “Magicians,” הַחַרְטֻמִּים (ha-khartummim), from חֶרֶט (kheret), a writing or graving instrument, a pen or style. Persons skilled in writing, especially hieroglyphics.—Nork and Gesenius. According to Hengstenberg, persons skilled in mystic writing. The existence of such among the Babylonians confirmed by the fact that they are found among the Egyptians, whose religious system stands in the closest historical relation to the Babylonian. The existence of a mystic writing in Babylon supposed in the narration in chap, 5, where the king thinks of calling for the wise men to interpret the writing on the wall. According to Gesenius, they were persons among the ancient Egyptians who studied the interpretation of dreams and wrought miracles by magic (Genesis 41:8; Genesis 41:24; Exodus 7:11; Exodus 7:22, &c.); the name also applied to the Chaldean wise men similarly versed in the interpretation of dreams; sacred scribes, or persons skilled in interpreting sacred writing, especially hieroglyphics.
[24] “Astrologers,” הָאַשָּׁמִים (ha-ash-shaphim). Nork derives the name from אָשַׁף = אָסַף (ashaph = asaph), to “gather together,” and understands by it such persons as professed to foretell events by a contemplation of the stars in their situation relative to each other. According to Gesenius, they were enchanters or magicians, from אָשַׁף (ashaph), a root of uncertain meaning; but in Syriac, “to enchant.” Rendered by the Sept. and Theodotion, μαγοι (magic). So the Vulgate. The Venetian Bible has “astronomers.” So Abulwaled and Kimchi. Aben Ezra understands “physicians.” Hengstenberg thinks of “exorcists;” not “natural philosophers,” as Bertholdt and Münter suppose. According to Diodorus Siculus, the Babylonian wise men sought to avert misfortune by lustrations, sacrifices, and witchcraft. Isaiah (Isaiah 47:9; Isaiah 47:12) derides Babylon by saying that all the incantations of their wise men availed not to avert the threatened ruin from her. According to Claudian, a rain was ascribed to the incantations of the Chaldeans, by which the army of Antoninus was delivered from the threatened destruction. Dr. A. Clarke thinks the name may be derived from נפש (na-phash), “to breathe,” these men laying claim to inspiration; but supposes them to have been the philosophers and astronomers among the Babylonians. See further under chap. Daniel 2:2.
[25] “Therefore stood they before the king.” Dr. Cox remarks that the king’s preference of the four young Jews was all the more remarkable from the fact that the Chaldeans boasted of their literature and science, and deemed all other nations to be barbarians; their superiority, which thus so greatly attracted the royal favour, being certainly from the Lord, who exalts and depresses according to His own good pleasure, and to subserve the purposes of His universal government. Keil observes that Daniel needed to be deeply versed in the Chaldean wisdom, as formerly Moses was in the wisdom of Egypt (Acts 7:22), so as to be able to put to shame the wisdom of this world by the “hidden wisdom” of God. Gaussen notices that four benefits were bestowed by God on these faithful youths as a recompense for their fidelity: knowledge, skill in all learning, wisdom in the conduct of themselves, and, in the case of Daniel at least, something supernatural, prophetic gifts, a miraculous knowledge of the secrets of the Lord. Matthew Henry quaintly remarks that the king was soon aware that a little of their divinity was preferable to a great deal of the divinations he had been used to.
[26] “And Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus.” Hengstenberg remarks that the author considers it superfluous to describe more precisely the event which distinguished the “first year of Cyrus; “he takes it for granted that all his readers would of themselves remember it. He must, therefore, have written as a cotemporary for cotemporaries; a confirmation of the genuineness of the book. The year referred to, 536 b.c., exactly seventy years after the first captives were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon, of whom Daniel was one, being then probably fourteen or sixteen years of age.
[27] That the authority of Daniel had a very great share in bringing about the liberation of the Jews is generally admitted. Bertholdt, who opposes the genuineness of the book, says that Daniel without doubt very much contributed to obtain the permission from Cyrus for the exiled Jews to return to their fatherland, and to build Jerusalem and the Temple anew. Kleinert expresses the opinion that the immediate occasion of the edict of Cyrus was the reading of the prophecies of Isaiah concerning the liberation to be granted to the Jews by a person of his name. But this supposes another more remote cause—the influence of Daniel. Daniel influenced Cyrus to take the step partly by his great credit with the monarch, resulting from all the preceding miraculous events, even those which had occurred under the reign of the Chaldeans, partly by his laying before him the prophecies of Isaiah concerning him, which he attested with his own authority.—Hengstenberg.
1. Faith IN God and fidelity TO God sure to be rewarded. “They trusted and were not confounded.” “They shall not be ashamed that wait for me.” “Them that honour me I will honour.” God is a good paymaster, says Kitto; give what we may to Him of faith, or work, or trust, or love, or zeal, He gives back again with large interest. Trust in man or self may disappoint; trust in God never. “Better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:30-31). The trust reposed in God by these four youths, honoured by the blessing received from God on all their undertakings and pursuits.
2. Health and vigour often the result of God’s blessing on the humblest fare. Pulse and water, says Matthew Henry, shall be the most nourishing food, if God speak the word. The coarsest food with the divine blessing more conducive to health and good liking than the choicest diet without it. A natural connection with godliness and good looks not to be forgotten. Godliness promotes temperance, temperance health, and health a good complexion. Peace with God brings peace of conscience, serenity of mind, and sweetness of temper; and these the most certain means of bringing sweetness of countenance. One of the promises made to godliness, or godlikeness which is love—“The Lord shall make fat thy bones” (Isaiah 58:11). “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” A truly and abidingly merry heart the result of peace with God, trust in God, and obedience to God.
3. The divine blessing the best help to successful study. A sound intelligent mind as well as a sound and healthful body acknowledged even by the heathen to be given by the deity, and to be sought in prayer. One of the favourite gods of the Hindoos is one that is worshipped as the giver of wisdom and helper in study. That study likely to be barren enough that lacks the divine blessing. Daniel’s three years’ study with that blessing better than others’ ten without it. That blessing given in answer to prayer. Hence, bene orasse est bene studuisse,—to have prayed well is to have studied well. He studies to best purpose who has a closet for prayer as well as a study for his books, and who is much in the one as well as in the other. Godliness one of the best teachers. “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Thy precepts,”—a sentiment of which Daniel himself may have been the author. The most prayerful and conscientious usually the most proficient student. Hence the knowledge even of difficult languages so readily acquired by missionaries to the heathen, enabling them not only to preach the gospel, but to translate the Scriptures in the vernacular language. The late William C. Burn enabled to converse and preach in Chinese in a wonderfully short time after his arrival in the country. “We count it reasonable,” says Kitto, “to look to the Lord for our daily bread, and to apply to Him for aid and guidance in the trials and emergencies of life. But how few are they who seek for the same aid from Him, and feel the same dependence upon Him, in matters of the intellect,—in learning, in study, in thought! It is very reasonable and becoming,—it is very necessary,—that when we go forth to the toil and business of the day, or when our affairs present perplexing difficulties, we should cast ourselves upon the Lord’s protection, and look to Him for counsel and guidance. But is it,—can it be,—less needful that, when we sit down to write, to study, to think, we should lift up our hearts trustingly to Him?” Kitto himself an eminent example of the truth he teaches.
4. True piety the frequent path to worldly promotion. “Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour.” Daniel in Babylon and Joseph in Egypt distinguished examples. Worldly honour and advancement in God’s hand. “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south: but God is judge; He putteth down one and setteth up another” (Psalms 75:6-7). God promotes His servants in the world as He sees to be most for His own glory and the good of themselves and others. Such promotion often a natural consequence of true piety. Godliness, even on natural grounds, “profitable unto all things.” Makes a man more faithful, conscientious, truthful, honest, unselfish; hence more trustworthy and reliable. True piety connected with the exercise of thought; hence tends to make a man intelligent and prudent, even though poorly educated. Makes him acquainted with the best and most elevating book, the Bible; and gives him the best and most efficient teacher, the Holy Spirit. Hence a man with true godliness, though less gifted by nature and providence, more likely to acquire advancement in the world than a man more highly gifted without it.
5. God’s purposes and promises sure of fulfilment. Means for accomplishing divine purposes never wanting. Daniel’s good appearance, proficiency in study, and superior intelligence, with their result, his elevation at court, part of the means for accomplishing the divine purpose and promise in regard to Israel’s restoration. The same true of Daniel’s longevity. His life extended to about ninety years, in order to accomplish the purpose for which God had raised him up and sent him an exile to Babylon. His influence with Cyrus to be the principal means of leading that monarch, in the very first year of his reign, to liberate the Jewish captives, then under his dominion. An easy thing with God to make slaves and exiles, like Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon, his honoured instruments in accomplishing His designs in reference to His people, His kingdom, and the world. “I will work, and who shall let it?”
6. A happy issue given to a believer out of all his troubles. Believers have troubles promised to them, but with the troubles a joyous deliverance out of them. The angel “that redeemed Jacob from all evil” still lives, and does the same for all Jacob’s faithful children. With the godly, the end better than the beginning. “Always better on before.” Their latter end peace, whatever their previous experience. Those who mourn with Zion in her sorrows sometimes spared to rejoice with her in her joys. Daniel, after all his sorrow for his people, spared to see the promise made by Jeremiah fulfilled,—to see, at least in its beginning, “the good of Jerusalem and peace upon Israel.” “Weeping may endure for a night; joy cometh in the morning.”