A Way to Escape

                                                         

Daniel Purposed in His Heart

Daniel was taken into captivity from Israel into Babylon when he was a young man. Daniel was strong, healthy, and well favored. He understood all wisdom, was gifted in knowledge, and understood how to express his thoughts. He had the strength it would take to stand in the king's palace.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had designs on Daniel’s life to mold him into the heathen ways of the Babylonians.

Daniel was given a new name, Belteshazzar, which honored a pagan Babylonian god. The king’s plan was to teach Daniel the learning and the language of the Chaldeans. He would be given food and wine from the king's table. As a Jew, to eat this non-kosher food would be breaking God’s commandment.

Daniel determined that he would obey God. Although he was in a foreign land with a foreign king ruling over him, Daniel was not going to disobey God’s commandments.

"But 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." - Daniel 1:8 

With the temptation to ‘go with the program’ and not resist, God made a way to escape for Daniel.

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 

God gave Daniel favor with the prince of the eunuchs so he could get a substitute diet.

"Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs [And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs]." - Daniel 1:9  

Even in a strange and pagan country and circumstances, Daniel served God. Even though we live in a world that most of the time is not serving God, He can give us favor, and will not allow us to be tempted above what we can handle. With the temptation, God will make a way to escape so we can bear it.