Babylonian Vegans

Daniel 1 New International Version (NIV)

Daniel’s Training in Babylon

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia[a] and put in the treasure house of his god.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.[b] 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

The first story in Daniel is actually a few chapters later, The fiery furnace in Chapter 3. But here we lear, not only where Daniel and his 3 friends got their surnames. Daniel and his friends were taken from their land and put into the babylonian academy as slaves. The thinking was that if prominent Israelites took on the customs of the Babylonians that the rest would and there would be fewer uprisings. This is how Daniel and his friends found themselves in such position. 

God gives us many rules. Some lay a heavier burden on us that others. They all have the same goal, to maintain and further our relationship. Tithing, honoring our parents, praying, fasting, baptism, all of these are modern ways of adding to our relationship with God. For Daniel and his friends, it was to continue observing God's rule to not eat food sacrificed to idols. To do so would be to not set his nourishment apart for God. Daniel would rather not eat than to eat savory meat seasoned with guilt. He knew that God would supply any nourishment he would be missing out on. In fact we find (and many of my vegan friends enjoy arguing this point) that they looked better than the captives who ate the forbidden fruit (meat.) For being the first vegans since Adam and Eve, God rewarded them with spiritual gifts. Daniel's gift, the interpretation of dreams, would continually bless him the rest of his life.

BY observing God's laws and keeping His commandments we show Him our love for Him. In return, he shows us evidence of His love, which He initiated first. Take a moment and consider your spiritual gifts. How did you come across this gift? What have you used it for?