8 “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.”
8 therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
This request to not eat the king’s food was courageous on Daniel’s part. It is one thing to “purpose,” but it is another thing to use that purpose with wisdom. Daniel did not court opposition in his resolve.
The four young men did not eat the king’s food because 1) it was not kosher, and 2) it was sacrificed to idols.
Daniel’s request was not peevish; it was not made from a spirit of sullenness but from biblical conviction. These foods were probably sacrificed to idols. He did not want to “defile himself” with this food. The word “defile” connotes the ideas of stain or pollute. Daniel did not want to disrupt his fellowship with God.
PRINCIPLE:
Believers must operate on the higher sphere of a predetermined predisposition to make difficult choices.
APPLICATION:
Refusal to eat the food of the king might have been interpreted as a peevish rebellion. However, Daniel used wisdom in his approach to his leader by asking for a 10-day test. The food of the king was appealing because it was the best Babylon could offer. It would have been easy to compromise since he was so far from home and the temple. But Daniel operated on a higher sphere. He functioned on a predetermined predisposition to follow God no matter what the consequence.
