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A HEART OF PURPOSE (III)
FRIDAY, JUNE 4
Daniel 1:8

Romans 12:1-2

 

“…with the portion
of the king’s meat,

nor with the wine…”

 

A HEART OF PURPOSE (III)
 
As one of those chosen for the royal training, Daniel was given a new name: “Belteshazzar,” taking from the false Babylonian god Bel. With the other trainees Daniel was also taught “the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans” (Dan 1:4). The question thus arises: how can these apparent concessions on Daniel’s part be reconciled with his purposing in his heart not to defile himself? In other words, why did he draw the line at partaking the king’s food when he consented to be named after a Babylonian deity, and to learning the heathen mythologies?
 
In the first place, Daniel would have had no control over what others chose to name him, and it would have been neither prudent nor profitable for him to protest. Nor is it necessary to assume that Daniel was willing to give up his Hebrew name ‒ after all, decades later, we find even Daniel’s enemies still using his Hebrew name (cf. Dan 6:13). Second, it would have been possible for Daniel to learn of the false religion and practice of his captors without assenting to it or actually performing it.
 
But the king’s meat was a different matter. The Babylonians, of course, did not observe the strict dietary laws observed by the Israelites since the time of Moses. To eat such unclean food would be to go against the very purpose of the law, and violate the separation that God intended for His people, above all other peoples on the face of the earth. Thus after establishing the details of the dietary laws, God said, “I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Lev 11:44).
 
Dear reader, these dietary laws are not applicable to the church (cf. Acts 10:9-16); yet the principle of holiness remains. Just as for the nation of Israel, we as Christians are to be totally consecrated to God; and this consecration must extend to every aspect of our lives. Like Daniel, we do not live surrounded by a culture that has been designed by God; we live surrounded by godlessness. We need to “walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Eph 5:15) ‒ and above all, we need a heart of purpose, not to defile ourselves, but to be holy unto our God.
 
THOUGHT: Holiness is not a theory, but a practice.

PRAYER: Father, help me to be holy in every area of my life!

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