A GREAT victory is won when the young christian, for the first time, is enabled to say “NO” to the world’s temptation. “By faith Moses... refused,” we read in the list of the grand deeds of faith recorded in the eleventh chapter of the Hebrews. And not only is the refusal of Moses to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, with all its splendid prospects, recorded, but also the refusal of life and liberty of others whose names we know not. “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance.” “Others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” These great victories will never be forgotten in heaven, when this world and its glories have long passed away. The career of Moses as the man of faith commences by his saying “NO” to the pleasures of sin and the treasures and the glories of Egypt.
In like manner the great career for God of Daniel opens out to us with the record of his saying “NO” to his prospects of advancement in the court of the king of Babylon. Daniel, together with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were royal children of Judah, and captives in Babylon, and in their captivity, they were chosen for honor and advancement in the king’s palace. They were placed under the high authority of a prince who had the wealth and wisdom of Babylon at his command, to fit them for the future the king had designed for them.
Very soon came the test: they were to be fed with the king’s meat and the king’s wine, which, before being eaten and drunk in the king’s palace, was offered to the idols of Babylon. “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.” In his inmost soul he made up his mind to fear God, and to say “NO” to the grandest of prospects that might await him. The honor and the glory of the name of Jehovah, the only and the true God, demanded that none who revered Him should partake of food openly dedicated to idols. Daniel had the courage of faith to obey God, and to leave with God all consequences.
Daniel’s resolution God-wards expressed itself courteously towards man —” He requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” And we feel sure that there was more even than respect and courtesy in him, for, as “God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs,” there surely was love in Daniel’s heart towards the prince. He appealed to Daniel, for his own life’s sake, to consider his determination, for, had Nebuchadnezzar found Daniel and his three companions’ faces wanting in ruddiness, the prince would have suffered by the loss of his head for his failure in caring for the youths.
It is ever more hard to refuse a prospect in the world which will entail loss on others than one which will entail loss upon ourselves only. Had the prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “You will lose your head,” that had been a far less weighty argument with Daniel’s brave spirit than that which he did advance. Daniel’s generosity and affection were both appealed to by the kind and gentle prince who was set over him. But Daniel was firm: he placed the honor of Jehovah before the life of the prince. The steward, whom the prince had appointed to attend to Daniel’s food, must surely have considered Daniel and his companions very obstinate! Now, obstinacy is no virtue — quite the contrary; but godly determination is altogether different from obstinacy! God would make a way of escape for His faithful young servants. He is a God who loves to do this. The record of Daniel’s life, and the story of the fiery furnace, and the wrath of the king on that day, witness to this fact. So said Daniel and his companions: “Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.” Now this was distinctly proving God: Daniel had obeyed God, and he now left the consequences with God. “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” May our young Christian readers never fail in the courage which says “NO” to the things God forbids, and may they, like Daniel, trust God for the result.
We may be assured that the “strange notions,” the “peculiar ideas,” of these young Hebrews were spoken of in the palace, and that amongst the other youths who were being brought up for great positions in Babylon, these four, who ate pulse and drank water, would be the objects of remark, perhaps of ridicule, certainly of envy. For how did God work for them? “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.” Not one of their companions could have one word rightly to say against them. “And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”
Three years — the time appointed by the king for their tuition — had passed away, and all the young men stood before Nebuchadnezzar. Then came the great day for these four who had trusted in their God. “In all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm”; in all matters better than all the wise men in all his realm! And by what proportion better? Just that by which three years bore they had sought to be proved about the pulse and water —” ten times.” They had asked to be proved for ten days that God might show what He would do with their countenances, and now, after three years’ training the king proved these young men to be ten times better than all the wisest of his wise men!
No one who says “NO” to the world for God’s sake shall fail to gain the victory.