"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" (Daniel 1:8). Daniel is among the most eminent of God's servants in scripture. His faithfulness was so great that God Himself said concerning Him, "'When a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,' says the Lord God" (Ezek 14:13-14). Even the pagan rulers of the Babylonians said of Daniel, "in him is the Spirit of the Holy God" (Dan 4:8, 5:11). What made Daniel a person of such excellence? --Such excellence that he can be named among the most righteous ever to have lived? In the verse before us we have one of the keys: "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself."

When did Daniel purpose in his heart? --In his youth. From his early days, Daniel was devoted to God, and this trial in Babylon served as a test of his resolve. Many young people are inclined to think that they can put off obedience until adulthood. But some of the most defining moments of life come in youth. What you sow today, you will reap tomorrow. Here, then, is a call to young people to be resolute of heart. Remember your creator now, before the days come in which you have no delight. Like Daniel, purpose to obey God even in trying circumstances. The ensnaring power of sin can be so great as to leave you without remedy; therefore, do not be like the man in the Proverbs of whom it is said, "He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray" (Prov 5:23). "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Prov 4:23).

Here is also a call to parents to see the importance of your labors in raising children. Your cradle may hold a man of righteousness such as Daniel, Job, or Noah. Your arms may embrace a Moses, a Joshua, or a David. Or if a girl, she may become a Sarah, a Ruth, an Abigail, or a Mary. What a high calling from God to raise children! What an honor and a blessing! But what a weight of responsibility! And it all begins from the earliest days in which it is essential to teach them this: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Prov 1:7). Aside from the sovereign work of God Himself, there is no single influence that more determines the destiny of children than that of their parents. But it is not only parents; it is also their companions. How much evil do our children learn from the television, print, the radio, and bad company! How much better to have them in a faithful church, and in the presence of those worthy of imitation? How much more blessed are your children when they are surrounded by good influence? Though unstated, we may rightly conclude that Daniel was so raised, and most Daniel's are made in this way.

Where did Daniel purpose in his heart? Not in Jerusalem; not in the temple or a synagogue; not in the comforts of his home or the protection of his own society; but in Babylon. He acted upon his convictions in a land that was both hostile toward his beliefs and ignorant of his God. It is condemnable that we, who have such freedoms and opportunity, take them for granted, and express so little conviction in the society in which we live. Can we not learn from Daniel to live righteously in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation? Do we not see in him what it means to be salt and light, and to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven? (Matt 5:16). "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Pet 2:11-12).

Why did Daniel purpose in his heart? It was neither for personal gain, nor from a fear of his fellow Jews; nor was it a mere habit or custom. He did it in obedience to God. In Daniel's case, to partake of that food and drink would have caused him to sin against God by violating Mosaic Law. To apply this to us, that food and drink represents anything contrary to the precepts of God, both in belief and conduct. People sacrifice themselves for all kinds of causes, but how many sacrifice themselves to honor the true and living God? How many will, even in the mundane matters, stand upon God's principles and be willing to suffer loss for it? A man will not give himself for something he does not believe, but if he believes in the cause, then he will gladly pursue it. "If you know these things," says Jesus, "blessed are you if you do them" (John 13:17).

How did Daniel act upon his purpose of heart? Primarily, in three ways: first, by not eating the King's food under any circumstances. Our lack of victory can often be attributed to our lack of resolve. We desire, we ask, and we even try. But our efforts prove feeble, and when examined, reveal that we are more interested in wounding sin than killing it. We are often like the Israelites, who, instead of driving their enemies out of the land, only partially subdued them, and had them as a continual plague. But we must, as the saying goes, be killing sin, or it will be killing us. We must never make a treaty with it, or be deceived when it appears to offer terms of peace. Historically, cities were built with walls for protection. The walls were made because it is much easier to keep the enemy outside than to fight him inside. So also it is easier to keep Satan out than to get him out. It is much easier to avoid sin than to stop it once in progress; and the key to avoiding it is to purpose in your heart to do so. Second, Daniel sought an amicable solution in the sight of man. He asked permission from the commander of the officials to abstain from what God had forbidden--and it was granted to him. There are times when we, in our zeal, are quick to draw the sword, and God knows that sometimes it must be so; but all too often we drive wedges in our relationships unnecessarily, and it is here that we can learn from Daniel. Daniel was determined to live out his convictions, but he sought to do so in the most amicable way. So we, as much as is possible with us, should be at peace with all men (Rom 12:18). Third, Daniel relied upon God, and he particularly expressed it through prayer. Sometimes our lack of victory is caused by our failure to believe God and pray. We do not have, says God, because we do not ask (James 4:2); and too often, when we act, it is without faith. We will win more victories on our knees than on the battlefield, and more through our faith than our reason. Therefore, like Daniel, pray and obey, and believe in God, whatever the outcome.

What resulted from Daniel purposing in his heart? God blessed him, even to the point of making him a ruler in Babylon. But more than that, He used Daniel's faithfulness as a testimony to the Babylonians. We tend to think that such distinction is unattainable for us. We think that there is some spirituality that is only accessible to the Daniel's of the world. But the greatest of men are made from the same dust and have access to the same God. How did Daniel gain such notice in the sight of God and men? It was by obedience in the simple matter of food and drink. We too, when faithful in a little, will be put over much. Did the Babylonians not rightly state the cause of Daniel's success? "In him is a Spirit of the Holy God." What they said in ignorance, the Bible teaches in truth. The Holy Spirit is the helper, the guide, the comforter, and the strength of His people. With His aid, even the dregs of the world can be more than conquerors. God says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them" (Ezek 36:26-27).