Daniel 1:15, 16 – “What a Day Will Bring”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹⁵And from the end of ten days their appearance was seen good and fatter of flesh from the all of the children eating the food of the king, ¹⁶and the overseer was lifting their food and the wine of their drinks and giving to them vegetables.

For those of us living in the real world, I think it good to pause and remember that, at the end of v14, the boys did not know what the outcome would be. At the end of v14, the overseer has agreed to Daniel’s “test.” When Daniel first pondered the problem, it was just that – a problem. Day after day after day, Daniel and his friends were waking up not knowing what the day would bring. This has been true ever since Nebuchadnezzar’s army showed up to besiege Jerusalem. When the city gates were opened and the Babylonians entered, no one could know what it would mean. And when Daniel and his friends were “selected,” they were suddenly torn away from their families and their homes and their people and found themselves on a long journey to a far away and foreign city.

Every day they woke up not knowing what that day would bring. Then Daniel finds himself and his friends in this quandary -- for whatever reason, they think it will be “wrong” for them to accept the king’s food and drink. Daniel first went to the chief with his concern but got a “no” for an answer. At that point, he had to be wondering (and praying), “What should I do?” He then came up with the idea of the ten day test and went to the overseer. As he went to him, he had no idea if the man would agree to it or perhaps have him horse-whipped for even asking. Yet he went. As we see in v14, the man agreed to the test and they started on it, but for the entire ten days, they did not know what the outcome would be.

Finally, the day comes. Daniel and his friends went to bed the night before and wake up in the morning, not knowing what the outcome will be. The overseer does his inspection. What will be his decision?

In this case, he decides in their favor. All their worst fears come to nothing. In fact, not only do they look no different, they actually look better than the other boys. Had they simply looked “the same,” no doubt the overseer might have continued the test but with a constantly wary eye. As it was, they actually looked better, so he concludes the matter decisively – that they officially should be fed their diet of vegetables and water.

And so this trial ends and ends positively.

Sometimes they do.

And sometimes they don’t.

Or so it seems.

Next thing they know, Daniel’s friends are getting thrown into a furnace. Not the “positive” result they were hoping for. Years later, an elderly Daniel will get thrown into a lion’s den. Definitely another undesirable outcome. This time it “worked.” Sometimes it doesn’t. You never know when you get up in the morning what a day will bring.

So what do you do?

Get up.

Walk out into God’s world.

And live your life.

In this case and even in the case of the furnace and lion’s den, what did they find?

God was in it.

For Daniel, He’s been “in it” ever since king Josiah died and evil Jehoiakim took the throne. He’s been “in it” ever since Nebuchadnezzar’s army surrounded the city. And He’s still “in it” in the passage before us. And He’ll still be “in it” the day they face the furnace and the day Daniel faces the lion’s den. And He’s still “in it” in your life and mine 2500 years later.

“Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).

What a blessed freedom we enjoy. I want to go out into my world today and try to work hard. I want to be faithful, to do what I should. I want to somehow live a life of love toward all the people I meet and especially toward all the people who are depending on me in a million different ways.

But I don’t know what a day will bring.

I find myself sitting here at 7:00 AM and as I would mentally survey my world, it is filled with possible fearful outcomes. My imagination can see how some things could go really badly. And the truth is, in most of those cases, there is little I can do about it. I don’t know. I don’t know what this day will bring – or the next, or the next, or the next.

So what should I do?

“Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).

Walk up to the plow. Take it in hand. Say “getti-up” to the horse and head down the row.

God will be in it.

Be faithful.

Love.

Do your best.

And God will be in it.

Here we go.