Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - Part 1: New Diet Starts Today

Daniel 1:5-14 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king's service. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

There is a three part process in this section - it is a design for the king to brainwash these boys to his way of thinking. We'll divide them out over the next 3 posts.

The first 1 is Food: Is it just me or does the Bible have so many nutritional lessons in it that it beats any weight loss program out there? And I work for one!

Colon Cancer, Heart Disease, risk of bladder, breast, cervical, endometrial, esophageal, glioma, kidney, liver, lung, mouth, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers are all risk factors for eating a diet full of red meat. Does that mean we shouldn't eat red meat? No, it just means that too much - is not good, everything in moderation.

Many people argue that the wine in the Bible is just grape juice. This is just not true and if followed up throughout scripture - it is evident that the wine mentioned in these verses is exactly that - an alcoholic beverage.

According to studies done today: Even modest amounts of alcohol consumption can cause blood pressure to increase. Even in small doses, alcohol can inhibit REM sleep, leaving you tired and groggy, and also cause the damaging and death of brain cells and the cells that support them by providing energy and nutrients.

There are six kinds of nutrients our bodies need: Carbohydrates, Protein, Lipids, Vitamins, Minerals and Water. Of these, there is only one nutrient that a healthy body doesn't make on its own and the only place to get it is food - that is Carbohydrates. Guess where the best place to get Carbohydrates is? Fruits and Vegetables.

These boys have been taught this growing up. Weren't we also taught this? Didn't our parents tell us to eat our fruits and vegetables and everything in moderation? What happened? I'll tell you. All the appetizing things of the world came at us. Society dressed a hamburger up in yellow and red paper, they sang a song and enticed us with cheap prices and convenience - and we bought it hook, line and sinker. The world persuades us with words like 'decadent' , 'rich and creamy' and 'savory' and we eat things that our body never required, needed or can tolerate.

Why wasn't Daniel and his team persuaded? Why didn't the kings delicacies taunt them and call out to them and entice them? Because before they walked in - they had a plan. They made a mental decision that They Would Not Eat That Food. They would not be persuaded, they would not be coerced, they would not be enticed. God provided the will-power.

God still does provide the will-power, we just have to ask Him for it. Next post: Point #2