Young People's Group

Being Exemplary in Obeying the Word of God

by Mitchell Tan
May 06, 2016

ENCOURAGING YOUR FRIENDS TO KEEP GOD’S WORD

Young people, are you someone who has a good influence on your friends with reference to obeying God’s word? You should be. This was something that Daniel was when he was being trained to be part of King Nebuchadnezzar’s administration. The book of Daniel was written during a time when the people of Israel had sinned much against the Lord and were in exile. Daniel knew this very well and sought to intercede for their sins (Daniel 9:8-11). It was in the light of this that he purposed in his heart to keep God’s word and not to defile himself with the king’s delicacies. Daniel’s good friends, Hananiah, Mischael and Azariah, had also decided to stand with him in obeying the laws of God (Daniel 1:11). His example inspired and encouraged them to do so. Young people, let’s seek to follow Daniel’s example in inspiring our friends to keep the Lord’s word too.

LEADING OTHERS TO PUT THEIR FAITH ON THE LINE

“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them gives us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”
Daniel 1:12-13

Daniel had found favour in the sight of the chief of eunuch. However, he felt that he could not allow Daniel and his friends to not eat the king’s delicacies because they would look worse than the others without the proper nourishment. And the life of the chief of eunuch would be in danger (Daniel 1:10). So Daniel led his friends to put their faith on the line together. Daniel went to the steward in charge of them and asked him to test them for a period of time. He suggested that they eat only vegetables and drink water for ten days. After that, a comparison would be made between them and the other young men who ate the king’s delicacies on who would be healthier. This was indeed a true exercise of faith in God and in His power to sustain. Of course, this was different from what the Israelites did when they tested God by asking for food in the wilderness. They did so with unbelief and spoke of whether He could actually do it (Psalm 78:18-19). Daniel on the other hand exercised great faith in the Lord to sustain and strengthen him and his friends. He believed with all his heart that God will be able to do it. And the Lord blessed his faith in Him.

THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S POWER

“And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.”
Daniel 1:16

The Lord’s hand of enabling and power was so obvious in the life of Daniel and friends. At the end of ten days, Daniel and his friends looked more robust and healthier than all the other young men who ate the king’s delicacies. This was indeed the hand of God at work! There was no way that eating only vegetables and drinking water could help them be fatter than the others. On the contrary, it would have caused them to be thinner. But Daniel and friends had experienced the great power of God in their life. They actually looked fatter than the others. So the steward took away their portion of the king’s delicacies and the wine and gave them vegetables instead. Daniel was truly exemplary in standing firm on the word of God and both he and his friends were specially blessed by the Lord. God would empower and sustain us too when we exercise faith in Him and His word and stand up for His truths. Young people, let’s seek to encourage our friends to obey His word too. Let’s learn to increase our faith and exercise it in all that we do that the Lord may bless us with His enabling.

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