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The Fruits Of Obedience – None Like Daniel

Pastor Bill Farrow

Daniel 1:18-19

18  Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.  19  And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

(Verse 18) - Now at the end of the days … - After three years. (See Dan. 1:5).

The prince of the eunuchs brought them in - Daniel, his three friends, and the others who had been selected and trained for the same purpose. There was a much larger group that underwent the three years of training – it was not just Daniel and his three friends.  It was apparently a competitive thing, with a limited number of slots to “stand before the King”.

(Verse 19) - And the king communed with them – The Hebrew, "spake with them." Probably he conversed with them on the points which had constituted the principal subjects of their studies; or he "examined" them. It is easy to imagine that this must have been to these young men a severe ordeal. Any verbal examination, particular of three years worth of study would have been a tremendous thing!  To be examined by the Monarch of the realm in matters, the result of which would affect the entire rest of your life would have the pressure unbearable!  This all makes the excellence of Daniel and three friends all the more impressive and commendable.

And among them all was found none like Daniel … - Daniel and his three friends had pursued a course of strict temperance; they had come to their daily task with clear heads and pure hearts - free from the oppression and lethargy of surfeit, and the excitement of wine; they had prosecuted their studies in the enjoyment of fine health, and with the buoyousness and elasticity of spirit produced by temperance, and they now showed the result of such a course of training. Young men of temperance, other things being equal, will greatly surpass others in their preparation for the duties of life in any profession or calling. This is the result that all men desire for life – excellence!  Yet, most never achieve it because they do not pursue it properly and Biblically!  Daniel and his three friends ended up with it “all” – success, health, wealth, and prominence temporally and historically!  All because they were willing to submit to God and obey His commands.

Therefore stood they before the king - It is not said, indeed, that the others were not permitted also to stand before the monarch, but the object of the historian is to trace the means by which "these youths" rose to such eminence and virtue. It is clear, however, that whatever may have been the result on the others, the historian means to say that these young men rose to higher eminence than they did, and were permitted to stand nearer the throne. The phrase "stood before the king," is one which denotes elevated rank. They were employed in honorable offices at the court, and received peculiar marks of the royal favor.

The goals of life, as portrayed in the Scripture, are to be pursued by the ends that god has ordained are of most benefit to Him and to us.  Daniel shows this better than any other character in the Bible, save perhaps the example of Christ Himself.  Self-denial, and serious application both to the pursuit of God and to the pursuit of the earthly tasks set before us is the means by which God has set blessing and success before His children.  We need to understand that this is the opposite of what the world says is the means to happiness.  It takes dedication, consecration and deliberate action to accomplish the kinds of success that Daniel accomplished.

I need to evaluate my life and be sure that I am applying due diligence to the work and cause of God in my life.