May 5: NOURISHMENT
And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Daniel 1:5
The Babylonian royal school of training for service to the king was a costly investment. This three-year program not only involved the study of science, mathematics, linguistics and literature, it was sincerely believed that the rich foods and fermented wines from the royal kitchen aided the mental and physical development of the trainees.
The entire lifestyle and philosophy of the Babylonians was similar to other pagan cultures. Barbarism was rampant, but during the zenith of ancient Babylon, the brutal aspects of their culture were effectively kept under a deceptive veneer of sophistication and polish. In the conquering of other lands, the plan was to choose the best of the best from the captives whose lives had been spared, and immerse them in those things that rendered this glamourous and impressive image. Ultimately, some of them were to become puppet rulers in the lands from which they had been taken, but with a mindset that serving the Babylonian Empire, along with rendering tribute, was a noble way of life.
The appointment of a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank would certainly seem a great privilege on the heels of the long journey from Jerusalem to Babylon. Travel rations would have been scanty. No doubt, the rich food and wine was a vivid contrast to what they had experienced while travelling. The distance from Jerusalem to Babylon was 750 miles. But that was the direct route across the desert – much too dangerous for a large caravan. The travel route actually taken was along the rivers; a distance closer to 1,700 miles! It is likely that this arduous journey with minimal rations took four months.
At this point, the mix of strained emotions and physical exhaustion among the captives was unimaginable. The excuse to toss aside the Lord’s divine guidelines regarding eating and drinking surely seemed legitimate. Hebrew children were taught, from babyhood, the written word of God (see Deuteronomy 6:6-7). And, as we will soon see, there were four young Hebrew men who not only knew that word, they held fast to it and cultivated a love in their hearts for the Author of that word. Their daily provision came from the table of the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16). They feasted on the Bread of Life and drank Living Water that had been stored as great treasure in their minds and hearts.
Where then do you get that living water? John 4:11
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
“The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11