ROSE AND LINDA'S BLOG WE'VE BEEN ASKED A QUESTION

WE'VE BEEN ASKED A QUESTION

From a reader, she says "I call anything given up a sacrifice not a fast. She was told that Daniel gave up sweets as a fast."  She wanted to know what the Bible says about this.  There is actually nothing pertaining to sweets mentioned in the Book of Daniel.  Where we do believe this came from is in translations other then the King James Version.  

To be through in our research we have included the first ten verses of Daniel.  We learn from this that Daniel and three of his friends having been taken captive, were being prepared to go before the King.  Included in the preparation was the food they ate.  Verse 5 KJV shows us this food included meat and wine.  Verse 8 KJV informs us that Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with this meat or wine. The end result was Daniel and his three friends did not eat the King's provision for ten days, this test resulted in them asking to be allowed to eat only pulse [vegetables].  

Daniel 1

King James Version (KJV)

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. 3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. 6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. 11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

Now we will look to other translations:

Daniel 1:5

Amplified Bible (AMP)

5 And the king assigned for them a daily portion of his own rich and dainty food and of the wine which he drank. They were to be so educated and so nourished for three years that at the end of that time they might stand before the king.

American Standard Version (ASV)

5 And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king's dainties, and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years; that at the end thereof they should stand before the king.

Revised Standard Version (RSV)

5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the rich food which the king ate, and of the wine which he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

We see here the words:  Dainty, dainties, and rich.  In searching the Bible we find the word 'dainties' three times and 'dainty' also three times.  Dainties: Gen 49:20, a delicacy or pleasure; Psalms 141:4,a delicacy; Proverbs 23:3, savoury meat.  Dainty: Job 33:20, a longing,a delight; Proverbs 23:6,savoury meat; Rev 16:14,grease, fat, sumptuous-dainty.  We can only assume the person reading and seeing the word dainty and rich thought it must mean sweets.  But the problem we find here is that this was not in fact a fast.  The foods are what was offered and refused by them.  From studying the history of the Babylonians we fine that they did not observe Jewish rules on clean and unclean food.  They did not drain the blood from meat.  Daniel and his friends did not want to be defiled so they refused to compromise their religion and ate only vegetables.  

We found only two uses of the word fast.  The first was the King after Daniel was thrown to the lions. Daniel 6:18 [KJV] [King] 18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.  The only known time we are told Daniel fasted is in the following: Daniel 9:1-3 [KJV] [Daniel] In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes;

The word sacrifice is only shown in the following scriptures in the Book of Daniel:

Daniel 8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. 12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

The question here is to whom is this referring.  That is shown to us in the following:  Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

Daniel had the vision of the future and this was what he saw, so we know it was not Daniel.  Some would call him the anti-Christ.  But that is another story.  As you can see when we start studying a part of the Bible and doing research, it almost always leads us to another area of interest. 

God Bless

recj/LJG