我又何必再說呢？若要一一細說，基甸、巴拉、參孫、耶弗他、大衛、撒母耳，和眾先知的事，時候就不夠了。他們因著信，制伏了敵國，行了公義，得了應許，堵了獅子的口，滅了烈火的猛勢，脫了刀劍的鋒刃；軟弱變為剛強，爭戰顯出勇敢，打退外邦的全軍。And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.（希伯來書 Hebrews 11:32-34）
當信心受到考驗時 When Your Faith is Tested
真的有神嗎？如果真的有神，我為什麼會遭遇這樣的事？我的禱告有用嗎？我應當向現實屈服，還是繼續信靠神？當一個人的信心受到考驗時，這類的疑問常會浮現心頭。腳步蹣跚、走在俘虜隊伍中的但以理，他的心中是否也有同樣的疑問？
猶大王約雅敬三年，巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒攻入耶路撒冷，將一群以色列的貴族俘虜，但以理也在其中。這些平日養尊處優的人像牛馬一般被人驅趕著，灰頭土臉，在通往巴比倫的道路上艱苦跋涉。他們的心中埋怨神嗎？他們撐得住嗎？有多少人能夠活著到巴比倫？到了之後，等待他們的又是怎樣的命運？
許多俘虜死於半路，那些僥倖活下來的人到了巴比倫，但以理也在其中。進城之後，尼布甲尼撒王下了一道命令：
王吩咐太監長亞施毗拿，從以色列人的宗室和貴冑中帶進幾個人來，就是年少沒有殘疾、相貌俊美、通達各樣學問、知識聰明俱備、足能侍立在王宮裡的，要教他們迦勒底的文字言語。（但1:3-4）
但以理和他的三個朋友很幸運，他們被選中了。他們要吃王的膳、飲王的酒，滋養三年，然後在宮中服侍。一般人會想：既然幸運中選，就應當順應時勢，以感恩的心活下去。但以理卻不這麼想。苦難並沒有使他遠離神，反倒使他更加信靠神。如今他必須決定：我是否要吃王的膳、飲王的酒？巴比倫王的膳和酒是祭拜過偶像的，而且有些食物，譬如豬肉，是摩西的律法規定不可以吃的。但以理心中為難：我是吃，還是不吃？吃，就要在信仰上妥協；不吃，就可能受到嚴厲的懲罰。但以理的信心受到了考驗。
他不玷汙自己 He Would Not Defile Himself
每個基督徒的信心都會受到考驗：在生活的大小事情上，我是否會做出與世人不同的選擇，顯出我是屬神的人？我是堅持原則，討神喜歡？還是妥協原則，討人喜歡？一般來說，妥協並不會引人反感，因為妥協乃是與世人認同，和大家做同樣的事。相反地，不妥協才會引人反感。但以理卻立定志向，要在眾人模糊之處，劃出一條清楚的界限：討神喜歡比討人喜歡，甚至比保全自己的性命，更為重要！於是但以理決定，不要在飲食上玷汙自己！
但以理卻立志不以王的膳和王所飲的酒玷污自己，所以求太監長容他不玷污自己。（但1:8）
但以理的三個朋友和他有同樣的心志，他們向長官提出要求，允許他們十日之內只吃素菜、喝白水，然後再查看他們的面貌如何。十日之後，長官查看他們，只見「他們的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人，更加俊美肥胖」。（但1:15）於是長官下令，撤去派給他們的膳和酒，准許他們從此以後按照自己的原則來飲食。感謝讚美神，但以理以亮麗的成績，通過了信心的考驗！
但以理兩次受到信心的考驗，第一次是苦難的考驗，第二次是生活的考驗。聖經對於第一個考驗僅僅一筆帶過，對於第二個考驗卻詳細記載。何以如此？因為第一個考驗是沒有選擇的，是苦難臨到了他的身上；第二個考驗是有選擇的，是他在日常生活中所做的決定。弟兄姊妹，考驗我們信心的，往往不是苦難，而是生活。能夠玷汙我們的，往往不是突發的大事，而是日常的小事。但以理在飲食上畫了界線，不允許世上的汙穢侵犯他。你呢？你的界線畫在何處？在何處畫線，是每個人和神之間的事，但基本原則是一樣的：我是屬神的人，不玷汙自己就是尊榮神。但以理尊榮神，因此神就恩待他。
堵住了獅子的口 Shut the Mouths of Lions
生活上的考驗有兩種，一種是「不做不該做的事」，另一種是「去做應該做的事」。但以理不以王膳玷汙自己，屬於「不做不該做的事」。不說謊、不害人、不貪不義之財…都屬於這一種。若干年之後，但以理遇到了第二種考驗，而且來勢洶洶。
那時已經改朝換代，坐在寶座上的是瑪代人大利烏。在奸臣的慫恿之下，大利烏王下了一道禁令：除了向王祈求之外，禁止全國人民向任何人或任何神明祈求，違令者扔下獅子坑。但以理素來有祈禱的習慣，一日三次向神祈禱。他若像平時一樣祈禱，就會違反王的禁令，將被扔下獅子坑。但以理該怎麼辦？祈禱，還是不祈禱？
但以理知道這禁令蓋了玉璽，就到自己家裡（他樓上的窗戶開向耶路撒冷），一日三次，雙膝跪在他神面前，禱告感謝，與素常一樣。（但6:10）
但以理決定，該做的事還是要做。於是就像素常一樣走到樓上，窗戶開向耶路撒冷，跪在神的面前禱告。但以理的敵人得知此事，立即稟報大利烏王。王素來愛但以理，無奈禁令已下，又被眾人用話語逼住，只得將但以理逮捕，扔到獅子坑中。次日清晨，大利烏走到坑邊，哀聲呼叫說：「永生神的僕人但以理啊，你所常事奉的神能救你脫離獅子嗎？」萬沒想到，坑底居然傳來了但以理的聲音：
願王萬歲！我的神差遣使者，封住獅子的口，叫獅子不傷我！（但6:22）
大利烏聞聲大喜，立即令人將但以理從坑裡繫上來。只見但以理毫髮無傷，平平安安地出現在他面前。毫無疑問，這是一個神蹟！神差遣使者堵住了獅子的口，拯救了但以理的性命。但以理得救的原因，是他「信靠他的神」。（但6:23）親愛的弟兄姊妹，獅子坑的神蹟僅有一次，發生在但以理身上。拯救的神蹟卻有無數次，每一天，每一個地方，發生在每一個信靠耶穌的人身上：
猶太人和希利尼人並沒有分別，因為眾人同有一位主，他也厚待一切求告他的人。因為凡求告主名的，就必得救。（羅10:12-13）
但以理的經歷告訴我們：
- 神恩待尊榮他的人，拯救信靠他的人
- 信心的考驗就是不做不該做的事，去做應該做的事
【Life is a song】How to Pass Tests of Faith
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. (Hebrews 11:32-34)
When Your Faith is Tested
Is there really a God? If there is a God, why do I still encounter difficult times in my life? Are my prayers effective? Should I give up and succumb to the realities of life, or should I continue to trust God? When our faith is tested, such questions inevitably arise. When the Israelites were besieged and captured, we wonder if Daniel asked these same questions as he stumbled along with the other captives on the way to Babylon.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it, taking captive some Israelites from the royal family, including Daniel. These noblemen, who were used to a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle, were now being moved along like a herd of cattle, making the arduous journey towards Babylon. Did they blame God? Did they persevere? How many of them survived and reached Babylon? What fate awaited them if they did survive?
Many captives died along the way. Daniel, along with those who survived, arrived in Babylon, where King Nebuchadnezzar had just given an order.
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. (Daniel 1:3-4)
Daniel and his three friends were among the fortunate ones to be selected. They were to eat food and drink wine from the king’s table, then they were to be trained for three years, and after that to enter the king’s service. In such a situation, most people would choose to accept their good fortune at being selected, and live this new life with thankful hearts. Daniel, however, thought differently. His experience of suffering had not caused him to stray from God, but rather increased his faith in God. Now he had a choice to make: should I eat food and drink wine from the king’s table? Such meals from the king’s table often consisted of food and wine that had been offered to idols. Furthermore, some of the food, such as pork, were forbidden to be eaten according to the laws of Moses. Daniel was conflicted: should I eat, or should I not? If I eat, I would be comprising what I believe; if I don’t, I may face severe punishment. And so, Daniel’s faith was tested.
He Would Not Defile Himself
Every believer’s faith will be tested. In every facet of life, whether in important matters or seemingly insignificant decisions, will I resolve to make choices that go against what the world says, and thus show that I belong to God? Will I hold fast and stick to the principles that are pleasing to God? Or will I make compromises in order to please the world? When we make compromises and do as the world does, we are accepted by the world as one of its own. However, when we stand firm and hold to principles that are against what the world desires, such conviction becomes offensive to the world. Yet Daniel resolved to draw a clear boundary in what others saw as a grey area. To him, it was far more important, even at the risk of his life, to gain the favor of the Lord over the favor of men. Thus, Daniel resolved not to defile himself.
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. (Daniel 1:8)
Daniel’s three friends had the same resolve as he did, and so they requested the chief official to test them by giving them only vegetables to eat and water to drink for ten days. At the end of the ten days, the chief official inspected them and found them to be “healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food” (Daniel 1:15). As a result, the chief official gave orders to remove the royal food and wine, and permitted Daniel and his friends to eat food according to their conscience. Praise the Lord, Daniel passed his test of faith with flying colors!
Daniel was twice tested in his faith, first in a test of suffering, and second in a test of life. The Bible merely mentioned the first test in passing, yet recorded the second test in detail. Why? Because in the first test, Daniel did not have a choice—suffering came upon him; but in the second test, he did have a choice, a decision that he had to face as part of his daily life. Brothers and sisters, what most often tests our faith are not seasons of suffering, but our day-to-day life. It is not the sudden catastrophic events that will erode our relationship with God, but more often than not, it is the daily choices we make that can defile us. In the matter of food and drink, Daniel knew where to draw the line, and did not allow the world’s impurities to contaminate him. What about you? Where do you draw your line? This is between you and God, but the underlying principle is the same: I am set apart for God, and I will not defile myself. I will honor God. Daniel honored God, and God showed favor to him.
Shut the Mouths of Lions
In life, there are two types of tests. One is “to not do what is wrong”, the other is “to do what is right”. Daniel did not defile himself with the king’s food, and so he chose “to not do what is wrong”. Do not lie, do not hurt others, do not covet dishonest gain…all these fall under the first category. Several years later, Daniel found himself in another alarming situation where he would face the second type of test.
By that time, the Babylonian empire had been overturned, and on the throne was Darius the Mede. At the instigation of treacherous court administrators who planned to harm Daniel, King Darius issued a decree that anyone who prays to any god or man other than to the king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Daniel had always prayed to God three times a day. If he continued praying as usual, he would violate the king’s decree and be thrown into the lions’ den. What should Daniel do? Should he pray, or should he not?
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)
Daniel decided that he must do what is right. And so he went upstairs where the windows opened towards Jerusalem, and got down on his knees and prayed. When Daniel’s enemies found out about this, they immediately reported it to King Darius. The king loved Daniel, but he could not change his decree. Bound by his words and forced to act by the people, he had no choice but to capture Daniel and throw him into the lions’ den. At the first light of dawn the next morning, the king drew near to the lions’ den, and called out in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” To his astonishment, Daniel answered from inside the lions’ den:
O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me. (Daniel 6:22)
Darius was overjoyed to hear Daniel’s voice, and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. No wound was found on Daniel, and he appeared in front of King Darius unharmed! Without a doubt, this was a miracle! God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, and saved the life of Daniel. The reason Daniel was saved was because “he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:23). Dear brothers and sisters, the miracle of the lions’ den happened only to Daniel, and only once in history. The miracle of salvation, however, is ongoing—it takes place every day, everywhere, and to everyone who trusts in Jesus.
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:12-13)
Daniel’s experience teaches us:
- God shows favor to those who honor Him, and saves those who trust in Him.
- The tests of faith are “to not do what is wrong” and “to do what is right”.
