我又何必再说呢？若要一一细说，基甸、巴拉、参孙、耶弗他、大卫、撒母耳，和众先知的事，时候就不够了。他们因着信，制伏了敌国，行了公义，得了应许，堵了狮子的口，灭了烈火的猛势，脱了刀剑的锋刃；软弱变为刚强，争战显出勇敢，打退外邦的全军。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.（希伯来书 Hebrews 11:32-34）
当信心受到考验时 When Your Faith is Tested
真的有神吗？如果真的有神，我为什么会遭遇这样的事？我的祷告有用吗？我应当向现实屈服，还是继续信靠神？当一个人的信心受到考验时，这类的疑问常会浮现心头。脚步蹒跚、走在俘虏队伍中的但以理，他的心中是否也有同样的疑问？
犹大王约雅敬三年，巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒攻入耶路撒冷，将一群以色列的贵族俘虏，但以理也在其中。这些平日养尊处优的人像牛马一般被人驱赶着，灰头土脸，在通往巴比伦的道路上艰苦跋涉。他们的心中埋怨神吗？他们撑得住吗？有多少人能够活着到巴比伦？到了之后，等待他们的又是怎样的命运？
许多俘虏死于半路，那些侥幸活下来的人到了巴比伦，但以理也在其中。进城之后，尼布甲尼撒王下了一道命令：
王吩咐太监长亚施毗拿，从以色列人的宗室和贵冑中带进几个人来，就是年少没有残疾、相貌俊美、通达各样学问、知识聪明俱备、足能侍立在王宫里的，要教他们迦勒底的文字言语。（但1:3-4）
但以理和他的三个朋友很幸运，他们被选中了。他们要吃王的膳、饮王的酒，滋养三年，然后在宫中服侍。一般人会想：既然幸运中选，就应当顺应时势，以感恩的心活下去。但以理却不这么想。苦难并没有使他远离神，反倒使他更加信靠神。如今他必须决定：我是否要吃王的膳、饮王的酒？巴比伦王的膳和酒是祭拜过偶像的，而且有些食物，譬如猪肉，是摩西的律法规定不可以吃的。但以理心中为难：我是吃，还是不吃？吃，就要在信仰上妥协；不吃，就可能受到严厉的惩罚。但以理的信心受到了考验。
他不玷污自己 He Would Not Defile Himself
每个基督徒的信心都会受到考验：在生活的大小事情上，我是否会做出与世人不同的选择，显出我是属神的人？我是坚持原则，讨神喜欢？还是妥协原则，讨人喜欢？一般来说，妥协并不会引人反感，因为妥协乃是与世人认同，和大家做同样的事。相反地，不妥协才会引人反感。但以理却立定志向，要在众人模糊之处，划出一条清楚的界限：讨神喜欢比讨人喜欢，甚至比保全自己的性命，更为重要！于是但以理决定，不要在饮食上玷污自己！
但以理却立志不以王的膳和王所饮的酒玷污自己，所以求太监长容他不玷污自己。（但1:8）
但以理的三个朋友和他有同样的心志，他们向长官提出要求，允许他们十日之内只吃素菜、喝白水，然后再查看他们的面貌如何。十日之后，长官查看他们，只见「他们的面貌比用王膳的一切少年人，更加俊美肥胖」。（但1:15）于是长官下令，撤去派给他们的膳和酒，准许他们从此以后按照自己的原则来饮食。感谢赞美神，但以理以亮丽的成绩，通过了信心的考验！
但以理两次受到信心的考验，第一次是苦难的考验，第二次是生活的考验。圣经对于第一个考验仅仅一笔带过，对于第二个考验却详细记载。何以如此？因为第一个考验是没有选择的，是苦难临到了他的身上；第二个考验是有选择的，是他在日常生活中所做的决定。弟兄姊妹，考验我们信心的，往往不是苦难，而是生活。能够玷污我们的，往往不是突发的大事，而是日常的小事。但以理在饮食上画了界线，不允许世上的污秽侵犯他。你呢？你的界线画在何处？在何处画线，是每个人和神之间的事，但基本原则是一样的：我是属神的人，不玷污自己就是尊荣神。但以理尊荣神，因此神就恩待他。
堵住了狮子的口 Shut the Mouths of Lions
生活上的考验有两种，一种是「不做不该做的事」，另一种是「去做应该做的事」。但以理不以王膳玷污自己，属于「不做不该做的事」。不说谎、不害人、不贪不义之财…都属于这一种。若干年之后，但以理遇到了第二种考验，而且来势汹汹。
那时已经改朝换代，坐在宝座上的是玛代人大利乌。在奸臣的怂恿之下，大利乌王下了一道禁令：除了向王祈求之外，禁止全国人民向任何人或任何神明祈求，违令者扔下狮子坑。但以理素来有祈祷的习惯，一日三次向神祈祷。他若像平时一样祈祷，就会违反王的禁令，将被扔下狮子坑。但以理该怎么办？祈祷，还是不祈祷？
但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺，就到自己家里（他楼上的窗户开向耶路撒冷），一日三次，双膝跪在他神面前，祷告感谢，与素常一样。（但6:10）
但以理决定，该做的事还是要做。于是就像素常一样走到楼上，窗户开向耶路撒冷，跪在神的面前祷告。但以理的敌人得知此事，立即禀报大利乌王。王素来爱但以理，无奈禁令已下，又被众人用话语逼住，只得将但以理逮捕，扔到狮子坑中。次日清晨，大利乌走到坑边，哀声呼叫说：「永生神的仆人但以理啊，你所常事奉的神能救你脱离狮子吗？」万没想到，坑底居然传来了但以理的声音：
愿王万岁！我的神差遣使者，封住狮子的口，叫狮子不伤我！（但6:22）
大利乌闻声大喜，立即令人将但以理从坑里系上来。只见但以理毫发无伤，平平安安地出现在他面前。毫无疑问，这是一个神蹟！神差遣使者堵住了狮子的口，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）亲爱的弟兄姊妹，狮子坑的神蹟仅有一次，发生在但以理身上。拯救的神蹟却有无数次，每一天，每一个地方，发生在每一个信靠耶稣的人身上：
犹太人和希利尼人并没有分别，因为众人同有一位主，他也厚待一切求告他的人。因为凡求告主名的，就必得救。（罗10:12-13）
但以理的经历告诉我们：
- 神恩待尊荣他的人，拯救信靠他的人
- 信心的考验就是不做不该做的事，去做应该做的事
【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”.
