Daniel fasted from desirable foods

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By 536 BC, the exiles had returned to Israel. Daniel saw that a great war was coming. He fasted and prayed for three weeks. This was his second major fasting.

 


 

Here is the key Bible verse:

Daniel 10:2-3. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came meat nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

three whole weeks. Daniel had a period of dietary restraint for three weeks. This was not a fast, per se. Rather, it was a period of abstaining from desirable foods.

I ate no pleasant bread. As a member of the cabinet of the most powerful ruler on earth, Daniel was entitled to eat the very best of foods.

However, for this specific period of time, he abstained from those choice foods.

neither came meat .. into my mouth. Most people seem to need to eat at least some animal products in order to maintain health.

For this three-week period, though, Daniel abstained from meat.

For most meat-eaters, this would be a very great sacrifice. They would probably feel awful.

neither came … wine into my mouth. Daniel also abstained from alcohol for this three-week period.

neither did I anoint myself at all. Daniel used used no lotions at all. He abstained from skin creams and the like.

How about you? Have you tried fasting from choice foods

 

CAUTION

Fasting and dietary experimentation are only for those who are medically capable. Experts say you need to be under the supervision of a doctor during such times. Check with your health care provider.

 

SEE ALSO

Eating Animal Fat. In ancient days, animal fats were prized. The visceral fats were burned in the temple. But the eating of animal fat as part of a meal was still permitted.

My Dietary Experiment in England. While I was living in England, I tried the diet of Mohandas K. Gandhi. I lived on fruit and nuts for a month.

Why Be a Vegetarian? – a Haiku poem. I wrote this Haiku poem after reading that Daniel the Prophet lived as a vegetarian.

A female animal for a sin offering. In most of the the Book of Leviticus, the sacrificial animals were to be male. But in some cases, the animal for a sin offering was to be female.

The Bible’s original diet. In the beginning, when we humans walked in the Garden of Eden, what did the LORD God command us to eat? The Bible’s answer may surprise you.

Daniel fasted from desirable foods. By 536 BC, the exiles had returned to Israel. God revealed to Daniel that a great war was coming. Daniel fasted three weeks, waiting on God in prayer. This was his second major fasting.

 


DANIEL

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12

Deuterocanonical chapters: Song of the Three Children, 13, 14

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, First Fast, Second Fast

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.