3) Daniel – They Ate Only Vegetables
Further, young Essenes were implied in the story of the book of Daniel who gained strength through their clean Garden of Eden diet and sobriety. This is a great story to read! And quite possibly a wonderful parable to inspire us to stay away from ‘rich’ unhealthy foods and wines! Many of us know this as the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
The Choice Young Men
“Then the king (this is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) told Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom there was no impairment, who were good-looking, suitable for instruction in every kind of expertise, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to serve in the king’s court; and he ordered Ashpenaz to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
“The king also allotted for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and ordered that they be educated for three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach, and to Azariah Abed-nego.
“Daniel’s Resolve
“But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Now G*D granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. The commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has allotted your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking gaunt in comparison to the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please put your servants to the test for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
“So he listened to them in this matter, and put them to the test for ten days. And at the end of ten days their appearance seemed better, and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.
“And as for these four youths, G*D gave them knowledge and intelligence in every kind of literature and expertise; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.
“Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials [presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service.”
Daniel 1:5-19 NASB
So like Joseph, Samson, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, was Yashua a separated, consecrated, prince, a devoted one, a Nazar? Was he a House of Levite priest? Or was He simply from the House of David? When you read scripture, you will see He was ALL of these.