I previously wrote about the purpose of fasting. The frequent mentions of the Daniel Fast prompted that research.
What is the Daniel Fast? It is a rigorous, 21-day fast that requires abstention from specific foods and drinks.
Is it Scripturally based? Since this eponymous fast is named after one of God’s prophets, surely I can find it in the Book of Daniel.
Seeking God’s Mercy
The only mention of the term “fasting” or “fast” related to Daniel is Daniel 9:3. Daniel turned to God and began a fervent period of praying and fasting, humbling himself in sackcloth and ashes. He fasted to confess his sins and the sins of the Jewish people. He sought God’s mercy, especially for Jerusalem. He asked not because the people were without sin but because God was (and is) merciful. Since no specific foods are mentioned during this fast, this is probably not the Daniel Fast.
If the only mention of fasting is in 9:3 and no specific foods are listed, where is the Daniel Fast?
Obeying God
In Daniel 1, Daniel and his fellow Jews Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah[1] refused to defile themselves with the royal food and wine. Why? Just as we say grace over our food before eating, the Babylonians offered their food and drink to their idols before eating.[2] If these God-fearing men had consumed that food and wine, they would have violated God’s law. Instead, they requested vegetables and water for ten days (Daniel 1:12). After ten days, these Hebrew boys were healthier and wiser with their rations than those men who consumed the royal food and wine. This fast honored God.
Is Daniel 1:12 the basis of the present-day Daniel Fast? Maybe, since the present-day Daniel Fast is plant-based. But the Daniel Fast is 21 days, not 10.
Abstaining While Mourning
Most sources I found cite Daniel 10:2-3 as the Scriptural foundation for the Daniel Fast. Daniel was in mourning and prayer for three weeks (v2)[3]. This length matches the Daniel Fast. During this period, Daniel partook of “no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth” (v3, KJV). The Hebrew word for “pleasant” has been translated as tasty, rich, savory, desirable, or choice, depending on the Bible version. And, the Hebrew word translated as bread can also mean food. Although specific foods are not listed, this fast seems to be as restrictive as the Daniel Fast.
Is Daniel 10:2-3 the foundation for the Daniel Fast although it does not list the foods found in the present-day fast?
Daniel’s Fasts -> Daniel Fast
Maybe the Daniel Fast is a combination of Daniel 1:12 and 10:2-3. Both Scriptures emphasize a plant-based diet. Daniel 10:3 does provide a similar dietary framework for the Daniel Fast. Fried foods, processed foods, sugary foods, fatty foods are the pleasant foods of today 😊. Choice cuts of meats, yeasty breads, and cheesy delicacies are desirable foods. These pleasant, desirable foods are restricted on the Daniel Fast.
AHA!
Is the restrictive Daniel Fast a true interpretation of Daniel 10:2-3? I argue it is not; it goes beyond what we are told in the Bible. But does it matter? I was looking for a one-to-one correlation between Daniel’s fasts and the present-day Daniel Fast Then I had my AHA! The purpose of the Daniel Fast is not to mirror the food and drink restrictions of Daniel’s fasts exactly. Instead, I should focus on why Daniel fasted, not on how he fasted. His why is more important – to humble himself before God. Daniel abstained to obey God’s law (1:12); to seek an answer from God (9:3); and to mourn (10:3). During his fasts, he prayed. The Daniel Fast is designed to mirror Daniel’s devotion to God. This fast creates an environment that compels me to focus my attention on God. To rely on Him. To humble myself. To pray, not just for myself but for others. To obey. To seek His will. Therein lies the one-to-one correlation.
Reflection
Will I participate in the Daniel Fast or any fast? Maybe – but only when I determine my why. If you are considering any voluntary fasts, what is your why?
[1] You may know them by the names their capturers had given them: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Read more in More than My Name.
[2] Asbury Bible Commentary Copyright © 1992 by The Zondervan Corporation.
[3] It is not certain what prompted this fasting. Was he in mourning over the state of Jerusalem? Impending war?
Let’s Discuss
Is the Daniel Fast Scriptural? (If you don’t see the check box next to your choice, hover over your choice and click.)
Have you ever participated in the Daniel Fast? (If you don’t see the check box next to your choice, hover over your choice and click.)
