Daniel 1–7: Lesson 142

Daniel 1

“Daniel … Would Not Defile Himself”

When we encounter situations that test our resolve to obey the Lord’s commandments, do we give in or stand firm? As servants in King Nebuchadnezzar’s court, Daniel and his friends were instructed to break the Lord’s revealed health laws, but they stood firm. This lesson can help students strengthen their commitment to obey the Lord’s Word of Wisdom.

Student preparation: Invite students to study the overview for “Word of Wisdom” in Topics and Questions in Gospel Library. Encourage them to discuss how they or others have been blessed by keeping the Lord’s Word of Wisdom.

Possible Learning Activities

What would you do?

Consider beginning class by describing a young person who loves to accept challenges to try new things, like the following example. You might change the name and activities to make them more relatable to your students.

Mateo is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has a reputation for trying new things, so his friends often give him challenges such as the following:

• Once a friend challenged him to run a marathon. Mateo took the challenge.

• Once a friend challenged him to dive into an ice-cold lake. Mateo took the challenge.

• Once a friend challenged him to introduce himself to a new girl at school. Mateo took the challenge.

  After reading the next challenge, pause and ask the question below.

• One day Mateo’s friends challenge him to drink alcohol at a party.

• How do you think Mateo might respond? Why?

  You might ask students if pressure to break the Word of Wisdom is common in your area. They could also describe situations where they might feel pressure to break it. Consider encouraging students who might have broken this commandment to remember that the Lord will help them as they turn to Him and repent. Reassure students that the Lord loves them and invites them to keep trying.

  To evaluate their own commitment to obey the Word of Wisdom, students could answer the following in their study journals.

• How do you think you would respond in a similar situation? Why?

• How do you think you would respond if you were offered something more common like coffee or tea?

As you study Daniel 1 today, listen for thoughts and feelings Heavenly Father might give you through the Holy Ghost. Look for ways to strengthen your commitment to obey the Lord’s Word of Wisdom.

Daniel obeyed the Lord

Around 606 BC, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem and took certain Israelites captive into Babylon. The king commanded that some of the Israelite youth be trained for service in his household. Among these youth were four young men named Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. In Babylon, their names were changed to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (see Daniel 1:1–7).

As students read the following verses, consider pausing after verse 10 to ask the questions below. Alternately, you could invite students to follow along in their scriptures as you show the video “God Gave Them Knowledge” (available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org) from time code 0:52 to 5:15, pausing at time code 4:18 to discuss the questions.

Read Daniel 1:5, 8–14, looking for what the king instructed Daniel and his friends to do.

• Why might this request have been challenging for Daniel and his friends?

• Why do you think not eating and drinking certain things would be worth risking the king’s anger?

You might remind students that in Daniel’s time, Israelites followed the law of Moses, which included certain dietary restrictions (see Deuteronomy 14). You might also explain that “pulse” refers to “foods made of seeds, grains, etc.” (Daniel 1:12, footnote a).

Blessings of obeying the Lord

To help students discover how the Lord blessed Daniel and his friends, you could organize students into partnerships. As they read the following verses, invite one partner to look for how the Lord blessed Daniel and his friends physically, and invite the other partner to look for how the Lord blessed them spiritually. Then invite partnerships to share what they found. Have them mark the physical and spiritual blessings in two distinct ways (such as highlighting with different colors or underlining one and highlighting the other).

Read Daniel 1:15–20, looking for how the Lord blessed Daniel and his friends for their obedience.

When students identify attributes and characteristics of Jesus Christ, they can increase their desire to trust and obey Him. One way to help students do this is by creating search questions, like the following, for students to ponder.

(For additional training on creating search questions to help students identify attributes and characteristics of Jesus Christ, see “Create Search Questions to help students identify roles, titles, symbols, and attributes of Jesus Christ” in Teacher Development Skills.)

Read verses 15–20 one more time, but this time ponder what you learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

• What do these verses teach you about God?

• How could this understanding strengthen your desire to trust and obey Him?

You might explain that like in Daniel’s day, the Lord has revealed a health law for His children today. It is known as the Word of Wisdom (see Doctrine and Covenants 89).

The following activity could help students study the Word of Wisdom. Consider providing paper and art supplies as well as copies of For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices for students without access to Gospel Library. You might limit time spent on this activity to allow time for the experience at the end of the lesson.

Imagine that you have been asked to create a poster that describes something unique about your religion. You decide to create your poster about the Word of Wisdom. Use some or all of the following sources to determine what to include:

1. Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21

2. Daniel 1:15–20

3. “Word of Wisdom” in the Guide to the Scriptures or Topics and Questions (Gospel Library) or in the “What about … ?” section of For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices (2022)

4. “The Word of Wisdom: What It Is, What It Isn’t,” New Era, Aug. 2019, 26–28

Be sure to include a statement of truth about the Word of Wisdom on your poster. This truth can be from Daniel’s experience or from other sources.

Invite students to share their posters and statements of truth with the class. Among the truths they might share, emphasize the following: As we keep the Lord’s commandment to obey the Word of Wisdom, He will bless us physically and spiritually.

(Note: In Lesson 160: “Assess Your Learning 10,” students will look back on the posters they created. It might help to collect the posters or to display them until you teach that lesson so that students will have access to them.)

People who don’t yet understand the purpose of the Word of Wisdom might view it as unnecessary restrictions that the Church imposes. Take a minute to ponder blessings that come from keeping the Word of Wisdom and the results of breaking it for individuals, families, and society.

• How do you think the Word of Wisdom shows God’s love for His children?

Commit now to obey the Lord

To help students strengthen their commitment to obey the Lord’s Word of Wisdom, you could invite them to complete the following sentences in their study journals. As they prepare to write, ask them to consider how their commitment to obey the Word of Wisdom can strengthen their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I want to obey the Word of Wisdom because …

One thing I can do that will help me obey the Word of Wisdom is …

You might conclude by sharing your testimony of Jesus Christ and the blessings you’ve seen from obeying His Word of Wisdom.

Additional Resources

Why is it important to take care of my physical body?

President Russell M. Nelson shared:

Remarkable as your body is, its prime purpose, as stated earlier, is of even greater importance—to serve as tenement for your eternal spirit.

Your spirit acquired your body and became a living soul to experience mortality and the associated trials and testing. Part of that testing is to determine if the appetites of your body can become mastered by the spirit that dwells within it.

When we understand our nature and our purpose on earth and that our bodies are physical temples of God, we will realize that it is sacrilege to let anything enter that might defile the body. (“Your Body: A Magnificent Gift to Cherish,” New Era, Aug. 2019, 5–6)

How can committing to obey the Word of Wisdom bless me?

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared:

One evening in my youth, my mother sat with me at the foot of her bed and spoke fervently of the importance of living the Word of Wisdom. “I know from the experiences of others, from years ago,” she said, “the loss of spirituality and sensitivity that comes from not following the Word of Wisdom.” She looked right into my eyes, and I felt her words penetrate my heart: “Promise me, Ronnie, today [she called me Ronnie], that you will always live the Word of Wisdom.” I solemnly made that promise to her, and I have held to it all these years.

That commitment served me well when I was in my youth and in later years when I was in business circles where substances flowed freely. I made a decision in advance to follow God’s laws, and I never had to revisit it. The Lord has said, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” [Doctrine and Covenants 82:10]. What is He saying to those who abide by the Word of Wisdom? That we will have the promise of health, strength, wisdom, knowledge, and angels to protect us. (“Standing by Our Promises and Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 54–55)

Where can I learn more about the Word of Wisdom?

To learn more about the Word of Wisdom, see the August 2019 edition of the New Era.

Supplemental Learning Activities

Daniel 1:8. “Daniel purposed in his heart”

As students study the story of Daniel, it might help them to think about his commitment to obey the Lord. Consider inviting students to mark the phrase “Daniel purposed in his heart” in Daniel 1:8. Then ask the following questions:

• When do you think Daniel decided to obey the Lord?

• How might that decision have influenced Daniel’s response in a challenging situation?

Discuss Daniel’s example of deciding beforehand to obey the Lord and how following that example can help us obey the Word of Wisdom in challenging circumstances.

Physical and spiritual blessings

To help students recognize how the Lord can and will bless us both physically and spiritually, you could show “A Brand New Year: Physical Health” from time code 0:53 to 4:19.

You could then share the following teachings from President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

I have come to know … that a fundamental purpose of the Word of Wisdom has to do with revelation. …

If someone “under the influence” can hardly listen to plain talk, how can they respond to spiritual promptings that touch their most delicate feelings?

As valuable as the Word of Wisdom is as a law of health, it may be much more valuable to you spiritually than it is physically. (“Prayers and Answers,” Ensign, Nov. 1979, 20)

The Word of Wisdom does not promise you perfect health, but it teaches how to keep the body you were born with in the best condition and your mind alert to delicate spiritual promptings. (“The Word of Wisdom: The Principle and the Promises,” Ensign, May 1996, 18)

• What physical or spiritual blessings have you or someone you know received by obeying the Word of Wisdom?

You might remind students that the Lord’s blessings come according to His will and timing.