What does Daniel 10:3 mean?
This explains further details of Daniel's three weeks of mourning (Daniel 10:2), which seem to be in response to a vision he had seen (Daniel 10:1). He abstained from eating fine foods. Instead, he consumed only necessities. He also refrained from eating meat and drinking wine. Wine in the Bible is a symbol of joy and gladness of heart, but Daniel's heart was heavy with grief. Although he was free to enjoy special foods, meat, and wine, he refused that privilege to allow his heart to grieve. Furthermore, during those three weeks of mourning Daniel refused to refresh himself with anointing oils and salves.Assuming this mourning was related to Daniel's concern for his people, which seems likely given other descriptions of Daniel throughout the book, it is remarkable. Few believers today mourn, especially in such a dramatic way, when fellow believers face great conflict.
Daniel was a man of self-discipline (Daniel 1:8; 6:5). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul reflects on the value of mastering one's impulses. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:27: "I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."