Daniel 6
-Now in the time of the Medes and Persians, ruled by Darius
the Mede, Daniel was made one of the top three commissioners in the empire with
plans by the king to appoint him over the entire kingdom. Daniel continued to
show the extraordinary character and spirit he had possessed in the Babylonian
Kingdom (Daniel 6:1-3). It was at this point that jealous enemies of him
plotted together to usurp his authority in an effort to bring him down. It was
no doubt a power struggle full of envy and deceit, and they were capable of
tricking King Darius into making a foolish decision. The commissioners and
satraps (a kind of governor over parts of the realm) looked for grounds to
accuse Daniel in regard to government affairs; “but they could find no ground
of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no
negligence or corruption was to be found in him (Daniel 6:4).” Therefore, they
finally realized that if they were to accuse him it would have to be in regard
to the Law of his God (Daniel 6:5). It was at this point they came together “by
agreement” to the king and presented a potential injunction aimed at deifying
the king and exposing Daniel. The injunction would be signed and sealed
according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which meant that it could not,
under any circumstances, be revoked (Daniel 6:6-8). King Darius thoughtlessly
signed the document into law basically sealing Daniel’s fate unbeknownst to
him. When Daniel knew fully that the injunction was signed, he continued to
enter his house’s roof chamber with opened window toward Jerusalem (which was
commanded by the higher law of God, 1 Kings 8:26-54) in order to pray and give
thanks to his God on his knees three times a day as he had been doing
previously (Daniel 6:9-10). This was not a rebellion to the foreign king’s
authority, but an answer to a higher call from the LORD according to His
covenant with Israel.
-These enemies of Daniel’s “by agreement” found him making
petition and supplication before his God, and then they approached the king to
make accusation against the “exile from Judah.” They told him that Daniel paid
no attention to the injunction to worship only the king, which was true but
extremely underhanded in an act of sabotage. As soon as the king received this news
he was “deeply distressed” according to the text, and he began setting his mind
on delivering Daniel well into the night. He fasted that evening and refused
entertainment in a restless night (Daniel 6:11-14, 18). As Daniel was cast into
the lion’s den, the king was encouraging to him with these words, “Your God
whom you constantly serve will
Himself deliver you (Daniel 6:16).” A stone was brought and put over the mouth
of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring for official
procedure according to the law (Daniel 6:17). After his sleepless night, the
king rose from his chamber at dawn and went in haste to the lion’s den. He
cried out with a troubled voice, “Daniel, servant of the Living God, has your
God, whom you constantly serve, been
able to deliver you from the lions (Daniel 6:19-20)?” Daniel responded, “O
king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they
have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also
towards you, O king, I have committed no crime (Daniel 6:21-22).” A “very pleased”
king had Daniel taken up out of the den, and no injury whatsoever was found on
him, “because he had trusted in his
God (Daniel 6:23).” Now with the king coming to his full senses in discernment,
he had the men who had “maliciously accused Daniel” brought to the lions’ den
along with their wives and children and had them thrown in. Before they even
reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their
bones (Daniel 6:24). This signified a complete abolition of the enemies of God
and a new day dawned in the kingdom. Darius proclaimed that peace should abound
from this point on. He made a decree as well that in all his dominion men were
to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel. “For He is the Living God and
enduring forever, and His Kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His
Dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and
wonders in heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of
the lions (Daniel 6:25-27).” The final summation is that Daniel enjoyed success
not only for the remaining years of Darius’ reign, but also in the reign of
Cyrus the Persian (Daniel 6:28).
-*Application* How often do we follow the higher law of God when
faced with a conundrum with our own government? Follow your convictions based on
the Word of God and trust in Him. Constantly serve your Master and He will take
good care of you, even when enemies arise. He is the true Deliver, and He is mighty
to save (Psalm 18:2, Isaiah 63:1)!
Verses to Memorize:
Daniel 6:16, 23
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