Daniel 6:1-28

Pulpit plug

Congo missions trip

Summer electives

Intro

We live in a fast paced area everyone is clamoring to climb to the top

Someone once told me to never stay at a job for more than three years in this are

SOME OF THE WORST ADVICE EVER

This is advice I didnt and i dont heed I like sticking around

But I have seen this is advice many in our area especially believe

We live in a world and particularly a region of this country where sticking around is a rarity

our elections happen every two years

we change presidents every 4 years

our favorite shows have seasons

everything seems to come with an expiration date for some reason or another

We are a people who dont like to be tied down

I read a statistic this week that had the median tenure at three big tech companies

Amazon - 1 year

Google - 1.1 years

Apple - 2 years

This was attributed to the demand for talent and the fact that you can always get more when you change jobs

Loyalty and faithfulness are rare traits in todays world

Yet they are traits that we say we value

and they are traits that we as christians should embody

our loyalty to God and faithfulness to him should mark our lives and set us apart

how should it mark our lives well lets look to Daniel

Read Daniel 6:1-28

Daniel 6:1–28 ESV

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” 6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. 10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” 16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. 19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. 25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Even the faithful are persecuted

Daniel’s Faithfulness

To the King

Daniel 6:1–3 ESV

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Daniel 6:14 ESV

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.

Daniel was faithful to this kingdom

He has served Kings and High officials

He has served as kingdoms rise and fall

Through Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar

And now he serves Darius the Mede

He was set as one of the top three men in the kingdom

He trusted in making sure that the king suffered no loss

Even more he was the one that stood out above the other three high officials because this “excellent spirit”

Daniel proved himself as a man under authority

He did well in submitting himself to these rulers

I would say he does this well because he understands what it means to submit himself to God

He learned from a very young age to obey God in everything

He took to heart the lessons that can be drawn from the 5th commandment to honor ones father and mother

This is where submission begins ones who honor father and mother well

Will honor their other authority well

and when they do this well they show their honor for God

He proved himself faithful to his kings because he he was first faithful to God

To his God

Daniel 6:10 ESV

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

As he had done previously

Daniel wasnt going to change what he has done just because his status quo had changed

He continued on serving God has he had always done

In fact the men new the only place they would be able to find complaint against Daniel unless it was in connection to the law of God

Daniels peers knew him to be a faithful man impecable even as it came to the kingdom, but more so when it came to his faithfulness to God

Daniel had learned faithfulness to God

He started way back in Chapter 1 saying even here in exile I can not compromise when it comes to the law of my God

he remained faithful and he showed everyone he was different

The difference was his faithfulness

His love for his God set him apart from the everyday Babylonian

It was the reason for his persecution

They hated him for because he was the one that represented the goodness of the God of the universe

Daniel’s faithfulness did not spare him from persecution it was the very reason he got persecuted

Daniel’s Persecution

Daniel 6:4–5 ESV

4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Daniel 6:11–13 ESV

11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

These men felt no reservation in trying to rid themselves of Daniel

And they were willing to take any length to do this

Much like the world today seems like it will go to great lengths to to rid itself of christianity

it seems like there is always a rule or law being made to make our faith more and more despised by society

If we look at some of the laws being made or rules that were passed in the past few years it is easy for a christian to think they need to hide their faith or face persecution

And while we are not Daniel and the point of this passage is not just a moralistic point of be like Daniel

There is a lesson to be learned here from Daniel

and it is a reminder to us that it doesnt matter how faithful we are to God or government we will face persecution

James 1:2 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

Reminds us of this

Jesus reminds us of this

John 15:18–19 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Reminds us of this fact

Even the most faithful will be persecuted

We can try to soften our stances and try to go along to get a long but there will come a time when we have to decide do I look like the world or do I obey God

Daniel could have easily said its only thirty days I’ll just pray in my heart then no one will know

Or even worse ok I’ll just pause this for thirty days

whats that going to matter I’m 80 years old I’ve been faithful for this long whats it going to hurt to just pause for 30 days

We have been faced with similar choices

Its just “two weeks”

Maybe we can just avoid that topic

Maybe we can just simplify

Maybe we can find a middle way

Faithfulness will cost us

Allegiance to God will cost us in this World

Standing as a representation of God will mean we give up acceptance from a secular world

But remember the Faithful Persevere

The Faithful Persevere

Daniel 6:10 ESV

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Here is the part of the sermon where I will say be like Daniel

In the face of persecution continue to do what you have always done

Look at what Daniel does he prays three times a day “AS HE HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY”

The status quo changed but Daniel didnt

There was no problem with him praying three times a day to God

now there is

But Daniel doesnt change what he does

He has learned this over time

Wether it was when they first entered exile

or when his friends were thrown into a fire

or when he was called on to interpret things and had to give made news

Daniel learned to persevere in his faith even when things got hard

We are called to do the same

Persevere even when it costs us

Remember James 1:2

James 1:2 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

now look at James 1:2-4

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

As we are tested faithfulness builds

we grown in our steadfastness

Daniel here is facing his greatest trial yet here at the end of his life

Sinclair Furgeson puts it this way

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 21: Daniel Faithful Unto Death

Past faithfulness was not meant to be a compensation for present unfaithfulness; it was a preparation for more faithfulness.

Daniel has stood test after test

And he is ready for this test

Again he could have compromised here like we discussed earlier

It would have been so easy

we probably wouldnt have faulted him

But he doesnt because he is ready

The other thing he doesnt do is let it change his prayers

Look again at the end of Daniel 6:10

Daniel 6:10 ESV

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

it says he prayed and gave thanks before his God

Its hard for me to imagine Daniel feels like thanking God here

This prayer could get him killed

But he has learned to give thanks in all situations

He gives thanks because he has the most confidence in the faithfulness and sovereignty of his God

So he continues on persevering

When the temptation to compromise was at its strongest

Daniel persevered

When his choice was between man or God

Daniel persevered and chose God

In his old age Daniel persevered

Just as we should

when our faith is tested we should remain faithful

When the temptation to compromise even in the slightest of way comes we persevere

When our faith could cost us friendships

We should persevere

When being faithful could cost us our job

We should persevere

When being faithful could cost us social status

We should persevere

Even when being faithful will cost us our lives

We should be faithful

This faithfulness will set up apart from this world

Just as it did Daniel

Daniel was distinguished and trusted by kings because he had an unwavering faithfulness

We too will stand out when our faith costs us

People will ask

Why would they risk

Staus

Job

relationships

life

When compromise would be so much easier

When there seems to be so many alternatives

Why are these people so faithful to this God

When this question comes the faithful exclaim “because he was first faithful”

Because he is always faithful

This is the crux of the passage

This is the message of Daniel

God is the faithful one

The unchanging

unwavering

Sovereign one

God is Always Faithful

Daniel 6:20–22 ESV

20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

God is faithful again

Daniel was found blameless and God is found faithful

The Lord had judged Daniel faithful and he rescued him

Just as his he will do with those who call on the name of his son Jesus he will rescue them

Those whom Jesus knows will judged faithful and will be saved

This Chapter ends much like the end of the other stories in the book of Daniel

With a pagan king acknowledging God’s sovereignty and faithfulness

Much like the other stories

One of these exiles are asked to compromise

They refuse

And we see God is faithful

But why

This refusal to compromise comes from somewhere

It comes from God’s unchanging faithfulness

again Daniel has seen God faithful throughout his life

He grew up with stories about how God delivered his people from Pharaoh

He heard of God’s faithfulness in the dessert

And his bringing them to the promise land

When he found himself in exile he saw God continue to be faithful

by setting him and his friends apart

Daniels faithfulness comes from his faith that God was and will continue to be faithful

God will be faithful forever we see this in the declaration of Darius the Mede

The pegan king who doesnt claim Daniel’s God as his own but God uses to declare his faithfulness and sovereignty

Daniel 6:25–27 ESV

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”

The proclamation of Darius the mede

All people should tremble and fear the god of Daniel

there is a respect of the one who will do as he says he will do

This should cause fear because he will judge

he is just

His kingdom will never be destroyed

Darius himself is very familiar with kingdoms rising and falling

it wasnt to long ago when he was taking over for a kingdom that fell

He is old enough to know that kingdoms will rise and fall but he realizes God’s kingdom will reign forever

He is faithful to save those who are faithful to him

Living as exiles

Our lives should be marked by faithfulness

We will face persecution

We must persevere no matter the cost

becuase God was and is and will always faithful to do just as he said he will