Daniel 6: From Death to Deliverance
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Review and Summary of Daniel Thus Far
ESVHe changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Structure
Statement
Theme verse:
He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Theme of the book
The book of Daniel is a plea for God’s people to be faithful as God exercises his authority over the nations.
Transition from /5
and 5 mark the center of the book of Daniel. They signal the powerful acts of God which humbled and ended the Babylonian kingdom. Now we see a new power come into scene but God performing the same acts of deliverance as he had done before. First, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were delivered from the burning fiery furnace now we’ll see Daniel delivered from the lions’ den. New king, same problem. New king, same God, same promises.
Repetition in
15 times - “Then”
Justification for why we have one scene and a mega chiastic structure. It seems as if the author wants us to progress through this story quickly.
4 times - “law”
Whose law will be victorious?
This is
Whose law will Daniel serve? The Medes and Persians or God’s law?
7 times - “find/found”
Can’t find fault with Daniel so they create it and find something much worse.
Sets up the theme of reversals.
Daniel and the Lions’ Den ()
Scene 1: The Plans (Daniel 6:1-9)
Scene 1: Plans (6:1-10)
The plan to kill Daniel (6:4-5)
King Darius - plans to exult Daniel (6:1-3)
Daniel has been on a roller coaster of rank. High with Nebuchadnezzer, low with Belshazzar, 3rd with Belshazzar, to 2nd in command here.
High officials and satraps - plan to kill Daniel (6:4-9)
The plan to manipulate the law (6:6-9)
Satraps - “protectors of the kingdom”. They were responsible for the security and collecting tribute/taxes. (Greidanus, p190)
two other high officials and some of the satraps were involved in the plan to get rid of Daniel
Law is a temporary deification of King Darius.
Puts idolatry at center stage and whether God’s law will be victorious over Persian/Medo law.
“All the high officials of the kingdom...”
a bold faced lie.
“finding”
Not finding and finding are key themes of this unit.
“law”
Once inked, not even the King could reverse the law. Similar to the book of , . Vashti is never to go before the King. Jews were enabled to defend themselves.
If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”
Daniel - plans to die not changing the plan (6:10)
To continue with his regular pattern would be a death sentence. It would be a violation of conscience and thus a violation of God’s law. Plus, Daniel has agreed to not defile himself, a resolution that continues into his old age.
But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
In other words, he could do it differently or do it in secret for 30 days.
Author focuses the tension of the law to whether God will save him from the lion’s den?
Scene 2: Plans executed (6:11-19)
High officials and satraps (“these men”) - successfully accuse Daniel (6:11-13)
They are cunning
Did you sign this law? v11
King confirms in v12
Accusation of Daniel
There is hatred for Daniel and the Jews…still. It did not go away with Babylon.
“Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah”
At the cost of perverting the coveted law.
Law upheld (6:15
King Darius - fails to exult Daniel (6:14-19)
King labors til the sun goes down (6:14)
It was custom for the sentence to be carried out at sundown of accusation.
Law can not be changed (6:15-16a)
Conspirators reapply the pressure (6:15)
Daniel goes down into the den (6:16b)
King prays for Daniel’s deliverance (6:16b)
This is an admission by King Darius that he is powerless under his own law.
This is an admission by King Darius that he believes in Daniel’s God.
Law can not be changed (6:17)
Sealing illustrates no human involvement but divine.
King labors til the sun comes up (6:18-19)
Seems odd interchange
Could be an old custom, if a victim survives torture through the night they should be set free.
More likely an odd display of faith. Even with the sealing…the king hoped Daniel would be saved by someone who is more powerful than himself.
Scene 3: Plan’s change (6:20-28)
Law reversed (6:23)
King’s declaration for deliverance (6:16b)
Leadership is killed instead (6:24)
King exults Daniel’s God (6:25-28)
Plans laid out (6:1-9)
Plans for Daniel to be lowered (6:4-9)
Daniel - planned to die but instead was spared(6:20-23)
Supernatural sparing of life is an implicit teaching of resurrection.
Supernatural sparing of life is an implicit teaching of resurrection. Going back to .
a trial by ordeal
Law established (6:10-13)
the guilty die
the innocent survive
“found blameless” - thus saved
High officials and satraps (“those men”) - planned to kill Daniel but instead were killed. (6:24)
King Darius - planned to exult Daniel but instead exults God (6:25-28)
King responds to the law (6:14-18)
King is concerned and seeks to save Daniel (6:14-15)
King opens the den (6:16b)
The emphasis here, again stemming from chapter 5, is the fact that God is a “living” God.
King asks God to deliver Daniel (6:16b)
King seals the den (6:17)
King is concerned and seeks to save Daniel (6:18-19) sun up
Law (6:19-23)
Accusers are lowered down (6:24)
God is glorified (6:25-28)
and other similarities in the bible.
and Joseph
Both were thrown into a pit but later prospered.
And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.”
Pit becomes synonymous with exile.
and Daniel 3
Idolatry or death.
God’s people refuse to disobey God’s law.
“ate pieces” - accused (6:24)
Both should have died but did not.
Both were not harmed.
and the death of Jesus
Perversion of law/justice
Replace King Darius with Pilate.
Replace high officials and satraps with Jewish leaders.
Replace Daniel with Jesus.
Leadership seeks to destroy Jesus
Sealing of the lions’ den and tomb
law is manipulated
Judgement is executed over the
law is carried out
Application
God’s word is still relevant for your life.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.