Daniel’s Prayer Life Gets Him Thrown into the Lions’ Den

Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den because he was dedicated and devoted to prayer and he also then prayed to God for deliverance when they condemned him to death in the lions’ den.

Daniel 5:31 (6:1) Now, Darius the Mede received the kingdom at sixty-two years of age. (My translation)

In the Aramaic text, Daniel 5:31 actually begins chapter 6 since the verse numbers beginning with 5:31 through 6:28 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text of Daniel (BHS).

Thus, Daniel 5:31 in the English translations should be Daniel 6:1 since this is the case in the Aramaic text of Daniel and correspondingly, Daniel 6:1 is Daniel 6:2 in the Aramaic text, Daniel 6:2 is Daniel 6:3 and so on throughout the rest of Daniel chapter 6.

Daniel 6:1 (6:2) It was considered a good idea by Darius to establish one hundred twenty satraps over the kingdom in order that they would be in authority over the entire kingdom. 2 (6:3) Also out from, over them, three supervisors, of whom Daniel was one of them in order that these satraps would exist in the state of having to give an account to them so that the king would never be able to suffer loss. 3 (6:4) Then this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the supervisors as well as satraps because an extraordinary spirit was in him. Consequently, the king intended to establish him over the entire kingdom. 4 (6:5) As a result, the supervisors as well as the satraps were repeatedly attempting to find a pretext against Daniel with regards to governmental affairs. However, repeatedly, they were totally unable to find any pretext in the form of corruption because he was trustworthy. Indeed, no negligence in the form of corruption was found against him. 5 (6:6) Therefore, these men concluded, “We will never be able to cause a pretext to be found against this Daniel unless we cause it be found in connection with the law originating from his God.” 6 (6:7) Consequently, these supervisors as well as the satraps conspired together to the detriment of the king and said the following to the king, “King Darius, live forever!” 7 (6:8) “Each and every one of the supervisors over the kingdom, namely the senior officials well as the satraps, that is the royal officials, in other words the governors are in agreement that the king should issue an edict. Specifically, an interdict, which should be enforced in order that whoever makes a request from any god or human being during a thirty day period except from you, O king, must be unceremoniously deposited into a lion’s den.” 8 (6:9) “Now please O king establish an interdict. Specifically, please sign the document into law in order that it can never be changed according to Medo-Persian law, which can never be revoked.” 9 (6:10) Because of this, King Darius signed the document into law, that is, the interdict. 10 (6:11) Now when Daniel was aware that the document was signed into law, he entered his home, which had windows in its upper room swung open toward Jerusalem. Then he worshipped on his knees three times during the day. Indeed, as was his custom, he prayed while giving thanks in the presence of his God just as he had been doing previously. (My translation)

Daniel 6:10 (6:11) records Daniel’s response to Darius signing an interdict into law which for thirty days following this signing would demand the death penalty for anyone in his kingdom who prays to anyone except for him.

He gives the Christian an excellent example to follow when the laws of the government conflict with the laws of God.

Daniel would rather obey God and worship his God in prayer than to obey the laws of the government which would prohibit him from doing so for thirty days.

Daniel’s response to Darius signing an interdict into law which would demand putting to death anyone who prayed to their God or any human being during a thirty day period other than the king is also an excellent example for Christians to follow when they are faced with a great adversity.

Daniel responded to this threat upon his life and the conspiracy waged against him by worshipping his God in prayer since he was a man characterized by prayer and he was disciplined in that prayer was a habitual activity for him.

His prayer life was the same as it was before the adversity, which is an excellent example for Christians today who unfortunately only turn to prayer when they have an adversity but not so with Daniel since it was a priority not a last resort.

Interestingly, Daniel 6:10 (6:11) also says that Daniel prayed while kneeling, which expresses his humility and submission to the will of God.

The Scriptures do not require kneeling while praying but the Scriptures do record individuals kneeling while praying during times of great adversity such as the Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Also, Daniel prayed while facing Jerusalem and he did this because of what Solomon said at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:44, 48; 2 Chronicles 6:29, 34, 38).

The text also says that he prayed three times a day which would be the third, sixth and ninth hour of the day meaning nine o’clock in the morning, noontime and three o’clock in the afternoon (cf. Acts 2:15; 10:9; 3:1; 10:30; compare Daniel 9:21).

The fact that Daniel prayed while facing Jerusalem demonstrated his faith in the promise that God would answer the prayer of exiled Jews when they prayed in the direction of the temple in Jerusalem.

Thus, when he gave thanks to God in prayer, he most likely was thanking God for answering his prayer to deliver him as God had promised the Jews He would do if they prayed to Him.

Furthermore, Daniel 6:10 (6:11) tells the reader that the windows in the upper room of his home which were facing toward Jerusalem were swung wide open by Daniel when he was praying to God.

This indicates that he was not ashamed that people saw him praying and makes clear that he was not afraid if anyone saw him praying and reporting him to the government officials.

Undoubtedly, Daniel was praying for Darius and the conspirators as well as for himself and his fellow Jewish exiles.

He also went to God in prayer because he was involved with spiritual combat with Satan and the fallen angels.

This too is an excellent example for Christians to follow today because when Satan and his kingdom are waging war against the church which they do (Ephesians 6:10-18), the Christian should turn to prayer.

Daniel 6:10 (6:11) also teaches us that Daniel worshipped God in prayer by giving thanks to Him.

Daniel 6:11 (6:12) Then these men conspired together, namely, they found Daniel making request, specifically, making an earnest and urgent prayer request in the presence of his God. 12 (6:13) Consequently they came into the king’s presence and posed a question with regards to the interdict issued by the king, “Did you not sign an interdict, namely that, any person who makes a request from any god or human being during a thirty day period except from you, O king, must be unceremoniously deposited into a lion’s den?” The king replied and said, “Absolutely, the decree is according to Medo-Persian law, which can never be revoked.” 13 (6:14) Thus they replied in the presence of the king and said that, “Daniel, who is one of the deported people from Judah, has absolutely no respect for your command, O king, that is, for your interdict, which you signed into law. Instead, three times during the course of the day, he regularly makes his request.” 14 (6:15) Consequently when the king heard the charge against him he was extremely upset. Thus, with regards to Daniel, he was determined to deliver him. Indeed, until sunset, he repeatedly made every effort to rescue him. 15 (6:16) Then these men conspired together to the detriment of the king and said to the king, “Please remember, O king, that with regards to Medo-Persian law, each and every interdict, specifically, edict, which the king does issue are irrevocable.” 16 (6:17) Therefore the king issued an order for the purpose of causing Daniel to be brought in to be unceremoniously deposited into a lion’s den. The king encouraged Daniel and said, “Your God, because you yourself serve Him faithfully, will rescue you.” 17 (6:18) Then a particular stone was brought for the purpose of being placed over the den’s mouth. Next, the king sealed it with his signet ring as well as with his nobles’ signet rings in order that this matter could never be altered. 18 (6:19) Then the king returned to his palace. However, he spent the night fasting. Also, diversions were never ordered to be brought into his presence. Indeed, to his detriment, his sleep fled. 19 (6:20) Afterward the king at dawn, at first light got up in order to return immediately to the lions’ den. 20 (6:21) Consequently when he came near the den, he shouted out to Daniel with a distressed voice. The king asked a question and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, the immanent, eternal God’s servant, because you yourself serve Him faithfully, did He prevail so as to deliver you from the lion?” 21 (6:22) Thus Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 (23) My God dispatched His angel in order to shut the lions’ mouths so that they never harmed me because in my favor, I was found innocent in His judgment. Indeed, furthermore, in your judgment O king, I never committed a crime.” (My translation)

Daniel responds to Darius’ question as to whether or not his God had chosen to rescue him from the mouths of the lions by greeting the king.

God the Father had intervened by dispatching the preincarnate Christ to deliver Daniel because in His judgment Daniel was innocent.

Daniel also communicates to the king that he realized the king never thought that he committed a crime.

Daniel knew the king was manipulated into signing into law an interdict which required the death penalty for anyone in the Babylonian kingdom who broke the law prohibiting prayer to any god or human for month.

Daniel 6:23 (6:24) As a result, the king was extremely delighted for him. Then, he issued an order for the purpose of extracting Daniel from the den. Thus, Daniel was extracted from the den. Indeed, absolutely no injury of any kind was found on him because he confidently relied upon his God. 24 (6:25) Next the king issued orders for the purpose of causing those men to be brought in, who slanderously accused him, namely Daniel in order to unceremoniously deposit into the lions’ den-they, their children as well as their wives. In fact, they had not even reached the den’s floor before the lions overpowered them. They even crushed each and every one of their bones. 25 (6:26) Then Darius the king wrote to each and every one of the nations, ethnicities as well as language groups who are living throughout the entire land: “May your prosperity increase!” 26a (6:27a) “From my presence, a decree is sent forth, namely that, each and every person belonging to my royal governmental dominion must be in a state of trembling, yes, they must be in a reverential state from being in the presence of Daniel’s God.” 26b (6:27b) “Because He is the immanent eternal God, yes enduring throughout eternity so that His kingdom is one which can never be destroyed so that His governmental dominion is forever. He delivers, yes rescues. Indeed, He performs miraculous signs, yes, and wondrous signs at that, in the heavens as well as on the earth who delivered Daniel from the lions’ power.” (My translation)