Daniel 6

Scripture Reading:

Last Time

King Nabonidus’ Son, Belshazzar, Decided to Have a Drunken Party to Incite the gods to Help Babylon Against the Invading Medo-Persians

They Started Drinking Out of the Vessels that Came from God’s Temple

Then a Severed Hand from God Began to Write on the Wall a Message for Belshazzar and Babylon

The Message Indicated that God had had Enough and Judgment was Coming

The Medo-Persians Defeated Babylon that Very Night

Now Darius the Mede is King Over Babylon at 62 Years of Age

We Don’t Yet Know Anything about Darius from Secular History

Some Believe it Could be Cyrus Taking on Darius as a Throne Name (Pharoah, Caesar)

Or He Could Have Been Cyrus’ Governor Over Babylon Named Gubaru

Until More Archaelogical Information is Descovered, We Just Won’t Know Exactly Who Darius is

Daniel 6

Daniel 6:1–3 (NASB)

It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.

Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.

The Persian Empire was the Largest the World had Ever Seen at that Time

(Map of Persian Empire)

So Darius Decided to Appoint 120 Satraps Over the Empire

Satraps Were Protectors of the Empire Who Were Responsible for Security and Collection of Taxes Throughout the Empire

Overseeing the 120 Satraps Were 3 Commissioners

Daniel had Become One of These High Ranking Commissioners

He was Rising in the Ranks in His 2nd Empire Now

And Because of His Extraordinary Spirit, the King was Planning on Putting Him Over the Entire Kingdom

Daniel 6:4–5 (NASB)

Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against 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.

Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.”

Daniel’s Likeability and Future Position of Rulership Made the Other Commissioners and Satraps Envious

They Wanted to Get Rid of Him

Their Plan was to Find Some Scandal or Corrupt Dealing of Which to Accuse Him

They Couldn’t Find a Single Corrupt Word or Action

Not Even a Single Careless Mistake on His Part

He was a Man Who Did Everything to the Best of His Ability with All Sincerity

In a Word, He was Faithful

It’s Hard to Find a Govermental Leader Like that

Their Only Option for Getting Rid of Daniel was to Pit His Allegiance to His God Against His Allegiance to the King and Empire

Their Plan was to Persuade the King to Make a Law that No One Could Pray to Any Man or God Except Darius for an Entire Month

Their Entire Plot Hinged on 2 Things:

The Faithfulness of Daniel to His God

Had Daniel Decided to Not be Faithful to Commitment to God, Their Plan Would Have Failed

They Trusted/Had Faith in Daniel Having Faith

Can Those Around Us Place Their Faith on Our Faith?

The Irrevocability of the Laws of the Medes and Persians

Once a Law was Signed, it was Impossible to Revoke

Their Plan Worked, and Darius Signed the Law into Place

Daniel 6:10 (NASB)

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.

Daniel had 2 Choices:

Take a Break from Praying to God for a Month

Or at Least Do it Somewhere More Private

Continue Praying Like He Always Had

He Chose to Continue Praying, but Why?

Would God Really Have Been Upset with Daniel if He Stopped Praying at His Window Everyday?

Daniel Saw Changing His Regular Way of Communicating with God to Follow a Man’s Law as Compromising

To Scale Back His Religious Traditions in Order to Save His Life Would Have Shown a Lack of Faith in God

Daniel Would Rather Have Faced Hungry Lions than Face a Month Without Talking to God

Could the Same be Said about Me?

It Obviously Didn’t Take Long for Daniel’s Collegues to Find Him Praying

They Went Straight to Darius and Reminded Him of the Law and Told Him How Daniel had Disobeyed it

Daniel 6:14 (NASB)

Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him.

He Obviously Liked Daniel and Didn’t Want Daniel to be Killed

He Knew Daniel’s Dedication to His King and Country was Only Surpassed by His Dedication to God

But the Men Reminded the King of the Irreversability of His Law

Daniel 6:16–18 (NASB)

Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”

A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.

Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

The King Gave a Word of Hope and Encouragment to Daniel Before the Pit was Closed Up

Then Darius Put a Seal Over the Stone that Covered the Mouth of the Pit so that No One Could Get in or Out Until He Said so

This Kept Daniel’s Enemies from Breaking in and Killing Daniel Themselves

Darius Didn’t Sleep the Entire Night Out of Worry for Daniel

It Makes You Wonder How Daniel’s Night Went

Was Their a Sense of Uneasiness Mixed with His Faith?

Or was He Sleeping Like a Baby Curled Up Next to a Warm Lion Fur Blanket?

Daniel 6:19–23 (NASB)

Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den.

When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

Then Daniel spoke to the king, “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 toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”

Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

Imagine the Tension and Anxiety in Darius’ Mind as He is Waiting for a Response from Daniel in the Den?

And When that Answer Came, Imagine the Amazement at a God Like Daniel’s

Darius Knew that Daniel was Faithful to His God

But this Proved to Darius that Daniel’s God was Also Faithful to Him

As is a Theme in this Book:

When You Trust in God, He will be with You

Then the Men Who Tried to Get Daniel Killed Out of Envy Were Thrown to the Lions with Their Wives and Children

They Were Immediately Overpowered and Torn Apart by the Starving Lions

Daniel 6:25–28 (NASB)

Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound!

“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are 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.”

So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

God is Glorified Once Again by Foreign Kings Because of the Gentle Faithfulness of His People

Application

How Important is Prayer to You?

Prayer was Very Important to Daniel

He was Willing to Lose His Life in Order to have Communication with God

(Read Section from Michael Whitworth’s Book)

Jesus In The Lion’s Den

The Story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den Gives Us a Foreshadowing of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus

Both Were Falsly Accused and Brought to Trial Before a Powerful Ruler Who Didn’t Want to Sentence Them to Death

Both Were Sealed in Their “Graves” with a Large Stone and a Signet Ring

Both had Visitors Who Cared about Them Visit Their Graves Early in the Morning

Both Emerged from Their Graves Causing Those Who Care about Them to Rejoice and Their Enemies to be Humiliated

But There is One Major Difference

Daniel was Not Forsaken by God in the Lion’s Den

But Jesus was Forsaken by God on the Cross

Both Were According to God’s Will

God’s Presence with Daniel in the Lion’s Den Reminds Us that God will Not Forsake Us in Our Suffering

God’s Forsaking of Jesus on the Cross Reminds Us that God will Not Forsake Us in Our Sins