Daniel 6.26b-27 [6.27b-28]-Darius' Doxology
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday April 9, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 6:26b-27 (6:27b-28)-Darius’ Doxology
Lesson # 197
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 6:1.
Daniel 6:1 Now, Darius the Mede received the kingdom at sixty-two years of age. 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. 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. 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 5 as a result, the supervisors as well as the satraps were attempting to cause a pretext to be found against Daniel with regards to governmental affairs. However, they were totally unable to cause any pretext in the form of corruption to be found because he was trustworthy. Indeed, no negligence in the form of corruption was found against him. 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.” 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! 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. 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.” 10 Because of this, King Darius signed the document into law, that is, the interdict. 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. 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. 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.” 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.” 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. 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, is irrevocable.” 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.” 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. 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. 20 Afterward the king at dawn, at first light got up in order to return immediately to the lions’ den. 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?” 22 Thus Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 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.” 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. 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. 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! 27 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.” (Author’s translation)
Daniel 6:26 “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.” (NASB95)
Daniel 6:26b-27 (6:27b-28) contains eight statements which present the reason why Darius issued a decree that everyone in his kingdom must be in a state of trembling, yes, they must be in a reverential state from being in the presence of Daniel’s God.
“For He is the living God” speaks of the eternality of God and the immanency of God meaning that God involves Himself in and concerns Himself with and intervenes in the lives of members of the human race, both saved and unsaved.
“And enduring forever” is epexegetical meaning that it explains in greater detail Darius’ previous statement that Daniel’s God is the immanent eternal God and also speaks of the eternality of God.
“And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever” presents the result of Darius’ previous statement that Daniel’s God is the immanent eternal God, yes enduring throughout eternity.
It denotes the indestructibility of the kingdom of Daniel’s God who is the God of Israel who we know here in the church age as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
“And His dominion will be forever” presents the result of the previous statement which tells the reader that the kingdom of Daniel’s God can never be destroyed.
“Dominion” is the masculine singular construct form of the noun šā∙leṭān (שָׁלְטָן) (shol-tawn´), which means “governmental dominion” referring to the supreme, sovereign authority or power of Daniel’s God to rule over every nation under heaven as well as every creature and all of creation.
Daniel 6:27 “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.” (NASB95)
Daniel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is employing the figure of “asyndeton” meaning that he is not using a connective word between the statement to follow and the previous statement.
This figure emphasizes with the reader that Daniel’s God is a God who performs miraculous deliverances of His people as was the case with His delivering Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from Nebuchadnezzar’s power and Daniel from the power of Darius.
“He delivers and rescues” emphasizes that Daniel’s God is characterized as being able to deliver miraculously His people from imminent physical danger.
“And performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth” is advancing upon and intensifies the previous description that Daniel’s God delivers, yes, He rescues.
The intensification and advancement is that Darius goes from telling the reader that Daniel’s God delivers, yes, rescues as in the case of Daniel to telling the reader that He does this miraculously as in the case of Daniel.
“Signs and wonders” is composed of the masculine plural noun ʾāṯ (אָת) (awth), “the signs” and then we have the conjunction wa (וְ) (waw), “and” which is followed by the masculine plural noun temǎh (תְּמַהּ) (tem-ah´), “wonders.”
The noun ʾāṯ means “miraculous signs” and refers to the fact that Daniel’s miraculous deliverance got the attention of Darius and confirmed and demonstrated to him and served as proof that the God of Israel is the true and living God.
It confirmed and demonstrated the God of Israel’s authority over the king and was “confirmation” of this authority and served as “proof” that the God of Israel was sovereign over the earth and Darius himself.
The noun temǎh also refers to the miraculous events contrary to the usual course of nature but from the perspective that it describes the supernatural character and nature of these miracles.
It speaks of a miracle from the perspective that it is designed by God to fill the witnesses and beneficiaries of the miracles with “wonder” in the sense of being filled with admiration for God and amazement and awe of Him.
Here the word speaks of the fact that the miraculous deliverance of Daniel performed by his God filled Darius with admiration for God and amazement and awe of Him.
The miracle is designed to reach into the heart of the witnesses to the miracle and beneficiary of the miracle and shake them up so that it overwhelms them with an emotion that is a mixture of gratitude, adoration, reverence, fear and love for Him.
Here Daniel’s miraculous deliverance from the lions performed by his God overwhelmed Darius with an emotion that was a mixture of gratitude, adoration, reverence, fear and love for Daniel’s God.
“Signs and wonders” emphasizes the supernatural nature of the events Darius experienced which are recorded in Daniel chapter six.
Daniel 6:26 Then Darius the king wrote to each and every one of the nations, ethnicities as well as language groups who were living throughout the entire land: “May your prosperity increase! 27 From my presence, a decree is sent forth, namely that, each and ever 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 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. 28 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)
In Daniel 6:26b-27 (6:27b-28), we have eight statements that Darius makes in his proclamation to the subjects in his kingdom and which proclamation was motivated by Daniel’s God delivering him from the lions.
These statements present the reason why Darius issued a proclamation calling for his subjects to worship Daniel’s God.
These statements constitute a “doxology” and describe the character and nature of Daniel’s God.
This term “doxology” denotes a brief ascription of praise to members of the Trinity.
It is fitting for Darius to burst into a doxology of praise of the God of Israel since he witnessed a great miracle, in which the God of Israel revealed Himself personally to the king as omnipotent and sovereign.
Darius experienced a personal encounter with the God of Israel as a result of his faith in Him to deliver Daniel.
He encountered a miraculous, wondrous sign in the form of Daniel’s deliverance from the lions.
Darius acknowledges that the God of Israel is sovereign over the kings of the earth including him and that there is no king outside of the God of Israel’s jurisdiction.
He has learned through experience with God that even though Israel was subjugated to Babylon and now Medo-Persia, the God of Israel was not defeated by either nation.
Here in Daniel 6:26b-27 (6:27b-28) Darius is worshipping the God of Israel.
As a result of Darius witnessing the power of God in his life as recorded in Daniel chapter six, the king’s attitude toward the God of Israel is one of deep respect and awe for Him.
As a result of personally encountering the power of the God of Israel, the king is esteeming the excellence of the person of the God of Israel as manifested through His attribute of omnipotence.
Darius possesses an overwhelming feeling of reverence and admiration for the God of Israel as a result of the events recorded in Daniel chapter six.
As a result of personally encountering the power of the God of Israel as recorded in Daniel chapter six, Darius the Mede was filled with admiration, amazement and awe for the God of Israel.
The miracle reached right into his heart and shook him up.
It enriched his life and overwhelmed him with an emotion which was a mixture of gratitude, adoration, reverence and fear and love for the God of Israel.