Daniel 6.28 [6.29]-Daniel Prospered During the Reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday April 10, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 6:28 (6:29)-Daniel Prospered During the Reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian
Lesson # 198
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 6:28.
Daniel 6:28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (NASB95)
This verse presents the result of Darius’ decree praising Daniel’s God for delivering him from death in the lions’ den indicating that as a result of Darius’ decree, Daniel prospered during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
“Enjoyed success” is the third person masculine singular hafʿel (Hebrew: hiphil) active perfect form of the verb ṣelǎḥ (צְלַח) (tsel-akh´), which means “to cause to prosper” and its subject is Daniel indicating that Daniel was caused by Darius’ decree to prosper during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
This implies that financially and materially Daniel was prospered during the reigns of both Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 6:28 (6:29) Consequently, Daniel was caused to prosper during the reign of Darius as well as during the reign of Cyrus, the Persian. (My translation)
Darius’ decree caused Daniel to prosper during the reign of not only Darius the Mede but also during the reign of Cyrus, the Persian who appointed Darius the Mede over the Babylonian kingdom.
Daniel prospered financially and materially in the province of the city of Babylon.
This financial prosperity only came after Daniel was prospered spiritually.
His miraculous deliverance from death by the intervention of the preincarnate Christ has richly blessed him.
He experienced the power of God in his human weakness and impotence.
From Daniel’s perspective, this financial prosperity was nothing compared to the spiritual wealth and prosperity he was experiencing in his soul.
Material wealth and prosperity is temporal and transitory whereas spiritual wealth and prosperity as a result of intimate fellowship with God is eternal in value.
This prosperity that Daniel was caused to experience undoubtedly included his promotion over the satraps.
As we noted, Darius intended to place Daniel in authority over the other one hundred nineteen satraps, which resulted in the satraps conspiring against Daniel.
God is most concerned with our “spiritual” prosperity rather than our “temporal” prosperity since our spiritual growth into greater Christ-likeness is His objective for our lives from eternity past according to Romans 8:29.
This “spiritual” prosperity is experienced through fellowship with God.
Daniel’s undeserved suffering resulted in a more intimate fellowship for him with the Triune God.
Therefore, spiritual prosperity involves a more intimate fellowship with the Triune God, and greater Christ-likeness and rewards.
The church age believer’s spiritual wealth and prosperity resides in His union and identification with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection and session (Ephesians 3:8) and infinite spiritual wealth resides in the believer’s union and identification with Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).
In Ephesians 1:18-23, Paul prayed that the Ephesian believers would receive enlightenment and insight into the riches of the glory of God’s inheritance in the saints, which is the result of their union and identification with Christ in His death, resurrection and session.
In Ephesians 2:1-10, Paul taught the Ephesian believers that the surpassing riches of God’s grace are manifested to the believer through his union and identification with Christ in His death, resurrection and session.
In Colossians 1:24-29, he taught the Colossian believers that the indwelling Christ is a mystery doctrine for the church age and is the riches of God’s glory.
In Romans 15:13, the apostle Paul taught the Roman believers that trusting God’s Word will prosper them and give them confidence.
In 3 John 1-2, John wrote to Gaius who was experiencing this soul prosperity.
This statement in Daniel 6:28 (6:29) bookends Daniel 1:21.
Daniel 1:21 Now Daniel continued to live until Cyrus the king’s first year.
The point of the statement in Daniel 1:21 is to emphasize that Daniel’s life spanned the entire period of the Neo-Babylonian Empire as well as the early years of the Persian control of Babylon.
The statement in Daniel 1:21 does not imply that Daniel did not continue after the first year of Cyrus, which Daniel 10:1 says he did.
Daniel chapter six presents Daniel as an excellent example for God’s people to follow.
Throughout his entire life he was faithful to God.
We see that as a young man he was faithful as well as an old man.
He thus fulfilled God’s will for his life.
He maintained a fantastic dynamic mental attitude because he was a man of the Word and prayer.
However, this resulted in persecution.
He was envied and hated by others because of his talents and abilities.
Daniel was a man of integrity.
This was acknowledged by even his enemies.
He respected the governmental authorities.
He placed himself under the authority of the government, even when the government was persecuting him and seeking to kill him unjustly for his devotion to his God.
His integrity was also manifested by the fact that he was willing to obey God even if it cost him his life.
He served his God faithfully regardless of what it cost him.
While being persecuted and vilified, he never defended himself but entrusted himself to his God.
He did not retaliate against those who sought to have him put to death but instead left room for the wrath of God and God avenged Daniel of his enemies.
Daniel led others to the Lord such as Nebuchadnezzar and Darius the Mede and strengthened the faith of both men.
God was glorified because of Daniel’s faith and obedience.
Both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius the Mede praised the God of Israel because Daniel was willing to suffer undeservedly.
Daniel was prospered both spiritually and temporally after enduring undeserved suffering.
Daniel 6:28 (6:29) records that Daniel prospered during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In 539 B.C. Cyrus overthrew Babylon and established the Medo-Persian Empire.
This was Cyrus’ first year in control of Babylon.
His policy was to restore displaced peoples to their lands, which included the Jews.
He issued a decree in 538 B.C. that permitted Jews to return to Jerusalem if they wanted to (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4).
Fifty thousand Jewish exiles returned and began to rebuild the temple, which was an answer to Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 9:4-19).
The temple was completed in 515 B.C. (Ezra 6:15).
Seventy years had elapsed from the first deportation of Jews in 605 B.C. to the rebuilt foundation of the temple in 536 B.C.
This fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy as well (Jeremiah 25:11-12).