The Fruit of Faithfulness, Daniel 6

Daniel 6

The Fruit of Faithfulness

This might be a familiar story to many, and if its familiar, it’s because its something we need to hear again and again. So, whether this is new for you, or if this is old, let’s look at a moment in Scripture that is still making an impact today.

Overview of Daniel 6…

Daniel 6:1–5 (ESV)

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

King Darius establishes rulers over the kingdom and Daniel became distinguished because of the manner in which he carried himself and did his work (Excellent Spirit)

Daniel 6:6–9 (ESV)

6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

The other leaders work against Daniel by appealing to the vanity and pride of the king and have him establish an edict regarding prayer. No one in the kingdom could pray to anyone but the king. Daniel prayed visibly three times a day, and the law was aimed solely at Daniel.

Daniel 6:10 (ESV)

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Daniel knew the law, and he continued his practice of being faithful to the Lord in prayer. He knew they were watching. Sure, he could have changed his habits, but he was being targeted because of God. God wasn’t targeted because of Daniel, Daniel was targeted because of God.

Daniel 6:11–15 (ESV)

11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

The men bring their case against Daniel to the king, the king was troubled, but eventually he knew he had to stick with his law.

Daniel 6:16–18 (ESV)

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

Daniel is thrown into the lions den, and the king offers up a prayer of sorts looking for Daniel’s God to deliver him.

Daniel 6:19–24 (ESV)

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

The next morning the king rushed to the lions den to find Daniel safe and sound. The other leaders who conspired to have Daniel thrown in were thrown in themselves.

Daniel 6:25–28 (ESV)

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

The king responds with praise to God and he bears witness to the greatness of God to rescue those who belong to Him.

What can we learn from this today? 5 Truths and Two Results…

1. God has a plan for you, and it involves where you are right now

Israel had been taken captive as slaves. So often when we think about God’s plan for us it involves the most perfect of circumstances. But, throughout scripture we find a perfect God using imperfect people in the most difficult and trying of circumstances to carry out his plans.

Daniel was a slave, but yet, God consistently had a plan for him- and God’s plan involved using him in his circumstance, not removing him from his circumstance.

This is why Jesus prays for us as Christians in John 17:15–16 (ESV) “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.“

Jesus prayed that God will be with us in the world, and not take us out of the world.

There is consistently opposition to God’s plan. Opposition comes in many forms-

Satan is opposed, and has been since before the foundation of the world. The World is opposed in its schemes and ways against God. The term “the world” is another way to speak of humanity as we see it the Tower of Babel, or even in modern day society as people who don’t follow Christ come together to oppose what God says is good and right and go their own way. Your Flesh (your sin) is opposed to God’s plan for you. Within your own being, your stained flesh is opposed to God’s plan. But, through the saving work of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit God leads you to overcome the temptations of the flesh and live for Him. But, when you are left all alone- you still have to fight against your own sinful desires to live to please the Lord.

2. Choosing Christ is choosing to live for God in all circumstances

Daniel knew that the King had established a new law, yet he stayed faithful (Daniel 6:10)

God’s plan for you is to save you to recover and pursue His design. His design is that through your faith in Christ you will have an unending joy, and that through your life others will come to know the goodness and grace of God and bring Him glory.

But, there is opposition to God’s glory- Sin, the World, and Satan in their opposition to God’s plan are opposed to God’s glory. You see this in the plan of the satraps as they appeal to the flesh of the king to live for his own glory.

Obstacles to your faithfulness are often the pursuit of your own glory, or the pursuit of another person’s glory.

3. God is faithful to rescue those who belong to Him

God will deliver you! Look at how God delivered Daniel in verses 16-24, this is an amazing testimony to His power and His protection for His people. God does all things according to His plan, and you see that in his rescue of Daniel. Daniel is rescued and God is honored.

God will vindicate you, you don’t have to avenge the attacks of the world. You simply are to remain faithful. The reason you can trust that God will vindicate you, is the fact that you belong to Him. When you belong to Him you bear His name, this is the intent behind the commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain.

Exodus 20:7 (ESV) “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

As a Christian you bear His name, and He will defend His name. Therefore live for Him! In saying yes to the Gospel message of Christ you have said yes to living for God. Remember that He is faithful to those who belong to Him and serve Him because He is faithful to His name.

But, what if God doesn’t take me out of my circumstances. As we face persecution, temptation, and any other obstacle to our faith, we don’t know the specifics of how God will work it out. We do know that God will work it out according to His plan.

Romans 8:28 (ESV) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

We can trust God in the midst of our struggle because the struggle isn’t the basis for our faith in God. Jesus is the basis for our faith, not our circumstances.

4. The foundation of our faith and trust is the redemption of Christ- God’s rescue plan

The work of Christ on the cross is infinitely more amazing and powerful than shutting the mouths of lions. Daniel had seen God work before, and Daniel trusted God that regardless of what the world did- God would keep His eternal promise.

As Christians we too must trust that whatever the world does or says, we know God is keeping His eternal promise. Daniel believed the Word of God, and He believed that God would keep His promise. Because of that He lived for the promises of God and not the rewards of the world. Jesus is enough.

The love of God through Christ is enough, you don’t need God to put more $ in your bank account to be able to trust Him. You don’t need God to give you a new job, bigger house, more kids, new friends, etc.

You don’t need signs to be able to trust in God, you only need Jesus.

Jesus himself spoke about the need people had for more signs when he said in Matthew 12:39 (ESV) “But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

The sign the crowds were really looking for was the death, burial, and resurrection. Just like Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish, Jesus was pointing to the cross and his death the sign for this generation.

Therefore if the world is against God, and us, we stay faithful. If the world throws us into the proverbial lions den, we stay faithful. Because Jesus faced the worst thing the world can do to us, He faced death.

Even if we die because we follow Christ, God uses the testimony of our faithfulness to Him in our death and in our life...

The story of the disciples- each of the 12 disciples, including Matthias who replaced Judas were killed, except John. John was boiled in a cauldron of oil, but miraculously escaped. He finished his life as a prisoner on the island of Patmos, where the Lord gave Him his “revelation.” Stories from Foxes book of Martyrs

Our goal is to bring God glory by living faithful to the one who has saved us.

Our circumstances don’t change God’s goal for us. It’s why we won’t cave when the majority of our culture goes against God’s ways. It’s why we always fight for life- whether it is to oppose abortion or to oppose euthanasia (which is to take physician assisted suicide) we stay faithful. If it involves standing firm for God’s view of gender and marriage in the face of tidal wave of opposition we stand firm.

As a Christian you may lose friends, you may lose business, you may find family members opposed to you, but you will be standing with God. You may even lose your life because of your faithfulness, but even if you lose your life you will be in good company.

Just look at Hebrews 12:1–4 (ESV) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”

The only right side of history is on the side of the one who stands for eternity- the Lord.

Daniel did not know if the Lord would save Him, he only knew that God had already done more for Him by claiming Him than he deserved. He knew that God had a plan for Him, and He believed God would keep His promises.

The Fruit of Faithfulness- The Fruit of Faithfulness

Praise and glory of the watching world

Daniel’s faithfulness resulted in the praise of the king The King’s praise resulted in a nation of praise for God You never know how far the ripple of your faithfulness to God will go, and the same can be true of a lack of faithfulness to God as well. What pebble are you dropping in the sea of history with your life? Are you leaving ripples of faithfulness or un-faithfulness to God.

An increased faith and commitment

i. Daniel’s faith was strengthened

ii. The people of Israel’s faith was strengthened

iii. Your faith is strengthened

We have a strong Savior, we don’t have a weak faith. Jesus gave His life, its not figurative, its not a fairy tale meant to inspire good behavior. If that’s all this is for you then just watch Disney movies. Jesus, the Son of God literally died for you on the cross. He died so we could have life.

Do something with your life! Live by faith, choose today to honor God in all of your circumstances. When did believing in Christ become the small step? For goodness sake! Think about this, if you believe in a God you cannot see, and believe that He sent His incarnate Son, who is also God to die on a cross over 2000 years ago so that you can be saved from sin, surely you can obey the Lord and be faithful in the way you live your life! I mean, think about.. you get all nervous and scared about pleasing God in front of other people, but then bow your head over food and talk to the God of the universe! It should be reversed... we should be cautious and careful in our prayer life while worrying little to none about the perspectives and opinions of those who are opposed to God.

And remember this, you will not face anything you cannot overcome with the Help of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:12–15 (ESV) “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.“