Daniel 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
Dan 6:2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the
princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
Dan 6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because
an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole
realm.
An honest person to whom heads of governments can place their trust is vital to
the success of good government. Even evil rulers like to have someone they can
trust around. They do not want to be surrounded by someone who would steal them
blind or betray them. Daniel was a person who would tell the truth even if the
truth would bring physical harm to him. The king respected and trusted him. That
is why the reputation of those that claim to represent Jesus Christ is very
important. If we do not have the fruits of honesty and integrity, who is going
to listen to our message.
Matthew 7:16,17 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.
Unfortunately if we are favored by kings and those in charge of governments, we
will incur the jealousy and envy of others who desire the place we occupy. This
was what happened in the case of Daniel as we shall see when we read further.
Dan 6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault;
forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
While some of the unbelieving world will respect those that live righteous,
others will hate them and will seek to find fault in everything they do. It is
usually motivated by envy or fear of losing what they have.
The Pharisees followed Jesus around, not to hear what good He had to say but to
catch Him at His words in order to accuse Him.
This is where we have to be careful. I remember the words of Carter Conlon in
one of His sermons when he warned us to have discernment but with the heart of
God. I hope I never forget those words. We are to be careful not to believe all
we hear or believe everyone that comes along claiming to have a word from God.
We need to use discernment and to check everything out with God's word and also
notice the fruit that follows the life of those claiming to be prophets or
spokesmen from God. At the same time we need to be careful to avoid becoming a
nitpicker and false accuser. If we find ourselves wanting to discover every
little detail about a person in order to discredit him or her, that may be a
sign that we are not walking in love and in the fruit of the spirit. Sin, error
and false doctrine should grieve us and send us to the prayer closet. Sometimes
we have to speak out and warn others but it should be with reluctance and with
humility, not with self righteous pride and an "I told you so," attitude. Have
discernment but with the heart of God. Have compassion.
Dan 6:5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this
Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
Daniel lived perfect and if these men wanted to accuse him, they had to use his
faithfulness to his God against him.
Dan 6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and
said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever.
Dan 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the
counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal
statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any
God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den
of lions.
Dan 6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not
changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Dan 6:9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Here we see the weakness of this king. He wasn't a bad person but he gave into
the temptation of being in the favor of these men and allowing himself to be
exalted by their request. They were puffing him up and showing a false sense of
loyalty and the king fell for it hook, line and sinker. How we can remember the
wisdom of Solomon who wrote for us:
Pro 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy
are deceitful.
The words of the Psalmist:
Psa 78:36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they
lied unto him with their tongues.
Psa 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very
wickedness; their throat is an open sepulcher; they flatter with their tongue.
2Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,
and being deceived.
It is okay to receive an occasional complement but we should avoid desiring to
be flattered all the time for flattery can be a tool of the enemy to deceive us.
There are people that go around always finding fault but there are also people
that go around saying just the right things to make friends but will never tell
their friends when they are about to make a mistake.
There are also those that are flatterers to one's face but behind their backs
they are critical. I know it is a little hard to take sometimes but it is better
to have a friend who tells the truth even if it is negative. Still even in this
we must avoid those that are always tearing down someone in envy.
Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as
he did formerly.
Daniel didn't do this for a show but this is probably how he prayed at all times
so why change? They must have known this was Daniel's routine or else they
wouldn't have asked the king to sign such a foolish decree. Daniel believed that
he was to pray toward Jerusalem. They were in captivity in this strange land and
to face Jerusalem when one prayed seems very logical.
Dan 6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God.
Dan 6:12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's
decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition
of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into
the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to
the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
These wicked men could not wait to tattle to the king for that was the purpose
in doing all this in the first place.
Dan 6:13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is
of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the
decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Dan 6:14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with
himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the
going down of the sun to deliver him.
Notice that this king was different than Nebuchadnezzar. When the Babylonian
king found out that the three Hebrews did not bow down to his image, he was in a
rage at the Hebrews, not at himself for making such a law. Darius on other hand
was mad at himself for being so stupid as to sign this foolish decree. He like
and respected Daniel and labored to save him.
Dan 6:15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king,
Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor
statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
Darius allowed this because he was under pressure and could not change the law.
Dan 6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into
the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou
servest continually, he will deliver thee.
Darius hoped that this was to be so as he stated. What kind of faith he really
had is unknown seeing that he couldn't sleep until he knew for certain that
Daniel was safe.
Dan 6:17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the
king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the
purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Dan 6:18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither
were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
Dan 6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto
the den of lions.
Dan 6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto
Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living
God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions?
Dan 6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever.
Those words were like music to the king's ear. As God revealed himself to
Nebuchadnezzar, he revealed Himself to Darius and through the faithfulness of
just one child of God, an unbelieving king became a believer.
Dan 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that
they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and
also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
There are many times when there are martyrs who die for the cause of the truth
but in this case, God wanted to reveal to a king that He was God who rules over
the earth.
Dan 6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they
should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and
no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
Dan 6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused
Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and
their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in
pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
I don't know why he included the wives and children in this, but in the days of
these kingdoms, they did things in that way. Perhaps there would have been no
way to care for the wives and children if the husband was dead. I'm glad that we
live in a different time where we all are accountable for only our own sins.
Perhaps too, the wives and children encouraged and agreed with their husbands in
this evil deed. At any rate, God did not take away their power to make their own
decisions so the fact that this king put to death wives and children does not
necessarily mean it was condoned by God or Daniel.
Dan 6:25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that
dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 6:26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and
fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast forever,
and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be
even unto the end.
Dan 6:27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven
and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Dan 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of
Cyrus the Persian.
I have mixed feelings on making the worship of God mandatory at least in this
day and age for this reason: We are saved now by the grace and mercy of God when
we truly repent of sin and allow Jesus to cleanse us from sin. If we made a
decree that all people were to become Christians and fear God, we would have
many people just changing their religion and they would not truly have repented
of sin but were just going along with the crowd. The church would grow very big
but not many would be genuinely saved. We would have a large mega church
structure but when it came time to die, no one would be saved because their sins
would be within them. If we do not repent of sin and turn away from sin,
we will die in sin and be separated from God for eternity. That is the sole
reason Jesus died for sin so that we could get rid of the thing that separates
us from a holy God. Any religion that does not teach that faith in Jesus
changes the inner soul of that person, will only have an outward form of
religion but no genuine born again believers.
Daniel Chapter 7