DANIEL 6
Darius the king of Media ruled Babylon for just over a year. Then Cyrus the Persian and the
general ruled. The Medes and Persians were strong and very rugged people. They had simple
life-styles and diet.
DAN 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an 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.
Daniel, once a slave, was now one of the highest rulers in the new government because he was known to be a man of integrity and faithful to duty. This was due to his being faithful to God.
He fulfilled his duties under the Babylonians and the Medes serving God and not a man-made
political party.
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.
They endeavored to destroy Daniel because he wouldn't look the other way. His honesty was as a
thorn in the flesh. There was also some envy and jealousy of this slave ruling over them. "Wrath is
cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?" Prov. 27:4 "Jealousy is
cruel as the grave" Song of Solomon 8:6.
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.
A long and exacting endeavor to find some fault convinced them of his absolute devotion in
loyalty to God in that he could not be caused to swerve a hair's breadth from the straight line of
devotion to God. But this was wholly an individual matter, in which there was no interference
with any man in any way. Their own prejudiced investigation had demonstrated that it was
actually beneficial in his relations to others and the State. There was no possible ground of
accusation, therefore they created ground for it.
DAN 6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
DAN 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, 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.
Babylon had just been conquered and in order to put down any rebellion and show loyalty to the new government it seemed a wise move to test the peoples' loyalty.
They laid a plot to destroy him on the ground of his religion, making his religion as a disloyalty to
the state. This is an example of what is to come to God's people in the last days. "Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" 2 Tim. 3:12.
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 aforetime.
DAN 6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
The imperial law had not enough place in his mind
or weight upon his attention to induce him to take
the precaution even to close the windows. No
man-made law would cause him to cover up the
truth or to give the appearance of disloyalty to the
true God. "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will
I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."
Ps. 55:17 When our trials are great, we need to
turn to heaven in order to receive the strength to
obey and meet the challenge; thus our characters
are developed. We should not ask to be excused or
shun the difficulties placed in our way, but trust
and thank God for what happens to you as long as
you're doing what you know from God's word to
be right. See Matt. 6:25-34, Rom. 8:28, 1 Thes.
5:18, Eph. 5:20, Phil. 4:4-7.
DAN 6:12 Then they came near, and spake 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.
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.
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.
To them it was not a question of religion but of the supremacy and integrity of "the law". To violate the law was to undermine all governmental authority and open the doors to anarchy. So even though some of them were sorry about the laws consequences, they believed that to let one of such high standing openly disregard "the law" would be only the worse.
He labored till sunset because the day ended at sunset and the law had to be executed before the close of the day.
"It is time for thee lord to work for they have made void thy law" Ps. 119:126.
"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." James 1:12.
DAN 6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
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 musick 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.
Lions were considered a symbol of the gods of war, conquest and protection and thus statues of them guarded entrances to palaces.
"Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou Most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." Ps. 56:2-4.
"My soul is among lions; and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword." Ps. 57:4,7.
The king sealed the entrance to the den as much to protect Daniel as anything else. He realized that Daniel was safer with wild beasts than with cruel and jealous men. Just as with the sealed tomb of Christ, this helped prove that the miracle did happen, that no one had helped him.
Roger Williams said that he would rather remain in exile with the Indians than to return to the
colonies because he felt safer with Christian savages than with savage Christians.
DAN 6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake 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 for ever.
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.
DAN 6:23 Then was the king exceedingly 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.
This is an example of faith: "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions," Heb. 11:33
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8.
"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength
and my song; he also is become my salvation." Isa. 12:2 "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars." 2
Chr. 16:9 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth
in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" Isa. 26:3,4.
God testifies that Daniel was
innocent of any crime, even to the
Government, for verse 22 said
"forasmuch as before Him
innocence was found in me; and also
before thee, O King have I done no
hurt." Thus the person who
disregards any law that touches the
service to God is innocent before
God, and also does "no hurt" to the
king or the State or to society or to
any principle of law or government.
Thus civil law is rightly supreme in
the realm of things civil, but in the
realm of things religious it simply
has no place at all. The realm of
religion is the realm of God. In that
realm God alone is Sovereign, and
His will is the only law. And in that realm the individual stands alone with God, and responsible to
Him alone.
In Matthew 22 the Pharisees and Herodians "took counsel how they might entangle Him in his
talk" and asked Jesus "is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?". They thought the law of
the land and the law of God were inseparable, and that the pagan Roman government shouldn't be
supported. They thought that it was a catch 22 situation. To obey Caesar, the Roman pagans, was
to disobey God and to obey God was to disobey Caesar. But Christ answered "Render therefore
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.". In this Jesus
certainly separated the things of Caesar from the things of God. If the things due Caesar are also
due God then the Saviour did entangle Himself in His talk, the very thing which they wanted Him
to do. Where is the force to His words which command us to render to Caesar that which belongs
to Caesar and to God the things that are God's if they are the same?
Civil government has nothing to do with what we owe God or whether we owe anything or not, or whether we pay it or not. Civil government is civil, and has nothing to do, in the matter of legislation, with religious observances, in any way. We are to worship God only, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve" Matt. 4:10, not by Caesar nor by way of Caesar (Civil Government). There is a Biblical limit to the lawmaking power of government, relating to offenses against God or religion.
God has given commands that pertain solely to man's relationship to his God; and also given
things which pertain to man's relationship to his fellow-man. With those things in which our duty
pertains to our fellow-man, civil government can have something to do. But an individual's right
of serving God as one's conscience dictates, as he reads his Bible, society has nothing to do.
Daniel did not defend his spirituality when it was attacked just as Jesus did not defend himself
when his religion was attacked, because spiritual things are to be spiritually defended. But when
attacked on civil grounds as in being robbed or mugged, God's people, as in Abraham's example
(Gen. 14:14-16,20), defended themselves, their property and even helped to keep others from
being oppressed. But when in spiritual warfare they did not use a literal sword but the spiritual
sword "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
Eph. 6:17.
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 brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
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 for ever, 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.
What they mete out to others was meted out to them. (Rev. 13:10, Matt. 26:52)
"Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shall thou restrain" Ps. 76:10.
The brighter the heavenly light that is reflected from the character of God's faithful servants the
more clearly the sins of the ungodly are revealed and the more determined will be their efforts to
destroy those who disturb their peace. Whenever there are any who will stand in the vindication of
righteousness of the law of God the same spirit will be manifest against them.
DAN 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Bible critics say that there was no king called Darius, a mede (Dan 5:31), that ruled the
Medo-Persian Empire at this time and they are right. Chapter 9:1 says that he ruled the city of
Babylon and not the empire. It was not uncommon for Empires to have local, city or regional
kings that were like governors, the king of that locality but still under the Emperor. History tells
us of a Mede called Gubaru (Gobryas in Greek) that ruled over the city of Babylon for just over a
year after it was first taken. (See God Cares pg. 99)
The faithfulness of Daniel lead the Medes and Persians to help God's people. "To fulfill the word
of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths: for as long as she
lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years. Now in the first year of Cyrus
king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, all
the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build
him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord
his God be with him, and let him go up." 2 Chr. 36:21-23 This was predicted several hundred
years before by God and was, no doubt shown to them by Daniel. "That saith of Cyrus, He is my
shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to
the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." Isa. 44:28,(pg. 47) All this in spite of the fact that the
Persians were opposed to worship in buildings. "Cyrus king of Persia.. the Lord God of
heaven...hath charged me to build Him an house." Ezra 1:1,2.
DANIEL 1-6 are the stories that gives practical application of the principles that deal with last day events. You may notice that all of the same principles and concepts are the primary issues in the rest of Daniel and Revelation. The details are given later on in Daniel and Revelation. This was written for us and not the Jews, as Daniel 12 says that it was sealed until the last days. The issues and their troubles with the Babylonians were always based on the Ten Commandment issues and not Jewish ceremonies, which are uniquely absent in this book. This is because all of the counsel, warnings and examples given in the book of Daniel are given to those living in the last days.
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4.
"Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 1 Cor. 10:11.
