Lesson for July13, 2022
The Book of Daniel
Chapter 6
Daniel and the Lion’s Den
Verses 1-5
“It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.Then these men said, ‘We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.’”
After the death of Belshazzar, and the capture of Babylon by the Medes and Persians, Darius became the ruler of the former Chaldean Empire. Darius divided the empire into 120 provinces with a governor (satrap) over each one. He also appointed 3 commissioners to oversee these provinces, of which Daniel was one. Because Daniel was extraordinary, Darius was planning to appoint him over the entire kingdom, and this enraged the other two commissioners. Daniel was apparently hated by the others because he was the king’s favorite, he was a Jew, and he was more competent than all of them. So, they began to plot against Daniel to get rid of him. The extraordinary spirit that Daniel had was the temporary indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit called “enduement” in the Old Testament. He also had a great deal of doctrine in his soul. That meant Daniel was living his spiritual life with the same two power options that we have in the Church Age. Try as they would, they could not find anything in Daniel’s handling of governmental affairs where they could accuse him of wrongdoing.
This attitude of jealousy and hatred still exists today. It is produced by the sin nature, by satanic doctrine and human viewpoint thinking. Jealousy leads to bitterness, and bitterness spills over to all those around. (Hebrews 12:15) So, there were a number of governors and the two commissioners conspiring together to trap Daniel with something they could use against him. Because Daniel was a faithful servant of the Lord, and did his work as unto the Lord, they found nothing.
Frustrated, these conspirators decided to switch tactics and attack Daniel regarding his practice of praying and worshipping God. It was a clever and devious plan, and it ultimately worked. The plan by this group was to go to the king and use flattery and lies to convince him to sign a decree regarding the practice of worship.
Verses 6-9
“Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: ‘King Darius, live forever! All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.’ Therefore, King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.”
First, they greeted the king in the most flattering of ways (King Darius, live forever!), but it was followed by a lie. They stated that everyone had been consulted prior to them making this request, which was a lie. For one, Daniel obviously had not been consulted and most likely they could not have consulted all 120 plus administrators throughout the empire prior to this. So, the decision to bring this request before the king was not in any way unanimous.
Establishing a statute was a means of making their request law. Once a statute became law, it would be irrevocable by anyone, including the king. Their request was that the king sign into law a statute that required everyone to pray only to the king and no one else for thirty days. If a person was caught doing this, the punishment was to be thrown into the lions’ den, which was the practice of the Medes and Persians. (The Chaldeans, you’ll remember, punished by means of the fiery furnace). So, Darius’ ego was appealed to, and he signed the statute making it a law.
Verses 10-15
“Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, ‘Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?’ The king replied, ‘The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.’ Then they answered and spoke before the king, ‘Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.’ Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, ‘Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.’”
Daniel’s habit was to face toward Jerusalem and pray three times a day, which these conspirators knew. Daniel was wise enough to understand the plot behind this new law, when he heard it. However, this knowledge did not keep him from his daily routine of praying to the Lord. As the highest-ranking member of government, next to the king, Daniel could have reasoned that if he simply went along with this law and ceased his prayer time for thirty days, he would have been spared punishment. But Daniel was not a man to be intimidated by the evil of others. He had complete trust in God and His power to deliver him in any situation. Therefore, Daniel made a decision from a position of strength and confidence in the Lord to stay faithful to God. (Acts 4:19-20)
As Daniel was praying, the conspirators came to observe, and reported it back to the king. Their plan had worked perfectly. Now they could eliminate Daniel forever. When they reported to the king, he was deeply distressed and tried to find a way to rescue Daniel. Their report demonstrated their hatred for Daniel and the Jews (who is one of the exiles from Judah.) They were referring to the most powerful man in the kingdom next to the king, not some servant.
Verses 16-18
“Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, ‘Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.’ A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Finding no legal way to rescue Daniel, the king gave the order to cast him into the loins’ den. Notice the response of the king regarding God, ‘Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.’ Was Darius about to place his faith in Jehovah for salvation? Perhaps he was becoming positive toward the God of Israel and would soon acknowledge his faith. He apparently believed enough to think that there was a very good possibility that God would deliver Daniel from the mouths of the lions. The king, who obviously cared a great deal for Daniel was so upset that he could not eat or sleep.
Verses 19-24
“Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel spoke to the king, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.’ Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So, Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.”
Rising early the next morning, the king hurried to the lions’ den to assess the results of his decision. Something was going on in the king’s soul when he spoke to Daniel. When Daniel answered the king, perhaps the light had finally shone into his soul with regard to Jehovah.
Notice that the king addressed Daniel as the servant of the living God. The Medes and Persians were worshippers of pagan gods. Daniel, of course, was unharmed because God had sent His angel to protect him by shutting the mouths of the lions. Once the king realized that this entire event had been a conspiracy by certain evil men in his government, he had them brought to the lions’ den along with their families and cast into the same lions’ den.
Verses 25-28
“Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: ‘May your peace abound! 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. 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.’ So, this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”
At this point, Darius acknowledged his faith in Jehovah as the One true God Who lives forever and is able to deliver. But like many new believers, he had no understanding of how God operates. He, like Nebuchadnezzar before him, attempted to force people to worship Jehovah (to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel). The result of this test for Daniel was even greater promotion during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus. Cyrus, the nephew of Darius, assumed the throne of Babylon upon the death of Darius.
If God does not promote you, then you are not promoted!
This means that self-promotion is no promotion at all for a believer living their spiritual life. Self-promotion is dependent on human power and planning, but divine promotion is dependent on God’s power and His planning. It is God Who promotes us in our spiritual lives and our personal lives as we move through the various stages of spiritual growth. When a believer is doing their job as unto the Lord, and they are promoted as a result, it is because of God’s grace provision. Daniel understood and practiced this principle and became one the most powerful men in Babylon under at least four Gentile kings.