Daniel 6:

Reading #404  God’s protection

After the fall of Babylon the kingdom was reorganised in the Median way, and Daniel, though old, was placed in a position of great responsibility. 

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Daniel 6:

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes [governors], which should be over the whole kingdom [one to each province].

2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts to them, and the king should have no damage. 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.

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From their entrance into the land of Canaan, the representative people of God had departed from the commandments of God, and followed the ways of the heathen.  (Judges 2:13-14.) Then, after Samuel’s time (about 1,000BC), the Israelites fixed their hopes firmly upon worldly greatness. 1 Samuel 8:5.  It was in vain that the Son of God sent them warning by His prophets. “Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt to this day I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: yet they hearkened not to Me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers”.  Jeremiah 7:25-26.  In vain they suffered the chastisement of heathen oppression.  (Hebrews 12:6-7.)  Every reformation was followed by deeper apostasy until some of them ended up in Babylon with Ezekiel, and then the majority were scattered in the final dispersal.

Had Israel been true to God, He could have accomplished His purpose through their honour and exaltation.  If they had walked in the ways of obedience, He would have made them “high above all nations which He has made, in praise, and in name, and in honour”.  Deuteronomy 26:19 “All people of the earth,” Moses had told them, “shall see that you are called by the name [character] of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of you”.  Deuteronomy 28:10.  Earlier he had said, “The nations which shall hear all these statutes” shall say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise [fair] and understanding [loving] people’.” Deuteronomy 4:6.  But because of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose could be wrought out only through continued adversity and humiliation. It was this fact that Daniel recognised in his great prayer.  Daniel 9:4-8.

They were brought captive to Babylon, but then the Son of God scattered them through the lands of the heathen that they might be able to reach them personally.  In affliction many did renew their faithfulness to His covenant.  While they hung their harps upon the willows (Psalm 137:1-4) and mourned for the holy temple that was laid waste, the light of truth shone out through them, and a knowledge of God was spread among the nations.  The heathen systems of sacrifice were a perversion of the system that God had appointed; and many a sincere observer of heathen rites learned from his Hebrew neighbour the meaning of the service divinely ordained, and in faith grasped the promise of a Redeemer.  The Hebrew captives were treated well for the most part by the Babylonians, and many of them set up businesses and settled in during the three generations they dwelt there.  So much so that most were reluctant to leave when the call came to “Come out of Babylon”.  See Zechariah 2:6-7 and Ezra 8:15-20.

However, some of the exiles suffered persecution.  Quite a few lost their lives because of their high-handed refusal to disregard the Sabbath and to observe the heathen festivals, especially Sunday.  (Daniel also refused to give up the Sabbath, but did it nicely and was not harmed.  If he was not aware of the LORD’s advice through Jeremiah then he would have heard it direct from Him. See Jeremiah 38:17-18.)  However, as the idolaters were roused by Satan to crush out the truth, so the LORD brought His servants face to face with kings and rulers that they and their people might receive the light.  Time after time the great monarchs were led to proclaim the supremacy of the God whom their Hebrew captives worshipped. Thus the controversy raged.

This is one of the battles:

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Daniel 6:

4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 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”.

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Because of Daniel’s religion and behaviour many of his fellow-leaders sought to condemn him before the king.  Like Elijah, he “was a man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17), and therefore he prayed earnestly that he should not even make a mistake, let alone a deliberate error, in his dealings.  Because he listened to, and obeyed God, his most bitter enemies had to admit that as far as they could see, he was perfect.  But Satan suggested that they use that very fact against him!  He could be relied on to do his duty and so they made use of it. 

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Daniel 6:

6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, “King Darius, live for ever [We wish you well!].  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 you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. [You shall be god to them!]  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 alters not”. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.   

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With these flattering words they got the king to pass a law which he later bitterly regretted.  Only when it was too late did he see the trap they had made for him.  Because their standard was that once a law was signed it could not be repealed, to men’s eyes it looked as though Daniel was doomed. What would he do in the face of a death decree?

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Daniel 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 [always] did. 

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Daniel's position was not an enviable one.  He stood at the head of a dishonest, lying, godless cabinet, whose members watched him with keen, jealous eyes, to find some flaw in his conduct.  They kept spies on his track, to see if they could find something against him.  But because he had a living relationship with his Saviour Daniel carried on as usual.  He knew that while he stayed close to God nothing could touch him that He did not want to happen. Romans 8:35-39. If we are obedient the Son of God has promised to watch our backs.  (e. g. Genesis 15:1.)

From my library:

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If the rush of work [or fear of our enemies] is allowed to drive us from our purpose of seeking the LORD daily, we shall make great mistakes; we shall incur losses, for the LORD is not with us; we have closed the door so that He cannot find access to our minds.  (See Isaiah 59:1-2.)  But if we pray even when our hands are employed, the Saviour's ear is open to hear our petitions.  If we are determined not to be separated from the Source of our strength, Jesus will be just as determined to be at our right hand to help us, that we may not be put to shame before our enemies.  The grace of Christ can accomplish for us that which all our efforts will fail to do.  Those who love and fear God may be surrounded with a multitude of cares, and yet not falter or make crooked paths for their feet.

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“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more to the perfect day”. Proverbs 4:18.

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Daniel 6:

11 Then these men assembled [came spying], and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

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Daniel was a statesman; heavy responsibilities rested upon him; yet three times a day he sought God on his knees, and the LORD responded through the Holy Spirit.  So today we may resort to the sacred pavilion [the shade over the throne] of the Most High (Psalm 27:5) and feel the assurance of His promise, “My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places”.  Isaiah 32:18.  All who really desire it can find a place for communion with God.

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Daniel 6:

12 Then they came near [the king], and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree; “Have you not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of you, 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 alters not”.  13 Then answered they and said before the king, “That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regards not you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day”.

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 laboured [with his wise men] till the going down of the sun to deliver him.  15 Then these men assembled to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, ‘That no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed’.” [You’ll have to do it!”]   

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you [I hope]”. 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.  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.   

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Every time that Satan thinks he has won a round against God, he is outwitted.  The earthly law was respected, but the lions obeyed God, not man.  All we have to do is wait without giving up.  It is written, “I had fainted [given up], unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living [not when I’m dead]. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD”.  Psalm 27:13-14.

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Daniel 6:

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.  20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”

21 Then said Daniel to the king, “O king, live for ever.  22 My God has sent His angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before you, O king, have I done no hurt”. 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.   

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.   

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We can see that the Son of God was able to save Daniel because he was faithful and obedient, making no effort to save himself, for this was a religious matter.  But look what happened to his accusers and their families!  In the Bible Moses was told to administer strict justice to false accusers, and many of the nations now had the same rule.  See Deuteronomy 19:16-21. (Note that this is one of the places where the famous quote of “an eye for eye and a tooth for tooth” has its genesis, and realise how often it is misapplied.  It is for a courtroom situation and is to be applied by a judge: Christians always forgive, even to “seventy times seven” per day.  Matthew 18:21-22. 

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Daniel 6:

25 Then king Darius wrote to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; “Peace be multiplied to you.  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 to the end.  27 He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. [Note that there is no penalty for refusal to worship.] 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius [the Mede], and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

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Again, from the highest authority in the land the Son of God was able to proclaim His message of peace and love to all the world.  Two witnesses, Nebuchadnezzar first, and now Darius, had done this for Him.  As we shall see later, Cyrus the Great (who is still lovingly remembered in Iraq) was to be His third witness. 

Bye for now, Ron

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1 Samuel 8:

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to [at] Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways: now make us a king to judge [lead] us like all the nations” .  .  .  7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you: for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them”.  Back

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Daniel 9:

4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, “O LORD, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments;

5 “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts [general rules] and from Your judgments [daily advices]: 6 neither have we hearkened to Your servants the prophets, which spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7 “O LORD, righteousness belongs to You [You have been right in all this], but to us confusion of faces [for it’s our fault], as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries where You [and their actions] have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against You. 8 O LORD, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You”.  Back

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Zechariah 2:

6 “Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north,” says the LORD: “for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,” says the LORD. 7 “Deliver yourself, O Zion, that dwell with the daughter of Babylon”.

[There are times when we can work in Babylon and do the LORD’s bidding.  There are other times when we must leave that system.  The Spirit will tell us what to do, and when.]  Back

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Ezra 8:

15 And I gathered them [the returnees] together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi [the sanctuary workers].

16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for [another] Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for [yet another] Elnathan, men of understanding. 17 And I sent them with commandment to Iddo [Zechariah the prophet’s father, Ezra 5:1] the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo, and to his brothers the Nethinims [a special class of temple workers, Joshua 9], at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.   

18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli [the son of Merari, Numbers 3:20], the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; 19 and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty [all Levites]. 

20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.  Back

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Jeremiah 38:

17 Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, “Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If you will assuredly go forth to the king of Babylon's princes [and surrender], then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house [family]: 18 but if you will not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand”. [Humble yourself that you may live. 2 Chronicles 34:27.]  Back

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Isaiah 59:

1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 but [it is] your iniquities [which] have separated between you and your God, and your sins [especially the sin of neglect of prayer] have hid His face from you [you’re too busy enjoying them], that He will [can] not hear.   Back

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Deuteronomy 19:

16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; 17 then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days. 18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness [he has committed perjury], and has testified falsely against his brother; 19 then shall you do to him, as he had thought to have done to his brother: so shall you put the evil away from among you.  

20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you. 21 And your eye shall not pity [you must have strict justice, no more, no less]; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot [value for value].  Back

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