Daniel 6

 This is a study of Daniel Chapter Six 

READ Daniel 6:1-5 - 'It Pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2. And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was the (1) _____; that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was found in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4. Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could none 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.'

In 538 B.C. Babylon was overthrown by the Persians. Darius the Median was crowned king. In 536 B.C. Darius was dying and Cyrus took over. Between 538 and 536 B.C. the events recorded here took place.

Daniel was still appointed a high position and once again those men in power about him didn't like that Daniel was held in such high esteem. It irked them that a man not even of their own beliefs could gain such a high appointment. They didn't like his perfection, it glaringly exposed their own imperfections. They sought to find a way to discredit him and nothing presented itself, nothing. So they had to devise a way and the biggest difference between Daniel and the men of that time was the fact Daniel worshipped the One True God, while like most Babylonians before them, the Medes and Persians had many gods they prayed to.

Of note the following events told to us in chapter six are actually mentioned in part by Paul in Hebrews 11:33 'Who through faith...stopped the (2) ______  of lions.'

READ Daniel 6:6-10 - 'Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King, Darius, live forever. 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 (3) _______ of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, 0 king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8. Now, 0 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. 9. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 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 (4) ________ upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.'

Like before when the men against the three captives brought to Babylon with Daniel, sought to have Nebuchadnezzar make a decree that they had to bow down to the golden image erect, these men were seeking a way to get Daniel to do something that would make him offend his own God. Make him choose to defy his own God, something he wouldn't do, or suffer the consequences. They went to the King and lied, saying all the presidents, governors, princes, counselors, and captains have consulted together. Daniel one of the three presidents, the chief president in fact had not been consulted at all on the matter. The king however was deceived. He believed the men when they told them this was a unanimous decision. The fact they wanted to make a royal statute, a decree, that people could only ask the king for anything for thirty days and no others, not man, nor gods.

Of course the king liked the idea that he would be the only one to grant any requests, the only one sought out to do so. He was after all, king. No others were greater than him and this little 30 day decree would prove that to everyone. He and he alone had the power. No god, no other man had that power. And what a power trip it must have been for the king. He agreed. Making it so that anyone not obeying this decree would be cast into a den of lions. Everyone knows being cast into a den of lions is a death sentence and not a very pleasant one. The king knowing that by their very laws once a decree was signed it was in effect and could not be altered. Remember, Nebuchadnezzar couldn't change the decree he'd made either about the bowing down to the image. Both kings were deceived and ensnared by those about them and their own vanity.

When Daniel learned of the decree what did he do?

He went into his house and his windows were opened and he knelt down three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just like he'd been doing and those who sought to put the decree in affect knew this. They knew his custom. They knew Daniel prayed three times a day on his knees to his God. He knew of the decree but he also knew he couldn't follow that decree. He would not betray God that way. He knew it meant being cast into a den of lions and his faith in God was so strong that he knew that if it were his fate to be killed by lions then God's will be done. He wasn't going to stop honoring his God, not even in the face of death, not any more than his three friends had bowed down to the golden statue.

Amazing isn't it, just how desperate those men were to be rid of Daniel.

Think about it, they had gods they prayed to, sacrificed to gods they worshipped. All people had gods of some sort and yet here they were ready to give up their own faith and make all the people in the whole kingdom (and what a huge kingdom is was), give up their gods too. The king liked the idea of course, he would be their one and only god for a full 30 days. You can imagine not many were pleased with the decree but how many of them would rather die than comply? Daniel was prepared to die. He'd rather die than worship any but God.

READ Daniel 6:11-17 'Then these men assembled, and found Daniel (5) ________ and making supplication before his God. 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, 0 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. 13. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, 0 king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh 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 labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, 0 king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 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 (6) ______ thee. 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.'

The trap had been laid perfectly and it was sprung.

The men who contrived the scheme were watching Daniel and as they knew would happen, they found Daniel praying to his God. Off to the king they went, eager you can imagine, to tell the king all about the one who dared to defy the king's decree.

First they asked him if he signed the decree, reminding him exactly what it was he'd sign and what the penalty was for disobeying the decree, and of course the king admitted to signing it, even saying it can't be altered. Only when they were sure the king was well reminded of the decree did they tell him that Daniel, one of the captives from Judah isn't following the decree, but they didn't just say that did they? No, they rubbed in the fact Daniel was not regarding the king with the authority he should be regarded with. Basically, Daniel is outright and flagrantly disobeying you king because he doesn't think you have power over him. Surely all should obey the king, why...he was king! But Daniel, one of the king's favored wasn't giving him the honor due him.

The king's reaction to the news? He wasn't very happy. But get this... this is very important.

'Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself.' 

With who? Himself!

Amazing. He wasn't sore displeased with Daniel, but with himself. He knew how valuable a man Daniel was to his kingdom, and sure Daniel might have his own God he prayed to, but everyone had their own gods. He never thought when making the decree that Daniel would be one that held his faith in his God above all else.

He'd been deceived. So he spent the rest of the entire day trying to figure out how to save Daniel.

What happened at the end of that entire day? He'd stalled. The punishment for disobeying the decree hadn't been exacted right away like it might have been. Instead the king took the entire day until he could take no longer and then the men came to remind him that the decree couldn't be changed. Daniel had to be cast into the den of lions. You can bet it was a very unhappy king that had it done. He gave the command. Daniel was brought and cast into the lion's den and the king said this to Daniel-- 'Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.' His God would deliver him, why? Because the king could not so Daniel's God was the only one who could deliver Daniel and the king knew that.

The den was sealed up, no one could go in or get out. It was done. Daniel was punished according to the decree.

So what happened next?

READ Daniel 6:18-24 -- '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. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel; and the king spake and said to Daniel, 0 Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21. Then said Daniel unto the king, 0 king, live forever. 22. My God hath sent his (7) _____, 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, 0 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 brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.'

The king was obviously upset, he didn't eat anything, didn't want to be entertained, and he couldn't sleep. Have you ever been so worried about something that you could eat, sleep, and you definitely didn't want to have fun and games? I know I have. It's a horrible feeling being that distraught. The king spent the entire night like that. Then when it was very early...get that part? When it was *very* early in the morning, the king didn't wait any longer than he absolutely had to. The night was over and morning was there and he was ran to the lion's den, crying out in agony to Daniel, hoping that Daniel's God had been able to save him. The king didn't have the faith it took to believe that God would save Daniel. He only knew that one of the best men in all his kingdom believed in his God so strongly he was willing to die for Him. This God had to be amazing really, and there was the possibility that He could save Daniel. So the king in agony, his heart overwrought from a night spent worrying over Daniel called into the den of lions. '0 Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?'

Was Daniel's God able to save him?

Daniel answered. 'Then said Daniel unto the king, 0 king, live forever. 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, 0 king, have I done no hurt.'

The first thing Daniel said to the king was what? 'O king, live forever.' He was giving the king the honor that he could afford to give to him. No, he couldn't worship him above his God, but he nonetheless held the king in high esteem. He gave the king honor first and then he told him what his God had done. An angel had been sent to shut the lion's mouths, he was unhurt, he was innocent of any crime, of any wrong doing. God found him innocent and he'd done nothing against the king either. His not honoring the decree was not done of self-righteous, egoistical ambitions, he didn't think he was better than the king, but his God was the only true God for him and no other would ever be treated as a God for Daniel. He didn't hurt the king. He was innocent and alive.

How did the king react? He was exceedingly glad! He was thrilled! He ordered Daniel brought up out of the den. They checked him all over and found no hurt on him at all, not even a scratch. The lions you can bet those men setting the trap for Daniel kept very hungry, had been thwarted of their meal. Why hadn't Daniel been hurt? Because of his faith in God. Faith is so important.

Then the king, obviously aware of why the decree had been presented to him, wise to the scheming of the men against Daniel, had those men all brought in and what did he do to punish them for their trickery against an innocent, upright man the king favored? He had them, and their children, their wives, all thrown to the same lions that hadn't touched Daniel. The lions in their natural fury and perhaps more so from being denied a meal all night long that was right before them, were so enraged and starving that they attacked those thrown to them before they even touched the floor of the den. Obviously if the lions had been subdued in any other manner it was proven that they were still ferocious, vicious, man-eating lions able to devour any in their den. Nothing but God through His angel subdued those lions and it was proven beyond a doubt. No one could accuse the King of tampering with the lions and therefore Daniel was spared by some means the king devised as he sought all the day before to figure out a way to save Daniel. By punishing those that would have Daniel killed, the king showed all in the kingdom what he thought of those who tried to trick him into doing away with those he chose to run his kingdom. He also showed that it was Daniel's God alone who had spared Daniel's life. A God of great power to do such a thing, no wonder Daniel would rather obey his God than follow any decree made by any other.

READ Daniel 6:25-28 -- Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. 26. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the (8) ____ 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. 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. 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.'

Amazing! So amazing! The result of the entire scheme of the evil men who sought to have Daniel killed backfired a hundredfold. The king made a new decree. Not only did people not have to come to him for any petitions, but every man in the whole kingdom men had to tremble and fear before Daniel's God, the living God, forever and ever in a kingdom impossible to destroy whose dominion was to the end. God delivers, he rescues, he works signs and wonder in heaven and in earth, he delivered Daniel from powerful lions.

What a glorious testimony! Amazing and wonderful!

That which was seemingly wrought for man's evil devices was used as an opportunity to exalt God!

Amazing!

Such an important lesson to learn from what were taught here. Yes, we are taught by these miracles too.

The three Hebrews in the fiery furnace would not bow down to a statue- they would not do something they knew to be wrong in God's eyes, upon the punishment of death.

Daniel would not stop doing what he knew God wanted him to do upon the punishment of death.

We are not to do that which we know God doesn't approve, and we are to keep doing what God requires we do, even in the face of death.

If we obey God in all aspects of our lives God will be faithful to us who are faithful to Him.

All by the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

(1) first - Daniel 6:2

(2) mouths - Hebrew 11:33

(3) petition - Daniel 6:7

(4) kneeled - Daniel 6:10

(5) praying - Daniel 6:11

(6) deliver - Daniel 6:16

(7) angel - Daniel 6:22

(8) God - Daniel 6:26