In chapter 6, Daniel begins to serve a new king. It is Darius of the Medo-Persian Empire. Daniel who still won't bend, bow or break service with God, Is appointed as one of one-hundred-twenty rulers over Darius' kingdom. Because he trusted in the Lord, Daniel was able to serve three kingdoms, The first and most important kingdom he served belonged to his God, Jehovah. The other two, Babylonian and the Medo-Persian Empires, became his to serve because he served the first one.
Darius was a Persian King. As a Persian General, Darius defeats the city of Babylon rather easily. He then overtakes the Babylonian Empire. He begins his reign with his capital in Sousa.
Vv 1 – 15 Daniel Serves Darius
V 1 It seemed good to
Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of
the whole kingdom,
A. After Darius becomes king, he appoints 120 rulers over
the kingdom.
V 2 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.
B. Over these 120 rulers, Darius appoints 3 commissioners
with Daniel being one.
1. How old is Daniel
now? In his 80’s for sure.
2. Why does Darius
promote him? Because Daniel predicted that the Persians would
Win the
kingdom from the Babylonians.
V 3 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.
C. Because of the Holy Spirit on him, Daniel excels in
Darius’ kingdom and was up for
promotion
to the top spot.
V 4 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.
D. The other rulers in high places looked for evidence of
corruption in Daniel, but could
not find
any.
1. He was faithful
in his duties.
2. He was never
negligent.
V 5 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.
E. We’ll never find anything against him unless it is in
regards to his law and his God.
V 6 Then these
commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to
him as follows: "King Darius,
live forever!
F. Knowing how Daniel worshiped, these rulers devised a
plan.
1. They gain
audience with the king.
2. Then they wish
him good health and long life.
V 7 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.
G. This statute and its worship were contrived to trap
Daniel.
V 8 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.
H. These political leaders, with a game plan to up their
status in the kingdom, know
that once
the king signs the statute, it can’t be revoked.
V 9 Therefore King
Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.
J. Their plan worked! Or did it?
V 10 Now when Daniel
knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in
his roof chamber he had windows open
toward
kneeling on his knees three times a
day, praying and giving thanks before his
God, as he had been doing
previously.
K. Believers are not to be believers in secret.
1. The Bible says as
soon as Daniel knew about the signed document, he prayed.
2. He didn’t enter
his house in private, no.
3. He went onto his
roof chambers where there were windows.
4. He got on his
knees facing
5. He did this
everyday, three times a day.
6. He prayed and
gave thanks to God.
7. Should we be
doing likewise?
8. Do you have
blessing in a restaurant?
V 11 Then these men
came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and
supplication before his God.
L. The men knew what Daniel would do, and Daniel knew what
Daniel would do.
V 12 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."
M. These conniving men reminded the king of his petition and
the consequences.
V 13 Then they
answered and spoke before the king, Daniel, who is one of the exiles from
keeps making his petition three
times a day.
N. Well, your favorite son, the highest satrap, the pet of
the king, has disobeyed you.
1. This Daniel whom
you have trusted doesn’t follow our laws.
2. Your best friend
has betrayed you and continues to do his spiritual thing in spite of
your order.
V 14 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.
N. Finally, the king sees through their evil plot.
1. Until now, he
thought this was just a way for the rulers to pay him homage as king.
2. Now he sees it
was a trap to rid themselves of a higher power and get power for
themselves.
3. He shows his love
for Daniel by trying to devise a way whereby Daniel can escape.
4. But at sunset, i.e. 6:00 p.m., the end of the day, he has come up with nothing.
V 15 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."
O. Since the king hasn’t acted by throwing Daniel into the
lions den, they come to remind
him of his
obligation.
Vv 16 – 21 Daniel in the Lions' Den
V 16 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. Finding no way to get out of the deal, the king orders
Daniel tossed into the pit.
V 17 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.
B. They put a stone over the mouth of the pit, and put the
kings seal on it.
1. The stone kept
the man inside from escaping.
2. The seal assured
that no one would help because breaking the seal meant death.
V 18 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.
C. The king fasted all night.
1. Doesn’t say that
he prayed, but I bet he did.
2. I don’t know to
whom he would have prayed since we do not know if he was a
believer.
3. He wouldn’t even
allow entertainment
4. He wanted to be
alone and fast and pray.
V 19 Then the king
arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.
D. At dawn the king goes to the lions den.
1. He probably
hasn’t slept all night.
2. We know that he hasn’t
slept.
3. And, he is
anxious to see if Daniel’s God was able to keep him safe.
V 20 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?
E. His question leads one to believe that he had been
praying to Daniel’s God.
1. It also says that
he hasn’t accepted him as his own God.
2. However, he wants
to know if Daniel’s God is strong enough to save him.
V 21 Then Daniel spoke
to the king, O king, live forever!
F. Don’t you know these were the most beautiful words the
king had ever heard.
V 22 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.
G. I’m here King! My God sent an angel to keep me company
tonight.
1. The angel shut up
the mouths of the lions.
2. The reason: I am
innocent before Him and before You.
3. I haven’t sinned
against God or You.
4. Do the same
things work for believers today?
V 23 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.
H. They bring Daniel out, inspect him and find that there
are no injuries—even from
being
tossed down into the pit.
1. First there isn’t
a tooth or claw-mark on him.
2. Second, there
aren’t even bruises, scrapes or broken bones from his fall.
3. Remember, Daniel
is somewhere around 82-83 years old.
V 24 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.
I. Because they had used the king to get their way, the king
has they and their families
thrown into
the lion’s den.
1. How can he do
this? He’s king, he can do as he pleases.
2. Notice the lions
had been tempted all night by Daniel’s presence, they jump at the
occasion
for a free meal.
3. Their plan fails
and they get way more than they bargained for.
4. The moral: don’t
mess with the king’s mind—even Jesus, your King.
V 25 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!
J. His mistake causes the king to issue a new law.
1. Remember whatever
he writes can’t be broken.
2. It’s the law of
the Medes and Persians.
V 26 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.
K. The king recognizes Daniel’s God.
1. He recognizes his
power and dominion over all things.
2. However, he does
not recognize him as his God, does he?
V 27 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.
L. Daniel’s escape from the lions is a great sign and wonder
and miracle.
V 28 So this Daniel
enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the
Persian.
M. Darius reigned from
to 539 B.C., Darius reigns from 539 B.C. to
Chapter 6
Study Questions
1. Whom did Darius name as one of his 3
commissioners?
2. Why was the king
going to appoint Daniel over the entire kingdom?
3. What did the
commissioners and satraps try to find in Daniel?
4. What did they
finally agree would be the only way they could find something wrong
with
Daniel?
5. What Persian law
did these commissioners and satraps get passed?
6. What would be the
penalty for breaking this law?
7. How did Daniel
break the Persian law?
8. How did the news
that Daniel had broken his law affect the king?
9. How did the king
spend the night?
10. What question did the king ask Daniel the next morning?
11. Why did Daniel say that God protected him?
12. What happened to those who had maliciously accused
Daniel?
13. Daniel’s life saved by God caused the king to do what?
14. What did God do to protect Daniel?
15. Why were the families of those accused of maligning
Daniel killed, too.
Blessings,
Howard
Who You Are Isn't Based on Performance with God. Who You Are Should Have A Direct Bearing on How You Perform.
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