Daniel 6:1-27
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these
satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have no
damage.
3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents
and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king
thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and
the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching 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.
6 Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the
counsellors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a
royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, 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.
8 Now, O king, establish the
interdict, 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 interdict.
10 And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he
kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks
before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s
interdict: Hast thou not signed an interdict, that every man that shall
make petition unto any god or man within thirty days, save unto 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.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That
Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not
thee, O king, nor the interdict that thou hast signed, but maketh his
petition three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he heard these
words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him;
and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him.
15 Then
these men assembled together unto the king, and said unto the king,
Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no
interdict 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 deliver 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 nothing might 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 fled 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 near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a
lamentable voice; 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?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, and
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.
23 Then was
the king exceeding glad, 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 had trusted in his God.
24 And
the king commanded, and they brought those men that 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, before they came to the bottom of the den.
25 Then
king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that
dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a
decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear
before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and stedfast for
ever, 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.
Daniel had the rare opportunity to influence four kings and their kingdoms with godly principles. Remaining true to God often meant putting himself in danger, but he never once wavered in his convictions. The record of his life shows us what is required of someone who wants to have a godly impact on those around him.
Complete confidence in the Lord’s ability to protect and provide empowered Daniel to make bold decisions. He delivered bad news to kings, even though such an act could have gotten him killed (Dan. 2:26-44; Dan. 5:17-28). What’s more, he challenged a law requiring him to violate God’s command to worship only Him (Dan. 6:7-11).
Daniel wasn’t intent on being popular; he was committed to doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. And when he had to face consequences for choosing the unpopular course of action, he did so with a calm and Christ-like spirit. Offering no complaint, Daniel accepted the punishment of being thrown into a den of lions—he had, in fact, broken the law.
It is so tempting to think that if we do what is right, we should be rewarded or at least protected. But we live in a broken world, and sometimes doing what is right will get us punished. How we respond to the consequences of our obedience is actually as important as carrying out God’s will. Our reaction is being watched and evaluated by those in our sphere of influence, who want to see if we really believe our claim that the Lord is in control. God is using our experience and our witness to reach others for the kingdom.
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