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THE BOOK OF DANIEL
CHAPTER 6
This chapter deals with the familiar account of Daniel be thrown in the lion's den. It is not prophecy in itself but provided an important background of the Lord's dealing with Daniel. It was an important time in testifying to the continued fidelity of Daniel even though testing to the extreme.
Daniel 6: 1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
Daniel 6: 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
Daniel 6: 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.
Darius set over the kingdom 120 princes and 3 president of Daniel was the first.
Daniel 6: 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
Daniel 6: 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.
Daniel 6: 6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
There was no fault that could be found against Daniel except the law of his God. He prayed three times a day toward the Holy City.
Daniel 6: 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 thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
They were trying to make a god out of a man and join church and state.
Daniel 6: 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 altereth not.
Daniel 6: 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Daniel's enemies had secured from Darius a decree that anyone praying to God or man for thirty days, except to Darius, would be thrown in the den of lions. They knew that Daniel would continue to pray. Darius was easily trapped in this predicament as the Medes and Persians believed a decree once signed could not be reversed.
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 did aforetime.
Daniel continued to pray there times a day. He had his window opened toward Jerusalem and no attempt was made to hid his continued devotion to his God. When they had no sacrifice prays served to take care of that.
1 Kings 8: 44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
Psalms 141: 2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Daniel 6: 11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Daniel 6: 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, 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.
Daniel 6: 13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Daniel 6: 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 till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
Daniel 6: 15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
Daniel 6: 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.
Darius showed love for Daniel, was hoping that the God of Daniel would deliver him.
Daniel 6: 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.
Daniel 6: 18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
Daniel 6: 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
Daniel 6: 20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and 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?
Daniel 6: 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
Daniel 6: 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, O king, have I done no hurt.
Daniel was rescued because God had sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths.
Hebrews 11: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.
Daniel 6: 23 Then was the king exceedingly 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.
Daniel 6: 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.
Darius had no compaction against ordering the conspirators, their wives, and children, all be cast into the den of lions.
Daniel 6: 25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Daniel 6: 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 stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his
dominion shall be even unto the end.
Daniel 6: 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 6: 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Cyrus is prophesied by Isaiah as being king nearly 200 years before he became king of Babylon.
The king makes another decree with his personal testimony. In this decree Darius showed remarkable understanding that God is eternal and His kingdom and dominion will never end. He tributes to God the ability to perform signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. In the midst of a difficult situation politically and living in a land that worshiped another god, Daniel continued to remain untouched by the immorality and idolatry of those about him and had a testimony among all men of his faithfulness to his God. Daniel is a picture of the rescue of Israel at the Second Coming of the Lord at the end of the tribulation period.
