Daniel 6:16-28, II Chronicles 36:22-23
Jealous because Darius was thinking about putting Daniel in charge of running the empire, the other leaders had sought a way to prevent his promotion. Since they didn’t believe Darius would just exclude Daniel over some minor matter, they proposed a law that would appear relatively harmless or even desirable, while making some innocuous things Daniel did illegal, lying to Darius about the purpose of the law, somewhat like what frequently happens with our government. Once the law was passed, they selectively enforced it to have Daniel arrested and executed.
Realizing he had been deceived, and that the law would do more harm than good, Darius did everything in his power to change it, but like the congressmen who voted for the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare), He discovered it was a lot harder to undo than it had been to pass. Darius was forced to implement the law even though he found it totally unacceptable. There was no way of getting it changed in time to prevent the harm.
“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.” (Daniel 6:16)
Forced to obey the law he had signed, Darius reluctantly ordered Daniel cast into the lion enclosure. Before having him lowered into the pit, Darius made it clear this had not been his idea and encouraged Daniel that the God who he served every day would deliver him some way. Obviously, the other leaders were not the only ones who had observed how faithfully Daniel served God.
“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.
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.” (Daniel 6:17-18)
Having made the commitment to keep the law, Darius had the entrance to the lion’s enclosure sealed off so there could be no question as to whether Daniel had been rescued. He was convinced that God was capable and would deliver Daniel, and didn’t want anyone to think he had saved him. In spite of his belief, Darius couldn’t relax. Believing God can is not the same as knowing he will. A sovereign God is not obligated to do what we want. Normally he would have had musicians play to help him relax, but that night he stayed up fasting and praying.
“Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 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 6:19-20)
Like little boy on Christmas morning, as soon as he reasonably could, Darius rushed to the lions’ den to find out if God had answered his prayers and saved Daniel. I can only imagine the turmoil he experienced when he asked Daniel if God had protected him from the lions. Until Daniel spoke there was still considerable uncertainty.
“Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 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.
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.” (Daniel 6:21-23)
When Daniel responded, telling him that God had sent his angel and made the lions unable to attack because of Daniel’s obedience, the king was overcome with relief, ordering that Daniel be freed as soon as possible. Because Daniel trusted his God to point of obeying him even when it was against the law, he had suffered no injury from a night surrounded by hungry lions.
“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.” (Daniel 6:24)
Angry at the deception and abuse of their power, Darius had the ones who had pushed the law cast into the same den of lions where Daniel had spent the night, and he didn’t follow the Jewish law which forbid executing the children for their parent’s sin. He executed their entire families. The lions caught the people before their bodies even hit the ground, snatching them out of the air like a cat or dog catching a ball and killing them. It was quite clear that God had protected Daniel.
“Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 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. 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 6:25-27)
Almost seventy years before, Daniel had committed himself to serve God. Partly due to his influence, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had made their stand for God as well. Nebuchadnezzar had turned to the Lord as a result of the former slave’s stand for God, and the entire Babylonian kingdom had heard about God. When the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persians empire, Darius came to believe in god through Daniel’s testimony, and ordered the entire empire show proper respect for God, citing what he had done for Daniel
“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (Daniel 6:28)
Taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC, Daniel would retain a position of authority from 603 or 604 BC until the Cyrus the Great of Persia took over the Medo-Persian empire and made it just the Persian empire in 539 BC. During that time he had a great deal of influence in how the Jews were treated in their captivity. Over eighty years old when Cyrus took over, Daniel seems to have retired from government service but continued to serve God, making the prophecy of Daniel 10 three years after Cyrus became king.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.” (II Chronicles 36:22-23)
We are told little about Cyrus’s reign other than what Ezra tells us about his sending the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem, but it seems probable that Daniel was instrumental in his decision. He would reign until 529 BC and be succeeded by his son Cambyses, also known as Ahasuerus in contemporary Jewish and Ethopic writings.
Jealous because Darius was thinking about putting Daniel in charge of running the empire, the other leaders had sought a way to prevent his promotion. Since they didn’t believe Darius would just exclude Daniel over some minor matter, they proposed a law that would appear relatively harmless or even desirable, while making some innocuous things Daniel did illegal, lying to Darius about the purpose of the law, somewhat like what frequently happens with our government. Once the law was passed, they selectively enforced it to have Daniel arrested and executed.
Realizing he had been deceived, and that the law would do more harm than good, Darius did everything in his power to change it, but like the congressmen who voted for the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare), He discovered it was a lot harder to undo than it had been to pass. Darius was forced to implement the law even though he found it totally unacceptable. There was no way of getting it changed in time to prevent the harm.
“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.” (Daniel 6:16)
Forced to obey the law he had signed, Darius reluctantly ordered Daniel cast into the lion enclosure. Before having him lowered into the pit, Darius made it clear this had not been his idea and encouraged Daniel that the God who he served every day would deliver him some way. Obviously, the other leaders were not the only ones who had observed how faithfully Daniel served God.
“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.
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.” (Daniel 6:17-18)
Having made the commitment to keep the law, Darius had the entrance to the lion’s enclosure sealed off so there could be no question as to whether Daniel had been rescued. He was convinced that God was capable and would deliver Daniel, and didn’t want anyone to think he had saved him. In spite of his belief, Darius couldn’t relax. Believing God can is not the same as knowing he will. A sovereign God is not obligated to do what we want. Normally he would have had musicians play to help him relax, but that night he stayed up fasting and praying.
“Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 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 6:19-20)
Like little boy on Christmas morning, as soon as he reasonably could, Darius rushed to the lions’ den to find out if God had answered his prayers and saved Daniel. I can only imagine the turmoil he experienced when he asked Daniel if God had protected him from the lions. Until Daniel spoke there was still considerable uncertainty.
“Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 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.
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.” (Daniel 6:21-23)
When Daniel responded, telling him that God had sent his angel and made the lions unable to attack because of Daniel’s obedience, the king was overcome with relief, ordering that Daniel be freed as soon as possible. Because Daniel trusted his God to point of obeying him even when it was against the law, he had suffered no injury from a night surrounded by hungry lions.
“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.” (Daniel 6:24)
Angry at the deception and abuse of their power, Darius had the ones who had pushed the law cast into the same den of lions where Daniel had spent the night, and he didn’t follow the Jewish law which forbid executing the children for their parent’s sin. He executed their entire families. The lions caught the people before their bodies even hit the ground, snatching them out of the air like a cat or dog catching a ball and killing them. It was quite clear that God had protected Daniel.
“Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 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. 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 6:25-27)
Almost seventy years before, Daniel had committed himself to serve God. Partly due to his influence, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had made their stand for God as well. Nebuchadnezzar had turned to the Lord as a result of the former slave’s stand for God, and the entire Babylonian kingdom had heard about God. When the Babylonian Empire was conquered by the Medo-Persians empire, Darius came to believe in god through Daniel’s testimony, and ordered the entire empire show proper respect for God, citing what he had done for Daniel
“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” (Daniel 6:28)
Taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC, Daniel would retain a position of authority from 603 or 604 BC until the Cyrus the Great of Persia took over the Medo-Persian empire and made it just the Persian empire in 539 BC. During that time he had a great deal of influence in how the Jews were treated in their captivity. Over eighty years old when Cyrus took over, Daniel seems to have retired from government service but continued to serve God, making the prophecy of Daniel 10 three years after Cyrus became king.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.” (II Chronicles 36:22-23)
We are told little about Cyrus’s reign other than what Ezra tells us about his sending the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem, but it seems probable that Daniel was instrumental in his decision. He would reign until 529 BC and be succeeded by his son Cambyses, also known as Ahasuerus in contemporary Jewish and Ethopic writings.
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