Putting God First

 Belshazzar was so busy celebrating his power the Medo-Persian Empire, led by Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian captured Babylon in a single night.  He had promised Daniel great authority and power for interpreting the handwriting on the wall, but lost the kingdom that same night, as Daniel 5:30-31 tells us.  “In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.  And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.”  Darius had been born about the time Daniel was taken into captivity.

 

Darius completely reorganized the government of the Babylonian Empire.  In the process, thanks to God’s direction, he gave Daniel a position very similar to the one Belshazzar had promised him, as we see in Daniel 6:1-3.  “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 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.  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.”

 

In any system where politics plays a role, whether government, business, church, or family, the focus is more about advancing ones power or prestige than about what is good for the entity they supposedly serve.  There is a constant effort to undercut anyone who poses a potential threat to someone else’s advancement, and consideration of Daniel for prime minister was seen as a threat to all the other officials,  and they began to seek some way to discredit him, as 6qanil 6:4-5 describes.  “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.  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.” 

 

Realizing they would not be able to find any moral or financial improprieties to charge him with, they decided to make a law against something he habitually did, specifically about the way he worshipped God.  Daniel 6:6-9 describes their efforts.  “Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.  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.  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.  Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.”

 

Using flattery and claiming that all the people supported the idea they convinced Darius to make the law, knowing that once it had been signed, it could not be changed according to their constitution.  Swayed by the claims of popular support, like many politicians, Darius did not think about what the side effects of the law would be.  If followed, the law would require that the king personally address every problem or need of every individual in the empire.  While it would give him almost godlike power, it would keep him so busy with individual requests he would not be able to deal with national affairs.  Throughout history the idea of controlling every detail of people’s lives has destroyed government after government, but unfortunately, such power appeals to some people. 

 

Daniel had been worshipping God since his capture more than sixty years before.   He did no change his behavior or make any effort to hide his worship because of this law, as Daniel 6:10 tells us.  “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 was not acting from civil disobedience, but in obedience to God.

The jealous officials spied on Daniel, and demanded his arrest, in Daniel 611-13, reminding the king that he could not commute Daniel’s sentence.  “Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.  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.

 

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.”

 

Hearing their charges against Daniel, Darius realized he had been played for a sucker and had made a foolish mistake.  He spent the rest of the day looking for some way he could circumvent their manipulations, but was unable to find any.  The officials demanded that he follow the law, in Daniel 6:14-15.  “ 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.  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.”

 

Forced to cast Daniel into the lion’s den, the King stated that he believed Daniel’s god would deliver him because of his faith.  He had Daniel sealed in the Lion’s den so there could be no question of his having tried to protect Daniel, in Daniel 6:16-17.  “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.  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.”

 

Though he believed God would take care of Daniel, the king didn’t get much sleep worrying about him.  He was tremendously relieved when he heard Daniel’s voice the next morning, as Daniel 6:18-23 tells us.  “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.  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?

 

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.”

 

 Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Daniel was pared because of his faith in God.  The men who had orchestrated Daniels conviction were executed, and the entire empire heard about God as a result of his faith, as Daniel 6:24-28 tells us.  “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.  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.  So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” 

 

Darius died seven years later and Cyrus took the throne, retaining Daniel as prime minister for at least three years, according to Daniel 9.