Daniel 6:1-5: 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. 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.
Darius ruled for only two years after he captured Babylon in 538 B.C. Therefore, what happened in this chapter was shortly after the fall of Babylon to the Medo-Persians.
Daniel had become a friend of the Persians while he lived at Shusan some time previously. They recognized his ability and faithfulness, and were glad for his "excellent spirit." The new king, Darius, apparently did not wish to be over-bothered with affairs of business. He had delegated authority to others. Completely trusting Daniel, he had made him the chief president, or prime minister of the realm.
Bribery and robbery were very likely practiced by the one hundred and twenty princes, and the other two presidents. Wishing to retain for their own use a certain percentage of the taxes which they collected, they would have to answer the honest and faithful inquiries of Daniel when they came to him with their reports. He would not permit robbery and extortion. He believed in the truth later expressed by Christ, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's." Knowing that Daniel faithfully rendered to God the things that were God's, Darius had no fear that he would fail to require also honest payment of taxes to "Caesar" (that is, the government).
Religious persecution is a hateful and underhanded thing. The princes and presidents were looking for some occasion against Daniel concerning the law of his God, because of their jealousy of him. They stooped to lying methods to bring about their wicked purposes.
Daniel 6:6-9: Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever. 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 the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
The original language gives the idea that the princes came together quickly to take the king by surprise, before he could really understand the crooked purpose buried in their new law.
When we remember that Babylon had just been conquered and that there was very likely much unrest and rebellious feeling against the new Medo-Persian government, we can better understand the pretexts that Daniel's enemies brought before the king. This new decree, they urged, would now test the loyalty of the proud, though conquered, Chaldeans. The king was deceived. Thinking that Daniel's approval had already been obtained, he quickly signed the decree. Here we are again thrust directly into the heart of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. This was far more than local politics. These men who hated Daniel were agents of Satan for he hated the honesty of God's servant Daniel. They are intent on having him killed, and they thought this was a neat trick to do it. What's refreshing is the open fearlessness he showed. Read on:
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.
Why stop praying now, when he most needed God's protection? Daniel would rather die than try to live alienated from God. This man anticipated the position of those who framed the United States Constitution thousands of years later—that no power on earth can stand between a person and his private relationship to God. Daniel didn't know what he was doing—he was lifting a torch of truth high enough to shed its light even down to us living in this 21st century!
Doubtless his custom of praying three times daily was based on Psalm 55:17: "Evening, morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice." It being his custom to pray out loud, he's not going to stop now that there's a law against it. (Praying out loud is a good idea!)
Daniel 6:11-13: 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.
We do not need to assume that all 120 or more of these government leaders came to watch Daniel pray, or that they all trooped in to accuse him to the king. A few could have been the agents for the many.
"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" is the inspired word of the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 3:12). The accusers, instead of speaking respectfully of Daniel as the prime minister, chief of the presidents, say contemptibly, "That Daniel, of the captivity of Judah."
To say that Daniel regarded not the king was a complete lie, and the king knew it. Suddenly he realized the wicked design in the decree which was brought to him so hastily for signature. How he wished he had not signed on!
Daniel 6:14-17: 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. 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.
A later king, Darius III, apparently in anger sentenced one Charidemos to death. Darius says he "immediately repented and blamed himself, as having greatly erred; but it was not possible to undo what was done by royal authority." This account in Daniel is true to the historical realities. Ancient records tell of kings keeping lions and inflicting barbaric torture on unfortunate victims, especially the Persian kings.
The king feared that he could not deliver Daniel without giving up his own position as king, just as Pilate feared that he could not deliver Christ without giving up his position as governor. So, for the sake of his honor and his throne, which death claimed from him only a short time later, the king was willing to deliver a just and innocent man to death. Daniel, the man "greatly beloved" of God, was treated as was his Master, Jesus Christ.
Note how the Lord worked out this problem to its solution: He did not prevent these wicked men from having their way, but He permitted them to go all their way that He might demonstrate all the more clearly His judgment of righteousness. When you are tempted to think affairs are going contrary to you, remember this story. "The wrath of men shall praise Thee," says Psalm 76:10. Note how the Lord would have been helpless to work out this mighty deliverance if He had not had a man who trusted Him so implicitly that his fidelity gave God a chance to work!
The Persian king did not know Daniel's God. He had only heard about Him. Now he is to learn about the power and love of the God of heaven, first-hand.
Daniel 6:18-24: 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. 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 angels, 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. 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.
If you had been Daniel, would you have berated the king when you got out of the den? Daniel did not reproach the king for permitting him to be cast in the lions' den, but he did pointedly remind the king of his innocence, and of the king's injustice to him. This was proper for him to do.
The angel of the Lord had come into the den and tamed the lions as they were tame in the beginning before sin came into the world, and as they will be in the earth made new after sin is finally destroyed (see Isaiah 11:6-9 and Job 5:22-27). That night was probably one of the most enjoyable that Daniel ever spent in his life. He held fellowship with the angel of the Lord who was present with him. Indeed, Daniel was happier there with the angel and with the Spirit of Christ who is with us in all our persecutions and troubles for His sake, than was the king in his royal palace! We need never fear what men may do to us if we are loyal to God. This remarkable experience is referred to in Hebrews 11:33, where it is said that "through faith" the prophet "stopped the mouths of lions.
"When Daniel's enemies saw his remarkable deliverance, they probably tried to explain away the miracle by saying that the lions were not hungry. To test such a theory, the king ordered them cast in!
Daniel 6:25-28: 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.
Daniel was an old man when this experience came to him—85. His deliverance encouraged him, and most of his visions were written out after this time. (As an author, he was a late bloomer!)
Reader, you are a servant of God, as was Daniel. When things appear to go wrong for you, why should you give up? When the wicked soldiers picked up Daniel to throw him in the den of lions, he was probably tempted to think that God had forsaken him. Sometimes you too may think God has forsaken you. But no, He never will. If your heart is stayed on God in your hour of trial, you can be just as peaceful and happy as when you prosper.
Daniel teaches us that a statesman or a politician can be an honest, upright man, instructed by God at every step. Likewise, if a business man is converted and consecrated, he may be as Daniel was. Daniel was successful wherever he went. He was tactful, courteous, good at heart, and faithful to principle. Even his enemies were forced to confess that "they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful.
"But was Daniel just naturally good? If so, there's not much hope for us who aren't "naturally good." What we know for sure is that Daniel was born with a sinful nature alienated from God just as much as we have been born that way. But his mother (and maybe his father) taught him the principles of the gospel. Paul says that God "preached the gospel" to Abraham (Gal. 3:8); the Holy Spirit preached it to Daniel, also. Daniel was a Christ-like man simply because he was a sinner by nature who believed in Christ, exercising the "faith which works" (Galatians 5:6).
Our modern world needs political leaders, government officers, and business men as honest and unselfish as Daniel. We have a Savior, a Great High Priest, who "is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him" (Hebrews 7:25). Choose to surrender your heart to Him, and He will give you grace to overcome every temptation that may come, whether your position is high or low.
May God give us courage to stand for the right side by side with Daniel! "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him" (James 1:12).