I Am

STUDY OF DANIEL

CHAPTER VI

28 Verses

   The events of this chapter took place during 538-536 B.C. In Daniel 3, the Bible says that the king endeavored to force the three Hebrews to false worship by insisting that they bow to his golden image. Nebuchadnezzar was unsuccessful in coercing them to false worship. In Daniel 6, there is an attempt to prohibit true worship. In the fiery furnace episode of Daniel 3, they could still have worshipped the True God, but in Daniel 6 there is a prohibition against worshipping the True God. Likewise, in the last days the Book of Revelation reveals that God’s people will first be enticed to worship God falsely, and finally will be prohibited from worshipping God truly. God’s people will not yield on either point. They will be as faithful as the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, and as Daniel in the lion’s den. The reason for their steadfast faithfulness will be the same as it was for Daniel and his friends—they will have developed a strong personal relationship with their Lord. A relationship with God is the most important thing we can have as we enter the final scenes of earth’s history.

   Beginning in we see that King Darius sets over the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians a hundred and twenty princes, and over these 120 princes were three presidents. In verse 3, it says that Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes.

Note: This is an amazing story. Here was a man who served as Prime Minister in Babylon, was made third ruler in Babylon on the night Cyrus conquered Babylon, and now the Medo-Persians were willing to place him in charge of all the affairs of the New Kingdom. This was a real testimony to the righteous character of Daniel. All of these rulers knew that he could be trusted because of his relationship with God.

   In “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom.”

Note: No matter how carefully they searched they could find nothing against Daniel. He didn’t cheat on his income tax, he didn’t keep two sets of books. He was honest in everything he did.

   In we see the one area of Daniel’s life where the princes found fault, “The law of his God”.

Note: Note that the same issue arises again. Daniel ends up in conflict, and the conflict is over the law of God. Obedience to God’s law and how he worshipped God were the issues of the conflict. These issues come together in Chapter 6. Because the stories of Daniel illustrate the crisis in the end-time, we can expect that in the final crisis the issues will be the same. There will be a conflict over God’s law and how people worship God 13:8,

   In it says the scheming princes made a request of King Darius 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”.

Note: These scheming princes tried to flatter Darius into thinking that he was so important that folks should make request of him only.

   Since all these ancient emperors liked to think they were gods, Darius signed the decree, not realizing the intent of the princes to destroy Daniel. Here was a decree signed by the government that said Daniel could not pray or worship God, a total prohibition against the worship of the True God.

   In once Daniel knew the decree had been signed by the king, “He prayed three times a day”.

Note: Daniel did not change his prayer habits when the decree was signed. He could have prayed in his closet, but that would have been hiding his faith. Instead, he went by the open window and did exactly as he had done every day before—he prayed three times daily to his God. Here was the secret of Daniel’s power. This was the reason for Daniel’s great strength in Babylon and Medo-Persia.

   Nothing could keep him from worshiping His God. Had Daniel changed his prayer habits under pressure, he would have denied his relationship with God. Some people might feel this was a small thing, that he could have prayed secretly and no one would have known the difference. In that way he could have avoided the lion’s den. But to Daniel, obedience to God was more important than life itself. He would not give anyone the opportunity to think that he was not faithful to his God.

   In the princes saw Daniel praying and reported to King Darius, “That Daniel prays three times a day”.

Note: The princes did not hesitate a moment. As soon as they saw Daniel praying as he had always done, they reported him to the king. Now they would get even. They could get rid of Daniel.

   No longer would they have to worry about his honesty. They could cheat the king and Daniel would never report it.

   Of course, when King Darius realized what the scheming princes had really planned, he “was sore displeased with himself… . and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him”.

Note: Now that Darius saw what the princes were up to, he did his best to deliver Daniel. He tried to find a way out of the law, but the princes had written the law all too well.

   Although King Darius was forced to put Daniel into the lion’s den, in he makes a remarkable statement of faith, “Thy God whom thou servest he will deliver thee”.

Note: Even Darius knew the secret of Daniel’s success. Perhaps he had heard some of the stories of Nebuchadnezzar and knew God had delivered the Hebrews in the past. Therefore he expressed faith that Daniel’s God could deliver him again. Darius notes that Daniel serves God “continually”. Darius knew that the secret of Daniel’s success was his relationship with God.

   In while Daniel was in the lion’s den, King Darius spent the night “fasting”.

Note: Darius could not sleep that night. He was deeply troubled about Daniel.

   tells that early the next morning, when the king came to the lion’s den, he discovered that Daniel was alive. His God had delivered him.

   “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lion’s

   Darius then commands the scheming princes “They should be cast into the den of

Note: The lions were indeed unfed and hungry. This is further proof of God’s miracle working power in keeping Daniel from harm.

   Chapter comes to a close with the following words; Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

   We have now come to the end of the historical part of the Book of Daniel. From here to the end of the book we look at prophecy that has already been fulfilled and will be fulfilled very shortly.