Daniel Chapter Six

When I first began studying Daniel, my plan was to teach chapter six last. Unlike most of the book, there is no clear timeline for this chapter, just that it happens sometime after Persia conquers Babylon. However, chapter ten through twelve go together so I decided to put chapter six here.

Even though we do not have a definitive year in which to place this chapter, we do know there was enough time for the magicians to become angry with Daniel. It is entirely possible that some of these men were Babylonian and “left-over” from than nation. However, it is also entirely possible that Daniel is no longer in Babylon and is instead in a Persian city. Regardless, I would challenge you to (try) to approach this story as if you haven’t heard it three-hundred times. Read it with a fresh perspective as a total stranger and truly consider how outlandish this tale is. This is not a sanitized children's Sunday School lesson. It is one of the most profound accounts of trust and deliverance in all of Scripture.

V. 1 – Darius set up a government – this lends credence to the argument that this chapter transpires before the events of chapters ten through twelve.

V. 2 - Daniel, once again, rises to preeminence. I love that at no point did Daniel’s love for God or his obedience cause him to neglect his earthly duties. Now, it certainly brought him into occasional conflict (like in chapter one). However, ultimately, his devotion to God motivated him to be excellent in everything that he did. Eternity should be a great motivator for faithfulness in every aspect of life (1 Corinthians 4:2)

V. 3 – Note, Darius saw an “excellent spirit” in Daniel. He hasn’t gotten to the point of Nebuchadnezzar who acknowledged that Daniel had a “Holy Spirit.” Often, people will notice our attitudes and actions as a gateway to seeing Christ in us. This should be a challenge to us to do everything well – we never know who is watching. Also, consider that the hardships and trials we experience are not only for our benefit. They direct others to Christ as well. It is easy to look at a trial protest that we haven’t done anything “wrong.” God uses trials to conform us to his image and as a witness of his grace. Daniel was given a tremendous platform from the bottom of a pit (literally). If we are willing to be obedient, God can do the same with us.

V. 4 – They could not find fault with Daniel. In the middle of all his responsibilities – Daniel was faithful. Interestingly, in the Masoretic translation, it is understood that the faithfulness is to God, not the king or his duties. This is such an important truth. If our jobs, ministries, families, or anyone/anything else gets the priority – if they become our objects of devotion/faithfulness, then we are going to burnout. We cannot sustain a faithfulness to a fallible “thing.” Christ is the only empowering and unchanging motivator. He is our “great reward” (Genesis 15:1). Every other relationship simply gets to reap the benefits of our obedience.

V. 5 – People are watching. If we are living faithful lives, then we will not leave a lukewarm impression. These ungodly men recognized that “his God” was what made Daniel different. When people watch our lives, they will either be drawn to Jesus or run away. There isn’t a lot of in between. It is also possible that some of these men had been in Daniel’s shadow for quite a while. They thought they were getting the opportunity to start over – only for Daniel to be preferred again.

V. 6-7 – It is not clear if literally all of the wisemen had consulted together, but apparently a significant number were part of this plot. Their sheer numbers/presence make two points to Darius even before they open their mouths.

If you don’t grant our request, you will be going against the express wishes of your main leaders/Advisors.
Everyone who is important has been consulted and agrees with this decree (i.e. it has popular support).

There are veiled threats and vocal flattering all wrapped up in this introduction.

The den of lions was likely a cave or dungeon. Typically, these structures had an open mouth with a grating over it and a side door that could be sealed for access/care of the animals. Lions were typically kept for the hunt or for the worst criminals. They were kept in a state of hunger so that they would always be ready to consume whatever was placed in their territory. There were occasionally a few people that were supposed to land in the lions den that didn’t make it there. Jailers could be bribed, which is why the wisemen were so concerned with the king’s “firm decree” and eventually the royal seal was added to the top of the den (v. 17).

Thirty days, this was long enough to capture Daniel, but short enough to avoid riots in the streets over people not being able to pray to their favorite deity.

V. 8 – The law of the Medes and Persians could never be altered. When the Persians were eventually defeated by the Greeks, their legal system was quite a mess. Since emperors couldn’t “change” laws, they would often pass a new one. There were a number of contradictions and unclear concepts. The thought was that the king should be infallible, and thus he should pass “perfect” laws. That was clearly not the case.

V. 9 – There doesn’t seem to have been any hesitation on Darius’ part. He was flattered (and maybe a little coerced). He saw no difference between his power and the power of the deities he normally worshipped. This is such a key difference between many other religions (especially ancient belief systems) and Christianity. If you have a low view of your god’s power then why would it be a problem to exalt yourself to their level? We serve El Elyon (the Most High God). The consequences for worshipping the creature as equal to the Creator have always ended in devastation.

V. 10 – Daniel knew. He doesn’t want the reader to be under any illusions about his being unaware of what is going on. Daniel knew about the law and decided to pray anyway. Daniel has seen the throne room of heaven. He has seen God’s glory. He has had multiple conversations with angels. He has seen the rise and fall of one of the greatest empires. He has lived through changing regimes and at least seven kings. This decree and its threats were vacuous. If Darius really thought that Daniel was going to worship a mortal man after everything Daniel has experienced, he had another thing coming. The wisemen didn’t care what they worshipped. Their gods were no more holy than this temporal king. Daniel once again saw beyond ploys and plans. He didn’t care what they did to him in this life. He already knew where he was going. Where is our focus? Daniel seemingly breezed through this trial (who knows, he might have been stressed) because he knew the heart of God. When pressure hits is not a good time to decide what we believe or what we value.

V. 11-13 – The spiteful wisemen caught Daniel in their net – without realizing that he was held in the grasp of the One who holds the universe together. No harm could come to him that had not first passed through the hands of a loving, all-knowing, God. Their triumph (you can almost hear the glee in their voices) would be short lived. That same God that held Daniel, holds us as well.

V. 14 – Darius realizes he has been duped. He is angry with himself. He understands that this was a ploy motivated by their jealousy. He knows that he has played into their hands and seeks to undo the harm he has caused. This is an excellent reminder for us to be cautious in our decisions. While we are not bound by the laws of the Medes and Persians, we cannot always extricate ourselves from our choices. Making decisions without seeking God’s will often leads to regret at a late date.

V. 15 – They arrive to enforce their plot. This is truly an instance of them laying a snare and then falling into the pit themselves (Psalm 7:15).

V. 16 – Darius is perhaps beginning to understand (or hope) that Daniel’s God is different than those he prayed to. Darius didn’t really believe his own assertion (judging by his behavior in the next few verses). However, there is a glimmer of underdoing that Daniel’s God must be different if Daniel would rather die than worship another person/thing. This is really a “hope” that Daniel will be delivered.

V. 17 – The den was sealed. No one would dare tamper with it on pain of suffering the same fate. Whoever removed a seal was indicating their willingness to challenge the authority behind that seal. The wisemen here wanted the verification of Daniel’s fate, just as the religious leaders wanted Pilate’s (Rome’s) authority some five hundred plus years later. Daniel wanted his readers to understand that no lion tamers were bribed. I love that it says, “that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.” Every provision had been made to ensure that Daniel died on that lonely night, yet the Ancient of Days, the fourth one in the fire had other plans. His purposes could not be thwarted by jealous magicians or earthly kings. That same power lives in you. No earthly weapons will stand when we are living a life that is squarely in the center of God’s will for our lives (Isaiah 54:17).

V. 18-19 – This is the evidence that Darius wasn’t persuaded of God’s ability to deliver. He could not imagine such a God, but he respected Daniel tremendously. He was deeply distressed that his decision had resulted in Daniel’s almost inevitable demise.

V. 20 – Darius calls God the “Living God.” This was likely a term that Daniel had used to describe his God. The one who is the source and sustainer of life. This was a drastic distinction from the lifeless idols sitting in Darius’ temples.

V. 21-22 – It has always struck me that Daniel remained respectful through all of this. He could have become bitter or resentful, but he does not. God will give us the grace to respond with a soft answer (Proverbs 15:1) even when it feels impossible. It is unclear if this is a literal angel (like Gabriel) or if this is a Christophany. Regardless, Daniel was protected. Daniel was not alone in his darkest day and neither are we. Can you imagine what this would have been like? Walking down a long tunnel, not sure what God has planned. Knowing that you might be torn apart by lions only to realize that they weren’t going to attack? I mean, Daniel could have used one of them as a pillow for the night. Did he pet them? Did they play fetch? Did he ignore them and talk to his divine protector? This would have been such a surreal experience.

In the story, it is not just about Daniel being justified or proved righteous before God. God already knew Daniel’s character. He had been called beloved. Rather, God showed Darius and everyone else involved that Daniel’s character was blameless. He demonstrated that Daniel’s God was completely unique. This statement also let Darius know that this God demanded holiness in order to please him. This would have been a completely foreign concept for a culture whose deities were just as corrupt and evil as the citizens.

V. 23 – Because he believed in his God – this was not a trust because he knew God would deliver. He did not know what God’s plans were for his life. Rather, Daniel’s trust was unshaken because he had placed his faith in God many years ago. Hebrews 11:33 seems to reference Daniel. That verse is about people who, by faith, did many extraordinary things. Ultimately, Daniel’s trust was in the character of God. He knew that his times were in the hands of another (Psalm 31:15). If it was his time to die, God’s would still be glorified.

V. 24 – For the crowd that argues the lions weren’t hungry…this should be ample evidence that it was only divine intervention preventing Daniel’s death. It is also important to note that these men’s choices had repercussions far beyond their own lives. It is rarely just us affected by our choices.

V. 25-28 – This is a remarkable testimony. Darius never quite seems to arrive at the level of personal faith exhibited by Nebuchadnezzar in chapter four. However, he does understand that this God is completely unique. He is alive, eternal, undefeated, he is personally involved in the affairs of his people, and he rescues. What a decree this must have been. Can you imagine the longing in the hearts of those who read this declaration? They were offering sacrifices to dead idols who were not eternal – they were unconcerned about the daily lives of their worshippers – they had often been defeated/replaced. The hunger these people must have felt to know Daniel’s God might have been overwhelming. I would imagine it led to more than a few seekers of truth.

We are living testimonies to the world around us – even if we don’t want to be. None of us want to walk between lions or spend dark nights in a pit with the bones of the last resident. Yet we do. We witness the failures and fear that often precedes us. We must choose to trust in spite of our circumstances. What are people seeing when they watch our lives? How are we preparing our hearts to be obedient no matter what we encounter? Do people see us or do they see the Living God?