Reading: Daniel 4-6
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 (Dan. 6:25-27).
Daniel was taken into captivity during the first incursion by Nebuchadnezzar, during the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (Dan.1:1-3). Nearly 70 years later, Daniel had reached the rank of high-level official, second only to the king (6:1-3). Daniel got to this position not by pandering to the Chaldean (Babylonian) government but by standing strong in his faith. He was upright and honest in all his dealings, fearlessly sharing his God-given gifts with those in authority over him. His honesty earned him the respect of Nebuchadnezzar (and even helped to lead the pagan monarch into acknowledging the power of God (4:18-37)) and later of Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar’s idolatrous and ill-fated descendant (5:16-30).
As we see at the beginning of chapter six, Daniel’s success at the hands of the Lord had also earned him the enmity of those whose positions of power he overtook (6:3-4). Unable to find any legal or moral fault with Daniel, they conspired to put him in a situation that would put God’s Law at odds with the law of the land (6:5-8). The light of God shone so clearly from Daniel that even these evil men knew that he would continue in the will of God (6:10-11). What comes next is one of the most well-known biblical events of all time. Daniel is thrown into a den of hungry lions and emerges unscathed the next morning. While this miraculous event does give us another look at the awesome power of the God we serve, it also allows us to experience the quiet yet life-changing power of faith.
From our reading, we can discern that Darius was a just king with a good moral character. He was devastated when herealized the consequences of the law that he had been conned into signing as a side-effect of his own ego. His most trusted advisor was facing an agonizing death, and he was powerless to do anything about it. After sealing Daniel in the lion’s den, the king returned to his rooms and spent a sleepless night in the clutches of fear and grief (6:18). Because he believed himself to be the ‘highest power,’ he was given over to hopeless despair.
Daniel, on the other hand, was calm and untroubled. From the moment he had heard of the decree, he knew that his life was in danger, yet he still placed his total trust in God. Openly, he prayed; willingly, he entered into the lion’s den. His life was in God’s hands, and he was unafraid. What Daniel had that Darius lacked was an unwavering belief in a power greater than himself. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Daniel knew that, no matter if he lived or died, his life was being used to glorify the Lord. In that knowledge, he found peace.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).
Thought for Today: Those who attempt to maintain total control of their lives and the lives of those around them experience nothing but stress; only those who accept God's power will feel peace.
Christ Portrayed: By Daniel – a stone was rolled across the mouth of the den of lions and set with the king’s seal (Dan. 6:16-17). There was a stone rolled across the mouth of the cave where Jesus was buried and it too was set with an official seal (Matt. 27:63-66). As Daniel came forth unscathed, proclaiming the power of God to save, so, too, Jesus came forth from the dead proclaiming the saving power of God (Rev. 1:18).
Word Studies:4:11 the sight thereof to = its visibility extended to; 4:16 & 32 seven times = seven years; 5:5 against the candlestick = opposite the lampstand; 5:12 shewing of = rare ability of revealing the meaning of baffling riddles.
Pray for Staff: Jennifer Palafox • Government Officials: Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX), Gov. John Bel Edwards (LA) • Country: Burma (55,746,253) Southeastern Asia • Major Language: Burmese • Persecution of Christians • 89% Buddhist; 4% Christian; 4% Muslim; 1% Animist; 2% Other • Prayer Suggestion: Remember that the Lord is always ready to help you in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1).
Optional Reading:Revelation 21