Daniel 6, Forbidden Worship
In Daniel 3 we saw how Nebuchadnezzar tried to force the worship of his golden image on all -- but Nebuchadenzzar was unsuccessful. Although for a time it appeared as if the whole world was bowing down to that golden image, God had three faithful servants would not even make a pretence of worshiping that image.
Here in Daniel 6 we have a situation that on the surface looks very much the same. But there is a major difference. In Daniel 3, although the king tried to enforce the worship of the golden image, there was no prohibition against people worshiping the true God. A situation much like the early Christians found themselves in - where many were required once a year to offer a pinch of incense in worship of Caesar as a god - and if they were to do that they would then be left free to continue their worship Christ for another year until they were once again required to offer a pinch of incense in worship of Caesar. A simple pinch of incense once a year. It would have been so easy, so simple. Yet many Christians suffered severe hardship and even martyrdom rather than make even that tiny token show of Caesar worship. But here in Daniel 6 we find in addition to an attempt to compel a false worship, (in this case a worship of the Persian king), a prohibition against the worship of any other god, including the true God. Likewise, in the last days Revelation reveals that God’s people will not only be enticed to indulge in a false form of worship, (in this case, the worship of the Beast of Revelation 13 and its image), but also prohibited on pain of death from true worship of God.
But like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in chapter 3, and like Daniel in this chapter, God’s faithful people will not yield on either point. More than that, they, like Daniel and his companions will not make even the slightest pretence of yielding. The reason for their steadfast faithfulness will be the same as it was for Daniel and his companions - they will have developed a strong personal relationship with their Lord.
In Daniel 3 false worship was commanded. In Daniel 6 true worship is prohibited. The last great crisis under the mark of the beast will be a combination of these. Revelation 13 indicates that people will be commanded to worship the beast and its image (false worship). Finally they will be prohibited from true worship of God. But as said before, God’s true people will not yield nor even give the appearance of yielding on either point.
Daniel 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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.
Babylon was taken by the Medo-Persians, and Cyrus took the throne in 538 BC. The events of this chapter takes place sometime within the next two years. It has been estimated that Daniel was about 84 years old by this time. As noted in the commentary on chapter 5, there is good evidence that Darius was the Babylonian throne name of Cyrus the great, although an argument can also be made for Darius being a commander of the Medo-Persian armies to whom Cyrus gave temporary kingship over Babylon.
Daniel in the lion’s den, as the story is often called, is probably better titled, “God and the lion’s den�?as a reminder that the God who delivered Daniel from the lions still lives to rescue us in our troubles.
The relevance of the story to our needs today is found in Peter’s warning.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
In the light of 1 Peter 5:8 we can see that in a very real sense, we are all, every one of us, in the lion’s den. And our only safety is in the One who can shut the mouth of the lion.
Daniel’s enemies tried their best to dig up some kind of dirt on Daniel. They would have been quite at home in our modern mud-slinging political world. And how hard they must have tried. But it was a vain effort. There just was nothing to find. At last even Daniel’s enemies were forced to confess that “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.�?/FONT>
WOW!!! What a testimony that was. What the world needs today are more people like Daniel. People who have such a close living relationship with God that it molds their entire life. People whose lives transcend mere morality.
Daniel was a moral person. So much so that even his enemies were forced to confess that they could find no occasion nor fault against him. But beyond mere morality he was a man of God. A man who knew his God. A man who knew how to pray.
In Daniel’s case, his enemies discovered that their only hope of finding a case against him was to find it in his worship. So it will be in the last days. God will have a people in these last days who will stand firm for him. People who have built their spiritual house on the Rock, on the firm Foundation. People who will stand unmoved when the storm blows. And once again, the world will discover that here is a people against whom they can find no cause except they find it in their worship.
Daniel 6:6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever! 7 "All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 "Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
These words are very revealing. They show how far the ungodly are willing to go to destroy a man of God. They came together to the king. (Came tumultuously, as it may also be translated). They claimed that “all�?were agreed -- But this was false, for Daniel, the chief of them all, was of course not consulted in the matter.
Their approached the king was calculated to hide their true evil purpose against Daniel. If they had made the decree to read that no petition should be asked of the God of the Hebrews, (which was the real intent), the king would have rejected it. But they gave it a general application, and were willing to ignore and heap insult on their own gods if by any means that would lead to the ruin of Daniel.
And just so it will be in the last days. It will be seen by all that there is no depth of deception to which the wicked will not sink, no length to which they will not go in order to destroy the righteous.
Here we see cloaked in deceit and flattery, a state decree signed by the highest government authorities, a direct attack against the worship of the living God.
So what did Daniel do when he knew the decree had been signed by the king?
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Daniel’s response was not to respond at all. He did not change his manner of prayer or worship in the least. He fully understood the trap that had been laid for him, but he would not change his course in a single particular. Why should he stop praying now, at the very time when he needed to pray the most? Daniel showed that he would rather give up life itself, than give up his hope in God. He could have closed the windows and prayed in secret, but this would have been hiding his faith - it would have given the impression that he had caved in to the demands of the decree. But Daniel was not a spiritual coward.
Revelation 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Daniel was no spiritual coward. He did not try to conceal his acts of worship. He could have rationalized many possible excuses for changing his ways, but Daniel was no compromiser. Knowing full well what the consequences of his loyalty to God would be, he would not allow it even to appear that he had ceased praying to his God. In all cases where the king had a right to command, Daniel would obey. But neither the king nor his decree could make Daniel turn from his allegiance to the King of kings.
Thus Daniel boldly yet quietly and humbly declared that no earthly power has a right to come between him and his God. Surrounded by idolaters, Daniel was a faithful witness to this truth.
Matthew 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Some people might feel that this was a small thing, that Daniel could have prayed secretly and so 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 unfaithful to his God. A relationship with God was more important to Daniel than his earthly life.
The only ones who will make it through the final crisis will be those who have a strong person relationship with God. A relationship with God is the most important thing in the world. And one of the ways Daniel developed his relationship with God was through prayer. The Bible says that Daniel “kneeled upon his knees three time a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God.�?/FONT>
Daniel gave thanks, even in the darkest of times. This was one of his secrets.
How was the apostle Paul able to accomplish so much and keep going when everything and everyone seemed to be against him? God delivered Paul from many trials just as he delivered Daniel, but God also allowed Paul to suffer a great many trials as well. Paul could say:
2 Corinthians 11:24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: . . .
The secret of Paul’s peace was the same as Daniel’s. Imprisoned in a dank, dark Roman prison, Paul could write to his fellow believers:
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The trap was set. Daniel’s worship habits were well known, and there were probably many watching to see what Daniel would do. And they did not have to wait long.
Daniel 6:11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, 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 does not alter." 13 So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."
Just as they expected, Daniel performed his daily prayers just as before. Daniel’s enemies were elated. Hurrying back to the palace as fast as they could go, they first made sure that the decree was in effect and then proceeded to gleefully tattle-tale on Daniel.
Daniel 6:14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
The very moment they mentioned Daniel’s name Darius knew that he had been played as a fool by these guys. Suddenly Darius understood exactly what this whole thing was really about. He was “greatly displeased with himself�?/FONT> and rightly so. And it is to Darius�?credit that he did place the blame for what happened on himself. How many of us a Christians when we find ourselves betrayed into a colossal blunder seek to place the blame on anyone or anything else but ourselves? But no matter what the circumstances, ultimately we ourselves are responsible for our decisions whether they be good or bad.
Although Darius was forced by law to put Daniel into the lion’s den, as he did so, God moved on Darius to make a very remarkable statement of faith.
Daniel 6:15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed." 16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
God did not prevent Daniel’s enemies from casting him into the lion’s den. God allowed the plans of these wicked men to succeed to the point that Daniel was actually cast into the lion‘s den. But this was permitted by God that God’s deliverance of His servant would be all the more remarkable, and the defeat of the enemies of truth and righteousness all the more complete. As the Psalm’s say:
Psalm 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; . . . .
Through the courage of this one man who chose to follow right rather than policy, Satan was to be defeated, and the name of God was to be exalted and honored. A man whose heart is stayed on God will be the same in the hour of his greatest trial as he is in his greatest prosperity. Faith reaches to the unseen and grasps eternal realities.
Daniel 6:17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. 18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.
Darius, under inspiration, had said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." And he was right. After sealing Daniel into the lions den, Darius went back to his palace. Darius knew he was guilty, knew he had been in the wrong. Verse 18 tells us that that night he fasted and did not sleep. Was he spending the night in prayer? We are not told, but it is possible. God was using this event to reach out to Darius, just as he had reached out to Nebuchadnezzar before him. And don't be surprised if someday God uses your biggest blunder to reach you in ways He never could before. It's not called Amazing Grace for no reason.
Daniel 6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?" 21 Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! 22 "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
Just as God delivered Daniel out of the lion’s den, God will deliver His people in the final crisis when it is decreed that all of God’s people must be put to death. This is a very important point. God is very honest with us. He tells it like it is, and He tells us very plainly that His people will have to go through some very tough times in the last days. And that, unfortunately, is all that many ever hear about in the prophecies. But the troubles God’s people must go through is not the main point of the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation. Far from it. The point that God makes in these books is that no matter how bad things may look, no matter how hopeless the situation may appear, no matter how bleak -- God’s people have absolutely nothing to worry about. He is well able to deliver His people even as the world does its very worse. And if by chance He chooses not to deliver us in this life, the Christian still has absolutely nothing to worry about. For the Christian’s life is hid in Christ and is never lost.
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Oh, how disappointed Daniel’s enemies must have been. All this plotting, all this scheming for nothing.
Daniel 6: 24 And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions-them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
In their grumbling about Daniel’s survival did someone perhaps suggest that the lions simply chanced not to be hungry? They were hungry enough, but those lions were under the control of a higher power than that of any earthly king. An angel from God had been Daniel’s companion that night.
Daniel knew Scripture. Was David’s prayer (Pslam 57) on Daniel’s lips that night. We don’t know, but it would have been most appropriate for the situation.
Psalm 57:2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. 3 He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. 4 My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth. 6 They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah
The same God who delivered Daniel is the same God we serve today. If you feel that subtle intrigue surrounds your life, that your enemies are preparing traps and snares for you, that there seems to be no way out, no escape, no way through the trouble you find yourself in, then let the example of Daniel inspire you to be true to the living God - in spite of all. He has a thousand ways to deliver you. Trust Him fully, no matter what - even if you should find yourself actually cast as it were into a lion’s den or into a fiery furnace as his companions had been. God will bring you through. David said:
Psalm 56:2 My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High. 3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
And Isaiah says:
Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; . . . .
Find your strength where these men found theirs. We can be more than conquerors through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Daniel 6:25 Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
What a tremendous witness Daniel was. Two world rulers, Nebuchadnezzar and Darius, both brought to acknowledge the one true and living God.
Just before Jesus ascended up to heaven He gave to His church what has been called the great commission.
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
And when we give our selves up to God to use us as He pleases, we may well be astonished beyond measure by what He can do through our witness.
“Satan as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.�?But what is that to us. “If God is for us, who can be against us.�?(1 Peter 5:8, Romans 8:31)
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