DANIEL 6

INTRODUCTION:

1. Back in Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him greatly. His magicians, astrologers, and other wise men were unable to reveal the dream to him.
2. Daniel was not only able to reveal the dream, but he also accurately interpreted the dream as well.
3. Babylon was the head of gold, to be replaced by Media-Persia, the breast and arms of silver. Greece would succeed Media-Persia, and was symbolized by the belly and thighs of brass. Finally came Rome – the legs of iron with feet part of iron and part clay (2:31-43).
4. Daniel 5 closes with the first part of this prophecy being fulfilled – Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians (5:30,31).
5. As Daniel 6 begins, Daniel is now living under the rule of the Medes and Persians, and has been promoted by Darius the king to become one of three "presidents" (governors or administrators).

6:1-3 Daniel was the first of the three presidents under King Darius (cf. Esther 1:1; many Bible teachers believe that this King Ahasuerus was the son of Darius). "The king thought to set him (Daniel) over the whole realm" (6:3). Naturally this caused resentment and jealousy from the other presidents as well as the 120 princes.

6:4 Daniel had such an excellent testimony that the presidents and princes could find no fault in him. There were several reasons for their jealousy:

1. Most of them were probably much younger than Daniel and were anxious to get ahead in their careers.
2. It bothered them that Daniel was so successful while at the same time being honest and upright.
3. Daniel was Jewish.

6:5 The conspirators realized that the only way to trip up Daniel was to provide a conflict between some law that they would make up and Daniel’s religion.

6:6,7 So the 122 jealous leaders devised a plot. They proposed to King Darius that he be prayed to for thirty days (a "temporary god"?). They lied to the king by claiming that "all the presidents" agreed to this plan, when in fact Daniel was not consulted (6:7). All prayer was to be addressed to King Darius, which was a common practice among heathen peoples. The penalty for resisting this law would be death by being thrown alive into a lion’s den.

6:8,9 King Darius, not suspecting any foul play, and probably flattered by becoming a god for thirty days, "signed the writing and the decree," "according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not" (6:8; cf. Esther 1:19; 8:8).

6:10 Daniel’s testimony is an example and challenge for all believers (I Peter 3:13-17). His windows were opened toward Jerusalem (cf. II Chron.6:34-39). Daniel could have drawn the curtains and closed the windows, but he was brave and faithful. As was his usual custom, Daniel "kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed" (cf. Ps.55:17).

6:11 Daniel was a loyal subject of King Darius but he had to disobey this unscriptural decree (cf. Acts 5:29). His adversaries knew where and when he prayed, so they "found Daniel praying."

6:12,13 Accusation was soon made against Daniel by his opponents. They derisively referred to him as one "of the children of the captivity of Judah" – a rude way to describe the chief president (cf. 2:25; 5:13). They lied about him also when they said that Daniel "regardeth not thee, O king." Daniel had respect for his king but could not pray to him because this would be dishonoring to God.

6:14,15 Darius "was sore displeased with himself" when he realized what had happened but was unable "to deliver him" because "no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed" (cf. 6:8,12). This is the third king in the book of Daniel that is distressed (cf. 2:1; 5:6,9).

6:16-19 King Darius was unable to deliver Daniel but he believed that Daniel’s God would (6:16). Daniel probably got a good night’s sleep but Darius was unable to sleep.

6:20 Darius was very fond of Daniel but did not have Daniel’s faith.

6:21-23 God "sent His angel" to deliver Daniel (cf. Ps.34:7; 91:11; Heb.1:14). Daniel was delivered "because he believed in his God" (cf. Heb.11:33).

6:24 Daniel’s false accusers, along with their wives and children, were cast into the lion’s den and devoured.

6:25-28 King Darius issued a decree "unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth" that "the God of Daniel," the "living God" be honored. This ends the historic section of Daniel. Chapter 7 begins the prophetic section.