2) The men who were
jealous of Daniel sought a way to get rid of him-and since they couldn't based
upon his job performance-they decided to go after him based on his religion.
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. 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. Daniel 6:4,5
3) The plot -
Then these presidents and princes assembled
together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. All
the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors,
and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to
make a firm decree, 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.
Daniel 6:6,7 This was the same tactic used against the
Jews in Persia during the days of Queen Esther If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment
from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes,
that it be not altered,..
Esther 1:19 The conflict that was set up was between the laws of man
and the Law of God.
4) The royal decree
could not be altered among Medo-Persian kings - Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing,
that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which
altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the
decree. Daniel 6:8,9 ...for the writing which is written in the king's name,
and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse. Esther
8:8
5) Daniel prays as was
his usual routine - Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open
in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day,
and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Daniel 6:10 As the
Psalmist says Evening,
and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and
cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Psalm
55:17
6) The jealous men
went looking to catch Daniel- Then these
men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his
God. Daniel 6:11
7) They tell the king-
Then they came near, and spake before the
king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man
that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, 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 altereth not.
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the
children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree
that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a
day. Daniel 6:12,13 Notice they refer to Daniel as one
of the "children of the captivity of Judah". They played to their ethnic dislike
of Daniel.
8) The king searched
for a technicality to save Daniel- Then the
king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his
heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver
him. Daniel 6:14
9) They pressure the
king to implement the punishment- Then
these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that
the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king
establisheth may be changed. Daniel 6:15
10) The king gives the
order but shows a faith in Daniel's God- Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and
cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto
Daniel, Thy God whom thou
servest continually, he will deliver thee. Daniel
6:16
11) The deed is done-
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the
mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the
signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning
Daniel. Daniel 6:17
12) The king couldn't
sleep- Then the king went to his palace,
and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before
him: and his sleep went from him. Daniel 6:18
13) The king goes to
check the lions den in the morning- Then
the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of
lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto
Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living
God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions? Daniel 6:19,20
14) The enemies of
Daniel had the mouth of the den shut to kill Daniel but his God shut the mouth
of the lions- Then said Daniel unto the
king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the
lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was
found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the
king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out
of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was
found upon him, because he believed in his God. Daniel
6:21-23
15) The jealous
plotters recieve their punishment- And the
king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they
cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the
lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they
came at the bottom of the den. Daniel 6:24
16) The king praises
the God of Daniel- 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. Daniel
6:26,27
The first conflict recorded in scripture between humans was over
WORSHIP
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings
of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to
his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was
very wroth, and his countenance fell. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and
it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his
brother, and slew him. Genesis 4:4,5,8 And so will be
the last controversy on earth over WORSHIP And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud
voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his
forehead, or in his hand,.. Revelation
14:9 And the LORD said unto him, Go
through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark
upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations
that be done in the midst thereof. Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and
little children, and women: but come not near any man
upon whom is the mark; and begin
at my sanctuary. Ezekiel
9:4,6
Summary of Daniel 6:
"In all cases
where the king had a right to command, Daniel would obey; but niether the king
nor his decree could make him swerve from allegiance to the King of Kings." Patriarchs & Prophets p.542 E.G.W.