In the 3rd chapter of Daniel we have the record of a trial that came to the three companions of Daniel. In this chapter we have the account of a test to which Daniel himself was put. As in that one we read nothing of Daniel, so in this one we hear nothing of his three companions; but we may be sure that they were as loyal to the truth of God as was Daniel, and as they had previously showed themselves to be.
We need not take it for granted that Daniel was the only one in the whole kingdom who was faithful to God, but as the whole affair was worked up simply to entrap Daniel, any others would not be noticed.
Daniel's character and talents made a place for him. There is always work for those who are fitted for it. Daniel had held the position of greatest responsibility in the kingdom of Babylon, and when the kingdom passed into the hands of the Medes and Persians he was really indispensable, so he was first under Darius as he had been under Nebuchadnezzar. There were three presidents over the one hundred and twenty provinces of the empire, and of these three Daniel was one, and was preferred above the others.
All the accounts of the realm had to pass through the hands of these three presidents, and we may be sure that there was no cheating as long as Daniel was one of the three. The princes who had to render account regularly to the presidents, could not bribe them, for Daniel would not suffer such a thing; and his two companions in the presidency were prevented by his sturdy integrity from filching from the public treasury. Such honesty in public affairs was an unprecedented thing, and was appreciated by the king, who thought to place Daniel over the whole realm.
The favor in which Daniel was held, together with his strictness in business, made the other presidents and the princes envious. Small minds are always envious at the success of others; but they were incensed against Daniel by the additional fact that he was a check upon their evil purposes. There was no opportunity for them to enrich themselves while he was at the head of affairs.
So they sought to find some occasion against him in his conduct of the affairs of the kingdom, but could not find anything whereof to accuse him, "forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." (Daniel 6:4)
His adversaries were forced to acknowledge his integrity, saying, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." (Daniel 6:5)
What a grand thing it is when that can be said of a man, and by those who are most anxious to find a fault in him! The good do not always have an easy time in this world. Jesus said to His disciples: "If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you." (John 15:18) "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12)
The reason for this is given in this exhortation: "This is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." (1 John 3:11-13)
From this text we are assured of the reason why the princes of Medo-Persia wished to have Daniel out of the way. It was because his works were righteous, while theirs were evil. With him removed, they could manipulate the funds as they pleased, and they would not be under the condemnation of his presence.
Accordingly a conspiracy was formed, and the king was made a party to it, without his knowledge. Indeed, nothing could be accomplished unless they had the king's consent, and they could not expect that the king would remove his most faithful officer. So they had to manufacture a new crime. Very subtly was their plan laid.
It was a very common thing for Eastern monarchs to receive divine honors, as though they were gods, and such homage was quite acceptable to them, since it was easy for them to persuade themselves that they really were what their flatterers called them. Therefore it was not at all surprising to Darius when a great company of the chief men in his kingdom came to him, and said, "King Darius, live for ever! All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask any petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, he shall be cast into a den of lions. 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 alters not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree." (Daniel 6:6-9)
He readily fell into the trap, never thinking of his favorite, Daniel. If they had not lied, in saying that all the presidents had been in consultation over this matter, his suspicions might possibly have been aroused; nevertheless when integrity and loyalty to principle are so rare as they are, it is not natural for kings to consider the few in whom such virtues are found, especially when they are persuaded that any measure will be "for the public good." It does not take long to persuade most officials or seekers after office that whatever contributes to their advancement and exaltation is for the good of the public.
The plot was fairly hatched, and the decree was published. How did it affect Daniel? It did not affect him in the least. When he knew that the writing was signed, "he went to his house; and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as aforetime." (Daniel 6:10)
Think how much is conveyed in that statement. Daniel prayed to his God just as he had done before. Note that as he prayed he gave thanks. Not a word about the decree; no frantic request for protection; he acted as though there were no such thing. He saw no cause for fear, but only for thanksgiving, "as aforetime." In this he fulfilled the Divine injunction, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
Without thanksgiving there is no prayer. The peace of God which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) kept Daniel. He was the least perturbed man in the whole kingdom. How easy it would have been for most professed Christians to find "a way out of the difficulty;" only Daniel did not find himself in any difficulty. Some would say,
"There is no harm in complying with the law, since it does not demand the worship of any false god, or of any man; it merely says that we must not ask anything of any god or man except the king; and for the next thirty days we will not ask anything of anybody."
Very plausible, isn't it? Or they would say, "If you will pray, then do it so that no one will know it. You are not obliged to let anybody know when you pray."
Ah, what a movement in favor of secret prayer there would have been about that time, if any prayer at all. Daniel, however, was not seeking plausible excuses for not praying to his God. He was too well acquainted with the Lord, and loved Him too well for that. He served the Lord, and that continually.
Suppose that Daniel had acted according to any of these or similar excuses; what would he have virtually been saying? Simply this, that he could not trust the Lord to take care of him when everything seemed to be against him.
• It would have been admitting all the claims to the heathen, that their gods were greater than the God of Israel.
• It would have been exalting the king and his decree above God and His law.
• It would have shown that all his previous prayers had been a mere form, a pretense, without heart or feeling.
• It would have shown that Daniel had no faith in God.
But he had faith, and therefore he could not act in any such way. His service of God was from the heart, and he had prayed because he believed in God; and just because he believed in God, he could not act as though he did not believe in Him. It is such times as that, that determine whether or not a man really loves and serves the Lord. Daniel would not bear false witness against God. When men were banded together against God, in the person of His servant, then was the time for faithfulness.
Yet Daniel was not the man to flaunt his religion in the faces of men; no vain boaster; his religion was a part of his life; the same every day, and therefore he did just as he had been in the habit of doing. When he went to his room his windows were open, and he did not take the trouble to shut them. Why should he? He had not done so before, and there was no more reason now than there ever was, since his God had not changed.
He went about his devotions as quietly and regularly as in former days. That he was not in the habit of making noisy demonstrations when he prayed is evident from the fact that his enemies had to assemble to find him praying. But it is worth noting that they were quite sure of finding him at prayer. In that heathen kingdom Daniel was not ashamed to have it known that he worshiped Jehovah. And why should he be? is not Jehovah King over all? He is not One to be ashamed of.
Only one step now remained to fasten Daniel in the trap that was set for him. The grave counselors of State, whose minds were supposed to be absorbed in considerations of public interest, had plotted against an innocent, upright man, had acted the part of sneaking spies, and now they had only to be informers. But it would not do to go at once and denounce Daniel to the king, for they knew that he was Daniel's friend. So they took the precaution to get the king committed to the enforcement of the law. They said to him: "Have you not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty days, save of 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 alters not." (Daniel 6:12)
That was just what they wanted. The king could not escape now. Having admitted that the law could not be changed, he could not possibly make an exception in favor of Daniel. "Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regards not you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day." (Daniel 6:13)
How artfully they sought to prejudice the king against 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 labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him." (Daniel 6:14)
But all was in vain. The princes were inexorable. They had framed the law for the express purpose of catching Daniel, and they did not propose to allow him to escape; so they held the king to the decree, reminding him that the honor of the kingdom was at stake, since a law once passed could not be revoked or changed. "Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now king spoke and said unto Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." (Daniel 6:16)
What a wonderful influence there is in a steadfast Christian life! The king well knew that there was a power with Daniel that was with none of his other officers, and not even with himself, king though he was. He knew that Daniel had more than human power with him, and therefore he believed that the power that had made Daniel what he was, and that had kept him amid all temptations, would still keep him, even in the den of lions.
And he was right; for there was no greater miracle wrought for Daniel when he was in the lions' den than when he was in the king's court. The same power that will keep a man upright in the midst of temptation will keep him from the jaws of wild beasts. "Our adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour;" (1 Peter 5:8) and when a man is kept safe from his attacks, it is but a light thing to keep him from the beasts of the forest.
After passing a sorrowful night, the king went to the den very early in the morning. Although he had expressed the belief that Daniel would be delivered, he was not absolutely sure of it. The king evidently had a far worse night than Daniel had. A man may be far happier and more at ease in a den of lions than others are in a palace. The king's grief showed itself in his voice; as he came to the den and called, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you?" (Daniel 6:20)
We can see that the king was quite convinced that his gods were nothing in comparison to the God of Daniel; but here was a test question:
"Is your God able to deliver you?"
Yes, He was. "The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them." (Psalm 34:7)
This had been fulfilled in the case of Daniel, who replied, not forgetting the respect due the king: "O king, live for ever. My God has sent His angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me." (Daniel 6:21-22)
The penalty had been executed, and therefore Daniel could be taken out of the den without any violence to the majesty of the law. "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 6:23)
His faith saved him. Faith has wondrous power; by it men have "subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong." (Hebrews 11:33-34) "Perhaps the lions were not hungry?"
You may be sure that some of the enemies suggested that thought, and contended that Daniel should be left in the den until they recovered their appetite. Well, if they were not hungry, then there certainly could be no objection to putting these informers in for a little holiday from the cares of business; and whether they were hungry or not the king was disposed to deal very summarily with the malignant crowd. "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 broke all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den." (Daniel 6:24)
That settled the question. Those men who had been under the control of the great roaring lion who walks about seeking to devour, had no protection against these lions. The result of the whole affair was that Daniel was prospered more than ever, and the knowledge of the true God was published by the king to all people, and in all languages on earth. Thus even the wrath of man is made to praise God. (Psalm 76:10)--Present Truth, July 20, 1899--Daniel 6:10-23
E.J. Waggoner