Daniel 6
LOIDaniel In The Lions’ Den (6:1 – 6:28)
As this new era of history began, Daniel was still not ready to retire, even though he was now around 85 years of age. In his life, the words of Psalm 92:14 concerning righteous men had been fulfilled, “ They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” Because of his great wisdom, and probably because he had accurately predicted the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Medes and Persians, Darius appointed him as one of the leaders of the new government, and even planned to set him over the whole kingdom (6:3).
Evil men in the kingdom immediately sought occasion to hinder Daniel’s planned promotion. However, they could find no fault in him. He was the “Mr. Clean” of Media-Persia. In 1 Peter 2:12 we are told: “ Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God. ” Daniel lived in such a way. These evil men realized they could find no flaw in Daniel, so they had to resort to accusing him on the ground of his religion (6:5).
They carefully laid their snare not realizing that the trap they set for Daniel would become their own undoing (cf. Psa. 37:14-15). They succeeded in having the king pass a decree, which according to the famous laws of the Medes and Persians could not be changed (6:8). According to this law all those who prayed to anyone except the king for thirty days would be thrown into the lions’ den. Then they watched Daniel to see what he would do. He did what he had always done. He threw his window open to Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed to the true God (6:10). Daniel would not feast on Babylon’s fare, and neither would he worship Babylon’s gods. God can always do great things through such devoted ones. Daniel’s enemies, however, were quick to report his actions to the king.
According to the laws of the Medes and Persians which could not be changed, Daniel had to be killed. He was thus brought to the lions’ den. The type of execution was apparently changed from Babylonian days, since the Persians, influenced by Zoroastrianism, may have been fire worshippers and apparently would not destroy people in fiery furnaces. It is interesting that even the reluctant king had this testimony about Daniel, “ The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you! “ (6:16). It is especially nice when unbelievers can have faith for us, based upon our holy lives before them.
The lions’ den story is a very familiar one. Every Sunday school child knows how God delivered Daniel from the den of hungry lions, and how the evil men who plotted Daniel’s fall had breakfast with the lions that morning (6:24). Someone jokingly remarked that the lions could not eat Daniel because he was all backbone! The commentator, Carson, remarks here that “By faith (23) he had experienced the powers of the age to come (Heb. 6:5) in which lions are tamed (Isa. 11:7).” [11]
Even mighty king Darius could not praise the living God enough for this great miracle. He said: “ I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. ‘For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions ‘” (6:26-27).
Footnotes
- Carson, comment on Daniel 6:22