Daniel 6
COMMENTARY:
: 4 Then the president 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. (540 “faithful” [‘aman] means to be reliable or trustworthy, worthy of trust or belief, to bring faith to, depend on, or sure.)
DEVOTION: Once we become a believer in Jesus Christ and state it to others they are going to watch us to see if they can find anything that we do wrong. Some do it to help you grow but others do it to find fault and make fun of you.
Daniel was in a position of power in a heathen government. The people he worked with didn’t like him. They wanted his position and so they looked to find him doing something wrong.
The problem was that he lived a consistent Christian life. He did his homework each night. He did all his work while on the job or in school. It was hard for them to find something he was doing wrong.
However, they knew one of his habits was to pray three times a day to the LORD. So they went to the king and told them that he should make a decree that no one could consult anyone except the king. The king liked the idea without even thinking about Daniel. He passed the decree, and in his government when he said something there was nothing he could do or anyone else could do to change it.
Daniel went home and prayed like he always did and they told the king. Daniel knew he was breaking the law of the king but he knew his relationship with God was more important than obeying a manmade rule.
We have to be faithful to the LORD every day no matter what people might say. Even if the government tells you to stop doing what God tells you to do, you must do it. God is more important than manmade rules.
CHALLENGE: Prayer is a very important part of growing up as a believer. Talk to God often. Dare to be a Daniel!!
: 10 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. (6739 “prayed” [ts@la’ (Aramaic)] means entreat, to address a deity, or make intercession.)
DEVOTION: Civil disobedience is recorded here regarding Daniel. The king had issued a decree to all in the land that they were not to petition anyone God or man for thirty days. This was an act by men who were jealous of Daniel and wanted him dead. The penalty for disobedience was to be thrown into a den of lions.
Daniel knew about the decree of the king. He still went home and opened a window for all to see and entreated the LORD. He prayed three times a day on a regular basis and would not change this Biblical discipline no matter what.
His procedure was to fall on his knees toward Jerusalem and pray for the LORD to work in his life. He always gave thanks. He always gave supplications for his people. We have been taught to pray in an ACTS way to the LORD in many churches. That is Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
Now Daniel is in trouble with the local authorities. All the other leaders didn’t like him because he is faithful and they are not. He did his work right. He was worthy of his position.
They were jealous. They have a solution: get rid of Daniel. They plot on how to get rid of him. They succeeded in their plot to have him placed in a position where if he makes intercession to the LORD, he will be put in a lion’s den.
How did they succeed? They lied to the king. They told him that ALL the presidents agreed to the decree but Daniel was one of the presidents and he didn’t agree. It was a bold face lie and they fooled the king into believing it.
Daniel knew that the decree is signed and that it can’t be changed. He knew that he will go into the lion’s den if he makes intercession. He makes intercession anyway. He is faithful to the LORD on a daily basis. The enemy accuses him and wins. He is put in the lion’s den. The LORD delivers him.
Does this always happen? NO!!! Some people who are faithful die but not all. We are commanded to be faithful stewards of the LORD. HE has given us a responsibility to fulfill while we are on this earth. HE has gifted us. HE has given us open doors. HE is with us.
We have the challenge to be faithful and go through the doors HE opens for us. Do we always know what will happen? NO. Should we trust the LORD and remain faithful? YES! Should we pray daily? YES! To obey God rather than man is always best!!!
CHALLENGE: Praying three times a day is a good habit. Pray for your family in the morning. Pray for those on your email list according to the letter of the day at noon. Pray for your relationship to the LORD each night, so that, when you face the next day you have HIS power at your disposal.
: 18 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. (2908 “fasting” [tavath] means hungrily, nothaving taken food, to abstain from food, or without eating. One of the disciplines of the faith is to fast on occasions.)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel were to all fast one time a year on the Day of Atonement. No one was to eat any food on that day. It was the time when the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies with a special sacrifice for himself and for the people. He wore bells on the bottom of his garment with a rope tied around his leg. If he didn’t confess his sins he would die. If he offered the wrong sacrifice he would die. If he did anything wrong in the Holy of Holies he would die.
Today we are commanded to fast and pray when we have major decisions to make as an individual or couple. Fasting and prayer go together when we want to seek advice from the LORD.
Here we find a heathen king fasting for a servant of the LORD. Daniel was in the lion’s den for a night. The king wasn’t sure that Daniel would be delivered. He wanted to do all he could to help Daniel. He knew he was tricked by his other workers into doing this to Daniel because of their jealousy.
The LORD answered the prayers of Daniel and the fasting of the king. The king sent out a decree stating his belief in the God of Daniel.
At the beginning of the Methodist movement the Wesley’s required all their pastors to fast twice a week. It is not happening today but they knew the power of fasting and prayer. Their work moved across America.
CHALLENGE: Individuals, couples and churches each need to have times of fasting and prayer today. Our world needs the work of the LORD to go forward and it can only happen with fasting and prayer
: 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. (7011 “steadfast” [qayam] means sure, secure, enduring, long lasting, enduring, abiding, or determined.)
DEVOTION: Here we have a heathen king who made a commitment to the God of Daniel. Remember that he witnessed Daniel being spared from the lions. It made an impression on him to the end that he declared that Daniel served a LIVING GOD.
When we are consistent with our testimony for the LORD people notice and want to know more about your God. This happened to me in high school a hundred years ago. I was on the wrestling team at our school. We had a coach that took wresters to the state championships almost every year. It was a hard group of teens. No one in the school bothered a wrestler because they would have to face the whole team if they did. I had an experience with someone trying to give me a hard time and the other wrestlers warned him to stay away and it worked. They were a team.
Also, they knew I was a Christian and were looking for anything that would affect my testimony. I stayed consistent and it got to the point that some would come to me with their prayer requests. God honored my faithfulness.
He will honor your faithfulness as well. Are we always going to do what is right? No but we can try to be consistent, so that, people know who we are on a regular basis. They will accept some down times.
CHALLENGE: Keep a consistent testimony and people will either love you or hate you. The LORD will be one who continues to love you.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
King Darius fasted for Danielverse 18
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Daniel prayed three times a dayverses 10, 11, 13
Daniel gave thanks in his prayersverse 10
Daniel made supplications in his prayersverse 11
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Lawverse 5
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – elahh (Aramaic)verses 5, 7, 10-12, 16, 20, 22, 23, 26
Law of his Godverse 5
Living Godverses 20, 26
God of Danielverse 26
God who delivers and rescuesverse 27
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
God sent an angel to shut lions mouthverse 22
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Dariusverses 1-28
Signed into law a decree against consulting any god for thirty day or go to lion’s den
Sore displeased with himself regarding his decree
Set his heart on Daniel to deliver him
He labored until the going down of the sun
Ordered Daniel into the den of lions
Spoke to Daniel: Your God whom you
continually, HE will deliver you
Sealed the den with his own signet
with the signet of his lords
Went to his palace and passed the night
fasting, neither were instruments
of music brought before him and
his sleep went from him
Arose very early in the morning and went
in hast to the den of lions
Cried with lamentable voice to Daniel
O Daniel, servant of the living God
Is your God, whom you serve continually
able to deliver you from the lions?
King was glad Daniel was not hurt by lions
and commanded that he be taken out of den of lions
Wrote to all people, nations and languages that
dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied
to you – 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 steadfast for ever and HIS
kingdom that which shall not be destroyed
and HIS dominion shall be even unto the end
HE delivered and rescued and he works signs
and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has
delivered Daniel from the power of the lions
Presidents and Princesverses 3-15, 24
Three presidents
Twenty princes
Wanted to find occasion against Daniel
Looked for fault in Daniel regarding
the law of his God
Met with king against Daniel
Assembled against Daniel after he
continued to pray to God
Found Daniel praying and making
Supplication before his God
Confronted the king about Daniel
praying
Those that accused Daniel were cast into
den of lions – they, their children,
and their wives – lion had mastery
over them and broke all their bones
in pieces or ever they came at the
bottom of the den
Governorsverses 7, 15
Counsellorsverses 7, 15
Captainsverses 7, 15
Wanted anyone who asks petition of
any God or man for thirty days – save only
the king shall be cast into den of lionsverse 7
Reminded king that no decree nor statue
which the king established may be
changedverse 15
Law of the Medes and Persians – which alters notverses 8, 12, 15
Den of lionsverses 12, 16, 19, 20-24, 27
Lordsverse 17
Cyrus the Persianverse 28
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Find occasion against belieververses 4, 5, 7, 11
Lieverse 7
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Excellent spiritverse 3
Faithfulverse 4
No error or fault foundverse 4
Prayer warrior: on knees three times a dayverse 10
Thanksgivingverse 10
Habit of daily prayerverse 10
Deliveranceverses 16, 20, 27
Servantverses 16, 20
Innocencyverse 22
No hurtverse 22
Faithverse 23
Prospersverse 28
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Danielverses 2-28
First president in kingdom
Over all the others in kingdom
Excellent spirit was in him
Others could not find occasion or
fault against him
He was faithful
Neither was there any fault
or error found
Knew of writing against him but
still kneeled toward Jerusalem
three times a day to God
Knew God could deliver him from lions
Prayed and gave thanks to God
Part of the children of the captivity
of Judah
Told king that “My God sent his angel
and has shut the lions mouths
that they have not hurt me
Spared because of his belief in his God
He prospered in the reign of Darius
and in the reign of Cyrus the
Persian
Jerusalemverse 10
Children of the captivity of Judahverse 13
God of Danielverse 26
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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