Daniel - Chapter 6

Mark Dunagan
03/08/15 - Sunday Evening

Series: Daniel

Daniel

Chapter 6

 

Both Daniel chapters three and six are instances of God’s deliverance. In chapter three it had been demonstrated that faithfulness to God could be costly under Babylonian rule. But Babylon had fallen (5:30-31) and now Persia ruled the world. “So chapter six is saying new circumstances do not always give you the relief you crave; you may face the same essential troubles. Bob Fyall nails it: ‘It (chapter six) is a necessary reminder that the life of faith must be lived to the very end and that earlier victories and rescues cannot be taken as guarantees of absence of future crises” (Daniel, Dale Ralph Davis, p. 82).

Preventing Loss

The first two verses of this chapter remind us that large governments have always faced the problems of waste, graft and corruption. Daniel is appointed as one of three commissioners to govern the 120 satraps, to prevent such corruption and waste. 

Daniel Rises to the Top

We know that God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams, but the extraordinary spirit that set Daniel apart may be his godly character. Daniel’s character is clearly a central theme in this chapter. All the other commissioners and satraps tried to find any evidence of corruption in Daniel’s governance (6:4). They went over his department with a fine tooth comb and found nothing. “No disappointing omissions, no tainting commissions. He was what Paul (in 1 Timothy 3:2) would call ‘without reproach’” (Davis, p. 82). I really appreciate verses like this, because we live in a world in which some people often try to argue that everyone is living a double life. In fact, such sterling character is not to be the rare exception among God’s people, but rather, the standard:

• “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you” (Ephesians 5:3).
• “So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” (Philippians 2:15).

“The Law of His God”

Daniel’s enemies truly hate him, but they must tell the truth about him. They know that the only way they can get Daniel into trouble with the king is to set up a situation in which Daniel must make a choice between obeying the king or obeying God (6:5). I am impressed that not only is Daniel’s faith known, but the quality of that faith is fully known. The scheme they plan simply takes for granted and never for one moment questions the fact that Daniel will without question side with the Law of His God even when his life is on the line. Is this the reputation that we have in the community, at work or among non-Christian family members and friends? Or, do people think that we have a breaking point, a point at which we will not follow the Law of our God?

Daniel Alone

Daniel had been so useful, diligent and faithful that Darius was planning on putting him in charge of the entire kingdom (6:3). Thus, Daniel, a Hebrew becomes very “hate-able”. The entire Persian bureaucracy puts their heads together and comes before the king (6:6). They appeal to his vanity by suggesting a decree that every citizen can only pray to him for the next thirty days. They reinforce this law by adding the penalty for disobedience is death in the lions’ den and that it will be impossible, even for the king to revoke the decree once that it is the law of the land. According to the Medo-Persian system, laws once enacted could not be revoked, even by the king himself. It is a logical deduction that if the Persian king is a god or an earthly representative of a god, then his decrees ought to be irrevocable.

If we wonder why the king would sign such a law, “there is something intoxicating about being the sole channel to the gods, a sort of surrogate deity, even if the term expires in thirty days” (Davis, p. 84). These men may have been religious men, that is, they prayed or sacrificed to various gods, but they are willing to violate their own religious convictions in order to get rid of Daniel. The fact that they make sure that the king has no “wiggle room” may infer that they suspected that the king would try to reverse the decree once he found that it was putting Daniel in a dangerous situation. This section of Scripture reminds me that the people in any government who might do the most damage might not at times to be person at the top, but all the underlings buried in their administration who appeal to their pride and convince them to do unwise things.

When Daniel Knew: 6:10

If Hollywood was doing a movie about this chapter they probably would picture Daniel as really struggling with what to do at this point. Yet, there is no struggle. Daniel does not feel sorry for himself, He does not resent God’s law, and neither does he seek to find a middle of the road position. “We read of no inner turmoil or anguish. Indeed his enemies didn’t expect him to flinch at all about continuing his usual practice (6:5). Daniel was able to see the actual issue. He knew he was not facing a minor religious inconvenience (just wait thirty days until the current prayer ban is lifted). What matters most – the worship of God or my safety? His response shows that he so much as said, ‘I must not make an idol of my own safety” (Davis, p. 87).

The Power of Habit: 6:10

Remaining faithful or resisting temptation does not necessarily take more effort than usual, but the same effort as all the other days. This is why parents and those who love us are also talking to us about forming good habits. “It was his usual practice and sometimes that can grease the gears for a crisis” (Davis, p. 87). Observe that Daniel does not try to keep his prayer routine a secret, but simply follows his regular schedule. Yes, one can get into a rut, but never assume that if someone follows a regular routine in worship that their heart isn’t in it. Routine does not have to become a formless rut.

Continued Kneeling: 6:10

Kneeling is not the only posture for prayer mentioned in the Bible, but  kneeling does remind us of our true position before God – we are servants. “He is not my errand boy. I never present my demands. I am always a beggar at the throne of grace, and, though it is a throne of grace, I never forget it is a throne’ (Davis, pp. 88-89).

The Anguished King: 6:14-15

The king now realizes the foolishness of the decree – or that he has been intentionally used to get rid of Daniel. He tries in vain to find a way to get around the decree, but is trapped. “Rulers may not be personally hostile to you, but, even if they favor you, you do not pin your hopes on them, for they can prove as helpless as anyone else (Psalm 146:3-4)” (Davis, p. 89). Observe how the king is in anguish, but Daniel is calm. As the stone is placed over the lion’s den the king cries out, “Your God whom you constantly serve will deliver you” (6:16).

Constantly

Could our service to God be described as constantly? This was Daniel’s reputation among his friends and enemies.

The Other Side

Those who had sought to destroy Daniel are destroyed, along with their wives and children (6:24). In Israel, wives and children were spared the punishment of the head of the household (Deut. 24:16), unless they were accomplices (Joshua 7:24-25). Yet this was Persia. It reminds me that if I am up to no good, the consequences that arrive may affect not only me, but my family as well. Observe that when we are tested, there is an opportunity for unbelievers to watch our example and end up praising God in the process (6:25-28).

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net