It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. - Daniel 6:1-28 ESV
Rev. Charles Han
Daniel is an old man. He has outlived two kings and their empires. Daniel is an example of model faithfulness to God. Most followers of God are found in both faithful and sinful situations. But Daniel is only portrayed in faithful obedience to God.
The Danger of the Lions' Den
Daniel was an exile in a foreign land. He was seeking the good of this land and people as God commanded:
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.- Jeremiah 29:7 ESV
He was so skilled at his job that the king wished to make him the prime minister. The other officials were jealous and wished to bring him down. But Daniel had impeccable skills and integrity. So they conspired to entrap him based on his faith to the living God.
They have the king make an intractable decree that all prayers and petitions will go through king Darius. This makes the king the living mediator to all the gods and consolidates the king's power.
1. Living as engaged exiles entails being the very best servants we can be for our "Babylon."
How are you representing your work and your studies as a representative of God in these secular places? Are you striving to be the best student, employee, or boss? Are you lazy? Disengaged? Just looking for a paycheck?
2. Living as engaged exiles entrails being perpetually persecuted for our Christian faith.
As a competent servant of God, Daniel finds persecution. This is the expectation. Following God can put you into harm's way. For Daniel, this happens time and again. He is tormented for his faith in God. The world will reject us because we are not of it. Expect ridicule and rejection because that is how the world will react. The world is not our home.
Defying the Lions' Den
After this edict was made, Daniel continued in his usual way and prays. Knowing that this was illegal. But this isn't flaunting authority or pretentious prayer, it is just an eighty year old man going on his usual routine of meeting God three times a day.
1. It is daily faithfulness to God in the mundane moments that prepare us for bold acts of faith in the hardest moments.
It is the daily walk with God that matters. Where will praying three times a day get you in a month? Where will how you are living you now get you in a month?
2. Genuine faith unconditionally trusts and obeys in the face of the lions' den regardless of outcome
Faith will let God be god regardless of outcome. Even if suffering and hard times come, faith will still trust and hope in God.
Delivered from the Lions' Den
King Darius finds that Daniel has been entrapped by this edict. But this king cannot repeal his own edict, he must turn over Daniel to be thrown into the lions' den. This earthly king, who was supposed to be the living representative of the gods, could not save Daniel. The king could not save.
This points to another injustice, Christ on the cross. Daniel comes out unscathed from a sealed lion den. Like Jesus coming out of the sealed tomb. Jesus represents victory over sin. We are not supposed to be like Daniel, but rather to believe in Christ. Because we are not like Daniel, we are not brave, faithful, or have integrity. But Jesus is our victory.
No comments:
Post a Comment