“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 (KJV)

The story

Daniel is an old man in a foreign government, and he is good at his job. Darius sets an hundred and twenty princes over the kingdom, with three presidents above them, of whom Daniel was first. He is preferred above the rest because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. That promotion is the trigger for everything that follows. His colleagues sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom, and the search failed completely: they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Daniel 6:1-4

Their conclusion is a backhanded testimony: We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. So they engineer a conflict where none existed. They come to the king claiming a consensus that did not include Daniel, the first president, and propose that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. They flatter the king's vanity and then lock the door behind him: sign it, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Daniel 6:5-9

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. The last phrase carries the weight. He does not escalate into protest or retreat into secrecy; he continues. The windows were already open, the hours were already fixed, and the direction was already toward a city that lay in ruins, because the promise attached to it had not failed. The men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God, which is exactly what they came for. Daniel 6:10-11

They approach the king carefully, first getting him to confirm the decree, and only then naming Daniel, that Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king. The king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him, and he laboured till the going down of the sun. It is not enough. The men return to press the point that no decree which the king establisheth may be changed. Daniel is cast into the den, and the king says to him, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. A stone is laid on the mouth and sealed with the king's own signet. Daniel 6:12-17

The night belongs to the king, not to Daniel: he passed the night fasting, no instruments of musick were brought before him, and his sleep went from him. He arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den, and cried with a lamentable voice, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Daniel's reply begins with courtesy, O king, live for ever, then gives the account: My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me. Daniel is taken up with no manner of hurt found upon him, because he believed in his God, and Darius writes to all people, nations, and languages that men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever. Daniel 6:18-27

Quiz

1. What position did Daniel hold under Darius?

   • Captain of the guard
   • First of the three presidents
   • Chief of the priests
   • Governor of Judah

2. What was the king planning to do with Daniel?

   • Send him back to Jerusalem
   • Retire him
   • Set him over the whole realm
   • Make him a judge only

3. What was the result of the search for fault in Daniel?

   • They found none occasion nor fault
   • They found errors in his accounts
   • They found he had taken bribes
   • They found he had left the city

4. Who did the conspirators claim had consulted together on the statute?

   • The king's family
   • Only the three presidents
   • The presidents, governors, princes, counsellors, and captains
   • The priests of Babylon

5. What phrase describes the law of the Medes and Persians?

   • Which altereth not
   • Which the king may amend
   • Which lasteth a year
   • Which the people choose

6. What phrase shows Daniel's praying was not a new act of protest?

   • With a loud voice
   • As he did aforetime
   • In the sight of all
   • Before the king

7. How do the accusers describe Daniel to the king?

   • As a thief
   • As one of the children of the captivity of Judah who regardeth not the king
   • As a foreign spy
   • As a false prophet

8. How long did the king labour to deliver Daniel?

   • A few minutes
   • Three days
   • Till the going down of the sun
   • All week

9. What did the king say to Daniel before the stone was laid?

   • Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee
   • I cannot help thee now
   • Pray no more
   • The lions are fed

10. How did the king spend the night?

    • In counsel with the princes
    • Fasting, without musick, and unable to sleep
    • Writing a new decree
    • Feasting with his lords

11. What question did the king cry out at the den?

    • Is thy God able to deliver thee from the lions?
    • Art thou alive?
    • Who hath done this?
    • Wilt thou forgive me?

12. What decree did Darius write to all people, nations, and languages?

    • That Daniel should rule
    • That the lions be destroyed
    • That men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel
    • That prayer be forbidden

Discussion

1. Daniel's enemies could find no fault in his work, so they had to attack his faith. What would it take for that to be true of you, that the only thing anyone could hold against you is your obedience to God rather than your character or your conduct?
2. Daniel neither hid his praying nor made a public demonstration of it. He simply continued as he did aforetime. Why is an established habit harder to intimidate than a decision made in the moment, and what habits are you building now that would hold under pressure?
3. Darius genuinely wanted to save Daniel and could not, because he had signed away his own freedom to act. Where do people trap themselves by agreeing to something flattering without thinking through what it commits them to?
4. Daniel prayed toward a Jerusalem that lay in ruins. What does it mean to keep facing a promise that visible circumstances seem to have cancelled?