Mighty Babylon had been taken in a night attack by the army of Media-Persia. This army had already destroyed the cities of Assyria and Nineveh. God was with this army as it traveled across the ancient lands. God had a plan for the rulers who would sit on the throne.
Belshazzar had been killed, and the new king, Darius, had taken rule over the city of Babylon.
Darius was a different king than Nebuchadnezzar. Darius had to follow a certain law while he was ruling. When he established something into law no one, not even he himself, could change it!
Daniel 6:1-2- It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
Darius had a setup within his kingdom of different positions of power. There were 120 princes at the bottom, then 3 presidents, and he himself as king at the top. Daniel was one of the three presidents.
Daniel 6:3- Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Because Daniel was different from the others, it made an impression to the king. He realized that Daniel could be trusted. The king was thinking of adding another position to his power pyramid, and it would be just for Daniel.
Daniel 6:4-5- Then the presidents 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. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
The other presidents and princes didn't like that Darius was going to promote Daniel to a position higher than they. They went around watching everything he did waiting for him to mess up.
But, Daniel obeyed God's law so well, that none of the men could find anything wrong. They realized that if they were going to get Daniel in trouble, they were going to have to find something in his religion that went against the law of Media-Persia.
Daniel 6:6-9- Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, 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. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
There wasn't any law that they could use, so they carefully made up a new one that they knew Daniel wouldn't obey. They came to the king and presented this wicked new law as something good. The king didn't know that they were planning on using this against Daniel, and so he passed the decree to make praying to any god, but himself, a violation.
Daniel 6:10- 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.
Daniel always prayed to the Lord three times a day. He had probably been doing this since he was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar as a young man. He decided that it was better to do what God said than what a person said. So, he just kept on praying like he had always done.
Daniel 6:11-13- Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Do you remember Nebuchadnezzar's dream about the statue that Daniel interpreted? The kingdom that arose after Nebuchadnezzar would be strong military wise, but wouldn't have a king as powerful as Nebuchanezzar was.
The evil princes and the wicked presidents took Daniel before the king and then they accused him of breaking the new law.
Oh, no! The king realized then what was going on, but it was too late.
Daniel 6:14-15- Then 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 to deliver him. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
If this had been Nebuchadnezzar on the throne, he wouldn't told those vile men to get lost! But, Darius didn't have the power to change laws. He might be ruler over what was once Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, but he wasn't as powerful as that Babylonian king.
The king of Media-Persia was limited by the laws of the land. Even though Darius tried to find a loophole to save Daniel, he couldn't!
Daniel 6:16-18- Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
Darius had no choice but to throw Daniel into the lions den. He told Daniel that his God would protect him, but he didn't believe it. After he closed up the lions den with Daniel inside, he went back to his palace and sat troubled all night long!
But, back inside the lions den, Daniel was safe.
Daniel looked around him at the stone cave walls. He heard the breathing and the treading of the hungry lions. Perhaps he felt scared of what he supposed was about to happen.
But, suddenly, it got very bright in the cave. Daniel could see a man standing in the cave with him. Who was he? Daniel knew that he, alone, was throne into the lions den.
Then the man spoke to him. He told Daniel that God had sent him to keep Daniel safe from the lions. The man was an angel! He made sure that not one lion opened his mouth to even lick Daniel.
Daniel had put his faith and trust in the Lord God Almighty. He had done this back when he was a young captive in Nebuchadnezzar's court. And he never stopped obeying and worshiping God. Because of this, God was going to protect Daniel.
Daniel 6:19-20- Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
The king ran as fast as he could to the lions den when it was very early in the morning. He ordered the stone to be removed from the cave opening.
He leaned over the hole and yelled down to Daniel. He was very sorrowful because, even though he hoped that Daniel's God could save and protect him, he didn't believe that Daniel would survive.
Much to his dismay and delight, Daniel answered the king!
Daniel 6:21-23- Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 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; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. 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 told the king all about the angel of the Lord that came to protect him in the lions den.
When the men who were with the king pulled Daniel out of the cave, the king saw that there wasn't one scratch on him!
King Darius joy was then turned to anger against the evil rulers that had devised this wicked plan to destroy Daniel. And the king had a punishment in mind for them.
Daniel 6:24- And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
The king ordered that not only these men, but their families, be thrown into the same lions den that Daniel had been taken out of. No angel came to protect these people. The lions caught them on their way down and killed every last one of them!
Darius decided to make a new law after this miracle.
Daniel 6:25-27- Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto 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 stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Darius told all the people throughout his kingdom of Daniel's amazing God. He told these people that they should fear and tremble before the Lord God Almighty because He was greater than anything and anyone in all the universe.
Daniel 6:18- So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
God protected Daniel throughout the reign of the Babylonian kings. And, He was going to protect Daniel throughout the reign of the kings of Media-Persia, too.
