Truth Project: Daniel 6 The Plot Against Daniel

Today on Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis, she continues her prophecy series, taking us through the book of Daniel and then on to the book of Revelation.

She continues today with Daniel Chapter 6. Before she speaks, let's take a peek back to Chapter 5, where Belshazzar, the last ruler of the Babylonian Empire, throws a big feast with a thousand guests. During the feast, he becomes extremely intoxicated, and in his drunkenness and arrogance, desecrates the temple ornaments that his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had seized during the invasion of Jerusalem and destruction of the first temple in 586 B.C. Because of the sacrilege of these sacred ornaments, Belshazzar is given a divine warning from the Lord as he witnesses a mysterious message being written on the wall of the palace.

The message is simple. The days of your kingdom have been numbered, found lacking, and will be divided between the Medes and the Persians. Shortly thereafter, Babylon falls into the hands of the Medes and the Persians in 536 B.C. as prophesied by Daniel. In the last chapter, in finishing Chapter 5, we ended with Babylon being taken by the Medes and the Persians and Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, losing his life with a handwriting on the wall. Moving on to Chapter 6. This is the infamous story that everyone knows, even from a child as well, Daniel in the lion's den. But just to give a summary of where we are in an introduction to Chapter 6.

If you remember the dream of the statue, we have moved on the statue from gold to silver. If you remember, the interpretation of the statue is that the government moved from a monarchy, which was the style of the government system for the Babylonians, to an oligarchy. An oligarchy is government that is ruled by a few men. If we'd like to contrast a monarchy, as Daniel described it in Chapter 5, verse 19, a monarchy is ruled by a few men. And because of the majesty that he gave him, all prophets, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished, he executed. Whomever he wished, he kept alive. Whomever he wished, he set up. And whomever he wished, he put down. King Nebuchadnezzar was the monarch that everyone feared and had ultimate power. But in the next succession of an oligarchy, the current Medes and Persians, they were ruled by a few men. So when the king made a command, it had to be carried out.

No one could change one's mind. Just file that in the back of your mind, because as we go through Chapter 6, it'll be very important as to decisions that the king made and how that affected Daniel in particular. Let's move on to verses 1 through 3 and get into the chapter. If you remember, Darius was the king at the end of Chapter 5. And Chapter 6 moves into, it pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps to be over the whole kingdom. And over these three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them so that the king would suffer no loss. Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. So we're seeing Daniel in the first few verses of Chapter 6 actually getting the promise that Belshazzar offered him, although it's in another kingdom.

You know, it's interesting how the promises of God transcend forms of government or whoever is in power. In this case, Daniel had been promised to be third over the kingdom. And he's actually third over the kingdom, but under another king, King Darius, in the Medes and the Persians Empire.

The governmental system of satraps, which is a district, or a governor of a province. Three governors were over them and Daniel was one of them. They collected revenue or taxes for the king, but the king at that time was Darius the Mede. So at this point, we see Daniel is being considered to be number one of the three, second to the king. And we still see Daniel continuing to prosper because of the excellent spirit that was in him and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. And notice that Daniel is still in captivity. He is still one of the captives from Judah, but he is being considered to be second in command over the Mede and Persian Empire. And we see that Daniel is not just any Daniel, he's not any person.

There's an emphasis on his name. Then this Daniel, or we can't find any charge against this Daniel. Daniel was a godly man and we know that his excellent spirit reflected the glory of God.

And it's interesting that they could not find anything in his record. The only thing that they could find against him was concerning the law of his God, which in this case is a very big mistake on their behalf. These men must not have been around with the fiery furnace ordeal, but it is a fine line when going up against a man and going up against his God. And we see that even in chapter one when King Nebuchadnezzar had tried to feed him from the king's table and Daniel refused to take the food, but he looked better, much fatter, more muscular than compared to all the other eunuchs. But I'm reminded of something I've heard Dr. David Jeremiah say in the past, that a man in the center of God's will is immortal until God is finished with him.

So a man that is in the center of God's will, fulfilling his purpose, glorifying God, really nothing is going to happen or stop the work of God until the Lord says that he is finished. And in this case, we're going to see this play out in Daniel's life. But now the satraps think that they're picking a fight against Daniel, but technically they're picking a fight against his God. In verses six through nine, so these governors and satraps throng before the king and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever. All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors have consulted together to establish a royal statue and to make a firm decree that whoever petitions any God or man for 30 days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish this decree and sign the writing so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.

Therefore, King Darius signed the decree. When Daniel is again about to be promoted under the second king, Satan attempts to destroy him again. And we see Satan's attempt to destroy Daniel all throughout the book of Daniel, mainly because of his excellent spirit and the favor of God. We know that Daniel will be given end of time revelation, but Satan really has a plot against Daniel. Which method is used to trick the king or influence him?

Quickly we see, O King Darius, live forever. All the governors of the kingdom and the administrators and satraps, we've gotten together and we want to make a petition. This is obviously flattery. Whenever you see flattery, you know, you really need to have a red flag go up as to say, if they're flattering me so much, really, what are they plotting against?

What do they need for any persons in leadership? Whenever those that are followers or those that are following someone's lead that come with flattery, I often start questioning really what is the intent. But an important point in the rules that cannot be changed is that they thought that their kings were invaluable.

And that's what I discussed early on in the beginning of the study is the point I mentioned before. That if they could get him to make a mistake, they knew that the mistake was not a mistake and that whatever words that he signed or whatever words that he put forth, that they would go forth unchanged. And that is what happened.

They tricked King Darius into making this decree. And then now this is going against Daniel. It creates somewhat of a predicament for Daniel, obviously, but we'll see how Daniel reacts.

Let's move on to verse 10. Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. So what did Daniel do?

Really what he always did. And the reason that Daniel was consistent, because it goes back to chapter one, and Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile God. Daniel still has that commitment. He still has that purpose made up in his heart that he's not going to defile God. It is the importance of faithfulness even more often in trial. Because Daniel purposed in his heart, he was able to do what he always did. Go home, open the windows, point them towards Jerusalem so that he can kneel down on his knees to continue to pray, regardless of what the king's decree was.

I'd really like to ask you a question at this time. What does our Christian walk look like in the fire versus in the time of peace? Or in plenty or a base versus being abound?

We should be consistent. There should be no change to our commitment to God, regardless of the circumstance. And we see here that there was no change to Daniel's prayer life just because the king had made a decree. Moving on to verses 11 through 17. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king and spoke concerning the king's decree.

Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitioned any God or man within 30 days, except you, 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 does not alter. So they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, and for the decree that you have signed and makes his petition three times a day. And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him.

And he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and the Persians that no decree or statue which the king establishes may be changed. So the king gave the command and they brought Daniel and cast him in the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.

Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring, but the signets of his lords and the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. In verses 11 through 17, we see them waiting on Daniel to continue to pray. They were watching him plotting to kill him, and they found him praying to his God, which they knew. You know, and people really watch Christians this way today to really get their consistency or to assess their commitment to their God. But in this case, he was being watched.

And so they obviously go and report it to the king. But it grieved the king's heart as he was considering Daniel for the first position in the kingdom. So he must have respected and admired Daniel and knew that he was a man of excellence, but now had seen that praying to his God. And he was unable to change his mind, even though it says that he labored all throughout the day to try to deliver him. The king Darius says a great statement to Daniel. Your God whom you serve continually will deliver you. Darius had faith in Daniel's God to even tell him that your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.

Let's see how that deliverance goes in verses 18 through 22. Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no musicians were brought in before him. Also, his sleep went from him, and the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke to Daniel. 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 lion's mouth so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before him. And also, O king, I have done no wrong before you. As we see, the king was vexed through the night.

He knew in his heart that he was wrong. But God is faithful even in the counterattack. This is proof how he will deliver you through the trial. The fiery furnace will still happen.

The lion's den will still occur. God does not get rid of these situations. Serving him does not mean that we're not going to experience trial. But what it means is that God will deliver us through the trial, oftentimes not around it. What are we to do when facing disappointment, despair or disaster in life? We are to turn to the Lord as Daniel did, trusting him to get us through whatever it is that we are facing. The Lord did not prevent the three Hebrew men from being cast into Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace or Daniel into the lion's den. But in each case, God brought them through these experiences without harm and for the greater good. As the apostle Paul says in Romans 828, all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. As we love God and trust him, he can bring us through the worst of situations or disappointments. It may not be instant, but it will be for a greater purpose and a better you.

Perhaps you are facing a situation and don't know what to do. Dr. Davis and her team would like to help. You can reach her by email at CherylDavis at ProjectTruthMatters.com or connect with her on Facebook at Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis. Or you can write to her at The Truth Project, GeoBox 159, St. Paul's, North Carolina 28384. Please join us again next Saturday at this same time for Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis, where biblical truth truly matters. This has been Truth Matters, a production of The Truth Project.