Lesson 423 - Senior

Memory Verse

"The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever" (II Timothy 4:18).

Cross References

I The Kingdom of Darius

1. Darius sets 120 princes over his realm; over them three presidents, [DAN:6:1-2].

2. Daniel was made chief because of his excellent spirit, [DAN:6:3]; [DAN:5:12].

3. The princes and presidents become jealous of Daniel, [DAN:6:4-5].

4. They seek a way to get rid of Daniel, but can find no fault, [DAN:6:5]; [1SM:29:3] [LUK:23:14]; [JUD:1:24]; [REV:14:5].

II Conspiracy

1. The princes conspire against Daniel, [DAN:6:7-8].

2. The king, ignorant of their devices, signs the decree, [DAN:6:9]; [EST:8:8].

3. Daniel prays as aforetime, [DAN:6:10-13]; [1KG:8:44-45]; [PS:55:17].

4. The King is grieved and labours to free Daniel, [DAN:6:14].

5. The princes hold the king to the decree, [DAN:6:15].

III Daniel in the Lions' Den

1. Daniel is cast into the den of Lions, [DAN:6:16-17].

2. The king spends a sleepless night, [DAN:6:18]; [EST:6:1].

3. Darius goes to the den early and calls to Daniel, [DAN:6:19-20]; [JER:32:17].

4.Daniel answers back and the king is happy, [DAN:6:21-23]; [ISA:63:9]; [ACT:12:11]; [2TM:4:18]; [HEB:11:33].

5. Daniel is taken out of the den and the princes cast into it, [DAN:6:23-24].

6. The king writes to all nations, declaring Daniel's God as the living God, [DAN:6:25-28].

Notes

Government of the Medes and Persians

The Babylonian government had been overthrown by the Medes and Persians. Because of an excellent spirit that was found in Daniel, he had been placed in a high position in the Babylonian government in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. All the 70 years that the Children of Israel were captives in Babylon, Daniel was held in high esteem by that government. Now Babylon had fallen and the Medes and Persians became the second world empire. No doubt they had heard about Daniel before the city was ever taken. Those mighty miracles that God had wrought in Babylon were not done in secret but were open for all to see.

For several centuries the miracles God wrought in Egypt under the hand of Moses were remembered and talked about by the nations around. They feared and trembled before the God of Israel, but still persisted in serving their own gods that had no power -- could not see, hear, or talk.

Jealousy

It is natural to suppose when Darius, the Mede, took over the kingdom he would seek the wisdom and help Daniel could give him. He set 120 princes over the kingdom, and three presidents over these, of whom Daniel was first. This aroused jealousy among the princes. The Bible tells us that "jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance" [PRO:6:34]). "Jealousy is cruel as the grave" [SON:8:6]).

The princes sought to find fault with Daniel that they might accuse him to the king. Daniel was not only faithful to his God, but he was faithful to his country and to the king's business. They could find no fault with him.

The scribes and Pharisees tried to find fault with Jesus. After all their accusations were made, Pilate, the Roman governor, came forth with this statement, "I find no fault in him." Daniel's accusers decided they could find no fault in his life, in his business transactions, or in his fidelity to the king; so they decided they would have to find occasion against him concerning the law of his God.

Prayer

Daniel was a man of prayer. Those princes possibly had seen him many times in his room with his window open toward Jerusalem making intercession to his God. A prayer life means a godly life, a life above reproach, a life that really makes men great -- not always great in the eyes of the world, but great in that they are rich toward God.

Criticism

It is easy for those with a critical eye to find fault with the Gospel. It is too straight; it is too narrow; it takes away your freedom; it makes you an oddity in the world, so they say.

They connived a decree that was sure to trap Daniel. They also caught the king with flattery. "They did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues" [PS:78:36]). The penalty for disobedience to the decree was the lions' dens. The king, not realising their motive, signed the decree, which made it a law. The law of the Medes and Persians was unchangeable. When the king understood their plans and realised the trap they had gotten Daniel into, he laboured hard to deliver Daniel, but to no avail.

An Uncompromising Stand

Daniel was about 90 years old at this time but still able to attend to the duties of the kingdom. The purpose he had had in his heart, as a young man was still the purpose of his heart in his old age. His heart was fixed. No decree of man could swerve him from his personal devotions to his God.

Some might have compromised the issue by praying in secret. Had Daniel been of that type, this story of deliverance from the lions' den would never have been recorded to encourage our faith.

God's Deliverance

A deceiver is never open and aboveboard. He covers the truth. These princes slipped around to his home and found Daniel praying with his windows open to Jerusalem. They reported to the King. The edict was carried out. Daniel was cast into the lions' den. But an angel walked into the lions' den ahead of Daniel and locked the mouths of the lions. They may have been hungry, but they could not open their mouths to take one bite out of Daniel. We believe Daniel must have felt a wonderful peace in his soul, and thanked God for his protection from those savage beasts.

King Darius spent a sleepless night: no food, no music, no gay companions to break the long hours. He was torn between fear and hope. "Fear hath torment" ([1JN:4:18]). His hope was based on past miracles about which he had heard. He did not have that living hope in his soul that gave him confidence that God would undertake.

Joy

As soon as the morning light appeared, the king hastened to the den of lions. When he arrived, he possibly could not see into the den to know if Daniel was still alive, so he cried out: "O Daniel, . . . is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" Back came the answer, "O King, live for ever." Imagine that king leaping for joy when he heard Daniel's voice! He commanded them to take Daniel out of the den; and we believe that the angel who had been with Daniel came out, too, for as soon as his accusers were thrown in, the lions devoured them.

The rulers of the 120 provinces of Persia, combined with those savage beasts of the earth, could bring no hurt to Daniel, because he believed in his God. We are told in the 11th chapter of Hebrews, that faith "stopped the mouths of lions."

Caught in Their Own Trap

Those men who had accused Daniel were punished with the same punishment they had planned for Daniel. "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall" [PS:35:4], [PS:35:7-8]). This was a prayer of David, but how it fits the picture here!

An Everlasting Dominion

Darius was so much awed and inspired by the marvellous deliverance of Daniel that he published another decree: "That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end." This decree was sent to every province of his kingdom. What a marvellous way of telling all the world about the true God! Perhaps many of those people prayed and sought the living God.

One statement that the king made is striking in that he speaks of God's Kingdom not being destroyed and His dominion shall be even unto the end. How did that heathen king know that, unless inspired to speak those words by the Spirit of God? Was there such a gratitude in his heart for Daniel's deliverance that he lifted his heart and eyes heavenward and received an unction from the Holy Spirit to speak truths concerning our Lord's Kingdom?

"Dare to be a Daniel,

Dare to stand alone!

Dare to have a purpose firm!

Dare to make it known!"

Questions

1. Why was Daniel chosen above the other princes?

2. What effect did it have on the other princes?

3. How did they conspire to get rid of Daniel?

4. How did they succeed in getting the king to sign the decree?

5. How did the king feel when he understood the plot?

6. What did Daniel do about it?

7. Why did not the lions devour Daniel?

8. What happened to the princes and their families?

9. Give the substance of another decree the king made.