DANIEL LESSON 7


     We will begin this lesson in Daniel 6:1 "It pleased Darius to set
over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over
the whole kingdom;"

     This was a very large kingdom, and these men were set up to keep
order in the land.

     Daniel 6:2 "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."

     These three men were of higher rank than the 120, and were closer
to the king. It is unusual for a Hebrew to be over these Medes.
Perhaps, the word had come to them of Daniel's reading the handwriting
on the wall and interpreting it. These three presidents were next in
command under the king. It appears, that each of them was over 1/3 of
the kingdom.

     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."

     Daniel found favor with the king, and the king was about to make
Daniel alone over all the kingdoms. This was sure to cause jealousy.
We must remember that the spirit in Daniel was of God. All of his
answers to problems were right, because they came from God. It is no
wonder the king wanted to set him above all the rest.

     Daniel 6:4  "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."

     It appears, the jealousy of the others set them against Daniel.
They tried every way they could to find fault with Daniel, that they
might report it to Darius. Daniel had been a faithful servant of king
Darius. They could find no fault with his work, or his loyalty to the
king. They plotted together to try to get Daniel in trouble.

     Daniel 6:5 "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."

     Everyone who knew Daniel, knew that he was more loyal to his God
than to anyone, or anything else. They decided to trap him, by finding
fault with his worship of God.

     Daniel 6:6 "Then these presidents and princes assembled together
to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever."

     Notice, they began by flattering the king. They really did not
care whether he lived or not, unless it would help them get their way.

     Daniel 6:7 "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."

     The king was proud of his accomplishments, and he thought it
nothing but right for his subjects to consult him first. He loved
Daniel, and had no idea these presidents and princes were conspiring
against Daniel. Notice, in this petition to the king, they appealed to
the vanity of the king. The customs of heathen people, many times,
will not be the same as Godly men. These presidents and princes were
aware of Daniel's loyalty to his God. They knew this was the only way
to trap him. Notice, also, these evil men set the punishment. They
thought they would be rid of Daniel.

     Daniel 6:8 "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."

     Advice from worldly people can cause much harm. A king should be
more careful who he takes council from. Their flattery is what caused
the king to listen to them. They remind him that once he has signed
this paper, there will be no turning back. The law of the Medes and
Persians was carried out when it was signed.

     Daniel 6:9 "Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the
decree."

     Their persuasion was so great, he just signed the paper.

     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."

     One thing we must quickly see here, the law of God is above the
laws of any land. If the law of the land puts you in a position of
sinning against God, you disobey the law of the land and keep God's
law. That is the only reason to disobey the law of the land. We must
be like Daniel, and do right at all cost. He was willing to suffer
whatever consequence came. He must worship God. Daniel did not hide.
He prayed 3 times a day. How many times have you prayed today? Look,
also, at the humbleness of Daniel. He bowed on his knees, before his
God. By opening the window toward Jerusalem, he was saying, his
loyalty was to the God of Israel.

     Daniel 6:11 "Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying
and making supplication before his God."

     They knew he would, so they just waited to catch him praying.
Supplication is another way of asking for favor, or asking God to have
mercy.

     Daniel 6:12 "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."

     This had been the purpose of the decree in the first place. They
wanted to get rid of Daniel. They are the same thing as a tale-bearer.
Children would call them a tattle-tale.

     Daniel 6:13 "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."

     The king would not have accepted this accusation, if it had been
from one person. Several came as witness to this thing Daniel had
done. They cleverly put in the fact that Daniel was of the captives of
Judah, as if that made him a lesser person. Probably, they used that
to say his loyalty lay elsewhere. They are accusing Daniel of ignoring
the decree of the king. Not once, but three times a day he prays.

     Daniel 6:14 "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."

     King Darius loved Daniel. He tried to find some way that he could
get out of throwing Daniel into the lion's den. Now, the king knew he
had been trapped into signing this decree. He was angry with himself
for signing this into law. He did not immediately do this terrible
thing.  His hope was there would be some way out of this. Quick
decisions get us all in trouble from time to time.

     Daniel 6:15 "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."

     These evil, jealous men come to the king again, and tell him he
has to carry out the law he has signed. He has no choice. He needed no
reminding, but they did anyhow.

     Daniel 6:16 "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."

     It is interesting that Darius, the Mede, would tell Daniel that
Daniel's God would save him. I believe this was almost like a prayer
the king prayed. He did not want to harm Daniel. He was trapped. The
king threw Daniel into the lion's den.
     Daniel 6:17 "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."

     The kings signet was pressed into wax to show his seal. This
signet was usually on a ring. We can see a type of the Lord Jesus,
when they put the stone on the tomb, here. Daniel is in the den of
lions. There is seemingly no way out.

     Daniel 6:18  "Then the king went to his palace, and passed the
night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him:
and his sleep went from him."

     We see a very troubled king. His thoughtless act of signing this
decree has brought this terrible thing about. He was so troubled, he
fasted. Kings usually had fine food and drink at their disposal. This
night, Darius wanted none of this. He did not listen to the soft music
to put him to sleep, as he usually did. He did not sleep, in fact. He
wanted Daniel's God to save Daniel.

     Daniel 6:19 "Then the king arose very early in the morning, and
went in haste unto the den of lions."

     We see, again an example of very early in the morning. The women
went to the tomb of Jesus very early in the morning. Darius must go
and see for himself.

     Daniel 6:20 "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?"

     Darius believed that Daniel's God could save him, but in the
physical he knew it would be impossible. He reminds me of the man who
came to Jesus to heal his boy. He said, I believe, but help thou mine
unbelief. This is the way Darius is here. He wants to believe, but it
is hard to believe under these circumstances. He cries out to Daniel,
hoping Daniel will answer. Darius reaffirms his belief in Daniel's
God.

     Daniel 6:21 "Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for
ever."

     This had to be the sweetest sound Darius had ever heard. Daniel
was not angry with Darius.

     Daniel 6:22 "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."

     Daniel was not guilty of sin against God, or against Darius. God
sent His angel to help Daniel. I have said this so many times before,
but we must take note here again. God did not save Daniel from the
lion's den. He saved him in the lion's den. God will not remove all
trouble from you either, but He will be there to help you through
those problems.

     Daniel 6:23 "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."

     The most important statement in the verse above is why Daniel was
not hurt. He believed in his God. Faith in God saved Daniel from the
mouth of the lion. The greatest trials of life require the greatest
faith in God. The king's joy was overwhelming. His faith was helped on
this day, as well. He has them release Daniel from the den. God
protected Daniel in the lion's den.

     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."

     This is a sad scene for those who accused Daniel. They were eaten
of the lions, even before their bodies hit the ground in the den.
Their families were destroyed, also. This seems cruel, but perhaps it
was so this would never happen in their families again. They had
spoken their own punishment on Daniel. The king just gave them the
same opportunity as Daniel. They had no God to call on, and they were
eaten. Those who accused Daniel unjustly, have brought about their own
ruin.

     Daniel 6:25  "Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations,
and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto
you."

     This had a tremendous effect on Darius. Now, we see that he wants
peace with all the people of the earth.

     Daniel 6:26 "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."

     This is the statement of peace that Darius sent to all the
people. This is a statement that Daniel's God is God.  Belief in God
cannot be legislated, but that is what Darius wants here. He believes,
and he wants all of his subjects to believe in the one true God. He,
probably, does not know Him personally, so he speaks of Him as
Daniel's God. Darius has fulfilled the Scripture in Romans chapter 10
verse 9. Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved." He has believed in his heart, and
confessed with his mouth the God of Daniel. He is aware that this is
the Eternal God.
     Daniel 6:27 "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 is very impressed with Daniel's God, because He did the
seemingly impossible, by saving Daniel from the lions. Psalms 46:1
"God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

     Daniel 6:28 "So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and
in the reign of Cyrus the Persian."

     Something intended for bad had turned into something really
great. Darius elevated Daniel to the very highest position next to
himself. Daniel prospered greatly under his rule. It appears, that
Cyrus saw great potential in Daniel, as well. Daniel prospered in his
reign, too. You remember, the Medes and the Persians were the
conquerors here.





































                          Daniel 7 Questions


1.  How many princes did Darius set over the kingdom?
2.  How many presidents did he set up?
3.  Which of these categories did Daniel fit into?
4.  What was unusual about Daniel receiving this honor?
5.  Why was Daniel preferred above them all?
6.  What set the others against Daniel?
7.  What did they try to do, to no avail?
8.  They decided the only way to find anything against Daniel was how?
9.  How did these evil men approach the king?
10. What decree did they ask the king for?
11. They appealed to the _________ of the king to get him to listen.
12. The law of the _________ and _________ would be carried out once
    it was signed.
13. The law of _______ is above the _______ of the land.
14. How often did Daniel pray?
15. Did he hide to pray?
16. What showed Daniel's humbleness before God?
17. What is "supplication" in verse 11?
18. What was the punishment to be for one who broke the decree?
19. Who was Darius displeased with, when he heard what Daniel did?
20. What did Darius do to Daniel?
21. What statement of faith did Darius give in front of Daniel?
22. Why could the king just not punish Daniel?
23. How did they make sure Daniel could not get out of the lion's den?
24. What did the king do the night of Daniel's imprisonment in the
    lion's den?
25. What did the king do very early the next morning?
26. How did Daniel answer Darius?
27. Why was Daniel safe?
28. What happened to Daniel's accusers?
29. What was the decree that Darius made to all people under his rule?
30. Quote Romans chapter 10 verse 9.
31. Quote Psalms chapter 46 verse 1.
32. What happened to Daniel?
33. Who was the other ruler, besides Darius, that accepted Daniel?