Daniel Chapter 6

Verse 1

This verse continues the story from the last verse of Chapter 5, where Darius received the kingdom from Babylon and became the head of a new world empire.

Darius’ kingdom was now so greatly enlarged that he set about to reorganize his government. At this point the Medo-Persian Empire contained 120 separate provinces, and Darius appointed a satrap (prince, KJV) over each.

Verse 2

Darius also appointed three governors (presidents, KJV), who were given charge over the conquered territories of Babylon, Lydia and Egypt. The satraps within each of these territories reported to their respective governor. The governors were responsible for maintaining the national security, collecting tribute and putting down armed uprisings so that the royal interests did not suffer.

Darius called Daniel out of retirement and appointed him as one of the governors, most likely to administer the conquered territory of Babylon. Darius entrusted Daniel with this critical position even though he was now in his eighties and was the former prime minister of Babylon. It is remarkable that a king would appoint a top official from a conquered kingdom to a similar position in his new empire. The qualities that induced Darius to appoint him to this position must have been impressive. (SOP 1)

Verse 3

Daniel soon distinguished himself above the other two governors and 120 satraps because “an excellent spirit was in him” (compare with Daniel 5:11, 12). These words point to the heavenly origin of his character and disposition. Throughout his life Daniel gave evidence that the Holy Spirit dwelt in him. His contemporaries lacked his knowledge given by the grace of God, but they constantly recognized it.

Daniel so distinguished himself that King Darius set him over the other two governors, all 120 satraps and began to consider appointing him as prime minister over the entire kingdom. Daniel was honest, reliable, intelligent and predictable – what better person to have as your right hand man!

Verse 4

The king’s action aroused the envy of Daniel’s subordinates. Resentment against an old man who filled a position one of them might have held, compounded with anti-Semitism, roused them against Daniel. Crooked politics raised its ugly face and they began to plot his downfall. (SOP 2)

These politicians ordered their legal sleuths to “dig for dirt” in his character and conduct, but they could find nothing! What a testimony to Daniel’s integrity and faithfulness to duty! (SOP 3)

Verse 5

Daniel was ethically and morally impregnable, and his enemies abandoned their approach. His life of devotion to God and his virtuous conduct in all affairs of state threatened them each time they came into contact with him. They finally figured that he could not be entrapped, “unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” It was Satan who suggested to these men a plan whereby they might get rid of Daniel. (SOP 4)

Realizing that they could point to no fault in this uncommon man, they concocted a plot to bring about his undoing because of his devotion to God. Lawyers were hired to frame religious legislation defining a new capitol crime. They were confident that they could destroy Daniel by it.

Verses 6, 7

Pressing tumultuously into the king’s presence, representatives of the governors and satraps excitedly heaped flatteries upon Darius. They allowed him no time for reflection, and overwhelmed him by the sheer weight of numbers. They assured him that “all” the leaders of the kingdom had consulted together to produce this unique statute. Their unanimous decision was that he should issue a law prohibiting his subjects from petitioning any god or man except the king for 30 days. The penalty for its infraction was death in the lions’ den. In fact, they had a copy of the statute ready for him to sign (see vs. 9).

Although it was common in ancient times for a sovereign ruler to be considered a god, the Medes and Persians were an exception. This edict would exalt Darius to the position of a deity. Swayed by this heady honor, the king glowed in the confidence his nobles expressed in him. The king was to be the representative of the state, and all his subjects must worship him for a month.

Verses 8, 9

His counselors urged Darius to put this legislation into effect at once. Because they suspected he might later try to override it, they reminded him that according to the Medo-Persian law it might not be rescinded or altered.

The unwary king allowed vanity to mute his judgment, and gave his irreversible sanction to a measure the consequences of which he had not stopped to weigh.

Notice that Daniel’s enemies had to work in an underhanded way to deceive the civil power into proclaiming a religious decree forbidding true worship. The king was not Daniel’s enemy. He only became a menace to Daniel when he listened to the advice of his counselors, who were enemies of Daniel.

Notice also the close relationship between the stories in Daniel 3 and Daniel 6. In Daniel 3 the king tried to impose false worship, but in Daniel 6 the king tried to forbid true worship.

Verse 10

When Daniel became aware of the plot to ban prayer he realized that it was aimed to destroy him. But he made no protest. After reading the edict he left his office and retired to his upper chamber, his regular place for study and devotions. There he knelt before the open window that faced Jerusalem (the direction of the temple where God had manifested His glory), and prayed. He regarded prayer as of so great importance that he would rather sacrifice his life than relinquish it. No doubt this prayer included supplication for strength to endure the trial he was certain lay before him.

Daniel made no attempt to conceal his devotions, but fearlessly prayed aloud as was his habit. (SOP 5) Clearly his life was not governed by feelings, but by unchanging principles. (SOP 6)

Verse 11

By agreement Daniel’s enemies were on hand to observe him petitioning his God three times in one day. By praying openly, Daniel denied the right of his earthly king to regulate his relationship with Heaven. At the same time he acknowledged the supreme authority of the King of kings.

Verses 12, 13

Again the spokesmen of the counselors assembled excitedly in the king’s court. First reminding Darius of the irrevocable nature of his edict, they then laid Daniel’s infraction before him. They affirmed that he had petitioned his God instead of the king. Like Belshazzar before them, they derisively referred to Daniel as a Jewish exile from a foreign land.

The stylus marks on the clay tablet recording the new law could hardly have hardened before the king’s beloved prime minister was arraigned before him. He was charged with defiance against his divine majesty and treason against his government.

Verse 14

The king, when he heard these words, was bitterly distressed with himself, and he racked his brains until sunset to find some way out. Darius recognized that he had been tricked by his wily counselors, whom he had naively trusted. He was irritated that he had allowed his vanity to preclude any legal way to rescue Daniel. He was very angry with his cabinet, and even more disgusted with himself for allowing them to manipulate him. He was caught between the conspirators and the irreversible decree. What should he do?

Consider that when Darius later executed the conspirators there was no law compelling him to do so. He simply exercised his supreme authority, and did so without consulting anyone. Could he have exercised his supreme authority to save Daniel by simply refusing to enforce the irreversible decree? If so, pride and conceit held him back.

History has recorded other instances of such cowardice. Before his guests, the drunken Herod turned John the Baptist over to the executioner rather than go back on his word to a dancing girl. Pilate turned the innocent Jesus over to be crucified rather than cross the Jewish leaders. These judges all allowed pride and policy to smother their sense of justice.

Verses 15, 16

At sunset, the conspirators again came before the king and reminded him that the law was unchangeable. So he reluctantly summoned Daniel, the victim of this scheme. (SOP 7) Daniel eloquently defended himself before the court, but this had no effect on the conspirators or the king. His enemies had him in their grasp and they were not about to let him escape.

Neither did his defense shame Darius into overruling the proceedings and saving him. (SOP 8) And so Darius reluctantly gave the command for Daniel to be cast into the den of lions, adding that the God he served continually would save him.

Try to imagine what it must have been like for an aged man well into his eighties being cast bodily into a pit full of ravenous lions. But God honored Daniel’s faith and protected him from the fall, gently bearing him up as he fell to the bottom of the pit (Psalm 91:11, 12, Isaiah 46:3, 4).

Daniel recorded nothing of his feelings or what took place while he was in the den of lions. His mind was locked upon his Deliverer, Who had shut the mouths of the lions.

Verse 17

Daniel’s enemies used every precaution to ensure that the pit was secure. The king didn’t trust the conspirators, and they certainly didn’t trust him. The king may have been afraid that the conspirators might come during the night to make sure of Daniel’s death. And the conspirators may have been afraid that the king might release Daniel. Both parties insisted that their seals be placed upon the stone, so the king used his signet and those of the conspirators to make sure that the pit would not be tampered with during the night. Now there was apparently no escape for Daniel.

Verse 18

Remorseful and irritated, the king retired to his troubled bed to pass the night “fasting.” This word is not used in a religious sense, the king didn’t feel like eating. Neither did he want entertainment (the meaning of the word translated “musicians” is uncertain), and he wasn’t able to sleep. Although the king liked and respected Daniel, his reaction to Daniel’s fate makes it clear that his conscience was bothering him for what he had done. (SOP 9)

Verses 19, 20

Early the next morning, Darius went to the lion’s den. The guards must have been startled to see the king come at this early hour. His mind in turmoil and fearing the worst, he was determined to know the fate of his prime minister.

Hoping against hope that he was still alive, Darius cried out in agitated and anguished tones, “Has your God whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”

Verses 21, 22

From the reeking pit came the ringing reply. In a voice that was calm, polite and confident, Daniel called out: “O king, live forever!” What a greeting for his murderer!

Daniel then pointed out to Darius that God had delivered him because he was innocent of any wrongdoing. This gentle reproof must have cut the king to his heart.

The “angel” who had delivered Daniel was none other than Jesus Himself (see Psalm 34:7, 32:7)! He had come more than fifty years earlier to stand with Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in the fiery furnace. Wicked men had sealed the lion’s den to destroy God’s faithful servant, but the Saviour sealed the jaws of the lions to ensure that he lived!

Verse 23

The king happily ordered Daniel to be drawn up from the den. Upon examining him the delighted king found that “no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.” The Babylonian officials had given this same verdict on the condition of the three young men after they came out of the fiery furnace.

It was Daniel’s faith that caused God to shut the lion’s mouths (Hebrews 11:32, 33). He did his best to respond to the challenge with fortitude, and God’s grace made the victory certain.

Verse 24

The king immediately ordered that Daniel’s accusers be brought. No doubt they had excuses as to why the lions had not eaten Daniel. The historian Josephus reported that they said the lions had been gorged with meat before Daniel was thrown into the den. Darius tested their theory by having large portions of meat fed to the lions, and then having them thrown into the den (along with their families, as was the custom). The lions proved their theory false by pouncing upon them and crunching up bones and all before they made it to the bottom of the den.

Verses 25 – 27

Darius had become a believer. The conspirators had destroyed themselves and God had vindicated His beloved saint. The king wrote out a decree commanding all his subjects to tremble and fear before Danel’s God who is the living and true God. His words are reminiscent of those of Nebuchadnezzar, not after the fiery furnace, but after he was converted.

The unbending integrity of Daniel again became the means of spreading the knowledge of the true God to a heathen king and nation. The world learned about the power and concern which God has for His followers through the experience of one old man, who was standing on the verge of the grave.

Verse 28

Daniel concluded this account by humbly stating that he prospered as prime minister during the reign of Darius, which lasted only two years, and Cyrus his successor.

The End-Time Dimension of Daniel 6

1. In this story Daniel represents the end-time remnant, which will possess the same character as Daniel. Notice the following parallels between Daniel and the final remnant:

a. Daniel had the gift of prophecy. The final remnant will have the Testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 12:17, 19:10, 22:8, 9).

b. Daniel was obedient to God’s commandments. The final remnant will keep the commandments of God (Revelation 12:17, 14:12).

c. Daniel worshipped only the true God and refused to worship man. The final remnant will worship the true creator and refuse to worship man (Revelation 14:7, 14:9-11).

d. Daniel’s faith in God saw him through the crisis. The last remnant will have the faith of Jesus, which will see them through the final crisis (Revelation 14:12).

e. Daniel was faithful in the daily duties of life. The final remnant will also be faithful in the daily duties of life. They will be honest and trustworthy in the small things, and thus will stand firm when the big test comes (Luke 16:10).

2. Faithfulness to God’s law will be the central issue in the final conflict. The wicked will not be able to find any fault in our observance of the second table of the law, so they will have to accuse us in connection with the first table.

3. Another related issue in the final conflict will be worship. At the end, the beast and his image will not only try to establish religion by enforcing Sunday observance, but will forbid the free exercise of religion by forbidding the observance of the true Sabbath. Thus Sunday laws will eventually become anti-Sabbath laws.

4. God’s people in this crisis will have an unshakable and unbreakable faith like the faith that Jesus had.

5. The religious leaders of the United States and the world in general will deceive the political rulers into thinking that the remnant are a threat to the welfare of the state (see John 11:50). They will persuade presidents and rulers to proclaim religious laws. They will legislate the first table of God’s law, which is totally illegitimate.

6. God’s people will come face to face with a death decree (Revelation 13:15) because they insist on worshipping God as He has commanded. This will lead to a time of trouble such as has never been seen in the history of the world.

7. God’s people will be a people of prayer. Ellen White tells us that in the time of trouble God’s people will cry out day and night to God for deliverance. Like Jacob in his night of wrestling with God, they will not let go until they have the absolute assurance of God’s presence.

8. God’s people will be in a covenant relationship with their Lord and this will guarantee their protection. When they are about to be slain, Michael will stand up to deliver His people who are in this covenant relation (Daniel 12:1).

9. The wicked will suffer the same fate which they desired for the righteous. The kings of the earth will turn on those who deceived them into attempting to kill the final remnant (Revelation 17:16, 17).

Spirit of Prophecy Quotations

1 “Unwavering in his allegiance to God, unyielding in his mastery of self, Daniel, by his noble dignity and unswerving integrity, while yet a young man, won the "favor and tender love" of the heathen officer in whose charge he had been placed. Daniel 1:9. The same characteristics marked his afterlife. He rose speedily to the position of prime minister of the kingdom of Babylon. Through the reign of successive monarchs, the downfall of the nation, and the establishment of another world empire, such were his wisdom and statesmanship, so perfect his tact, his courtesy, his genuine goodness of heart, his fidelity to principle, that even his enemies were forced to the confession that "they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful." – Prophets and Kings, page 546.

2 ”. . . when the leading men of the kingdom saw Daniel thus favored, they became jealous of him, and soon envied and hated him. His course of unbending integrity was in marked contrast to their own lives. The more upright and righteous he was, the more they hated him. Long they sought to find something whereby he might be condemned. It angered them to think that they could lay nothing to his charge. But he was prime minister of the kingdom, and they knew they would have to prove any charge they brought against him.

“Daniel's position was not an enviable one. He stood at the head of a dishonest, prevaricating, godless cabinet, whose members watched him with keen, jealous eyes, to find some flaw in his conduct. They kept spies on his track, to see if they could not in this way find something against him.” – The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.

3 “His business transactions, when subjected to the closest scrutiny of his enemies, were found to be without one flaw. He was an example of what every businessman may become when his heart is converted and consecrated, and when his motives are right in the sight of God.” – Conflict and Courage, page 254.

4 “Satan suggested to these men a plan whereby they might get rid of Daniel. Use his religion as a means of condemning him, the enemy said.” – The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.

5 “Daniel did not seek to hide his loyalty to God. He did not pray in his heart, but with his voice, aloud, with his window open toward Jerusalem, he offered up his petition to heaven.” – Our High Calling, page 357.

6 “Some may ask, Why did not Daniel lift his soul to God in secret prayer? Would not the Lord, knowing the situation, have excused his servant from kneeling openly before him? Or why did he not kneel before God in some secret place, where his enemies could not see him?

“Daniel knew that the God of Israel must be honored before the [Medo-Persian] nation. He knew that neither kings nor nobles had any right to come between him and his duty to his God. He must bravely maintain his religious principles before all men; for he was God's witness. Therefore he prayed as was his wont, as if no decree had been made.” – The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.

7 “Daniel was brought before the king and his princes to answer the accusation brought against him. He had opportunity to speak for himself, and he boldly acknowledged his belief in the living God, the maker of heaven and earth. He made a noble confession of faith, relating his experience from his first connection with the kingdom.” – The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.

8 “In his perplexity and distress, Darius said to Daniel, I have done all I can to save you. I can do no more.” – The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.

9 ”Daniel's testimony had made a deep impression on his mind. He had some knowledge of the dealing of God with the people of Israel, and Daniel's conduct sent home to his heart the conviction, that the God of the Hebrews was the true God. He was filled with remorse for having signed the decree brought to him. His conscience was awakened, and he passed a sleepless and troubled night. The chamber of royalty was one of sorrow and prayer. All music was hushed. All amusements were laid aside. No comforters were admitted.

“During that sleepless night the king thought as he had never thought before.” – The Youth’s Instructor, November 1, 1900.