Exercise Your Christian Convictions – Daniel 6:1-28
6 It seemed good to Darius to appoint one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom and station them throughout the whole realm, (2) with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. (3) Now this Daniel was distinguished among the administrators and the satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit; so the king planned to set him over the whole realm. (4) Then the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs. But they could find no instance of negligence or corruption, because he was faithful—he was guilty of neither negligence nor corruption. (5) Finally these men said, We shall not find any basis for charges against this Daniel unless we find something against him with regard to the law of his God.
(6) So these administrators and satraps went together to the king and said to him, King Darius, live forever! (7) All the administrators of the kingdom, along with the prefects and the satraps, the advisers and the governors, have agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce an injunction that whoever makes a petition to any god or any man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. (8) Now, O king, issue the injunction and put it into writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, that cannot be repealed. (9) So King Darius put the edict into writing and signed the injunction. (10) Even when Daniel knew that the edict had been signed into law, he went into his house (now the windows in his upstairs room were open towards Jerusalem) and got down on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, just as he had done before.
(11) Then these men went together and found Daniel making petitions and prayers before his God. (12) So they went and spoke to the king about the king’s injunction. Have you not signed an injunction declaring that every man who makes a petition to any god or to any man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den? The king replied, That is true, it is in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, that cannot be repealed. (13) Then they said to the king, That Daniel, who is one of the exiles of Judah, disregards you, O king, and the injunction that you have signed. He continues to make his petitions three times a day. (14) When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and he labored until sunset to save him. (15) Then these men assembled before the king and said to the king, Be aware, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no injunction or statute that the king issues can be altered. (16) So the king gave the order and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, Your God, whom you continually serve, will deliver you. (17) A stone was brought and placed over the entrance of the den. The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet of his nobles, so that nothing about Daniel’s sentence could be changed.
(18) Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating, and no entertainment was brought to him. And he could not sleep. (19) Very early in the morning the king arose and hurried to the lions’ den. (20) When he approached the den, he cried out to Daniel in an anguished voice. The king called out to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to save you from the lions? (21) Then Daniel answered the king, O king, live forever! (22) My God has sent his angel and he has shut the lions’ mouths. They have not harmed me, because I have been found to be innocent before him; and, also, I have done nothing wrong before you, O king. (23) The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was lifted out of the den. No kind of wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. (24) At the king’s command, the men who had brought the charges against Daniel were brought in and they threw them into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. Before they even reached the bottom of the pit, the lions overpowered them and broke their bones to pieces.
(25) Then King Darius wrote this proclamation to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language who dwell in all the world: May you have an abundance of peace. (26) I issue a decree commanding that in every part of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and he endures forever. His kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed and his dominion shall continue to the end of time. (27) He delivers and rescues; he performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. (28) So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
