|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
   |
|
|
|
|
|
A stone has been sealed over the opening, just as another stone will be sealed against another opening nearly 600 years later. Against the power of the true God, no seal of a mortal king can stand. King Darius has spent a sleepless night considering Daniel's situation and his commitment to his faith. What an impact his life has made. Daniel had no doubt that his God was able to save him, but would He? As the hours ticked by, Darius struggled with this question. Daniel 6:19-22 Then the king got up very early in the morning, and hurried to the den of lions. When he came close to the den, he cried with a anguished voice to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, was your God, whom you serve continually, able to save you from the lions?" Then Daniel answered the king, "O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths. They have not hurt me. I was found innocent before him. Also, before you, O king, I have done nothing wrong." The stone may have already been removed, but it is possible that some commentators simply make too much of this. If the stone were still in place, it would be normal for the king to call out since he would be unable to see into the den. The stone would have many small openings rather than being a complete seal. Imagine the shock on Darius' face! He would have been thrilled, yet surprised. He showed remarkable faith in God, a testament to the witness Daniel had been to the reality of his faith. As a Gentile, Darius would have had to be deeply impressed by this answer to Daniel's prayer. Daniel reminds the king that he was innocent of doing anything that would harm the kingdom. This appears to be a subtle admonission to Darius that he should be more balanced in the decisions he makes: his focus should be on dealing with wrongdoing, not managing religious affiliations. Daniel 6:23-24 The king was extremely pleased, and commanded that they take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and no wound was found upon him, because he trusted in his God. At the king's command they brought those men that had accused Daniel, and they threw them into the den of lions along with their children and their wives. And the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces before they even reached the bottom of the den. Now the tables are turned on the evildoers who put the king up to this trickery. It was common practice in those days to put the entire families to death to ensure that some vengeful family member wouldn't try to take out the king or cause him political trouble later on. Daniel 6:25-27 Then king Darius wrote to all the people, nations and languages that lived throughout the land: "Peace be multiplied to you. I issue a decree, That in every part of my kingdom men tremble before and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and steadfast forever, his kingdom will not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He rescues and saves, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, and has saved Daniel from the power of the lions." This decree is remarkable considering the polytheistic culture. However, while it is possible that Darius was a genuine believer in the one true God, this decree is no guarantee of that. Daniel 6:28 So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. In Daniel chapter 1 we see that he remains in the city of Babylon until the first year of Cyrus. Clearly he left Babylon at that time. An old man by the time of the release of the Jewish captives (well into his eighties), it is unlikely that Daniel made the trip to Judah. His final prophetic vision was given to him on the shores of the Tigris river (Babylon is on the Euphrates) in the third year of Cyrus, so when we put that together with Daniel 1 we can assume that he left Babylon after the first year of Cyrus but continued to live in that part of the world. |
|
|
|
||
|
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
