Daniel and Darius the Mede - Thrown Into The Den of Lions

Chapter 6 is one of them most well known stories in the Bible - Daniel in the Lion's Den. The setting is the aftermath of the Persian conquest of Babylon. A new government was being formed... very likely within the first or second year 539-537 BC. Daniel was over 80 years old but God still had a  few more things for him to do.

https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2022/09/daniel-and-darius-mede-thrown-into-den.html

The kingdom of Persia was really the Medes and Persians, the Persians were the dominant partner. Darius is identified as a Mede, not a Persian:

l Darius could be a subordinate of Cyrus who as appointed over Babylon, or

l Darius could be a secondary name of Cyrus himself signifying him as the head honcho over both Medes and Persians.

Daniel 6:1-5 The other administrators were jealous of Daniel… “what! … that guy over us” … "let's find something in his religion that conflicts with our laws... and force Daniel to either obey God or obey the king". By what they say we can make the following assumptions:

l Daniel's religious convictions and behavior were public knowledge, he was not hiding his spiritual life hoping no one would notice.

l They  assumed he would choose to obey YHWH over Darius and then they would get him. So, his willingness to suffer loss for the sake of God was known.

Daniel 6:6-9 Persians did not consider their kings to be deities. So this probably means that only Darius should act as mediator to the gods... rather than people going directly to their god.

The Persians were tolerant and encouraging of the different nations in the empire worshiping their own Gods. They just wanted to be sure it all happened under the umbrella of the Persian government. The quest for one world government is nothing new… that was Babylon’s dream, Persia’s dream, the Hellenic Greeks dream… and the Romans dream… it lives on.

Daniel 6:10-11 Daniel specifically defies a law of the land Romans 13:1-2, Acts 5:29.

We usually think of this rejecting government regulations that order us to either disregard God's laws, or to disobey them. However, Daniel's rejection of this government regulation is not a matter of transgression of a law... it is about the performance of what is pleasing to God.

Daniel could have reasoned his way out of this... "there is not specific law about prayer, so perhaps I'll just take a break for the next month until it all blows over"... but he did not!

Trapped By Legalism Without Mercy

Daniel 6:12-16 Darius liked Daniel but he's caught in a legal trap. He desperately looks for some legal loophole but he cannot. The administrators and satraps remind him of the Persian legal philosophy, the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be altered or passed over.

· On one hand this approach looks good. No person is considered above the law. The law cannot be changed by personal whim even by the king. Basic “rule of law” thinking.

· On the other hand it shows the weakness of ruling with a rod or iron... but not having mercy.

We often think of our training to serve with Christ during his millennial rule as carefully learning God's laws and demonstrating faithfulness to His law. But, God says in no uncertain terms "I desire mercy" James 2:12-13. His desire is that you learn to judge based on the right principles of law... but that you temper it with mercy...

Like the Medes and Persians God’s law cannot simply be ignored, or passed over because of feelings… Darius liked Daniel but he was trapped. But God has a way to accomplish both goals. Through the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

1) the law is upheld/penalty for sin is paid - God is righteous

2) mercy is applied/ God can act graciously toward you - God is merciful

3) you live - God gives life.

Legal Protection For Jewish Exiles

Daniel 6:17-28 Notice that Darius issues a decree giving legal protection for all those who worship YHWH the God of Daniel and of the Jewish people. Nebuchadnazzer of Babylon had issued a similar decree protecting religious observances of the worshipers of YHWH. But Babylon was gone now... there was a new boss in town... with new laws... with no remembrance of the laws of Babylon or why they were enacted. Through Daniel, the true and living God maneuvered Darius into encoding the same religious protections.

This incident, the last record of Daniel's exploits in the courts of the kings sets the stage for what is to come. The Persian kings have a good relationship with the Jewish people moving forward. They seem very positive towards the Jews. Through Persia YHWH will return the exiles to the land as prophesied… and at the appointed time.

Ezra 1:1-4 as prophesied by Isaiah the king that topples Babylon will set in motion the restoration of the exiles to the promised land and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:7 Cyrus returns the articles of the temple to Jerusalem... the same drinking vessels and other items Belshazzar has used to insult and blaspheme YHWH.