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| 1 It was pleasing before Darius, that he should set up over the kingdom, a hundred and twenty satraps,–that they should be over all the kingdom; |
It pleased Darius – Identified with the Cyrus of secular and Biblical history. R3638:3
Possibly Darius was merely an official title of Cyrus; or, Darius may have been vicegerent of Cyrus in Babylon. R3638:3
The whole kingdom – The entire civilized world. R3638:6
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| 2 and, over these, three confidential ministers, of whom, Daniel, was first,–that, to them, these satraps should render an account, and, the king, not be suffering loss. |
Daniel was first – At this time Daniel was an old man. R4874:3
Honored as the most competent and trustworthy. R3639:1, R2502:1
God's dealings with spiritual Israel are different. Our rewards for faithfulness are spiritual; joint-heirship with our Lord in the heavenly Kingdom. R3633:5
Their desire to have such a man of high repute in authority seems to evidence good intentions in their governing of the world. R4875:1
Have no damage – No doubt he stood in the way of many schemes for the plundering of the treasury. R2501:2, R4875:2
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| 3 Then, this Daniel, signalised himself, above the ministers and the satraps, because, a distinguished spirit, was in him, and, the king, thought to set him up over all the kingdom, |
Was preferred – Because of his honesty and opposition to unjust practices. R3639:1, R4875:1
A compliment in recognition of his ability, indicating the king's breadth of mind. R4875:1
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| 4 Then, the ministers and the satraps, began seeking to find, occasion, against Daniel, in respect of the kingdom,–but, no occasion nor wickedness, could they find, inasmuch as, faithful, was he, and, neither error nor wickedness, could be found against him. |
Sought to find – Envy and hatred are set down in the Word of God as works of the flesh and of the devil, antagonistic to everything that is good and right and approved of the Lord. R3639:3
Against Daniel – He was sure to have a host of secret enemies. R2501:2; PD52/62
Because he interfered with their schemes of graft. R3639:2
"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, (2 Tim. 3:12) "Because ye are not of th R2501:2
Could find none occasion – Oh, that every Christian would live as high above the world's standards as did Daniel; that their enemies might have no grounds for charges except those to their credit. R4875:5
Nor fault – Nothing that they could bring against him as a real charge or crime. R3639:2
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| 5 Then, these men, were saying, We shall not find against this Daniel, any occasion; unless we find it against him in respect of the law of his God. |
Law of his God – They knew that Daniel's religion lay at the foundation of his entire course in life. R4875:2
Not finding any wrong doing in Daniel, they concluded to entrap him in his well-doing. R3639:5
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| 6 Then, these ministers and satraps, crowded together unto the king,–and, thus, were saying to him, O Darius the king! for ages, live! |
King Darius – He, like every other man, was approachable through flattery. R4875:2, R3639:5
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| 7 All the ministers of the kingdom, the nobles and satraps, the near friends and the pashas, have consulted together, to establish a royal statute, and to confirm an interdict,–That, whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. |
A firm decree – The king was supposed to be possessed by Ormuzd, the deity of the empire, so his decrees were considered infallible and inviolable even by himself. R2501:4, R3640:4
Suggested as a piece of statecraft, it was a fraud upon the people. R2501:4
Save of thee – The kings of ancient times posed as chief priests and vicegerents of their gods. R3639:5, R4875:2
The claim was that such a recognition would elevate the dignity of the throne in the minds of the people. R4875:2
Had the decree been different, Daniel's course might have been different. If it had banned public worship, he might consistently have worshipped in private. R3640:2
Similarly, the popes of Rome claim to be the vicegerents of Christ. R3639:5
Flattery and vanity have often been the tools of the Adversary for the injury of the Lord's people and cause. R3639:5
The false reasoning was of the Jezuitical sort, that an evil or falsehood is justified if beneficial results are hoped for. R2501:4
Every leader in the family of God should be on guard against accepting to himself any credit due to God for the truth or some ability in presenting it to others. R3639:6
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| 8 Now, O king! wilt thou establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed–according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished, |
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| 9 Wherefore, King Darius, signed the writing and the interdict. |
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| 10 But, Daniel, when he knew that the writing, was signed, went to his own house, and, the windows being opened to him, in his chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times a day, was he kneeling upon his knees, and praying and giving thanks before his God, in like manner as he had been doing aforetime. |
Daniel knew – He understood that the purpose of it was to entrap him. R3640:2
That if God would not deliver him now he would, in his own good time and way, grant him a still more glorious deliverance. R1409:6
In his chamber – An upper chamber for quiet, rest and prayer, reached usually by an outside staircase. R3640:1
Toward Jerusalem – The typical city of God and its Temple. R2501:6
Calling to mind the gracious promises respecting the Holy Land, that it would yet be the center of the whole earth and of God's holy people. R4875:4
Because Daniel remembered the promise of Israel's return to Jerusalem after 70 years of desolation. R3640:1, R2501:5
He kneeled – Unwilling to assume a less humble position before God than he and others assumed toward earthly kings. R2501:6
It is impossible for a Christian to maintain a proper walk in life without regularity in prayer-- we are almost inclined to say, without kneeling in prayer. R2501:6, R3640:2, R4875:4
Upon his knees – Daniel was not satisfied merely to close his eyes in prayer after he had retired to rest. He was not ashamed to bow the knee to the Almighty. R2501:6
Daniel's private worship in so public a manner may have been because to have worshipped in secret might be misunderstood to mean he did not worship at all. R2501:5
The Lord commended differently to the household of faith: "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." (Matt. 6:6) R2501:5
Three times a day – The child of God will desire to commune with his Creator as surely as he will desire natural food and drink for the sustenance of his natural body. R2502:1
And prayed – He would not sell his conscience and deny his God; he would not pretend he was praying to Darius. R3640:2
We should be extremely careful about compromising conscience. R3640:2
Without communion with his Maker, his faith and his loyalty to principle could not be maintained in the midst of corruption. R4875:4
It is impossible to live a consecrated life in neglect of prayer. R4875:4
As the sharpening of scythes in harvest time does not mean lost time or energy, so also time spent in prayer is not lost as respects the affairs of life. R4875:4
The thought of praying in solitude, however, does not interfere with the thought of family prayers or prayers in the church, which is the Lord's family circle. R3640:3
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| 11 Then, these men, crowded together, and found Daniel,–praying and making supplication, before his God. |
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| 12 Then drew they near, and began to speak before the king, concerning the royal interdict, Didst thou not sign, an interdict, that, any man who should petition of any God or man, for thirty days, save of thee, O king, should be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, Certain is the thing–according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be abolished. |
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| 13 Then answered they and were saying before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the exile of Judah, hath made thee, O king, of none account, also the interdict which thou hast signed,–but, three times a day, is asking his petition. |
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| 14 Then, the king, when he heard, the matter, was sorely displeased with himself, and, upon Daniel, set his heart, to deliver him,–and, until the going in of the sun, was striving to rescue him. |
Then the king – His eyes were opened and he beheld the trap. R3640:4, R4875:5, R2502:2
Displeased – He was ashamed of the part which he felt compelled to take. R4875:5
With himself – These words are lacking from some of the reliable manuscripts, making the displeasure all the broader to include the counsellors. R3640:4
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| 15 Then, these men, crowded unto the king,–and were saying to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that, no interdict nor statute which the king establisheth, may be changed. |
May be changed – A veiled threat of insurrection. R2502:2
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| 16 Then, the king, gave word, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spake and said to Daniel,–Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, he, will deliver thee. |
Brought Daniel – A man whose faithfulness to the Lord and to principle was so strong in faith that he could go to the lion's den without fear. R3640:6
Much more, why should we, if faithful and with still greater light, fear and quake under such circumstances? R3640:6
Into the den – Probably a lion pit surrounded by high walls. R3640:5
Servest continually – Every Christian life should testify to his own character and faithfulness, and of the God whom he worships. R2502:2
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| 17 And there was brought a certain stone, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his nobles, that nothing might be changed, as to Daniel. |
A stone – Used for a door, sealed with thongs, the knots of which were sealed with the king's signet. R4875:5
Probably fastened to its place with an iron bar. R2502:3
Of his lords – Who were amongst the conspirators--to prove that it was not tampered with. R2502:3
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| 18 Then the king departed to his palace, and spent the night fasting, and no, table, was brought in before him,–and, his sleep, fled from him. |
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| 19 Then the king rose early, with the dawn,–and, hastily–unto the den of lions, departed; |
And went in haste – It is good to realize that our worldly friends are watching us to see to what extent our God delivers us from the difficulties and trials of life's pathway. R3641:2
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| 20 and, when he drew near to the den, unto Daniel, with distressed voice, made he outcry,–the king spake and said unto Daniel, O Daniel! servant of the Living God! Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, hath he been able to deliver thee from the lions? |
God, whom thou servest – The king properly associated Daniel's faithful service to God with his hope respecting God's faithfulness to Daniel. R2502:3
Able to deliver – At present, some who are not of the consecrated have considerable faith in God and in us as his children. R3641:2
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| 21 Then, Daniel, with the king, spake,–O king! for ages, live! |
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| 22 My God, hath sent his messenger, and hath shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as, before him, rectitude was found in me, moreover also, before thee, O king, no, crime, had I committed. |
Sent his angel – His providences. R2502:5
Any power or agency which God might employ. R2502:4, R3641:3
"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them." (Psa. 34:7) R3641:3
The lions' mouths – Restrained from doing violence to Daniel. R2502:4, R3641:3
Lions great and small, picturing tests that come to us, threaten the Lord's people in the present time; but, as illustrated by Bunyan, they are chained and go only so far, leaving room to pass between. R3641:1
It is possible for human mouths to do us more harm than the mouths of wild beasts. R2502:5
God is not less able to send his providences to prevent injury to his people now. R2502:6
"No lion shall be there." (Isa. 35:9) R3641:1
Have not hurt me – "Nothing shall hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." (Isa. 11:9) R3641:1
Was found in me – Haughtiness and bravado are wholly lacking in the prophet's announcement of the great favor of God on his behalf. R2502:4
The Lord's people are not to boast of results, but to give the glory to God. R2502:4
And also before thee – A conscience "void of offence toward God and man." (Acts 24:16) R3641:4
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| 23 Then, the king, was exceedingly glad concerning him, and gave word to take up, Daniel, out of the den. So Daniel, was taken up, out of the den, and, no manner of hurt, was found in him, for that he had trusted in his God. |
No manner of hurt – Because of his faith and loyalty to God, Daniel was delivered. R1409:2
It may please the Father to deliver us as he did Daniel, or he may overrule otherwise as in Stephen's case; but always He overrules to bless. R2502:6, R3641:3
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| 24 And the king, gave word, that they should bring those men who had accused Daniel, and, into the den of lions, they cast them–them, their children, and their wives,–and, they had not reached the bottom of the den, when the lions, seized them, and, all their bones, brake they in pieces. |
Into the den – Making a test as to which were worthy in the sight of the Lord. R3641:5
Josephus adds, from tradition, that the conspirators claimed the lions had been previously fed and that the king demonstrated the matter by having the lions liberally fed before throwing them into the den where they were speedily devoured. R2503:1
It is not for us to think of having our enemies devoured, nor to rejoice over their fall. R3641:5
Those who dig pits for others are likely to fall therein themselves. R2503:4
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| 25 Then, Darius the king, wrote to all the peoples, the races, and the tongues who were dwelling in all the earth, Your prosperity abound! |
Darius wrote – Declaring his reverence for Jehovah, the God of Daniel. R2541:3
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| 26 From before me, is appointed a decree that, throughout every dominion of my kingdom, men tremble and withdraw falteringly from before the God of Daniel,–for that, he, is the Living God, and abiding for ages, and, his kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed, and, his dominion, is unto the end: |
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| 27 who delivereth and rescueth and worketh signs and wonders, in the heavens, and in the earth,–for that he hath delivered Daniel out of the power of the lions. |
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| 28 And, this Daniel, prospered in the reign of Darius,–and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. |
The reign of Darius – It would appear that Cyrus was in some respects the chief, yet that Darius was the representative of the authority in Babylon for a time, and that upon his death Cyrus became sole emperor. R2509:3
Cyrus – As Cyrus, a type of Christ, overthrew Babylon, so a part of the work of the second advent will be the overthrow of antitypical Babylon. R5092:3, R2498:4
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