Daniel 6
"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Psalm 34:7
Now it was Daniel's turn to be tested. Darius the king appointed one hundred twenty men called satraps who ruled over different areas of the kingdom. There were three administrators over the satraps, and Daniel was one of these. Daniel had so distinguished himself by his exceptional qualities that the king was planning to set him over the whole kingdom. The other administrators and the satraps got wind of Darius' plan. These men were jealous and angry that a Jew, an exile, was about to be promoted to such a high position. They tried to find some grounds for charges against Daniel in the way he fulfilled his position, but they could find nothing wrong. Daniel 6:4 says, "They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent." Daniel's sterling character is a challenge to us. The secret of Daniel's integrity was the regularity of his prayer life. When Daniel got on his knees and said, "God, it's Daniel," God didn't ask, "Daniel who?" Have you made spending time with God everyday your top priority? Can you improve in this area of your Christian walk?
The officials knew that Daniel regularly worshiped his God, and this was the only thing they could find to use against him. The group went to King Darius and persuaded him to issue an edict that anyone who prayed to any god or human other than the king for thirty days would be thrown into a den of lions. Once Darius put this decree in writing, it could not be repealed. Apparently Darius' pride in the fact that he would be the only one in the kingdom to be worshiped for thirty days blinded him to the consequences of his decision.
It was Daniel's custom to pray three times a day. After the edict went into effect, Daniel got down on his knees in front of his windows, which were opened toward Jerusalem, and prayed as always. Daniel's enemies went to King Darius, told him Daniel was still praying to his God, and insisted he be thrown to the lions according to the king's edict. Darius was sick at heart over the turn of events and made every effort that day to save Daniel, but he was caught in a trap of his own making. So the king gave the order, and Daniel was cast into the pit with the lions. The king's parting words to Daniel were, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you."
King Darius spent a sleepless night, and he hurried to the lions' den at the first light of dawn. He called to Daniel, and Daniel told him that God had sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions.
Had Daniel failed to pray as was his custom, he would have betrayed God and lost the opportunity to showcase God's power. God never deserts those who belong to Him.. There was a fourth man with the three men in the fiery furnace and an angel in the lions' den with Daniel. God may not always save His children like He saved Daniel and his three friends. Sometimes He chooses to take us to heaven where we will be safe forever. But, either way, He rescues those who are faithful to Him. May we be as faithful to Him as He is to us.
Father, thank You that You are always with us. Thank You that You rescue us from our circumstances one way or the other. Help us to be faithful to You. Amen.
The officials knew that Daniel regularly worshiped his God, and this was the only thing they could find to use against him. The group went to King Darius and persuaded him to issue an edict that anyone who prayed to any god or human other than the king for thirty days would be thrown into a den of lions. Once Darius put this decree in writing, it could not be repealed. Apparently Darius' pride in the fact that he would be the only one in the kingdom to be worshiped for thirty days blinded him to the consequences of his decision.
It was Daniel's custom to pray three times a day. After the edict went into effect, Daniel got down on his knees in front of his windows, which were opened toward Jerusalem, and prayed as always. Daniel's enemies went to King Darius, told him Daniel was still praying to his God, and insisted he be thrown to the lions according to the king's edict. Darius was sick at heart over the turn of events and made every effort that day to save Daniel, but he was caught in a trap of his own making. So the king gave the order, and Daniel was cast into the pit with the lions. The king's parting words to Daniel were, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you."
King Darius spent a sleepless night, and he hurried to the lions' den at the first light of dawn. He called to Daniel, and Daniel told him that God had sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions.
Had Daniel failed to pray as was his custom, he would have betrayed God and lost the opportunity to showcase God's power. God never deserts those who belong to Him.. There was a fourth man with the three men in the fiery furnace and an angel in the lions' den with Daniel. God may not always save His children like He saved Daniel and his three friends. Sometimes He chooses to take us to heaven where we will be safe forever. But, either way, He rescues those who are faithful to Him. May we be as faithful to Him as He is to us.
Father, thank You that You are always with us. Thank You that You rescue us from our circumstances one way or the other. Help us to be faithful to You. Amen.
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