CHAPTER SIX HEATHEN
PERSECUTORS JUDGED
The theme of judgment continues in this further and final
biographical chapter of Daniel's life. Elevated to high
authority under Darius in the Kingdom of Cyrus, he
becomes the mark for the jealous envy of other high officials. However, their closest scrutiny reveals him to be
impeccable in conduct and incorruptable in integrity. They
come to the conclusion that the only way they will be able to
degrade him is on the score of his religion. They conspire to
do this, and with lies and flattery induce the King to issue a
decree forbidding any to ask a petition of either God or
man, apart from the King, for a period of thirty days.
Foolishly the King is taken in the trap and issues the decree.
But to no avail as far as Daniel is concerned. Whilst he is
prepared to obey the King in all matters that do not conflict
with the requirements of the higher King of heaven, he is not
prepared to waive his obligations and privileges of worship;
nor to disguise the fact. Openly he continues with his normal
practice of prayer and is found so doing by those who seek
his disgrace. The king is informed that he has broken the
royal decree, and reluctantly the writs are issued in his name
to bring Daniel to judgment. Darius makes every attempt to
save Daniel, but in vain: he is caught in the mesh of his own
laws, and so is compelled to submit. He does so with the
declaration to Daniel that only his God can save him, and
then orders that he be placed in the lions' den. But Yahweh
saves His prophet. He sends an angel who protects Daniel
from the claws and teeth of the savage beasts. Daniel is
saved, and his persecutors are condemned. The chapter
ends with the death of Daniel's persecutors, and with the
King ascribing the highest praise to the God of Daniel. The
record is an outstanding example of a saving faith (Heb.
11:33), providing encouragement to such as Paul who
likewise thanked God inasmuch as he, too, i (was delivered
out of the mouth of the lion" (2 Tim. 4:17).
Key verses are: vv.3-5; 10; 16; 20; 23; 26.
130
CHAPTER SIX
Elevation Of Daniel — vv.1-3
In the absence of Nabonidus, from
Bayblon, and with the death of Belshazzar,
Daniel, remains third highest in the captured city (Ch. 5:29). This brings him
prominently before its conquerors. His
status of authority is reconfirmed by
Darius.
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
title. The terms describing the Darius of
this chapter would imply a dominant ruler
rather than a subordinate one; and could
relate to Cyrus himself. As indicated
above, Darius was a t i t le used by a number
of Persian monarchs in addition to other
titles they claimed.
"To set over the kingdom" — It was a
well-attested policy of Cyrus to appoint
military prefects over districts of conquered countries in order to enforce order
and to suppress any incipient insurrection.
The number of appointments varied from
time to time according to circumstances.
The kingdom over which they were
appointed is described as "the whole kingdom" and not merely the city of Babylon.
This hardly would apply to an appointee
such as Gubaru as suggested by J.C. Whitcombe and endorsed by Unger.
"An hundred and twenty princes, which
should be over the whole kingdom" — In
the days of Esther, the Empire was
divided into 127 provinces. This provides
no discrepancy, for, as indicated above,
the division of the Empire into varying
numbers of provinces was governed by circumstances and need. As the Empire was
extended, the need increased.
The term "prince" denotes a satrap,
governor or lieutenant. The Persian ruler
delegated his authority such as his extending conquests demanded.
VERSE 1
"It pleased Darius" — Who was the
Darius of this chapter? He is generally
identified with the Darius of Ch. 5:31. But
the statement there defining that Darius
as "Darius the Median" would suggest the
need to discriminate between the two thus
described. Darius is not a name but an
appellative meaning The Restrainer (see
Herodotus 6:98), or The Maintainer (Pro.
Sayce). It was a t i t l e used by several
monarchs. Archaeologists and historians
are uncertain of the identity of this Darius.
D. Winton Thomas in Documents from
Old Testament Times states: "The recent
discovery of a text of Nabonidus from
Harran which refers to 'the King of the
Medes' re-opens the historicity of this
Median and makes it possible that it was
but another name and title for Cyrus himself1. Certainly, whoever he was, he exercised considerable power and influence
which would hardly accord with the
authority of one wielding but local and
limited control. But what are we to make
of the statement of Ch. 6:28 which discriminates between Darius and Cyrus? VERSE 2
That verse can read "This Daniel pros"And over these three presidents" —
pered in the reign of Darius, even in the
reign of Cyrus the Persian'1. It is acknow- These three presidents provided the basis
ledged that such a rendering is quite per- of authority. They are represented as the
missable linguistically. It would accord "three ribs" in the mouth of the bear
(Dan. 7:5).
wi th th e st at em ent found in th e
Nabonidus chronicle which describes
"Over whom Daniel was first" — The
Cyrus as "King of the Medes". Moreover, elevation of Daniel was viewed with
the prophecy of Daniel 7:5 demands the jealousy by his fellow presidents.
elevation of a Mede to power for a short
"That the princes might give accounts
period before Cyrus, followed by a Persian dynasty from thence afterwards. In unto them, and the king should have no
view of that requirement, the suggestion damage" — The three princes carefully
of Bro. Thomas (drawn from Rollins His- supervised the collection of taxes and
tory) could well provide the true answer to other matters, accounting to the King. As
the problem. He claimed that Cyrus, as a Daniel was chief, all such accounts were
diplomatic measure, elevated a relative, a under his care. His integrity was beyond
Mede, to a ruling position in Babylon as doubt, but it angered his fellow presidents
either a vassal king or co-rexus over the and the princes, who, perhaps, would
city. In conformity with this, the Book of have liked to have enriched themselves at
Daniel discriminates between Darius the the king's expense! Perhaps the refusal of
Mede, and the Darius of this chapter, who Daniel to enter into any such scheming
caused the trouble that arose.
has not that distinguishing addition to his
131
THECHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
CHAPTER SIX
VERSE 3
"Then this Daniel was preferred above
the presidents and princes" — Daniel was
set above all the others. He was by now a
very old man, over 90 years of age. But he
evidently retained his v i r i l i t y and was
active and reliable in whatever ministerial
duties were given int o his care. He was
conscientious and faithful in his worship of
Yah weh, and revealed the same characteristics in his service to the King. Being
thus "faithful in that which is another
man's" he qualified for a position of
authority in the Kingdom to come which
will be his lot in fact, and not merely by
delegation (Luke 16:12: Dan. 12 :13 ) Γ He
thus had "a good report of them who were
without" (1 Tim. 3 :7), exhibiting the principle advanced by Paul: "Servants, obey in
all things your masters according to the
flesh; not with eyeservice. as men pleasers: but in singleness of heart, fearing
God" (Col. 3:22).
"Because an excellent spirit was in him"
— The "excellent spirit" found in him was
similar to that commended in Matt. 5:3;
26:41.
Laying a Trap For Daniel — vv. 4-9
/ he favour shown Daniel incites the jealous enmity of his fellow presidents and satraps. They seek means to undermine his
influence and standing, and secure his
removal from the authority vested in him.
They frankly acknowledge that the quality
of his service to the crown is above
reproach, and no charge can suceed
against him unless it be "concerning the law
of his God". What a wonderful witness to
the integrity of this old man, and to his God
Who motivated such characteristics by His
word.
VERSE4
4 4Then the presidents and princes
sought to find occasion against Daniel
concerning the Kingdom" — Success in
life generally results in envy on the part of
others (Ecc. 4:4). Moreover, Daniel
belonged to an alien race, almost universally disliked. Both these considerations
could have motivated the antagonism of
his peers and those under him. But it was
most likely stimulated by a further matter.
It may have been that his fidelity contrasted with their corruption. Normally,
such officials used their position to enrich
themselves. They had no hope of doing so
whilst Daniel occupied the highest position, for a l l their accounts were under his
supervision (v.2). They are shown by the
record to be dishonest, for they did not
scruple to lie to the king in order to secure
an occasion against Daniel.
"But they could find none occasion nor
fault" — Daniel in their midst was an
object of antagonism as the Lord was in
the midst of Jewry 1900 years ago! The
adversaries of the prophet and the Lord
tried to find occasions against them, but in
vain.
"Forasmuch as he was faithful, neither
was there any error or fault found in him"
— They evidently believed that an
accounting of his transactions would
reveal that he had dishonestly made gain
for himself; in short, they judged him on
the basis of t h e i r own dishonesty. If they
had opportunity they would certainly
enrich themselves at the expense of the
King! But there was no "error" in Daniel's
books of account. The Truth he proclaimed in doctrine was reflected in his
day by day conduct. This increased their
spite and malice against him. He was an
outstanding example of a true "stranger
and pilgrim", having his "way of life honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they
may by your good works, which they shall
behold, glorify God in the day of visitation" (see 1 Pet. 2:11-20). See also Dan.
3:29 mg.; Phil 2:15; Tit. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:16;
4:14-16".
VERSE 5
"Then said these men, We shall not find
any occasion against this Daniel, except
we find it against him concerning the law
of his God" — What a marvellous testimony in the mouth of unscrupulous liars.
Paul set himself the same objective in life:
"Herein do I exercise myself, to have
always a conscience void of offence
toward God, and toward men" (Acts.
24:16). The Lord challenged his equally
unscrupulous adversaries: "Which of you
convicteth me of sin? And if I say the
truth, why do ye not believe me9" (John.
8:46). The only line of attack remaining
open to Daniel's apponents was in the
"law of his God". And that posed a great
problem; for Cyrus had proclaimed a policy of religious tolerance for a l l forms of
worship. But it is never difficult for
unscrupulous men to defeat the laws of the
132
CHAPTER SIX
land! These men carefully considered the
facts, sought out a cunning way to secure
their ends, and arranged for a petition to
be presented to the King.
VERSE 6
"Then these presidents and princes
assembled together to the king" — The
word "assembled" is from regash which
signifies to assemble tumultiiously. These
officials made their way into the presence
of the Kingwith every appearance of earnestness and excitement as though it was of
the utmost urgency that the king instantly
concur with their request. They presented
to Darius that their request should be
granted immediatlcy, probably implying
that to do so would prevent an uprising.
Notice that the same means were used to
procure a conviction against the Lord
(Matt. 27:23-25), and against the Apostle
Paul (Acts 22:22-23). And will be manifested by nationsat Christ'scomming(Ps.
2:1-2). It is a common strategy of the flesh
to gain a conviction against one whose
conduct of doctrine they cannot successfully challenge.
"And said thus unto him, King Darius,
live for ever. — This was a common
expression of geeting signifying that the
rule of the King be not interrupted.
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
considered as the gateway to the world of
the gods. It is claimed that "the kings of
the Medes and Perisans were regarded
and worshipped as representatives and
incarnations of Ormuzd" the national
god. The request that prayer should only
be offered to him. as required by these
officials, was perfectly reasonable according to the Persian religion. The limitation
of it to thirty days did not oppose the
injunction of Cyrus granting religious
freedom to foreigners under his realm, for
after that time each could revert to his normal custom. The limitation to thirty days,
however, was to illustrate that as MedoPersia exercised control over the other
nations, and did so in the name of i t s
national god, so Ormuzd was higher than
the gods of other nations, including
Yahweh.
To authorise such a decree, however, it
is obvious that Darius was of higher status
than such as Gubaru, who surely would
not have the authority to execute such a
decree, nor to speak in the name of the
Persian god.
VERSE S
"Now, Ο King, establish the decree,
and sign the writing, that it be not
changed, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which altereth not"
— The deputation clearly stated that the
law proposed would be irrevocable; but
did so in the name of Daniel as well as
themselves.
VERSE 7
"All the presidents of the kingdom, the
governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted
together to establish a royal statute, and to
VERSE 9
make a firm decree — The decree was a
"Wherefore king Darius signed the
binding interdict as the margin states, and
writing and the decree" — Having
as such, once signed, could not be changed
received the signature of the king, the two
(vv. 8,9,12,13,15). But it was based upon a presidents and the princes in the plot
lie; for those presenting it claimed that "all believed that the fate of Daniel was sealthe presidents" that is, a ll three had agreed
ed.
to the law. This was not so. Daniel had not
been consulted; and probably many other
Daniel's Fearless Faithfulness — vv.10-13
officials likewise had been ignored. In
The proclamation of the decree makes
claiming that all had agreed to the proposal, the two presidents and the princes no difference to Daniel's actions as far as
were able to press the urgency of their Yahweh is concerned. His fidelity to God
matches the service he renders his
request.
monarch; and he is not prepared to deviate
"That whosoever shall ask a petition of from his responibilities of worship and
any God or man for thirty days, save of prayer. In full recognition of what will hapthee, Ο king, he shall be cast into the den pen, he continues his devotions, and is
of lions" — There is nothing unusual in accused before Darius of breaking the law.
this request. The kings of ancient times
were identified with the national gods,
VERSE 10 "Now when Daniel knew that
and were themselves considered divine.
the writIndeed, death on the part of a king was
133
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
ing was signed, he went into his house" —
Daniel's actions in returning to his house
for the purpose of prayer was not dictated
by defiance of the Law, but because it was
his normal habit so to do at specific times.
Despite the decree's prohibition, he saw
no reason to change a custom made necessary by his love of Yahweh. He accounted
his life of secondary importance to obedience to God, with its prospect of life eternal in the age to come (see Luke. 14:26).
This is a requirement of true discipleship
in every age. The Apostles acted similarly,
and when accused of the Jews, responded:
"Whether it be right in the sight of God to
hearken unto you more than unto God,
judge ye. For we cannot but speak the
things which we have seen and heard"
(Acts 4:16-20). Again: "We ought to obey
God rather than men" (Acts. 5:29). This
has been the attitude of faithful believers
throughout the ages. Of them it can be
recorded: 'They overcame by the blood of
the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto
the death" (Rev. 12:11).
'And his windows being open in his
chamber toward Jerusalem" — The word
for "chamber" is alliyth, and like Aliyah
signifies a going up, and therefore implies
a room built on the flat roof of the dwelling.
The normal eastern house for such an
official as described by travellers and
archaeologists was a large capacious
building containing many rooms set apart
for various officers of State who were
under the superintendence of the
occupier, and one large airy room at the
top, in which were large windows filled
with shutters that could be opened or
closed at will. Daniel saw no reason to
close the shutters in order to pray; the prohibition of the decree was a challenge he
accepted in faith. Following the instructions of 1 Kings 8:48-49, Daniel fearlessly
set his face towards Jerusalem at the open
window and maintained his habit of
prayer. See Ps. 5:7.
"He kneeled upon his knees three times
a day and prayed, and gave thanks before
his God, as he did aforetime" — Thethree
times were morning, midday and at evening. At midday the hands of a clock converge to point to heaven; and men of God
saw it as an appropriate time to do
likewise. Daniel's three daily prayers are
suggested by the statement of Ps. 55:17. It
CHAPTER SIX
evidently was a custom maintained by the
Apostles as is implied by Acts 10:9. This
wonderful and courageous act of faith
demonstrated the fearless fidelity of
Daniel towards Yahweh.
VERSE 11
"Then these men assembled, and found
Daniel praying and making supplication
before his God" — Daniel's faith made
him fearless and calm in spite of the threat
against hislife. His habit of regularly praying was well known to his adversaries (cp.
vv.5-6), so they gathered in concert at his
house at the appropriate times.
VERSE 12
"Then they came near, and spake
before the king concerning the king's
decree; Hast thou not signed a decree,
that every man that shall ask a petition of
any God or man within thirty days, save of
thee, Ο king, shall be cast into the den of
lions?" — As noted previously, the decree
did not mean the abandonment of religion, for the king was looked upon as
divine. An ancient historian wrote: "The
Persians are not only pious in worshipping
their kings among the gods, but wise in so
doing, for this majesty is a protection to
the Empire." The terms of the decree
suggest that the Darius of this chapter was
a Persian, and not a Mede as was the
Darius of the previous one (see v.28).
"The King answered and said, The
thing is true, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which altereth not"
— The despicable character of these officials was revealed in their action. Having
discovered the object of their jealous
hatred in the midst of his religious exercises, they immediately hastened into the
king's presence to ensure judgement
against Daniel. Little suspecting their
plot, the King calmly replied to their question that, yes, indeed, the decree had been
authorised and must be carried out.
VERSE 13
"Then answered they and said before
the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth
not thee, Ο king, nor the decree that thou
hast signed, but maketh his petition three
times a day" — Having entangled Darius
and made it impossible for him to retract,
they present their case carefully and cleverly. They first emphasise Daniel's Jewish
134
CHAPTER SIX
origin. This is given to add to t h e offence.
That a foreigner, a member of a hated
nation, should show such base ingratitude
to the king who had elevated him highly
added to the measure of his gui lt. They are
quite unscrupulous in their presentation
of their case. They allege that Daniel has
no thought of the King, nor his law. This,
of course, was quite untrue; as evidenced
by the outstanding service that the
prophet had rendered. And Darius knew
that it was untrue; he clearly saw through
their sophistry; and now realised that he
had been trapped.
The Execution Of The Sentence
— vv. 14-16
Darius is angered when he learns how
his perfidious princes have deceived him;
but he is unable to do anything about it.
The laws of the realm prohibit the revoking
of any such decree. He seeks every way to
deliver Daniel out of the legal trap in which
both he and the Prophet have been caught;
but in vain. The schemers press their
advantage heartlessly and shamelessly until
the sentence is executed.
VERSE 14
"Then the king, when he heard these
words, was sore displeased with himself,
and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him"
— The Chaldean word rendered dis
pleased, beayich, signifies to be rotten! It
implies such distress of mind as to cause
rottenness in the bones. From this it is
obvious that Daniel had made a great
impression on the King; in addition to
which, the King was distressed in himself
that he had fallen to the trap set him.
"And he laboured till the going down of
the sun to deliver him" — He probably
consulted lawyers seeking some precedent
to evade the decree but could find none;
he probably browbeat the conspirators
but without success. Whilst time allowed,
until night-time intervened, he sought
every means to avoid the trap; but in vain:
he could find no loophole.
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
bled tumultuously before the king,
peremptorily and discourteously reminding him that the established punishment
by the decree could not be set aside. They
were bold and determined in their
approach. The law was on their side and
they proceeded to press it to the full measure of its demands. The king was bound
by the laws of the State, indicating the
inferiority of the Medo-Persian rule in
contrast to that of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.
2:39; 5:19).
VERSE 16
"Then the king commanded, and they
brought Daniel, and cast him into the den
of lions" — The persecution that Daniel
experienced from his associates foreshadowed the opposition given to the
proclamation of the Truth in ages past.
This is figuratively described as being delivered unto the merciless rapacity of lions.
See 2 Tim. 4:17; 1 Pet. 5:8.
"Now the king spake and said unto
Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee" — As
Daniel was taken to be executed, the King
revealed his personal feelings and sought
to comfort him. He did so on the basis that
only the God Whom Daniel served could
deliver him: it was beyond the scope of an
earthly monarch to do so. Modern versions have attempted to weaken the
King's statement by rendering it as a pious
wish: "May thy God Whom thou servest
continually, save thee" (see RSV and
NIV). but the original does not conform
thereto. It is as expressed in the A.V.; and
comprises a testimony to the witness of
Daniel's worship and dedication. It was
probably expressed to comfort the
prophet on the basis of the miracles he had
performed, though without any real belief
on the part of the King that Daniel would
be rescued.
The King's Concern — vv.17-18
Having been trapped into consigning
Daniel to the lions, and having sealed the
mouth of the den to prevent any escape on
the part of his faithful servant, the King
VERSE 15
spends a sleepless night, bitterly regretting
"Then these men assembled unto the the folly that has led him to agree to issue
king, and said unto the king, Know, Ο the stupid decree that in his pride he has
King, that the law of the Medes and Per- signed. Convinced that Daniel cannot
sians is, That no decree nor statute which escape his fate, made most angry at the
the King establisheth may be changed" — manner in which he has been trapped, his
Fearing that their plot may not succeed, frustration is so acute that he waves aside
the presidents and princes again assem
any form of diversive entertainment.
135
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.
136
CHAPTER SIX
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
VERSE 17
"And a stone was brought, and laid
upon the mouth of the den" — The den is
described as a pit rather than a cage, with
a large stone placed on the opening above.
In consequence it resembled a grave, so
that once the stone was put in place, what
happened therein was hidden from sight
of any audience (cp. v.20). Thus Daniel's
experience foreshadowed that of the Lord
Jesus whose righteousness was such that
the grave could not hold him, and who
triumphing over it, obtained the "key" to
unlock it for those, like Daniel, whose
faith and works have conquered the trials
that they have suffered (Rev. 1:18).
Furthermore, what Daniel endured typed
the state of the nation which, figuratively
was "cut off in the dungeon" and a stone
placed at its entrance to prevent escape
(Lam. 3:53). That national grave will be
completely opened by the one whose
tomb was unsealed by angelic intervention
1900 years ago. Ezekiel was privileged to
see the future political resurrection of his
people (Ezek. 37).
"And the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords" —
The tomb of the Lord was treated similarly, in order to forestall any attempt on
the part of the Apostles to steal the body
(Matt. 27:66). But in vain: Yahweh
brought His son from the dead. In
Daniel's case, the sealing of the den might
well have been required by the presidents
and princes in order to prevent Darius
likewise secretly removing Daniel out of
danger; for the King had openly revealed
his concern and sympathy for the prophet.
"That the purpose might not be
changed concerning Daniel"—This statement can be understood twofold. First,
from the standpoint of the lords: they
wanted to make sure that Daniel had no
hope of climbing out of the den. Second,
from the standpoint of Yahweh: to
demonstrate His power to deliver. Both
purposes were fulfilled. So also with the
offering of Christ. Peter, at Pentecost,
made this abundantly clear: "Him, being
delivered by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God, ye have taken,
and by wicked hands have crucified and
slain" (Acts. 2:23). Yahweh's purpose was
fulfilled in the death of the Lord; but the
motivation of the Jewish leaders in delivering him up to be crucified was completely wicked and deserving of the
punishment heaped upon the nation
which culminated in AD 70. So also with
Daniel and his persecutors.
VERSE 18
"Then the king went to his palace, and
passed the night fasting" — Reproaching
himself for his folly, Darius returned to his
palace to spend a sleepless night of worry.
Again, the circumstances of the offering
of the Lord was foreshadowed. Pilate,
representative of the highest authority in
the land, was concerned at the part he
played in it (Matt. 27:24).
"Neither were instruments of musick
brought before him; and his sleep went
from him" — The word "instruments of
music" is from the original dachavan from
a root "to push down", or "drive out," and
here relates to diversions. The NIV
renders: "without any entertainment
being brought to him". It was a sad night
for the king and his realm at the folly and
injustice shown to a faithful servant, as it
was for Jewry during the period the Lord
was in the tomb. There was no sleep for
them; for unexpected darkness, shattering
earthquake, and a split temple deeply concerned them; so much so that it is doubtful
whether the normal Passover was held
that year.
The Deliverence of Daniel — vv.19-23
At last the Kings night of regret and sorrow
moves into early dawn. Rising at the first
light of day, he hurries to the den. In tones
of anxiety and concern he calls to Daniel
enquiring whether the God he serves so
conscientiously has extended Himself to
save His prophet. To his amazement and
joy, the tranquil voice of the prophet
assures him that the miracle has been performed, that an angel has protected him
from the wild beasts
VERSE 19
"Then the king arose very early in the
morning, and went in haste unto the den
of lions" — There was similar anxiety in
the dawn that followed the sabbath when
the Lord died, and his friends hastened to
the tomb without hope. So did the King as
he made his way to the lions' den.
VERSE 20
"And when he came to the den, he cried
with a lamentable voice unto Daniel" —
This shows the measure of his concern.
137
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
"And the king spake and said to Daniel,
0 Daniel, servant of the living God" — In
describing Daniel as the ''servant of the
living God" (Chald. elahh the equivalent
of the Hebrew Eloah, Mighty One),
Darius gave expression to the reality of
the God Whom Daniel served. The title,
though connected with Elohim, is first
used in Deut. 5:26, and is found constantly
in contrast with idol worship, latent or
expressed, which, of course, are without
life (Ps. 115: 2-9). See Paul's use of the
title in contrast to the idols with which his
hearers associated him (Acts 14:15). To
the Thessalonian Ecclesia he wrote: "Ye
turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thess. 1:9). It is possible to mouth the name of God without
recognising His living reality. The Jews of
Christ's day, though they spoke of God
and professed to worship Him, gave Him
no reality in fact. In like manner, Paul
described "covetousness as idolatry"
(Col. 3:5), because it fails to properly
acknowledge the existence of the living
God. To Moses, Yahweh declared: "Truly
1 live. . ." (Num. 14:21). This is an expres
sion frequently found throughout Scrip
ture, though its force is lessened by
rendering it as "as truly as Yahweh lives".
Better to render i t , Truly Yahweh lives!
When a true Israelite declared, "Yahweh
lives and therefore I will do this or that",
he gave expression to his belief that his
vow had been made in the view of the liv
ing God, and therefore had to be fulfilled
(Ecc. 5:1-6).
"Is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions?" — The King not only acknowledged that Daniel worshipped the "living
God", but that he did so consistently.
Daniel's life was a demonstration of the
doctrine he taught. His worship was continuous and consistent. It was not limited
to one day a week, or to moments only of
prosperity, but "in season and out of season".
CHAPTER SIX
VERSE 22
"My God hath sent His angel" — This,
no doubt, was the same angel as had
supervised the trial and deliverance of
Daniel's three friends in Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace (see Ch. 3:28).
"And hath shut the lions' mouths, that
they have not hurt me" — Daniel's faith
stood him in good stead at this moment of
need, for it was that which "stopped the
mouths of lions" (Heb. 11:33). In this,
too, he typed the Lord who from the cross
prayed, "Save me from the lion's mouth"
(Ps. 22:21). David, who likewise typed the
Lord similarly appealed unto Yahweh:
"My soul is among lions: and I lie even
among them that are set on fire, even the
sons of men, whose teeth are spears and
arrows and their tongues a sharp sword"
(Ps. 57:4). The two-legged lions of history
have been more cruel than the fiercest
beasts of prey!
"Forasmuch as before Him innocency
was found in me" — Daniel's integrity, his
faultlessness in relation to the charges laid
against him, and his faith that was greater
than his fear ensured his protection from
the mouth of the lions, as the Lord's sinlessness delivered him from the grave
(Acts. 2:24). Innocency is rendered from
zaku, purity.
"And also before thee, Ο king, have I
done no hurt" — Like Paul, Daniel had
"exercised himself to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and
toward man" (Acts. 24:16). Daniel, in
reminding the King of this, administered a
gentle reproach that the law of restraint in
prayer that the King had authorised was a
foolish one.
VERSE 23
"Then was the king exceeding glad for
him, and commanded that they should
take Daniel up out of the den" — The
"den" was evidently deeply set in the
ground with an entrance at the top, and
out of which Daniel was now hoisted.
"So Daniel was taken up out of the den,
VERSE 21
and no manner of hurt was found upon
"Then said Daniel unto the king, Ο
him, because he believed in his God" —
king, live for ever" — This was the comDaniel was subjected to a careful examimon form of salutation addressed to kings
nation , and, to the wonderment of all, was
in ancient times (see Dan. 2:4). However,
shown to have escaped all harm. The
in the mouth of Daniel the expression
cause of his deliverence was "because he
became more meaningful, for he set forth
believed in his God." The word "bethe principle of the possibility of Darius
lieved" signified more than a mere
living eternally.
acknowledgement of God's existence.
138
CHAPTER SIX
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
The Chaldean word is aman which is the
equivalent of the Hebrew word for faith.
It signifies, to be "built up or supported, to
trust God as one would a parent or a
nurse, to render firm belief or trust 11.
Daniel had unfailing confidence in God.
In short he had faith (Heb. 11:1); and it
was his faith that saved him (Heb. 11:33).
Faith is generated by the Word of God
(Rom. 10:17), and Daniel was given to the
study of the Word (Dan. 9:2). Daniel's
early education and study in things divine
helped him throughout life into his old
age.
The Fate Of Daniel's Adversaries — v.24
Daniel's adversaries are flung into the
lions' den and are consumed by the hungry
animals. Their fate illustrates the proverb:
"The righteous is delivered out of trouble,
and the wicked cometh in his stead" (Prov.
11:8).
VERSE 24
"And the king commanded" — Josephus states that the satraps on hearing of the
miracle suggested that the lions had been
well fed before Daniel had been consigned
into their den. Accordingly, the King
agreed to test out the theory of the conspirators by delivering them to the beasts.
"And they brought those men that had
accused Daniel, and cast them into the
den of lions" — This form of retribution
conformed to the requirements of Yahweh's law. See Deut. 19:11-13,19. The
narrative does not indicate that the whole
of the 120 satraps were delivered to the
lions, but only those who had specifically
accused Daniel, that is, only the ringleaders. Not all would have accused Daniel,
though the leaders represented all.
"And cast them into the den of lions,
them, their children and their wives" —
This was by order of Darius, not at the
request of Daniel, nor according to Divine
law (Deut. 24:16). Nevertheless, the head
of a family can involve all members
thereof in tragedy by his own folly.
Yahweh carefully discriminates between
the guilty and the innocent. This was illustrated by the judgment on the rebellious in
the days of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.
In those circumstances all were destroyed,
including wives and children (Num.
16:32), except the children of Korah
(Num. 26:11). In some way they must
have disassociated themselves from their
139
father's crime, and so were excluded from
his punishment. On the other hand,
Jezebel and her children were punished
(Rev. 2:20-23), because as her children
they manifested the same wicked characteristics of their mother.
"And the lions had the mastery of them,
and brake their bones in pieces or ever
they came to the bottom of the den" —
Rotherham renders: "And they had not
reached the bottom of the den, when the
lions seized them 11. Once the divine
restraint was removed to which the lions
had been subjected, they acted with all
their natural ferocity. Made more hungry
than ever through being denied food overnight, they leapt up to seize and consume
the bodies of Daniel's accusers. In this
type, the lions represent the fierce, rapacious attitude of flesh, especially when it is
found in conspiracy against the righteous
(Ezek. 22:25). From the influence of such
Daniel was protected, but to their terrible
ruthlessness, his accusers were consigned.
So it was at the first advent of the Lord.
The Jewish leaders conspired against the
Lord as the leaders of Darius' kingdom
did against Daniel, and they suffered a
like fate; the Roman lions came against
the State and consumed it with terrible
slaughter.
The King's Further Decree — vv.25-27
Following the wonderful deliverance
effected by Daniel's God, the king issues a
decree similar to that of Nebuchadnezzar
on his return to sanity. This decree is proclaimed to all peoples and nations under his
control.
VERSE 25
"Then king Darius wrote unto all
people, nations and languages, that dwell
in all the earth" — The terms of this
decree again illustrate the extent of the
King's authority and power, discounting
the theory that the Darius of this chapter is
identical with Darius the Mede.
"Peace be multiplied unto you" — Universal peace is promised on the basis of the
people acknowledging the principles of
worship set forth in the following verses.
VERSE 26
"I make a decree, that in every domain
of my kingdom men tremble and fear
before the God of Daniel" — That is, God
is supreme, and before Him all must fear
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
and tremble (Rev. 14:7) "For He is the
living God" — He is not
a mere idol unable to help His worshippers. He is a living God. See v.20. (Dan.
4:17).
"And stedfast for ever" — His purpose
is unchangeable.
"And his kingdom that which shall not
be destroyed" — Obviously the King's
interest in Daniel's God had been excited
by the remarkable miracle, and this had
induced him to enquire as to His future
intentions. Daniel had evidentl y
explained to him the truth relating to the
Divine coming Kingdom on earth, and so
the King had incorporated reference to it
in his decree. Perhaps Daniel explained to
him the dream seen by Nebuchadnezzar
and the interpretation of it; as also the vision of the four beasts recorded in Daniel 7
that Daniel had received sometime before
the events of this chapter (Dan. 7:1).
"And His dominion shall be even unto
the end" — The word "end" is from the
Chaldean cowph. and signifies "a termination." God's dominion shall extend
until there is a termination, an end of all
His enemies. This is "the end" referred to
by Paul: "Then cometh the end when he
shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father. . .for he must reign
until he hath put all enemies under his
feet. The last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death" (1 Cor. 15:24-26).
That is the termination referred to in the
decree of Darius who obviously had
learned of this divine purpose from
Daniel.
VERSE 27 "He delivereth and rescueth"
— He is a
Redeemer, caring for the future destiny of
His servants.
CHAPTER SIX
"And He worketh signs and wonders in
heaven and in earth" — These two words
are translated from the Aramaic athiyn
and thiymhiyn. The former word relates to
"signals" or "beacons", and so to portents, miracles or signs. The second word
is the plural of temah, indicating amazement, astonishment, marvel, also implying miracles and wonders. The former
word suggests remarkable miracles calculated to attract the attention of people;
and the latter to continued wonders capable of holding their attention. Similar
expressions were used by Nebuchadnezzar (see Dan .4:3). These wonders are performed in heaven and in earth; that is
among rulers and commoners alike.
"Who hath delivered Daniel from the
power of the lions" — Darius saw this as
the greatest miracle of which he was cognisant. As Daniel was a type of the Lord
Jesus Christ, his deliverance from the
power of the lions has its antitype in Christ
being delivered from his accusers and the
power of the grave (see Psalm 22:13).
te also, that a den of lions is used as a
symbol of a conspiracy designed to
destroy (Ezek. 22:25). The decree of
Darius witnessed to the influence of
Daniel upon the King, particularly in view
of the explanation the prophet obviously
gave concerning God's purpose in delivering him.
VERSE 28
"So this Daniel prospered in the reign
of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the
Persian" — The conjuction "and" can be
legitimately rendered even: "So Daniel
prospered in the reign of Darius, even in
the reign of Cyrus the Persian". This statement then discriminates between Darius
the Mede of chapter 6, and Darius the Persian of the Chapter before us.
L2«!
CHAPTER SIX
THE CHRISTADELPHIAN EXPOSITOR
Summary
The experiences of Daniel foreshadowed those of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Judge of God (Daniel) of the future age (Acts
17:31). As Daniel incited the envy of his contemporaries, so did
the Lord Jesus Christ. They were compelled to acknowledge
his integrity, and recognise that the only way to attack him was
through his worship of Yahweh (John 8:46). The satraps of
Darius forced the King by wrong means and evil motives to
move against the prophet; as did the Jewish leaders in their
hatred of the Lord. The king, like Pilate, acknowledged the
injustice of the charge laid against the prophet, but was compelled to submit. Daniel was delivered to the den of lions, a sealed stone closed the opening, as it did in the case of the sepulchre of the Lord. But he escaped the fate that his conspirators
had plotted to deliver him. He was brought out of the pit alive;
forshadowing the remarkable resurrection of the Lord. His
deliverance witnessed to his faithful righteousness in the sight
of God; as did also the resurrection and elevation of the Lord
(Rom. 1:1-2). Daniel's adversaries were judged; as was the
nation of Judah in A.D. 70. Finally, a decree was issued commanding universal respect for the authority of Yahweh, and for
the Kingdom He will assuredly establish at the second coming
of the Lord.
In Daniel's experiences recorded in this chapter, he not only
foreshadowed those of the Lord, but in fact, he "fellowshipped
the sufferings of Christ" (Phil. 3:10), as will all those who are
faithful to their calling in Christ. They, too, experience the
opposition of "lions", a term denoting "brutish" men, that is
men who are completely ignorant of the Divine principles of
salvation (Ezek. 22:25; 2 Tim. 4:17; 1 Pet. 5:8). Their experiences are summed up in the words of the Psalmist: "My soul is
among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire,
even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and
their tongue a sharp sword" (Ps. 57:4).
This chapter concludes the biographical section of the Book
of Daniel. The next chapter goes back in point of time, and outlines the first of a series of visions and revelations made to him
of the Divine purpose in the rise and fall of nations until the
consummation decreed: even the establishment in glory of
Yahweh's Kingdom on earth.
141