Daniel 6: In The Lion's Den
This chapter is a story that contrasts the tension that will exist at the end of time between the claims of God and the law of the land. It is a story that reveals a conspiracy to trap the people of God by a law designed to put them to death. Daniel faced the decision of obeying God or saving His life. It is a story that reveals the end time issue of political correctness versus conscience. In this issue, Daniel openly invited death by refusing to worship his God in private. Anyone could argue that by closing his windows and worshiping in secret that he would satisfy the claims of God and State. But Daniel realized that being politically correct and appearing to go along would ultimately cause the forces of evil to win.
We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5: 29)
- The Conspiracy: Divide and Conquer. The problems began when Daniel was appointed ruler over all the other Persians. Jealousy drove them to design a plot that would destroy Daniel. But they could not find any corruption in Him so they turned to his religion.
Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God." (Daniel 6: 4-5) - The Temporary Worship Law.
They used flattery to make the king sign a law that would later be used to trap Daniel into civil disobedience. In the end of time, fear and terrorism has been used to design laws that remove the civil rights of people who are labeled as terrorists. We now find that terrorism or the goals of reducing the chances of terrorism are being used to justify religious suppression.
Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, live forever! "All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions' den. "Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.' Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. (Daniel 6: 6-9)The Time For Worship In Daniel 3 the laws that were broken were the first and second commandments. The government made an image and they forced the people to worship another god.
In this incidence, Daniel was being forced to break the third and fourth commandments. He could not call on the name of the Lord. He could not worship at the time he wanted.- Name. The third commandment reminds us to honor the name of God. In fact it reminds us that we are children of God who will take His name. In creating this law, they wanted to force Daniel to reject God and rely on the king. In the last days, the people honor the name of the beast and blaspheme the name of God.
- Time. The law was meant to last for thirty days. This meant that not only could Daniel have daily worship, but the Jews could not keep Sabbath. They could not go to the synagogue to worship the Lord. So the law was forcing them to violate the fourth commandment.
- Faithfulness. What impresses me about Daniel's behavior is that he did not follow conventional wisdom regarding creating unnecessary trouble or finding a compromise that would reduce danger to himself. He neither closed his window nor moved out of the line of sight of prying eyes through the open window. Even tacit consent sends the message that you honor the false god because nobody can tell that you are honoring the true God.
Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. (Daniel 6: 10)
Therefore, if it had been a national Sunday Law, I believe that Daniel would have stopped mowing his lawn on Sunday. However, He would not have kept the Sabbath in secret. He would not change His public worship of God. - The Death Penalty. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king's injunction, "Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked." Then they answered and spoke before the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day." Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed." (Daniel 6: 11-15)
At the end of time, God will have a people like Daniel who will be characterized by their faithfulness to Him. Through the power of the indwelling Christ, these people will keep the commandments of God. Because they will refuse to worship the beast's power, like Daniel they will eventually face persecution and the threat of death. Whoever the beast is, or whatever the mark of the beast is, the principle is clear.- Loyalty. The issue will be over loyalty. You cannot demonstrate loyalty by keeping your loyalty secret.
- Obedience. The issue will involve worship to God and obedience to His law. You cannot pretend to be obedient to a law designed to dishonor God.
- Sabbath. The issue will involve sacred time for worship. While you can worship God at anytime, you have to keep Sabbath at the scheduled time.
- Destruction. Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. (Daniel 6: 23-24)
In the end, Daniel's enemies are destroyed with the destruction that hey had planned. Likewise, at the end of time the enemies of God's people will be destroyed. In Daniel Chapter 4, we saw Nebuchadnezzar uses a similar acknowledgment of God's power after his conversion. It appears that King Darius has also come to believe in Daniel's God.
» The Last Ruler Of Babylon The Great. The story of Darius shows that even if the principal ruler is sympathetic to the plight of the people of God, he will be powerless to help them if the majority in the legislature beneath him are determined to destroy them. So the last king, prime minister or president of Babylon the Great could be a good man with bad choices and no legal power and no moral support.
» The Last Citizens Of Babylon The Great. It is also possible that the last ruler and a slim majority of the legislature will be sympathetic to the plight of the righteous and holy people. However, if the final events occur within a particular phase of an election cycle they will bow to the unrighteous will of the masses of the people in order to ensure their election.
Summary: Comparison Of Daniel 6 And The Mark Of The Beast
The issues are related to the law (a decree was issued) and worship. In Daniels' day it centered around breaking two commandments concerning our relationship to God. In the last days, one of the ten commandments will again be the basic test question. Again, a dominant world ruler will issue "decrees" supposedly for the good of the world which will force false worship. To comply with these decrees, God's people will be encouraged to sever their relationship for safety's sake. Once again, the focus will be on true worship versus false worship.
| Repetition and Enlargement | The Persecution | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Enlargement. We learn that Babylon will return at the end of time. Christ. He was the Tree of Life that was cut down. | # | Daniel | Revelation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Faithful. He was persecuted because he chose to obey God's law. Daniel 6:5 | The Remnant will be persecuted for keeping God's law as Christ did. Revelation 12:17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Forced Worship. The king of Persia made a law which commanded false worship. Daniel 6:6-9 | The Beast Power will lead the world to make a law that commands false worship. Revelation 13:15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | False God. The Persian law led people to worship a man - Darius the Mede. Daniel 6:7 | The Mark of the Beast issue brings the world to worship a man with the number 666. Revelation 13:18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Death. The penalty in Daniel 6 involved the death decree. Daniel 6:7 | The penalty in the Mark of the Beast issue involves the death decree. Revelation 13:15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Deliverance. Daniel was saved by the intervention of God. Daniel 6:19-23 | God's people are delivered by the coming of Christ. Revelation 19:11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Third Curse ("Wild Beasts"). Daniel's persecutors were thrown to the lions. Daniel 6:24 | Fifth Curse ("Wrath"). Those who worship the Beast will receive the seven last plagues. Revelation 18:4; Revelation 16:6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Issues | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Issue | Daniel 3 | Daniel 6 | Revelation |
| The Decree | In each case, a decree is passed to force false worship. This involves disobedience to God and the breaking of one or more of God's commandments which define allegiance to God. All three involved a death decree passed by a dominant world ruler resulting in persecution for God's people | ||
| The Nature of the Decree | Second Commandment. The test of faith revolved around the second commandment against idolatry and images (Exodus 20:4-5) | First, Third and Fourth Commandments. The test centers around the first commandment - the exclusive worship of God. (Exodus 20: 3). It also centers on the third commandment to call on the name of the Lord or Darius. It interfered with his time for worship | First Four Commandments. The mark of the beast issue involves worship and the breaking of the first four of God's commandments. (Revelation 13:14-18) |
| The Issue is Worship | Do we worship God or the state? | It was an attack against Daniel's personal worship and prayer life | The total worship and honor of God |
| Who conspired against God's people? | A single ruler conspired. | Close counselors of the King did the conspiring. Here we see that both a powerful world leader and various political leaders unite to persecute Daniel | Revelation 13 and 17 reveal the same will occur at the end of time. This time, nations and business men will conspire |
| Death Penalty | Fiery Furnace | Eaten by Lions | Killed by the Beast |
| The Lesson for the Last Days | In the last days, one or more of the ten commandments will again be the basic test question. Again, a dominant world ruler will issue "decrees" supposedly for the good of the world which will force false worship. To comply with these decrees, God's people will be encouraged to sever their relationship for safety's sake. Once again, the focus will be on true worship versus false worship | ||
