Thanksgiving in Difficult Times
Daniel 6:10
November 18 and 25, December 2, 2007
Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
See my Harper Reference Bible for Notes. Cf., Boyce, Swindoll, Heslop, Unger, McGee, and Serendipity. See short version file also.
Daniel 6:1-28 (KJV) 1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
• Darius is 62, and has just taken over the kingdom of Medo-Persia, following the reign of Belshazzar the Babylonian.
• To protect his financial and political interests, he divided the land into 120 satrapies with a satrap over each.
• Not wanted to hear from 120 satraps every week or month, he creates another tier of management: three presidents.
• Daniel, now 80 years of age, and having served admirably under two other kings (Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar), is placed as the spokesman for the presidents.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
• An excellent spirit is required in leaders.
• Men may have talent, physical strength, psychological superiority and yet not be a good leader.
• A leader must be a follower when others are in the lead.
• The king recognizes this quality in Daniel, and has a plan.
• He will make a new tier of administration in which Daniel will oversee all presidents and satraps and answer only to the king.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
• Nothing is more characteristic of evil men than jealously and selfishness.
• And so these very powerful men seek occasion against Daniel.
• I am certain that no expense was spared, and no governmental security forces, spies, connections are spared.
• We do not know how long this investigation continued.
• They could find no “fault” or bad decision.
• They could find no “error” in his accounting or supervision.
• They could find no dereliction of duty for Daniel was “faithful.”
• No one could be found that would be willing to say that Daniel had done them wrong. Not even a liar!
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.
• They only way, say they, we can trap this man is to put his faith against his patriotism.
• How marvelous!
• Could that be said of us?
• We are afraid to ask the little league team not to trample on the Lord’s service times!
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
• The word used here means to rush violently together.
• God’s work is done openly, orderly, and follows the rules
• Satan’s work is done secretly, in a rush, out of order, and ignores protocol.
• They will appeal to the VANITY of Darius, the new leader!
APPLICATION: You can count on a gossip will do four things: 1) They will flatter you, 2) They will tear someone else down, 3) They will have an ulterior motive, and 4) When they have left you they will gossip to someone else and tear you to shreds. And those who listen to a gossip are no less guilty.
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 make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
• This is, of course, a lie. Daniel has not been consulted.
• They say, “We think so much of you, that it would be blasphemous to ask anything of anyone else.”
• Nebuchadnezzar had considered himself God (and ended up living with the beasts outdoors).
• Belshazzar had considered himself God (and saw the writing on the wall, and had his kingdom removed).
• Now Darius is pushed in that direction.
• The penalty offered is the den of lions.
• This is a most interesting, though incidental, confirmation of the authenticity of the book of Daniel.
• The penalty is not a fiery furnace, because unlike the Babylonians, the Persians were fire worshippers (JFB).
• NOTE: Most Baptist just would not pray for 30 days. For most, it has already been 60!
8 Now, O 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.
• Nebuchadnezzar had enjoyed full sovereignty.
• He could make a decree, and he could revoke it.
• Now, the king is more limited in his power.
• He is considered to be empowered, or embodied, by the god Ormuzd (JFB)
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
• How many times do we rush into decisions which we will later regret.
APPLY: Marriage, career, college. These are things that one must not rush!
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
• We will return to this as we make the applications.
• NOTE: Daniel is completely ALONE! (His friends have been reassigned or are dead).
• Note: There are three postures for prayer (kneeling, lying prostrate, standing) none of which is sitting.
• But note that Daniel does not plot or plan, he just prays and praises.
APPLY: It will be a blessed day when we let go of the reins and let God be God! My life, my job, my children … I can’t control any of the outcomes. But God can. Are you clinging to the reins, or are you letting God be God?
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
• Here is our word “assembled” (see above) again.
• The whole crowd rushes over to Daniel’s home.
• It is impossible for Daniel to be unaware of their presence.
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, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
• Now they rush back to the king to spring the trap.
• Darius, no doubt wise, has allowed a blind spot in his character (pride) to set him up for this.
• He is about to discover what his hasty decision will mean.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
• Notice that they hold Daniel in such disregard as to call him “That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity.”
• He is wise, caring, capable administrator. None could speak a word against him.
• When you are in leadership, mistakes will be known.
• They could find none, yet hold him in disdain.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
• The king’s office become’s a hubbub of activity.
• His best legal minds are pouring over Medo-Persian law.
• Yet, one by one, they shake their head.
• There is no way out of this one.
• At one point, a simple prayer, a dispatch to Daniel for his advice could stop it, but not now!
• APPLY. There are decisions made that cannot be undone.
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
• There is a glee in their disposition.
• They rub it into the king’s face.
• For now, the king must endure it.
• But sinners have their time, yet God’s time will come.
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
• It is hard to tell whether the king is sincere.
• It may be just a “good luck buddy.”
• But the king’s loss of sleep makes it appear that there is a genuine appreciation for his faithful administrator.
• He now realizes that, if this good man dies, who can he trust?
• But he cannot undo that which he has signed, so Daniel is brought.
• There is some discussion as to whether this is a cave or pit.
• We will soon see that it is a pit, for lions could easily escape a cave as the door is opened for prisoners.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
• Here we see additional evidence that royal power had fallen in the kingdom.
• The kings decision had to be concurrent with the lords.
• The seal of the king had to be accompanied by the seal of the “lords.”
• How it must have broken his heart to add his seal to those of these evil men.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
• I wonder if the king entertained any hope of hearing an answer.
• Could Daniel have told the king about the fiery furnace?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
• This seems to be a standard greeting for the Medo-Persians toward their king.
• It has been used earlier by the evil presidents and satraps (vs. 6).
• But Daniel is sincere.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
• What a night that must have been.
• He tells about a MESSENGER. (God could not sit back and watch this without acting).
APPLY: You can manipulate the circumstances of men. You will not manipulate God!
• He tells about a METHOD.
• He tells about his MOTIVES (Before God and Before the King).
Psalms 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
• What a testimony to the king this was!
• Our trials, when we respond properly, are a testimony to others.
• Without Daniel’s trial, there would not have been this witness to the king!
• Here is yet another character report on Daniel (vss. 5, 16, 20,22).
1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
• Notice again that this is a pit (“ever they came at the bottom”).
• How the faces of these men must have changed.
• Travel with me for a moment back to the night before:
THE KING – loses sleep.
THE SATRAPS – they lose sleep too, but so that they can throw a huge all-night party.
DANIEL – may have lost sleep too, but only to see the angel of God.
• How things have changed.
• You can get away with attacking God’s man, but only for so long.
• It is difficult for us to watch the children and the wives to suffer.
• But this is not at the hand of God, this is at the hand of a pagan king.
• But God allows this king to execute vengeance upon these men who have so brazenly lifted their hand against God’s man.
• The lions destroy these men and their families before they can hit the bottom.
NOTE: It would seem that not all of the 120 satraps were in on this plot. The numbers would have been staggering and would have wiped out the entire government. But one thing is sure: those who were guilty died!
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
• What a marvelous decree.
• I do not know if this established the worship of Jehovah as the only religion, or if the king simply granted tolerance to the Jewish faith.
• Nonetheless, it is amazing!
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
• Following God does not guarantee that there will be no battles.
• But following God faithfully guarantees that your end will be good!
• You cannot follow God and suffer a loss in eternity.
• SEE DANIEL 5:21 FOR THE THEME OF THE BOOK.
Daniel 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
OPTIONAL: 624, His Eye is on the Sparrow
I. The Crisis in Daniel’s Life (6:1-9)
A. The People NOTE: SEE PSALM 55 FOR MANY WONDERFUL PARALLELS OF DAVID TO DANIEL.
• There are his enemies who are jealous of him.
• There are always those who will put their selfish interest above the interest of the organization.
• There are those that are honestly serving the interest of the whole organization but who are made to suffer at the hands of the selfish.
• And then there are those, like the king, who are not enemies of the good people but who allow themselves to be caught up on the plot. “Mine own familiar friend.”
B. The Plot
• Spiritual people handle things openly, honestly, biblically.
• If they have a problem with someone, they go to the right person, and talk honestly about the main issue.
• Subversive people work behind the scenes in little groups of two and three, they use a front issue instead of the real issue, and they never talk to the right person.
C. The Problem
• Daniel is not worried about himself, but about God’s purpose in the kingdom.
• He has been a voice for God through many years and in many administrations.
• Now, his voice may be silenced!
• And worst of all, the king has been duped. He is in on it unintentionally.
II. The Consistency in Daniel’s Life (6:10)
A. The Place that did not Change
• So often when problems arise, we are tempted to flee.
• We husbands and wives walk away, managers quit, pastors resign.
Psalms 55:6-8 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
• Not Daniel.
• He stays right where he is and leaves it in God’s hands.
B. The Pattern that did not Change
• Daniel had always prayed.
• Three times, every day, toward Jerusalem.
• And so he continues the pattern to his own danger.
• He goes to his room on time.
• He opens the window or leaves it open.
• He bows and prays to the Lord, apparently aloud.
• Verse 10 tells us that he did this “as he did aforetime.”
• A crisis separate the chaff from the wheat, it will reveal who is the shepherd and who is the hireling.
• God’s people do not cease to praise the Lord in difficulties.
C. The Petitions that did not Change
• He prayed for the crisis in his life.
• He prayed for the king.
• He prayed for divine justice to be meted out.
• He prayed, I am sure, for those who had been caught up on this plot but were unaware of what they were doing.
• He prayed that even his enemies might come to know his God!
• He prayed that the Lord might spare him that he might continue his influence for righteousness.
• There was simply too much to pray for to stop praying at this point.
Daniel 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
Jeremiah 29:4-14 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. 10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
D. The Praise that did not Change
• The word “thanks” in the English text is actually “praise” (Aramaic, Yeda, same as Hebrew, yadah, to praise).
• In the darkest hour of his life, he could find much for which he could praise his God.
ILLUS: A friend who will hang around only so long as you can benefit him.
• How could Daniel manage to be thankful in difficult times?
• It was his character!
III. The Character in Daniel’s Life
A. Cleanness (A Life of Integrity)
• You will remember back in chapter one that he, along with his friends, refused to accept the king’s meat!
• He accepted a diet acceptable to the Lord and God honored this.
• He would not compromise on food or faith!
• The king know of his character (vss. 16, 20)
• The satraps and presidents who plotted against him know of his purity.
• An ace investigative squad could find no fault in him (vs. 4)
• He could confidently tell the king, “Against the I have done no hurt” (vs. 22)
• How about you? Are you a plotter or a praiser? Are you pure?
• If your life this morning depended upon your purity, would you make it?
• If someone depended on your prayers could you intercede for them?
B. Control (A Life of Submission)
(Daniel placed his life in God’s hands)
• Daniel had long ago learned a lesson that many here today, even good people, need to learn.
• God is in control!
• Daniel could not stop the captivity of his people, he was just a young man.
• Daniel could not control the rise and fall of the kings.
• Daniel could not stop this plot against him.
• But he leaves it all in God’s hands!
APPLY! Many of us are not doubting God’s ability to control, yet we are so arrogant as to plot against God and His will because we are unwilling to accept what He has for us!
C. Confidence (A Life of Trust)
1. In God’s Capability
• Daniel had repeatedly watched God deliver!
• He had seen God get in the furnace with his friends.
• He had seen God drive a king insane.
• He had seen God put handwriting on the wall.
• He had seen God lift him to prominence in every administration!
• He know that a lion was nothing for his God!
Lions roamed the countryside and forests in Mesopotamia, and the people feared them and greatly respected their power. Some kings hunted lions for sport. The Persians captured lions, keeping them in large parks where they were fed and attended. Lions were also used for executing people. But God has ways of delivering his people (Dan 6:22) that none of us can imagine. It is always premature to give up and give in to the pressure of unbelievers, because God has power they know nothing about. God can even shut the lions' mouths. —Life Application Bible Notes
2. In God’s Care
• Here is the crux of the matter.
• God CAN deliver, but does He CARE enough to deliver?
• Daniel had settled this long ago!
Psalms 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
IV. The Conquering in Daniel’s Life
“More than conquerors.”
• Joseph’s brothers could not succeed in their plot against him.
• Potipher’s wife could not long succeed in her false accusations against Joseph.
• Saul could not succeed in his plot against David.
• Jezebel could not succeed in her plot against Elijah.
• Nebuchadnezzar could not burn the three Hebrew children.
• And so Daniel did not fear men.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Romans 8:31-39 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
CONCLUSION:
Jeremiah 17:5-10 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath [NOTE: a dessert shrub] in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
