DANIEL 6
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”
– Daniel 6:10-15
DANIEL 6 DANIEL’S RESPONSE TO THE PLOT AGAINST HIM
In this account, we witness Daniel’s integrity in response to the threat of his life. Because Daniel had much favor from King Darius, these officials were teeming with envy and jealousy and had to come up with a plot to kill Daniel. James 3:16 says “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” Also, the book of James in chapter 4:2-3 explains the instigating factor for the plot to kill Daniel. It says “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” In 1 Corinthians 3:3 Paul tells the church “For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” Daniel’s response to the plot to his life was to continue praying three times a day as he always did. We don’t see any fear for his life in this account, but a total dependence on God instead. He is faithful to rely on God in good or bad times. He still prayed three times a day without fail.
REFLECTION
- What lessons can we learn from Daniel when our safety is threatened?
