Daniel 6:8-14

Daniel 6:8

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.

 

With the vanity of the king being stroked, they now asked the king to sign the decree and make it an official law of the land for thirty days.  The laws of the Medes and Persians could not be altered or amended in any way once the law was signed.  Therefore, once it was signed, Daniel would have no authority to have it changed or appealed.  It was either pray to the king or pray to God.  It is a struggle we see today, do we bow to the government when their laws contradict God’s law or do we bow to God in defiance of the government?

 

Daniel 6:9

Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

 

Darius, in his pride, not knowing that he was being used as a pawn in this scheme had signed the decree and thus it became the law of the land without the possibility of repeal.

 

Daniel 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.

 

Daniel was not dumb, he knew what those men had done and how they appealed to the king’s vanity by getting him to sign such a ridiculous law.  Daniel did not let this plot cause him to stop his daily meeting times with God.  Upon knowing the decree was signed and the penalty for disobedience, Daniel proceeded to his house and his windows were open toward Jerusalem.   Daniel then proceeded to go to his knees three times a day, not just once, and then proceeded to pray to God and to give Him thanks.  Psalm 55:17 (KJV) Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.  This is what Daniel’s daily prayer routine was and no doubt his enemies knew this even before the decree was signed.  Now they finally had him for violating the new law.  By Daniel going to his knees, he was showing his humble dependence upon God and that is why God exalted him because of his humility.  Luke 14:11 (KJV) For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.  Daniel could have hid in his house and prayed and no one would have known he was praying, but his confidence and faith in God caused him to stay faithful even in plain sight of his enemies.

 

Daniel 6:11

Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

 

These men not only assembled but they were waiting for Daniel to begin his prayer time so they would have what they needed to get rid of Daniel.  The fact that several men were present set up a scenario whereby they had enough witnesses to confirm the fact that Daniel was indeed guilty of violating the new decree.  They had him in the act of violating the law.

 

Daniel 6:12

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.

 

These men were being very shrewd in their dealings with the king.  They asked him a question in such a manner that the only answer could be yes.  They placed in a question the essence of the decree along with the penalty for violating that decree.  There was only one way the king would answer and they knew it.  The king confirmed their question by stating that their question was true and the signing of the law was true.  So now there was no way to go back on the law, it must be obeyed or else and the 2 presidents knew it and so did the king.

 

Daniel 6:13

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.

 

Then they dropped the bomb on the king they found Daniel to be in disobedience to the law.  They added something personal to their accusation that Daniel showed no regard or attention to the king or the king’s decree.  It was like he just ignored it and did his daily routine anyway.  They saw Daniel as an outsider and wanted him gone.  No doubt Daniel’s ways were in contradiction of those others who did not want to see any morals being taught or used.  Daniel was the favorite of Darius because he knew that he could really trust him.

 

Daniel 6:14

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.

 

Then the king probably realized at this point that he was used by these men to get rid of Daniel.  The king was “sore displeased” with himself because he allowed himself to be used by these men.  The words “sore displeased” carry with them the meaning of “greatly displeased.”  Then the king had tried hard to do what he could to get Daniel free from the charges against him.  He probably worked with his scribes and lawyers to try and find some loophole to get Daniel freed from the penalty of the decree.  He worked long into the night to try and find a solution to this problem.

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