Beth Moore had been speaking on being culturally relevant and not spiritually irrelevant. In other words, God calls on us to be culturally relevant while maintaining our spiritual integrity. But to be clear about this, they don’t necessarily go hand in hand. We are to maintain our spiritual integrity at all costs even if it means being driven to cultural irrelevance and paying the price as was in the case of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in the furnace and Daniel in the lion’s den.
Our love for God (The preeminent thing we are to do in life, Mt 22:37-38.) drives our spiritual integrity which transcends all circumstances, cost not being a factor. If we can be culturally on board and maintain a right relationship with God, great, but if not, we need to ditch the cultural demands in order to maintain our spiritual integrity (cf. Dan 1:8). We define success not as the world does, but as God views success – knowing and doing God’s will for our lives (cf. Josh 1:8; Jer 9:24). If we lose sight of this for the sake of being culturally relevant, we are losers in a big kind of way.
By the time of Daniel chapter six, Daniel is over eighty years of age. The Medo-Persians have defeated Babylonians in 539-537 B.C. Darius is on the throne and has favored Daniel to be one of the three governors over the empire.
Dan 6:3, 10, 22 are pivotal verses, with every action there was a reaction. I will not outline this chapter based upon that, but I wanted to bring this out before we proceeded any further.
- In Dan 6:3 (Promotion) Darius considered putting Daniel over the governors and satraps. That resulted in jealousy and a murderous plot under the guise of legality.
- In Dan 6:10 (Prayer) once the decree was signed into law by Darius on a thirty day moratorium on petitioning any god or man except Darius (Dan 6:9), Daniel went directly home and got on his knees anyway and thanked God as was his custom to do three times a day. The plotters found Daniel praying and making supplication before His God in direct violation of the Medo-Persian law (Dan 6:11) which resulted in Daniel being cast into the den of lions (Dan 6:16).
- In Dan 6:21 (Prospered, Dan 6:28) upon Darius hearing Daniel’s voice from out of the lion’s den, the king had all of Daniel’s accusers including their families cast into the lion’s den (Dan 6:24), and he further decreed that all men in every dominion of his kingdom shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel (Dan 6:26).
Promotion leads to plotting
Petition leads to persecution
Protection leads to punishment
I. The Conspiracy, Dan 6:1-9 (pivotal verse: Dan 6:3)
A. The Purpose, Dan 6:1-3
B. The Probe, Dan 6:4-5
C. The Pretense, Dan 6:6-9
II. The Committed, Dan 6:10-17 (pivotal verse: Dan 6:10)
A. Daniel by faith, Dan 6:10
B. Darius by law, Dan 6:11-17
1. The accusation, Dan 6:11-13
2. The agitation, Dan 6:14
3. The acquiescence, Dan 6:15-17
III. The Consequences, Dan 6:18-28
A. Darius, Dan 6:18-20
B. Daniel, Dan 6:21-23 (pivotal verse: Dan 6:21)
C. Accusers and family, Dan 6:24
D. Kingdom, Dan 6:25-28
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I. The Conspiracy, Dan 6:1-9 (pivotal verse: Dan 6:3)
A. The Purpose, Dan 6:1-3
| Vss | Comments |
| Dan 6:1 | It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom Darius (cf. Dan 5:31) |
| Dan 6:2 | And over these [120 satraps], three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them We learn that the satraps are accountable to the three governors. It is an assumption that each governor was over forty satraps. Each governor served as a vice-regent to Darius. So that the king would suffer no loss The purpose of the governors was to protect the realm from military uprising, tax evasion, or fraud. |
| Dan 6:3 | Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps Because an excellent spirit was in him This Aramaic word for excellent is found eight times in Daniel. · Three times it has reference to Daniel [Dan 5:12, 14; 6:3]. · It is translated excellent five times: Dan 2:31 [splendor was excellent]; Dan 4:36 [excellent majesty]; Dan 5:12; 6:3 [excellent spirit]; Dan 5:14 excellent wisdom]. · It is translated exceedingly three times: Dan 3:22 [the furnace exceedingly hot]; Dan 7:7 [exceedingly strong]; Dan 7:19 [exceedingly dreadful]. · The basic idea is excellence, superiority, outstanding. Daniel excelled in all that he did. This is what distinguished (preferred, KJV) him from among the 122 other guys (Dan 6:1-2). He was not corrupted by the pagan system. He was a man of impeccable character. Daniel was a man of God who was culturally relevant and true to God in the pursuit of excellence in an ungodly system. He possessed outstanding moral and ethical standards. We don’t need to run away from the world for fear of contamination. Jesus sends us into the world to be an effective witness. Daniel is proof positive through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that we can accomplish this in the world. Jesus said we are in the world (Jn 17:11, 20-21 [cf. Mt 28:18-20]) but not of the world (Jn 15:19; 17:14-16); He didn’t say we are out of the world but not of the world. Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abed-nego) were excellent examples of this. Christ-likeness includes being a missionary, sharing God’s truth to others. Jesus was a missionary; we are to be like Christ; we are to be missionary minded. Until God takes us out of the world, we are to be in meaningful engagement with the world as a witness to the truth in the midst of Satanic falsehood. This is about being culturally relevant (in the world) and maintaining our spiritual integrity (not of the world, contrast 1 Jn 2:15-16). We cannot be Christ-like and not be a witness to the truth. We cannot be a witness to the truth in the world if we isolate ourselves from the world or lose our spiritual integrity in the world (cf. Dan 1:8; 3:18; 6:10). We need to be communicating God’s truth with others and maintaining our purity before God. God promised never to leave us or forsake us as we witness for Jesus. The fantastic four were witnesses for God in a very devilish system, and God protected them from evil; God didn’t prevent the stress that came along with the trials, but He did protect them from death. Again, we read of those who were witnesses (see Heb 11) who died for their faith. You don’t get any deeper in Christianity than a but if not faith (Dan 3:18). All four of the Hebrew men were willing to die for their faith had God so required it. It is a matter of trust and obedience. As the old hymnal by John Sammis (1887) said,
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Being gifted and spiritual generate jealousy (cf. Joseph’s brothers, Gen 37:18-24). This plan by Darius to promote Daniel above the governors created friction between Daniel and the other 2 governors and 120 satraps. They knew Daniel was a man of principle, and corrupt men have issues with men of principle. They might have feared that if Daniel was over them, he would address the corruption that was taking place. After all, that was a governor’s responsibility - so that the king would suffer no loss (Dan 6:2), and Daniel did that obviously better than the other two governors that Darius took notice! Keep in mind that Daniel is over 80 years old. The Jews were allowed to return to Judah during the first year of Cyrus (539 – 537 B.C.). The lion’s den episode occurred sometime after this. Two significant factors that assisted in the Jews returning to Judah were Medo Persian policy of allowing captives to return to their homeland, and Daniel’s influence over Cyrus in crafting the decree (cf. Ezra 1, 6 The Persian king could not have known to do all of this without Daniel’s help). |
B. The Probe, Dan 6:4-5
| Dan 6:4 | So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; But they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; Cf. 1 Pet 3:13-17 Daniel was trustworthy and diligent in the discharge of his duties. He was not corrupt. Nor was there any error or fault found in him. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men (Col 3:23). |
| Dan 6:5 | Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God." |
C. The Pretense, Dan 6:6-9
| Dan 6:6 | So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever! It is unclear if all 120 satraps were present. But the two governors and the satraps present set forth their murderous plot to dispose of Daniel. |
| Dan 6:7 | All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. |
| Dan 6:8 | Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." |
| Dan 6:9 | Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. Darius was easily influenced by flattery and the concept stroked his ego. There is no indication if Daniel was present when the other governors and satraps were given audience before the king. Or it could have been he was present and outvoted. Whatever the scenario, the king signed the irrevocable decree. The interesting thing that followed was Daniel’s reaction to the decree; keep in mind that the king respected Daniel enough to make him sole vice-regent, the assumed 3 governors and 120 satraps being accountable to Daniel. |
II. The Committed, Dan 6:10-17 (pivotal verse: Dan 6:10)
A. Daniel by faith, Dan 6:10
| Dan 6:10 | Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed (cf. Acts 5:29), he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God (cf. Php 4:6-7, a great antidote for anxiety), as was his custom since early days. Daniel apparently knew what was happening and had already made up his mind on what he was going to do – he went home and prayed. He stayed the course knowing the outcome. He was committed to do what was right regardless of the consequences. He was well aware of what happened to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and the furnace during Neb’s reign. It was Daniel’s time now. There is no indication of Daniel protesting. He was well aware that no decree could be altered once signed based on Medo-Persian law. Did you catch the least thing you would have expected in this situation? Daniel gave thanks! Daniel has no idea whether or not he will survive this crisis, and we read of him giving thanks to God! His thankfulness to God was not based upon the circumstances of life – as was his custom since early days. Also his thankfulness was consistent – morning, noon, and night every day since the early days. We see that prayer and thanksgiving were a part of Daniel’s everyday life. It was a lifestyle. We cannot face life’s challenges properly apart from prayer and thanksgiving. Prayer and thanksgiving are symbolic of a close relationship with God. Think about this. We associate prayer with crisis but what about affiliating thanksgiving with crisis? Would the passage 1 Thess 5:18 include giving thanks in time of crisis? Of course it would. But we see in this verse that prayer and thanksgiving were a vital part of Daniel’s life everyday in the good times as well as the bad times. This was three times a day for years on end, folks! This means his TaP sessions were deliberate and scheduled. It was a daily routine of his life. As busy as he was he fellowshipped and interacted with God. He had a relationship with God. So good was this relationship that Daniel set aside three times a day for God. This is not to say he didn’t shoot up some quick prayers or offered thanks throughout the day. But we know he set aside some time for God for the purpose of communion and fellowship. Daniel knew God, and his relationship with God was what sustained him in crises. Keep in mind, we are not told if Daniel had an inside track on what God was going to do. I personally don’t think Daniel knew what the outcome was going to be. I think he went home that day, opened his window, fell down on his knees and submitted to God’s will in the matter. What Daniel didn’t know was that God did not want to save Daniel from the lions’ den; He wanted to deliver him out of it (Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines, e-Sword). There is something to be said about building spiritual habits when young. Toward Jerusalem (cf. Psa 5:7; 55:16-17; 1 Kgs 8:44-45; 1 Chr 6:21,34, 38) Tidbit: the most mentioned city in the Bible is Jerusalem (814 times, KJV) and the second most city is Babylon (294 occurrences, KJV). |
B. Darius by law, Dan 6:11-17
1. The accusation, Dan 6:11-13
| Dan 6:11 | Then these men assembled (lit, rushed) and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Like a pack of vultures they descended upon their prey. |
| Dan 6:12 | And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, 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 does not alter." Titillated by the thought of being godlike for thirty days, now Darius is trapped in political intrigue due to his own ego and a careless decree. Darius is fixing to lose the very man he wanted as second in command over the kingdom by his own signature. |
| Dan 6:13 | So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day." Daniel’s accusers have been keeping tabs on him. Know and study your enemy! Daniel was an enemy to the governors and satraps because of their petty jealousies, and they probably perceived him as a threat. |
2. The agitation, Dan 6:14
| Dan 6:14 | And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. He probably felt pretty stupid getting duped into this situation. Had he not signed the decree this would have never happened. |
3. The acquiescence, Dan 6:15-17
| Dan 6:15 | Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed." |
| Dan 6:16 | So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." Den This is related to a Hebrew word meaning “to dig.” (JMSB, p. 1237) |
| Dan 6:17 | Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. |
III. The Consequences, Dan 6:18-28
A. Darius, Dan 6:18-20
| Dan 6:18 | Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. (Cf. Xerxes in Esther 6:1) |
| Dan 6:19 | Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. |
| Dan 6:20 | And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?" |
B. Daniel, Dan 6:21-23 (pivotal verse: Dan 6:21)
| Dan 6:21 | Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! |
| Dan 6:22 | My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you." |
| Dan 6:23 | Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, Perhaps a southern expression is fitting here, Darius was tickled pink! And commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, From the hungry mouths of lions Daniel’s faith roared. And no injury whatever was found on him (cf. Dan 3:27) This is not always the case with “But if not” saints (cf. Heb 11:33, 35-38). Because he believed in his God. This is how Darius interpreted it! Belief generates risk; and risks reveal belief. |
C. Accusers and family, Dan 6:24
| Dan 6:24 | And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, This probably was not all the satraps in his government. Those men who had accused Daniel probably referred to the architects and accomplices of the conspiracy. And they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den. This repercussion sends a dire warning to the remaining officials of the kingdom, if you don’t want to become meow mix don’t try to hoodwink the king and go after Daniel. The gruesome death of both accuser and his family served as a deterrent measure for future insurrection and sends a dire warning to others. These accusers ensnared the king in political intrigue and tore him out of the frame emotionally. This is another example of the world’s inability to touch God’s people unless given Divine permission. These big cats were so hungry from being shut up in the cave that many of the bodies were ravaged before hitting the ground after being cast in probably from an opening above the cave. Compare Haman’s fate in Esther 7:9-10. |
D. Kingdom, Dan 6:25-28
| Dan 6:25 | Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. |
| Dan 6:26 | I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. Whether Darius really believed this or not is uncertain, but you have to love a powerful king declaring this message across the kingdom. There are many Christians who do not share this perspective! Faith honors God, folks. Our faith is personal but not private. The whole kingdom learned of Daniel’s faith in the LORD. |
| Dan 6:27 | He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. This is a potent testimony of maintaining spiritual integrity before the Lord and man. |
| Dan 6:28 | So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius [the Mede, Dan 5:31] and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Daniel prospered in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Cyrus. Why? Because he was culturally relevant without compromising his spiritual integrity. God blessed Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah because of their faithfulness to Him. They were “but if not” (Dan 3:18) believers in principle and practice. |
Postscript
Being culturally relevant while maintaining spiritual integrity is graphically illustrated in the life of Daniel. The key to understanding this is found in his relationship with God. As a young man he was willing to put it all on the line with the vegetable diet to avoid violating the prohibition on eating food offered to idols (Dan 1:8; cf. Ex 34:14-15; Prov 20:1; Isa 5:11). In so doing he preserved his spiritual integrity, and God elevated Daniel to prominence to be used in a greater capacity, along with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Now into his eighties we learn that he prayed and gave thanks to God three times a day since he was young (Dan 6:10). This cost him a free trip to the lion’s den; all expenses paid. This was a deliberate act of commitment on Daniel’s part – as soon as the decree was written he immediately went home to pray and give thanks. Again, we see that God blessed him by protecting him from some very hungry and ferocious felines; God prospered him for his faithfulness (Dan 6:28).
Here is what I want you to see. There is no way you and I can maintain our spiritual integrity in this evil world of darkness without a proper relationship with God. How can we make the right decisions and know when to draw the line with spiritual conviction and sensibility when faced with a situation that might compromise our fellowship with God in our daily walk? Daniel was such a powerful man of conviction that he chose not to “chill out” for thirty days to thwart his enemies’ advances. Something powerful was in the making, and God was about to be glorified through Daniel’s faithfulness and by Darius’s decree (Dan 6:26-27).
A heart lived absent of prayer (1 Thes 5:17), thanksgiving (1 Thes 5:18), and the Word (Psa 119:11) is a life that will ultimately succumb to the pressures of the world, because spiritual integrity has eroded to the point of compromise. It is an inevitability. In the book of Daniel, do you read of any other young men that were deported along with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to Babylon taking a stand for God? The king’s diet separated the fantastic four from the herd. Apparently, they were the only ones that did not rationalize the situation to willful disobedience to God, and God blessed them for their faithfulness.
Idolatry was such a problem in Judah that the others may have already been contaminated with paganism, and partaking of the king’s dietary menu was a natural, logical choice. Now there were others living for God in the other deportations to Babylon (597 and 586 B.C), but they are not mentioned in the book of Daniel. Ezekiel, by the way, had been taken into captivity in March of 597 B.C. (Ezek 1:1).
God blesses those who love him more than life. This truth is no more clearly illustrated, except in the life of Christ, than in the book of Daniel. Can you smell the smoldering ruins of the battered and beaten Jerusalem? There is no blessing in disobedience, only death, decay, destruction, problems, problems, and more problems. Living for God is no guarantee from trouble. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah proved that strikingly. Gleaning truths from their lives doesn’t take a rocket scientist.
If we want to be culturally relevant and care little of our testimony before the world, we might want to visualize smelling the ruins of disobedience. We aren’t going to be blessed. In fact we could wind up having trouble without deliverance (cf. 1 Pet 5:8)! These four men proved that you and I can be culturally relevant and be blessed of God. However, if being successful in the world comes at the price of compromising our spiritual integrity, well, it may certainly keep us out of the furnace or the lion’s den, but we still have to answer to God. The simple truth remains – God blesses those who love Him more than life (cf. Jn 14:15), yes, even in Babylon. Do we possess a “but if not” faith or is cultural acceptance more important if it comes down to it?
