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“He rescues and he saves, he has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions” (Daniel 6:27)
Today we will read Daniel chapter 6. But first, let’s briefly recall what we have learned so far. There was a prophecy about a rock cut out of the mountain that would destroy nations and a new kingdom would be established; and this took place during the time of the Romans (Daniel 2:44, 45). This rock was the Savior, whose birth brought the kingdom of heaven to earth. Through the book of Daniel we also learned that humility is one of the qualities of God’s kingdom; by comparing two kings of Babylon we learned a lesson from their failure to be humble.
For today, the lesson is that challenges and difficulties are part of the process of entering the kingdom of heaven and our faith will be tested. Brothers and sisters, we will surely go through trials and hardships in this life. But God, who allows us to experience these things so we can grow—he is with us. What kind of trials did Daniel go through in today’s passage? Let us read Daniel chapter 6. We will read this chapter closely.
Chapter 6 verse 1 says that King Darius appointed 120 officials—called satraps—to govern the nation. The kingdom of Babylon was a vast territory. Perhaps there were 120 provinces or regions. Over the 120 satraps were 3 administrators to supervise them, receive their reports, advise them, and ensure that the king would suffer no loss. Daniel was one of these 3 administrators, and King Darius was planning to set Daniel over the whole kingdom. So the other administrators and satraps plotted Daniel’s downfall.
Verse 4 says, “At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” Verse 5: “Finally these men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.’” They could find no reason to accuse Daniel, so they thought of causing trouble for him over his faith in the one true God. So they said to the king, “May King Darius live forever!” Verse 7: “The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.”
In many countries which are ruled by a dictator, there are always leaders or officials who treat their ruling dictator like a god. They do this to gain favor. It’s tragic but in Japan as well there were politicians who treated the Emperor as a god and pushed for Japan to expand the Emperor’s rule over other Asian countries. During the World War, they chose policies that were foolish in hindsight; they tried to demand allegiance from other Asian countries towards the Emperor. Japan had politicians and administrators like that.
Going back to chapter 6, the administrators tried to get rid of Daniel through a cunning plan. Verses 8-9: “‘Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’ So King Darius put the decree in writing.” It seems the king did not think very much before agreeing to this. He probably thought the decree to elevate him like a god would strengthen his control of the Babylonian empire. Later on, the Roman emperors did the same. During Roman rule, the Christians, who worshipped only the one true God, were also persecuted. During times of war, Japan also persecuted believers; but under the Romans, Christians were persecuted for 300 years. Anyway, how did Daniel respond to this situation?
Verse 10 says, “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” I’m imagining what Daniel prayed about. May I be able to serve God in a holy nation, a kingdom of priests. May I be able to worship God and be in his presence. Perhaps that is what he prayed. Daily he came before God this way and was not ashamed of the law of God, and he made use of the talents God had given him. I imagine he prayed that he could bring glory to God, and that the king of this nation would rule with justice and provide for the needy. In any case, Daniel gave thanks when he prayed, remembering God’s grace that gave him this life. It was this faith that Daniel’s enemies saw and used as a reason to cause trouble for him.
Daniel was brought before the king. A case was made against him. The accusers said this to the king. Verse 12, “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” The administrators insisted that Daniel had broken the king’s decree. The king realized his mistake but could not take back his words. Verses 16 to 18: “So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.
The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.” The king was deeply distressed. He hoped fervently that the god of Daniel would rescue his faithful servant. The next morning, the king hurried to the lion’s den. Verses 20-22: “When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’
Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.’” Of course, Daniel did not disobey the decree out of contempt for the king. Rather it was out of his faith in the Creator God. And as one from a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, Daniel prayed for the king and served the king. I believe Daniel had that sense of mission. The Bible tells us that an amazing miracle took place. God sent his angels to shut the mouths of the lions. This alone is a wonderful thing but it is not the whole story. The miracle also caused King Darius to have a revelation, and this is what he said to the people in his empire, as recorded in chapter 6. Let us read it.
Verse 25-26 says, “Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: ‘May you prosper greatly! I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.’” King Darius came to acknowledge the sovereignty of the living God, the existence of the kingdom of God. And in verse 27, he adds, “He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
The phrase “He rescues and he saves” is sometimes translated as “This is the Savior.” We can say that this Word of God points to the kingdom of the Savior, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus is the one who always saves, who rescues us in the midst of our difficulties, and who invites us into the blessings of the kingdom.
However, brothers and sisters, the kingdom of heaven comes with trials and difficulties. It would be great if only good things happened to us, but it would be wrong for us to only teach or over-emphasize the blessings. Revelation 1:9 says, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Brothers and sisters, these words are important; in Jesus we have suffering and the kingdom and patient endurance. Certainly the kingdom of heaven is a wonderful state, but as John’s words teach us, we are invited to the kingdom through suffering and patient endurance.Romans 3:24 says, “all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Salvation is granted to us by the precious sacrifice of Christ Jesus. This is the truth. And we live in grace.
Let’s read Romans 5:1-4 next: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Brothers and sisters, suffering and perseverance are essential. When we persevere, we grow in character as believers and we are given hope. Let us embrace this truth.
Daniel, too, grew in character and in hope through many trials. Indeed, he was a man of great character. The book of Daniel is not a mere success story. It teaches us humility—a quality of the kingdom of heaven, and it teaches that we will go through difficulties and trials as we enter the kingdom of heaven. Let us not be timid but live our lives fully with Jesus. Through challenges, God grows us. Jesus rescues and saves us. Let us believe it and take on the challenges that we are given.
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