AIM: Fear and serve God, not man.
A) Darius appoints officers and administrators over
providences and Daniel’s promotion is planned.
(6:1) Darius the Mede divided kingdom into 120 provinces,
appointed a high officer over each
(2) Daniel and two others were chose to administrators to
supervise officers and protect kings interest
(3) Daniel proved himself more capable than all others, king
made plans to place him over the entire empire
Application: Do I perform every task in my day with
excellence as an act of worship to God? (Colossians
3:23-24)
B) Envious officers see Daniel’s devotion to God and
manipulate a plan for his death in lions’ den.
(4-5) other admins and high officers searched for Daniels
flaws but found none, except connection to rules of his religion.
(6-7) They got king Darius to make a law that people could
only pray to him or be thrown in lions den
(8-9) “Sign it so it cannot be revoked” so Darius signed
into law
Application: Is
the only valid complaint about me devotion to God or is there laziness in my
work that I need to change? What would God say about my devotion to him
compared to my other relationships?
C) Daniel is not deterred in devotion to God and is found
guilty of breaking law, thrown in lions’ den.
(10) Daniel learned about law, knelt down in upstairs room,
windows open, toward Jerusalem, prayed three times daily, giving thanks to God.
(11) Officials found Daniel praying, asking for God’s help
(12-13) They told the king and Daniel ignores your law,
prays three times daily to his God
Application: What
laws of man deter my devotion to God? What I hear from God, I will proclaim and
what God has said will be proclaimed (Luke
12:1-12; Matthew 10:24-42).
D) Darius believes God because Daniel is protected by an
angel of God from the lions.
(14-16) King was deeply troubled, tried to get Daniel out of
predicament but couldn’t. King ordered Daniel arrested, thrown into lion’s den
and said “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you”
(17-18) stone over den, sealed with kings seal, no one could
rescue Daniel, king fasted all night (no entertainment, no sleep)
(19-20) king hurried early, in anguish, “Daniel, servant of
the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you
from the lions?”
(21-22) Long live the king, God sent his angel shut lions’
mouth, I’m innocent in his sight, not wronged you
(23) king overjoyed, lifted from den, no scratch on him for
he trusted God
(24) king orders arrest of men who maliciously accused
Daniel, their wives and children into den – torn apart before hitting the
floor.
(25) Darius sent message across the world: Peace &
Prosperity to you
(26-27) tremble with fear before God of Daniel, living God,
endures forever, never destroyed, rule never ends, rescues and saves,
miraculous signs in heaven on earth – He rescued Daniel from lions
(28) Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and Cyrus
Application: What
trials in my life are building the faith of close friends and colleagues? Do I
bring joy to others, building their faith in God – even hostile people (2
Corinthians 5:11-21)?
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