This is a part of a sermon series in the book of Daniel. You can watch more here.
These are moments in history where the glory of God rings out to the whole world. On Christmas Eve, 1968 the crew from Apollo 8, the first humans to travel to the moon, allegedly, read from the book of Genesis during a television broadcast, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
It is like there are moments throughout history where God’s glory is broadcast to the whole world, reminding us that He is there, because the God of Scripture made a wonderful world, but because of our sin (Genesis 3) we see brokenness and because of our brokenness in our world and as a result we get distracted from His glory.
We get confused. We get discouraged, so that the only hope for the world is that rescue would come. And in the Old Testament God’s plan is that rescue would come through Israel bringing forth the Savior to bless the world, but when we read the Old Testament we see instead of Israel being the light of the world, we see Israel becoming like the world, and as a result Israel is divided as a nation (1 Kings 12), defeated as a nation (500 BC), and deported into a foreign land called Babylon.
That’s what we’ve been studying as a church family in Austin in Joshua, Judges and now Daniel, so that when we read the Old Testament we are left with this feeling like, “How is the Lord going to keep His promise to the world through Israel when it looks like everything is falling apart?”
Wouldn’t’ you know it? God’s promises are more glorious than we could ever imagine! Even now, in our lives today, God has you here this morning to be reminded through His Word that His promises are more spectacular, consistent, and glorious than we could ever imagine. Let’s look at Daniel 6, verses 1-2:
Daniel 6:1-2, “1 It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.”
Just in case you are new with us this morning…we are studying the book of Daniel. Daniel is in the Old Testament. Daniel is about a period of Israel’s history when Israel is deported into a foreign land known as “The Exile.”
In Daniel chapters 1-5 we see the rise of Babylon, the fall of Babylon, and chapter 6, verse 1 we see a new king called King Darius.
This is Daniel’s fourth king. He had a king in Israel under a king, then Nebuchadnezzar, then Belshazzar, and now Darius, so that Daniel is an old man at this point in the story, and yet in Daniel 6 we are going to see Daniel is still faithful to the Lord, still contributing to the Lord, still participating and serving the Lord.
Just as a side note: In our culture today, we tend to overlook people who are getting older. The assumption in our day is that older people messed everything up and the hope of our culture is that young people are going to be able to fix it. Right? What a horrible description of older people in our culture?
As an older person you have lived through life experiences, you have learned things, and when we submit ourselves to the Lord those things can turn into wisdom that we can share with other people, but you need to know there are forces at work in our day that are telling older people to be quiet, go away, and move along. Do you sense this?
As I am getting older I feel this pull to get away from people. I see this mentality, “I have put in my time.” I just want to do what I want to do. You need to know that voice is not from the Lord.
There is no Scripture that says when you get to a certain age in life you get to forsake God’s call on your life and just do what you want to do in life.
The pattern we see in God’s Word is that when older people submit themselves to the Lord there can be wisdom, vitality, passion and strength, so that the voices of older people in our city and our church family are still needed today. God loves older people. Our church family in Austin loves older people.
Young people, you don’t have to agree with what an older person says, but it is only to your benefit to ask questions and listen, hear the experiences, so that together we can encourage one another to be faithful to the Lord. Amen? Look at verses 3-4:
Daniel 6:3-4, “3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.”
In the context of our passage we see Daniel winning the Employee of the Empire Award. In verses 1-4 we see a new government is being stablished, so that these “Satraps” are like district judges and in verse 1 we see there are 120 district judges.
In verse 2 there are three judges, like supreme court judges, overseeing the 120 district judges 2, so that Daniel is one of those top judges in the land.
In verse 3 we see Daniel is demonstrating such wisdom and influence in this new empire that people start whispering accusations. Do you see that in verse 4?
Daniel isn’t taking naps in the old folk’s home. Daniel isn’t sitting around watch Jeopardy, waiting to die. Daniel is serving faithfully?
You need to know it’s good to be involved in this world. It’s good to work. God’s Word calls those who are His to seek the good of our city (Jeremiah 29). It’s good for having a reputation of wisdom and influence in the workplace, in our families, and in our communities.
I remember when my wife worked at a local business and she was telling me about how employees would show up late, leave early, create problems and I said, “Tell the owner to hire Roberto Moctezuma.” Roberto’s going to work hard, be reliable, he’s going to think Roberto’s amazing! (Right Jon?)
As a follower of Jesus, we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, therefore, we don’t want to hide from opportunities. We want to be in places of influence, so we can demonstrate and declare the glory of God.
I was at a comedy show on Wednesday and the host said to me, “You want to do 5-minutes? I’ll squeeze you into the show.” I said, “I am just here to show support.” He said, “Nah, I want you up there.”
When I started I thought these guys would despise me being there and now they think it’s great that I am there. That’s what we want! Then he introduced me as “Father Michael” which was a little weird.
Listen to me, as followers of Jesus, we bring the Holy Spirit into the work place, into our families, into our communities, which means every day there are opportunities for spiritual insights and benefits at every level!
Can you imagine if the reputation of the church in north Austin, “When you hire a follower of Jesus, you are getting a great employee?” It should be!
In Daniel 6 we see Daniel is such a great employee people start whispering in verse 4. In verse 4 we see governing officials looking for dirt on Daniel, and I know it’s hard to imagine politicians using the judicial system to bring personal attacks, but that’s what we see in verse 4.
In verse 4 they are going through Daniel’s emails. They are looking over the video. They have their own Department of Government Efficiency looking for corruption and they couldn’t find anything on him.
You need to know as a follower of Jesus we are called to be salt and light in this world, and at the same time we need to expect layers of opposition.
Jesus tells us in this life there will be trouble. The Apostle Paul tells us all who desire to follow Jesus will be persecuted. The Apostle Peter tells us to not be surprised by these fiery trials. Jesus tells us blessed are those who are persecuted, reviled, and uttered all kinds of evil against you on My account!
There will be joy, there will be peace, there will be blessings, but if we are going to be faithful to the Lord then we must also be prepared hardship. Who’s excited? Some of our new people are thinking, “I thought this guy was supposed to be funny?”
Jump down to verse 7…when I skip verse it isn’t because I am avoiding something. It’s just for the sake of time. Look at verse 7:
Daniel 6:7, “7 All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den.”
Keep in mind the context of our passage. Another nation has toppled the Babylonian Empire. There has to be volatility at this moment. There has to be layers of insecurity, and then we see this Israelite named Daniel keeps getting favor from the king, so that Daniel is an easy target.
In addition, verse 7 says, “all the commissioners of the king,” Daniel is one of those leaders, and I am guessing Daniel didn’t sign off on this statute, because it would violate his own convictions, so again we see people whispering lies, creating friction and trying to create division in Daniel’s life. Look at verses 8-9:
Daniel 6:8-9, “8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.”
I want us to sit on the tension of the passage, because sometimes people will say to me, “I have been hanging out with these non-Christians and it’s easier.” Have you felt this or heard this?
When I am with followers of Jesus there is this friction, but when I am with people of the world it is comfortable? It’s because we’ve stopped fighting spiritually! Does that make sense?
If you want to get into bed with the world it is going to feel easier. It is going to bring momentary relief. It is going to eventually lead to death and destruction in our lives, we will see that in our passage this morning, but in the short-run, yeah, it will feel easier.
But when we commit our lives to following Jesus we should expect a spiritual fight. We should expect challenges.
When you start reading God’s Word you should expect attacks. When you start coming to church in Austin you should expect opposition. When you commit to a community group you should expect distractions. When you start praying with your spouse you should expect difficulty. It’s going to happen!
I’ve seen people who called me friend throw my character under the bus. I’ve seen people make up lies about me. I have seen women proposition me. When I was single, women never talked to me, but I get married, and all of a sudden women are approaching me.
It’s because there are forces at work in this world that want to distract us from our faith in the Lord. Get ready for the fight! Look at verses 10-11:
Daniel 6:10-11, “10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.”
Back in verse 7 it’s “any man, any petition (prayer), any god for 30 days” and Daniel’s first response is to go out on his roof chamber, which would have been open to the public and Daniel starts kneeling and praying three times a day.
Don’t you know Daniel could have done some “inside prayers?” Daniel could have done some “silent prayers.” Daniel had some other options. It’s just 30-days. Daniel could have backed off his prayers for a month. I wish I could tell you, “Follow Jesus, all your dreams will come true.”
But God’s Word makes it really clear, when we follow Him there are going to forces at work trying to hold us back from being faithful to the Lord, discourage us from being faithful to the Lord, distract us from being faithful to the Lord.
This can take place in the workplace, marriage, friendships, local church, because you don’t have to get people to stop gathering for worship, you just need to distract them with arguments and gossip, jealousy, and slander, so that when Daniel is confronted with the challenge to hold fast to his faith in the Lord, or play it safe. Look at verses 12-13:
Daniel 6:12-13, “12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”
In verses 12-13 we see Daniel is a deep state insurrectionist! Can you imagine how stressful and traumatic this must have been for Daniel?
At this point in the chapter you might be thinking, “Surely, the rest of the chapter is going to be about Daniel sweeping in to save the day?” Look at verses14-15:
Daniel 6:14-15, “14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
Isn’t that interesting? The king is “deeply distressed.” The king is “laboring all day.” The king is aligning himself with Daniel, wrestling with the statute, because the king recognizes Daniel’s contribution. Look at verses 16-17:
Daniel 6:16-17, “16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.
Remember, this Daniel’s fourth king to serve under, and yet it is the king who seeks out Daniel, and it is a pagan king encouraging Daniel and reminding Daniel, “Your God whom you serve will deliver you.” Isn’t that powerful?
In addition, the language of verse 17 is almost a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death as Jesus is betrayed, handed over to governing officials, presumed to be innocent and yet put to death on a cross, covered in a tomb by a stone, and guarded by soldiers, so that God’s Word is laying the foundation that we are looking at the life of Daniel but our eyes are being lifted to a greater Daniel that is to come. Look at verse 18:
Daniel 6:18, “18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.”
Back in verse 17 King Darius is encouraging Daniel to trust in the Lord and in verse 18 it is King Darius who spends the night fasting and lamenting the likely loss of Daniel, so that verse 18 is a reminder that we need people in our life who will spiritually fight with us and for us.
As followers of Jesus we need to be spiritually fighting to be faithful to Jesus, and we need those godly men and women to be spiritually fighting with us and for us. Amen?
We have community groups up and running right now. These men and women are reading through 1 Peter, studying God’s Word, sharing our lives with one another. I can’t think of a more important place to build those types of relationships with one another. Look at verses 19-20:
Daniel 6:19-20, “19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
I love that phrase “troubled voice.” The word “trouble” in the original language means “distressed in grief.” The king is the one rising early. The king is running to the lion’s den. The king is calling out with expectation that Daniel’s God would deliver Daniel from the mouth of the lion.
I think sometimes we can get discouraged when our friends and family don’t experience immediate faith in the Lord and follow Him all the days of our life, but in verses 19-20 we see King Darius demonstrating genuine interest in the Lord.
I don’t know where Darius is with the Lord. I am just saying there is obvious interest. Therefore, in the same way, let us not lose heart as we spiritually fight in this world and when we don’t see the lives of others spiritually transformed overnight.
It’s great when that happens. It’s amazing when that happens, but it seems like most of the time people need to see our faith in Jesus being lived out and we can trust people are watching, people are curious, and the Lord is working. Look at verses 21-22:
Daniel 6:21-22, “21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”
I have this picture of Daniel in the Lion’s Den in my house and the artist has different expressions on the lions. Some lions are scared, some lions are bewildered, some lions are cowering down, because in this moment it isn’t mighty Daniel conquering the lion’s den but it is the glory of God preserving Daniel’s life.
You need to know Daniel 6 is a miracle and at the same time Daniel 6 is a reminder that God’s promises are more glorious than we could imagine. It’s almost like Daniel 6 is a reminder that God’s promises rescue us from death. Does that make sense?
Throughout God’s Word we see key people in key moments where they should die and in those moments, He is laying the foundation throughout His Word that He is the One who rescues and overcomes death.
It’s like Daniel 6 is being recorded in history so as to say, “You think that was a big deal?” Just wait! Look at verses 23-24:
Daniel 6:23-24, “23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.”
Just in case you were wandering, “Maybe these lions weren’t that hungry?” The men who betrayed Daniel, their wives and their children were held accountable as a means to discourage rebellion, because it wouldn’t just be consequences for yourself but for your whole family.
That’s still true today. When men want to play with the gods of this world there will be consequences for them, their wives and their children who suffer.
We see this in patterns of addiction, adultery, laziness, because it is a reminder that men play an important role in our families, in our non-denominational church and in our city and decisions men make carry consequences. Look at verses 25-28:
Daniel 6:25-28, “25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound! 26 I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, and His dominion will be forever. 27 “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”
Back in verses 3-4 there is a decree to worship the king and in verse 28 writes the pagan king says, “Nah, worship the eternal, living God.”
In the same way, might we be men and women who are faithful to Jesus at home, work, church, community, so that we might have that type of influence for His glory. It’s possible!
Keep in mind, this proclamation isn’t going out just to the people of Israel but to the new Persian Empire, so that the glory of God is being made known to the nations!
Let us not shrink back from our faith in Jesus. Let us not shy away from our faith in Jesus. Let us talk about our faith in Jesus, even in the work place. Let us carry a bible instead of just reading it on our phone. Let us leave our bibles on our desks at work.
The context of our passage this morning is to fortify us and strengthen us in our faith against any opposition that may come.
There will be ups and downs. There will be wins and losses. There will be opposition but let us be sure the One who raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him on the throne will triumph, so that we can be confident.
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in Austin. established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
You are welcome to contact us if you would like more information.
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