Four Points To Ponder
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Turn to Daniel 6
The brief story of the life of Daniel up to this point:
* Daniel most likely was born in Jerusalem to noble parents in about 623 to 620BC, during the reign of King Josiah.
* The Kingdom of Israel had come to an end nearly a century before and had been ruled over by Kings who were set in and serving under the Babylonian Empire.
* In the fourth year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Israel, (BC 606-605), Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, deported several Jews to Babylon. Among them was Daniel who was most likely about 15 to 17 years old, along with the three famous Hebrew children of the fiery furnace.
* Probably due to Daniel’s evident intelligence, demeanor and up bringing, he was placed in the school of the wise men in Babylon and trained in the arts of wisdom, culture and affairs of state.
* He distinguished himself and gained the attention and confidence of those over him and he excelled above his peers.
* After his three years of discipline and training in the royal schools, Daniel took his place among those in public life whose skill and duty it was to understand wisdom and give counsel in his service to the Babylonian Empire.
* Daniel was promoted to the rank of governor and became ‘chief of the governors’ due to his demonstrated ability to tell and interpret dreams.
* Later Daniel became third ruler of the empire due to his accurate reading of the mysterious handwriting on the wall.
* In 539BC King Cyrus of Persia, who was called by name by the prophet Isaiah nearly 210 years before he was born, fulfilled written prophecy by capturing Babylon. Daniel, now a wise man of renown in Babylon, no doubt was used by God to move Cyrus toward letting the captive Jews return to Israel and rebuild the temple.
Side Note:
Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Also of Interest: (God knows the end from the beginning & names before they are named) consider: 1Ki 13:2 where Josiah was mentioned by name three hundred years before his birth.
* The elder Daniel chose to stay in Babylon rather than return to Israel.
* King Cyrus later placed a Median Prince, who some historians believe was his father-in-law, Darius the Mede, a 62 year old viceroy, on the throne as King of Babylon. Daniel served Darius holding the office of the ‘chief’ of the three presidents. Darius respected Daniel and his wisdom.
* It was during the two years of the reign of Darius that we pick up on the story of Daniel’s life in Daniel 6.
* The year was around 538BC - 537BC, making Daniel in his early to mid 80’s. He had been living in Babylon for 65 years or so. It had been perhaps 40 years since the fiery furnace hosted that fourth man in its fire along with those other three Hebrew children.
Daniel 6
1 ¶ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6 ¶ Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
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.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
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.
11 ¶ Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
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.
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.
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.
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
18 ¶ Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25 ¶ Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Four Points To Ponder
1. Both heaven and earth choose aggressive, decisive and determined men and women to lead the defining battles of life … but … so does the devil!
A. Individuals who won’t let discomfort defeat them.
B. Individuals who won’t let disappointment defeat them.
C. Individuals who won’t let disabilities defeat them.
* The disabilities that come with culture, class or condition of life. Even some disabilities which may come with aging.
2. What we do with what we have shows who we are and what we believe.
A. Daniel spent critical & priority time praying
B. His enemies spent critical & priority time plotting
C. King Darius spent critical & priority time worrying
D. Each used their position of life to further their cause
E. To what do you give your critical & priority time … what cause is furthered by your position in life & society?
3. Prayer is not merely a spice of life which we sprinkle over our plan in order to give it a God flavor … prayer is the key ingredient … through which we find the receipt for life.
A. Daniel was a praying man
B. Prayer was not an afterthought or passing custom
C. Daniel lived a life of prayer
* three times each day
* this indicates prayer:
> before
> during
> and after
Note: prayer before you do something, while you are doing it and after you have done it … before saying it, while saying it and after saying it … before work, during work and after work … before buying it, while buying it and after buying it … before joining, while joined and after joining … before you go out, while out and after you’re back … before the circumstance, during the circumstance and after the circumstance … before problems, during problems and after problems … before blessing, during blessing and after blessed … before church, during church and after church.
> Prayer is the key
4. You may need a break from, so you don’t have a break down, before you get your break through.
A. King Darius, 62 yrs old, surrounded by ladder climbers, wanna bees, cut throats, accusers, jealous, backbiting, selfish politically motivated bigots, needed a break from, so he would not have a break down, before he got a break through. He waited a bit late but finally separated himself from those who were merely manipulating him for their own personal advancement.
B. Earlier in Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar went through his break down and even went out in the field and grazed on grass like a cow until he finally was granted grace and came to his senses and broke from the demons of his own tortured soul.
C. Sometimes your problem is something you can get away from and sometimes it is not. Learn to discern the difference and make sane choices.
D. Vacations are from God.
* Six days shall thou labor and the seventh shall be a rest from your labors.
* Every 7th year the land shall rest
* In the 50th year there shall be a jubilee …
*** Get the picture!
Rest and a break from is of God!
Sometimes the most Godly thing you can do is rest.
If it absolutely, positively cannot be done without you every day of your life without a doubt … you are headed for a break down, not a break through.
Somebody else will do it when you are dead and if not … then it may not be too important that it controls your life now.
