This is the last part of this series on the study of Daniel's character. If you would like to take a look at the earlier postings on this series, please refer the below links
Part 1 - http://www.seeklifepurpose.org/2015/02/daniel-character-study-part-1.html
Part 2 - http://www.seeklifepurpose.org/2015/02/daniel-character-study-part-2.html
Part 3 - http://www.seeklifepurpose.org/2015/02/daniel-character-study-part-3.html
We will base today's study on chapter 6, and this chapter conveys one of the most daring acts of Daniel. Now, Darius is the king, the third king to reign during Daniel's life after Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Darius seems to be good in terms of his governance, as we see him dividing his kingdom into 120 provinces and appointing officials to govern each of these provinces. Surely, the account that we see about Darius seems to show us that he is a better king than Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar as the earlier two were very haughty and may be very self seeking.
Daniel's capability
Darius made Daniel and two others as administrators to oversee the other officials who were appointed over the 120 provinces. It should be because Darius saw Daniel as a very capable person, and he lived according to the expectations of the king as we see in verse 3 "Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire."
This very clearly shows that Daniel had a complete personality when we consider his character as a whole through our previous episodes of study. He was God fearing, fearless, tactful, diplomatic and highly capable. It is a mixture of all these qualities that helped Daniel to succeed in front of kings, and here we see that he was about to be elevated to head the entire empire, a true testament to his ability. We should remind ourselves that we should be doing our professional responsibilities in an impeccable manner, as God is very much interested in such qualities.
Many of us think that it is enough to have faith in God alone, and everything will fall in place. This is a wrong attitude, as God expects us to apply all the wisdom and knowledge that He gives, into our day to day responsibilities.
Daniel's colleagues scheming against him
Now we come to the most important event in Daniel's life. We should be thinking that Daniel had a very smooth life after his initial exploits. But, let us see a major trial that he underwent for no fault of his. Daniel's counterparts could not tolerate his scintillating rise through the ranks of the kingdom governance. Moreover, they could not find any fault with Daniel's professional dealings, as we see in verse 4 "Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy."
Now, as they could not find any fault on Daniel's professional front, they sought to frame him through his religious beliefs, a cowardly act we should say. Daniel was on the verge of being tested for his unflinching devotion to his God. In verse 5, we see the other administrators scheming among themselves to frame Daniel on the grounds of his religious principles, one which was more vulnerable those days, and no wonder it still remains as a strong ground for persecution even today. We could see this happening to many God fearing and sincere officers everywhere in the world.
King trying to save Daniel
To cut the long story short, the administrators forced the king to issue an order to throw anyone who doesn't worship the king into a den of lions. The king was not at all happy to do this, as he knew that the true and living God was with Daniel, a truth which even Pilate knew when he hesitated to crucify Jesus. On both the occasions, the evil men prevailed over justice by their oppressive voices, and the rulers could not do much about it.
Finally, the king agreed to throw Daniel into the den of lions, and they bound Daniel tightly and threw him away into the cage where those ferocious creatures were waiting to prey upon him. But, the king was restless and he could not sleep. This would be the case for any ruler who plays to people's demands and does injustice to His chosen ones.
Daniel is saved from the lions
The king rushes to the den the next morning, and gasping for breath shouts in anguish and checks whether Daniel was still alive. There came Daniel's reply, "Yes King, I am alive and my God sent His angels to save me". The king was overjoyed and he praised God for saving Daniel, and towards the end of the chapter we see Daniel prospering during the reign of the king. All his enemies were thrown into the same den, and the Bible says that even before they touched the ground, the lions ripped them apart. This is what would happen to anyone who schemes against the truthful servants of God. Let us always be brave and bold, and always be in remembrance of the fact that we serve a living God.
Chapter 7 onward, we could see Daniel's visions and dreams, which provide a very important foresight into the new testament revelations.
Part 1 - http://www.seeklifepurpose.org/2015/02/daniel-character-study-part-1.html
Part 2 - http://www.seeklifepurpose.org/2015/02/daniel-character-study-part-2.html
Part 3 - http://www.seeklifepurpose.org/2015/02/daniel-character-study-part-3.html
We will base today's study on chapter 6, and this chapter conveys one of the most daring acts of Daniel. Now, Darius is the king, the third king to reign during Daniel's life after Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar. Darius seems to be good in terms of his governance, as we see him dividing his kingdom into 120 provinces and appointing officials to govern each of these provinces. Surely, the account that we see about Darius seems to show us that he is a better king than Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar as the earlier two were very haughty and may be very self seeking.
Daniel's capability
Darius made Daniel and two others as administrators to oversee the other officials who were appointed over the 120 provinces. It should be because Darius saw Daniel as a very capable person, and he lived according to the expectations of the king as we see in verse 3 "Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire."
This very clearly shows that Daniel had a complete personality when we consider his character as a whole through our previous episodes of study. He was God fearing, fearless, tactful, diplomatic and highly capable. It is a mixture of all these qualities that helped Daniel to succeed in front of kings, and here we see that he was about to be elevated to head the entire empire, a true testament to his ability. We should remind ourselves that we should be doing our professional responsibilities in an impeccable manner, as God is very much interested in such qualities.
Many of us think that it is enough to have faith in God alone, and everything will fall in place. This is a wrong attitude, as God expects us to apply all the wisdom and knowledge that He gives, into our day to day responsibilities.
Daniel's colleagues scheming against him
Now we come to the most important event in Daniel's life. We should be thinking that Daniel had a very smooth life after his initial exploits. But, let us see a major trial that he underwent for no fault of his. Daniel's counterparts could not tolerate his scintillating rise through the ranks of the kingdom governance. Moreover, they could not find any fault with Daniel's professional dealings, as we see in verse 4 "Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy."
Now, as they could not find any fault on Daniel's professional front, they sought to frame him through his religious beliefs, a cowardly act we should say. Daniel was on the verge of being tested for his unflinching devotion to his God. In verse 5, we see the other administrators scheming among themselves to frame Daniel on the grounds of his religious principles, one which was more vulnerable those days, and no wonder it still remains as a strong ground for persecution even today. We could see this happening to many God fearing and sincere officers everywhere in the world.
King trying to save Daniel
To cut the long story short, the administrators forced the king to issue an order to throw anyone who doesn't worship the king into a den of lions. The king was not at all happy to do this, as he knew that the true and living God was with Daniel, a truth which even Pilate knew when he hesitated to crucify Jesus. On both the occasions, the evil men prevailed over justice by their oppressive voices, and the rulers could not do much about it.
Finally, the king agreed to throw Daniel into the den of lions, and they bound Daniel tightly and threw him away into the cage where those ferocious creatures were waiting to prey upon him. But, the king was restless and he could not sleep. This would be the case for any ruler who plays to people's demands and does injustice to His chosen ones.
Daniel is saved from the lions
The king rushes to the den the next morning, and gasping for breath shouts in anguish and checks whether Daniel was still alive. There came Daniel's reply, "Yes King, I am alive and my God sent His angels to save me". The king was overjoyed and he praised God for saving Daniel, and towards the end of the chapter we see Daniel prospering during the reign of the king. All his enemies were thrown into the same den, and the Bible says that even before they touched the ground, the lions ripped them apart. This is what would happen to anyone who schemes against the truthful servants of God. Let us always be brave and bold, and always be in remembrance of the fact that we serve a living God.
Chapter 7 onward, we could see Daniel's visions and dreams, which provide a very important foresight into the new testament revelations.
