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Darius
did not realize what they were doing and signed the document.
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Therefore
King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction. (NASB)
Dan. 6:9 |
Faithful Daniel.
The document was signed but Daniel did not care.
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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.
(NASB) Dan. 6:10 |
Daniel did what he had always done. He prayed with the windows open.
Everyone could see. The next verse tells us that these men knew where
to find Daniel.
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Then
these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition
and supplication before his God. (NASB) Dan. 6:11 |
What would you have done? Some of us would have stopped praying reasoning
to ourselves that God could not use us if we were dead. How could
we be a witnesses if we were dead? Others would have closed the windows
to protect themselves. Still some would have said, “I can pray
in my head I do not really need to pray on my knees with the window
open.” But not Daniel. He was not afraid. He was faithful. What
would you have done? What will you do if persecution comes your way?
What did the early Christians do when
they were warned by government officials to stop sharing Jesus? The
answer is found in Acts 4.
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And
now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Thy bond-servants
may speak Thy word with all confidence, while Thou dost extend
Thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the
name of Thy holy servant Jesus. And when they had prayed, the
place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the
word of God with boldness. (NASB) Acts 4:29-31 |
They prayed for boldness and they continued doing what they had been
doing. They did not rationalize their situation into accommodation.
The Caring
King. So the other two commissioners along with other government
officials eagerly went to Darius with their evidence.
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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 answered and said, “The statement is true, according
to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.
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.” 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. (NASB) Dan. 6:12-14 |
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