Daniel: Spiritual Living in A Secular Culture: Martin R. de Haan II

Q0724 Daniel pp 3/15/06 9:48 AM Page 1
DANIEL:
Spiritual Living
In A Secular
Culture
E
very generation needs
to see the timelessness
CONTENTS of the Bible. Even a story
like Daniel in the lions’ den
The Conflict can become food for thought
Of Cultures. . . . . . . . . . . 2 throughout the rest of our lives.
A Life Of Distinction The Bible isn’t just about
(Dan. 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 telling us what we should do. It’s
A Life Of Confidence far more enlightening than that.
(Dan. 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Each chapter tells us enough
A Life Of Courage about God and ourselves to
(Dan. 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 show us how to line up with
A Life Of Devotion what He is doing in our world.
(Dan. 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 This is the conviction of
The Need Of Bill Crowder, RBC Director
The Hour . . . . . . . . . . . 32 of Church Ministries. In the
following pages, he helps us to
see that what God reveals about
Himself in the unfolding drama
of Daniel can put us in touch
with the great timeless purposes
of life.
Martin R. De Haan II
Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Design: Terry Bidgood
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas
Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.All rights reserved.
© 2006 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA
© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.
CULTURE IN being challenged by an

CONFLICT enthusiastic youth-based
movement calling itself
I
n the 1960s, American The Jesus People.
citizens were fighting The social upheaval
battles on a number of the 60s foreshadowed a
of fronts. In Vietnam, our series of social conflicts that
soldiers were dying in an would seriously threaten
unpopular war. At home, we the unity of the nation.
were engaged in a series of The “Culture Wars,” as
conflicts, each of which they came to be known,
wrote new chapters of divided society over a
American history: series of moral issues
• Generational conflict, often linked to religious
with young people convictions.
challenging the authority,
institutions, and hard- THE IMPACT
earned wealth that their OF FAITH-BASED
parents’ generation was DIFFERENCES
bequeathing to them. The role of personal faith
• Racial conflict, with in a divided culture is
an emerging African- unavoidable. As
American community Os Guinness wrote in
who were finally his book The Call:
standing up to claim In today’s world,
the equal rights granted differences can be
to them by their national seen to make a
constitution. difference. Beliefs have
• Religious conflict, with consequences (p.59).
the historic traditions of What begin as
mainstream churches theoretically different
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views of God, the world, Babylon—a foreign culture

justice, humanness, and hundreds of miles and light-
freedom, end in radically years away from the relative
divergent ways of living stability of Jerusalem. In a
and dying. region we now call Iraq,
In the past, some people Daniel experienced the
of faith have withdrawn challenge of living out his
from society into insulated faith in a culture devoted to
communities separated a vastly different set of
from the cultural fray. values and priorities.
Others have organized As Daniel and his friends
themselves into political entered this new world, they
action groups. Still others would live out convictions
have found themselves that were destined to put
destined to show that, in them out of step with their
the hand of God, one life powerful captors. Yet, in the
can make a difference— middle of a pagan world,
even without the guarantee Daniel became:
of civil rights, and even in • a governmental leader,
the middle of a foreign serving in appointed
culture. positions under three
kings;
THE INFLUENCE • a historian, recording
OF ONE LIFE what God did in his day;
About 600 years before the • a prophet, engaged in
birth of Christ, Daniel saw predicting the future and
his nation overrun and his speaking truth to leaders.
life uprooted. Together with In the unfolding drama
a group of other Jewish of the Bible, Daniel is a
hostages, he was led as a case-study of personal faith
captive to a place called in a hostile culture.
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A LIFE OF it. And the Lord gave

DISTINCTION Jehoiakim king of Judah
into his hand, with some
(Daniel 1) of the articles of the house
A
s Daniel’s story of God, which he carried
opens, Judah is into the land of Shinar
being invaded to the house of his god;
and business as usual and he brought the
has stopped. The prophet articles into the treasure
Jeremiah knew why. For house of his god (vv.1-2).
over 20 years he had pled King Nebuchadnezzar
with the citizens of Judah of Babylon decided to take
to return to their God. He the best and brightest of the
warned them that if they captive nation of Judah and
refused, they would be use them to advance his
captured by the Babylonians nation. Unlike Ahasuerus
and taken captive for 70 in the book of Esther, who
years (Jer. 25:1-11). Because took women captive for
Judah had turned a deaf his own personal pleasure,
ear, Daniel now writes as a Nebuchadnezzar chose the
witness to the invasion and finest young men to better
describes what happened his nation.
in its wake. Then the king instructed
Ashpenaz, the master of
THE KING’S his eunuchs, to bring
PLAN (1:1-7) some of the children of
In the third year of the Israel and some of the
reign of Jehoiakim king of king’s descendants and
Judah, Nebuchadnezzar some of the nobles, young
king of Babylon came to men . . . (vv.3-4a).
Jerusalem and besieged He pooled the best
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minds and abilities to years of training for them,

make Babylon stronger. so that at the end of that
This selection process time they might serve
demanded that they meet before the king. Now from
high standards. Notice among those of the sons
that he chose: of Judah were Daniel,
. . . young men in whom Hananiah, Mishael,
there was no blemish, but and Azariah. To them the
good-looking, gifted in all chief of the eunuchs gave
wisdom, possessing names: he gave Daniel
knowledge and quick to the name Belteshazzar;
understand, who had to Hananiah, Shadrach;
ability to serve in the to Mishael, Meshach; and
king’s palace (v.4a) to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
That’s an impressive list! This strategy presented
They had to be good-looking some subtle challenges.
and without physical defect, Yes, they would be better off
skilled in wisdom and able than the slaves in Babylon,
to learn, and capable in the but their situation produced
area of discernment. challenges others would not
These young men were face. They came in several
going to be turned into wise forms:
men. Notice verses 4b-7: Environment. These
. . . whom they might are the problems that either
teach the language shape our character or
and literature of the reveal it. The key here is
Chaldeans. And the king that having been taken to
appointed for them a daily a strange, pagan land at an
provision of the king’s impressionable age, Daniel
delicacies and of the wine will maintain his purity.
which he drank, and three Lifestyle. “The king’s
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delicacies” were not DANIEL’S

necessarily bad dietarily. RESPONSE (1:8-14)
It was food that had been But Daniel purposed in
offered and dedicated to his heart that he would
Babylon’s false gods. To not defile himself with
eat that food was to the portion of the king’s
endorse those idols. delicacies, nor with the
Allegiance. The king’s wine which he drank;
plan was a subtle attack on therefore he requested of
the young men’s center of the chief of the eunuchs
gravity. First, he sought to that he might not defile
change their thinking by himself (v.8).
requiring that they study Daniel recognized that
under the astrologers of eating the king’s food raised
Babylon. The second goal an issue of principle. He saw
was to change their worship something about the food
by changing their names. that prompted a response
They all had names that similar to what we find King
pointed to the God of David saying in Psalm 119:
Israel. The name changes “Your Word I have hidden
were to indicate a shift in my heart, that I might not
in allegiance to the sin against You” (v.11).
Babylonian gods. What did Daniel see?
What was First of all, the king’s food
Nebuchadnezzar’s wasn’t kosher—not prepared
goal? By changing their according to the dietary
way of thinking, eating, and principles of Israel. Life
worshiping, he hoped to in exile, however, made it
change their way of living. impossible for the Jewish
How would they respond to young men to keep many
this character test? of the Torah- and temple-
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based laws of Israel. But but he was determined

what was probably a greater to be true to his God. A life
issue for Daniel was a committed to God begins
pattern that shows up in with purpose of heart, and
other places of his life. He from the very beginning of
didn’t want to do anything the 3-year training period,
that would honor the gods he was tested on this issue.
of Babylon. Eating and Now God had brought
drinking food and wine Daniel into the favor and
offered to idols was goodwill of the chief of the
probably what Daniel saw eunuchs. And the chief
as a violation of the Word of the eunuchs said to
and the honor of his God. Daniel, “I fear my lord the
The easy route would king, who has appointed
have been to go with the your food and drink. For
flow: “When in Babylon, why should he see your
do as the Babylonians do.” faces looking worse than
But Daniel’s objective was the young men who are
obedience, in spite of his your age? Then you would
environment. endanger my head before
Daniel and friends took the king” (vv.9-10).
a stand the other captives Faced with this dilemma,
apparently did not take. Daniel used diplomacy and
Notice that Daniel showed a proper conscience.
“purposed in his heart.” Even here, we see the work
This is the key attitude. If of God in preparation for
the priority is purity, you this moment. Daniel took
must have a desire to obey his stand—and God gave
God and the commitment him favor with the chief
to act on that desire. Daniel of the eunuchs.
had a variety of options, Then Daniel said to the
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steward who had been put would prepare Daniel for the
in charge of him: greater tests of faith to come.
“Please test your servants
for ten days, and let them GOD’S DELIVERANCE
give us vegetables to eat (1:15-20)
and water to drink. Then The test worked and showed
let our appearance be that Daniel and his friends
examined before you, knew what Israel forgot—
and the appearance of God blesses obedience.
the young men who eat At the end of ten days
the portion of the king’s their features appeared
delicacies; and as you better and fatter in flesh
see fit, so deal with your than all the young men
servants.” So he consented who ate the portion of the
with them in this matter, king’s delicacies. Thus the
and tested them ten days steward took away their
(vv.12-14). portion of delicacies and
Daniel went to the the wine that they were to
warden and asked for a 10- drink, and gave them
day trial diet of vegetables. vegetables (vv.15-16).
I’m a meat-and-potatoes Daniel and his friends
kind of guy, so this isn’t came out better than the
very attractive to me. Ten others because God worked
days of vegetables? Not for on their behalf. As a result,
me. Beyond that, however, the diet was allowed to
this test required a kind of continue (though, to me,
suspension of the laws of that would be more of a
nutrition. How could there punishment than a reward).
be a noticeable difference Daniel’s life had stayed firm
in only 10 days? It was a because he was committed
small test of faith that to a purity that flows from
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obedience to the Word, and probably no more than 20

it gave him a foundation for years old. This means he
living in a difficult culture. was only 16 or 17 when he
As for these four young and the other young men
men, God gave them were initially put to the test.
knowledge and skill in At that young age, Daniel
all literature and was set apart for service and
wisdom; and Daniel lived a life of distinction in a
had understanding in all powerful pagan government
visions and dreams. Now of the ancient world.
at the end of the days,
when the king had said A LIFE OF
that they should be
brought in, the chief of the
CONFIDENCE
eunuchs brought them in (Daniel 2)
C
before Nebuchadnezzar. onsider the following
Then the king interviewed situations. What
them, and among them do they all have in
all none was found like common?
Daniel, Hananiah, • a goalkeeper for a World
Mishael, and Azariah; Cup soccer team in a
therefore they served penalty kick shootout;
before the king (vv.17-19). • a surgeon in the midst of
In verse 20, God’s a difficult heart-bypass
blessing is confirmed as procedure;
Daniel and his friends were • an airline pilot trying to
declared to be “ten times land a jet with two of the
better” than all the scholars engines out.
of Babylon. All of these challenging
At the end of their situations demand that an
training, Daniel was individual perform at the
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highest level of skill in not called, which implies

moments of great pressure that they were still in
and scrutiny. And this is training at the time.) Whom
where we find Daniel and did the king call? Verse 2
his friends as the story tells us: “the magicians, the
continues. They will rise astrologers, the sorcerers,
above the pressure with a and the Chaldeans.”
deep confidence in God. “The magicians”
were the sacred writers or
THE STAGE IS SET scholars. “The astrologers”
(2:1-13) were enchanters and sacred
Now in the second year priests. “The sorcerers” were
of Nebuchadnezzar’s involved in the occult and
reign, Nebuchadnezzar sold herbs and potions. And
had dreams; and his spirit “the Chaldeans” were the
was so troubled that his king’s wise men.
sleep left him (v.1). Once they were all
This verse epitomizes assembled before the king, a
Shakespeare’s line in dialogue ensued that would
Henry IV: “Uneasy lies the show these alleged wise men
head that wears a crown.” just how much trouble they
Nebuchadnezzar’s sleep were in. Watch the dialogue
was disturbed by dreams. unfold in verses 3-9:
But it was one particular And the king said to them,
dream that concerned him. “I have had a dream, and
As one writer put it, the my spirit is anxious to
cares of the day became the know the dream.” Then
cares of the night, and the the Chaldeans spoke to
king awoke in turmoil and the king in Aramaic,
summoned his advisors. “O king, live forever! Tell
(Daniel and friends were your servants the dream,
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and we will give the words before me till

interpretation.” The king the time has changed.
answered and said to the Therefore tell me the
Chaldeans, “My decision dream, and I shall know
is firm: if you do not make that you can give me its
known the dream to me, interpretation.”
and its interpretation, you Their plea for mercy in
shall be cut in pieces, and verses 10-13 revealed the
your houses shall be made seriousness of the danger
an ash heap. However, if they were in:
you tell the dream and its The Chaldeans answered
interpretation, you shall the king, and said, “There
receive from me gifts, is not a man on earth who
rewards, and great can tell the king’s matter;
honor. Therefore tell therefore no king, lord, or
me the dream and its ruler has ever asked such
interpretation.” They things of any magician,
answered again and astrologer, or Chaldean. It
said, “Let the king tell is a difficult thing that the
his servants the dream, king requests, and there is
and we will give its no other who can tell it to
interpretation.” The king the king except the gods,
answered and said, “I whose dwelling is not with
know for certain that you flesh.” For this reason the
would gain time, because king was angry and very
you see that my decision is furious, and gave the
firm: if you do not make command to destroy all
known the dream to me, the wise men of Babylon.
there is only one decree for So the decree went
you! For you have agreed out, and they began
to speak lying and corrupt killing the wise men;
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and they sought Daniel him the entire sad story.

and his companions, Making the most of the
to kill them. opportunity,
When the Chaldeans Daniel went in and asked
told the king that his request the king to give him time,
to interpret his dream was that he might tell the king
unfair because only the gods the interpretation (v.16).
could do such a thing, they Essentially, Daniel
unwittingly set the stage for said, “Give me time, and
Daniel’s God to do just that! I guarantee the king an
Once they admitted their answer.” This was a huge
inability, Nebuchadnezzar promise in the face of the
exploded. He was so failure of the others.
enraged that he ordered Then Daniel went to
all the wise men—including his house, and made
Daniel and the youths in the decision known to
training—to be executed. Hananiah, Mishael, and
As a result, Daniel and his Azariah, his companions,
friends were arrested. that they might seek
mercies from the God of
THE SUBMISSIVE heaven concerning this
HEARTS (2:14-23) secret, so that Daniel and
Arioch, the captain of the his companions might not
king’s guard, was sent out perish with the rest of the
to kill all the wise men of wise men of Babylon
Babylon. But when he (vv.17-18).
approached Daniel, Daniel Daniel shared his heart’s
was able to speak to him burden with his friends, and
“with counsel and wisdom” together they began praying.
(v.14). Daniel asked for an They began to “seek mercies
explanation and Arioch told from the God of heaven.”
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This was a powerful we asked of You, for You

expression of their spiritual have made known to us
confidence. They desired the king’s demand”
that God in His mercy (vv.19-23).
would intervene and rescue As they prayed, God
them from the execution unveiled the secret of the
that had been planned. king’s dream to Daniel.
Then the secret was Notice in verse 19 the
revealed to Daniel in a matter-of-fact statement of
night vision. So Daniel this answer to prayer. This
blessed the God of heaven. was not a big surprise! With
Daniel answered and said: the proverbial noose still
“Blessed be the name of around Daniel’s neck, his
God forever and ever, for first response was not to
wisdom and might are gain relief or to use his
His. And He changes the knowledge to his own
times and the seasons; He advantage. Rather, it was to
removes kings and raises worship. And the focus of
up kings; He gives wisdom that worship was the God of
to the wise and knowledge power and provision. What
to those who have great praise was given:
understanding. He reveals • “Blessed be the name
deep and secret things; He of God,” which is an
knows what is in the emblem of His character;
darkness, and light dwells • “Wisdom and might are
with Him. I thank You His,” not Daniel’s;
and praise You, O God • “He changes the
of my fathers; You have times and the seasons,”
given me wisdom and implying total control
might, and have now over all of life;
made known to me what • “He removes kings and
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raises up kings,” for • on the Lord of the work,

God is sovereign over or on the work?
the nations; • on the God who answers
• “He gives wisdom . . . prayer, or on the answer?
and knowledge,” as is It’s all about focus.
promised in James 1:5; And when we fail to put
• “He reveals deep and our confidence in God,
secret things,” including it’s easy to lose our focus.
this dream; Our perspectives become
• “He knows what is in blurred, and we see the trees
the darkness, and light rather than the forest. Yet
dwells with Him.” Daniel’s focus stayed clear
Daniel gave God all during a time of life-and-
the praise for answering death pressure. His heart
his prayer (v.23). What was locked in on his God,
a marvelous display of and God enabled him to
worship! Would it have perform rather than wilt
been inappropriate for under pressure.
Daniel to thank God for
saving his life? Of course THE SECRET
not. But it seems that even REVEALED (2:24-30)
this miraculous rescue was Daniel moved ahead in
secondary in Daniel’s mind confidence that God would
to the wonder of the God prepare the way.
who performed it. Therefore Daniel went to
Daniel’s response should Arioch, whom the king
cause all of us to examine had appointed to destroy
our heart to see where our the wise men of Babylon.
own focus would have been: He went and said thus to
• on the Blesser, or on him: “Do not destroy the
the blessings? wise men of Babylon; take
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me before the king, and has demanded, the

I will tell the king the wise men, the astrologers,
interpretation.” Then the magicians, and the
Arioch quickly brought soothsayers cannot
Daniel before the king, declare to the king. But
and said thus to him, “I there is a God in heaven
have found a man of the who reveals secrets, and
captives of Judah, who He has made known to
will make known to the King Nebuchadnezzar
king the interpretation” what will be in the latter
(vv.24-25). days. . . . He who reveals
Daniel went to Arioch, secrets has made known
who announced to the king to you what will be. But
that the answer had been as for me, this secret has
found. When Daniel stood not been revealed to me
before the king (apparently because I have more
for the first time, and still in wisdom than anyone
his teens), the king asked a living, but for our sakes
compelling question: who make known the
Are you able to make interpretation to the
known to me the dream king, and that you may
which I have seen, and its know the thoughts of
interpretation? (v.26). your heart (vv.27-30).
In other words, was This was not false
Daniel able to succeed humility. It was a sincere
where the other wise men understanding of his role
had failed? As the following in the event. To this youth,
verses show, the answer the issue was clear—it was
was a definitive yes. Daniel about God, not Daniel.
answered the king, and said: And his actions revealed
The secret which the king the trust he felt.
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APPLICATION A LIFE OF
Daniel would recite the
dream and its interpretation
COURAGE
accurately in verses 31-45,
(Daniel 5)
O
but the key result is in s Guinness writes in
verses 46-47—a declaration The Call that coming
of the glory of Daniel’s God. of age in the 60s was
In life, as with weather, “a bracing privilege.” No
there are times of high one could take anything for
pressure or low pressure— granted. For thinking people,
but there are never times everything was challenged
of no pressure. Our choices and taken back to square
during these changing times one. Guinness continues:
tell a lot about us. Nowhere was this
Where is our focus challenge more plain
in times of pressure? Are than in knowing what
we scrambling to protect we believed and why.
ourselves at all costs? Are . . . And the ABC (or
we doing desperate things “anything but
that harm others in the Christianity”) mood of
process? Or are we more the decade often meant
concerned about how our that any religion was
actions will reflect on our fresh, relevant, and
God? exciting as long as it was
In your thoughtful not Christian, orthodox,
moments, ask God to or traditional (p.145).
showcase His presence
in your life. Use these A NEW KING (5:1-4)
moments to line up with As we approach Daniel 5,
the eternal purposes and we see a man who
honor of God. challenged everything—
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especially the God whom people at ease. Like

Nebuchadnezzar had turned someone who nervously
to years before (4:34-37). whistles his way through a
The year is 538 BC, 23 years graveyard, he invited 1,000
after Nebuchadnezzar’s city leaders to portray an
death. The new king is atmosphere of confidence in
Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson spite of the danger. Second,
Belshazzar—a man devoted Belshazzar may have
to any god but the true God. wanted to show the
It’s a devotion that would authority of his kingdom.
bring his own downfall and Third, he wanted to
that of his kingdom. The city celebrate the Babylonian
of Babylon was under siege gods. These gods were
by the armies of the Medo- displayed on the walls
Persian empire. And Daniel, of the banquet hall, and
now between 80 and 85 Belshazzar led in toasting
years old, had to confront each of them in turn. When
him. everyone was drunk, the
Like Nero fiddling while king made his fatal mistake.
Rome burned, Belshazzar While he tasted the wine,
ordered a national holiday— Belshazzar gave the
in spite of the siege that command to bring the
threatened the city. gold and silver vessels
Belshazzar the king which his father
made a great feast for a Nebuchadnezzar had
thousand of his lords, and taken from the temple
drank wine in the presence which had been in
of the thousand (v.1). Jerusalem, that the king
Why would he do that? and his lords, his wives,
Several reasons are possible. and his concubines might
First, it was to put the drink from them. Then
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they brought the gold may have decided to

vessels that had been show his superiority.
taken from the temple of Whatever the reason,
the house of God which in a time when Belshazzar
had been in Jerusalem; should have been fasting
and the king and his instead of feasting, he
lords, his wives, and his showed his utter contempt
concubines drank from for the Most High God. He
them. They drank wine, toasted his idols with vessels
and praised the gods of intended for the worship of
gold and silver, bronze God.
and iron, wood and
stone (vv.2-4). A NEW CHALLENGE
Remember, the kingdom (5:5-12)
is under siege and the king God declared judgment
is trying to somehow prop with His handwriting on the
up his shaky realm. So, in wall—and the king saw it!
a drunken stupor, he calls In the same hour the
for the temple vessels that fingers of a man’s hand
were taken from Jerusalem appeared and wrote
years before. Why would opposite the lampstand on
he do this? Perhaps . . . the plaster of the wall of
• he wished to defy God; the king’s palace; and the
• he wanted to prove that king saw the part of the
the old prophecy (from hand that wrote. Then
Daniel to Belshazzar’s the king’s countenance
grandfather) of Babylon’s changed, and his thoughts
demise was false; troubled him, so that the
• he remembered how joints of his hips were
Daniel had humbled loosened and his knees
Nebuchadnezzar and knocked against each
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other. The king cried aloud control. The solution

to bring in the astrologers, would come from an
the Chaldeans, and the unlikely place.
soothsayers. The king The queen, because of
spoke, saying to the wise the words of the king
men of Babylon, “Whoever and his lords, came to the
reads this writing, and tells banquet hall. The queen
me its interpretation, shall spoke, saying, “O king,
be clothed with purple and live forever! Do not let
have a chain of gold your thoughts trouble you,
around his neck; and he nor let your countenance
shall be the third ruler in change. There is a man
the kingdom” (vv.5-7). in your kingdom in whom
Belshazzar suddenly is the Spirit of the Holy
sobered up. He became pale God. And in the days
and weak, and his knees of your father, light
knocked together. Earlier, and understanding and
he had been too drunk to wisdom, like the wisdom
stand. Now he was too of the gods, were found
frightened to! in him; and King
He immediately offered a Nebuchadnezzar your
reward to anyone who could father—your father the
interpret the writing (v.7). king—made him chief of
When all his wise men the magicians, astrologers,
failed (v.8), he “was greatly Chaldeans, and
troubled, his countenance soothsayers. Inasmuch
was changed, and his lords as an excellent spirit,
were astonished” (v.9). knowledge, understanding,
The king completely lost interpreting dreams,
his cool because he faced a solving riddles, and
situation that he couldn’t explaining enigmas
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were found in this Daniel, have been brought in

whom the king named before me, that they
Belteshazzar, now let should read this writing
Daniel be called, and he and make known to me
will give the interpretation” its interpretation, but
(vv.10-12). they could not give the
interpretation of the thing.
A NEW And I have heard of you,
OPPORTUNITY that you can give
(5:13-31) interpretations and
Daniel, now an old man, explain enigmas. Now if
arrived and was brought you can read the writing
to the king (v.13). What a and make known to me its
scene! When Daniel saw interpretation, you shall
the banquet hall with its be clothed with purple
idolatry, immorality, and and have a chain of gold
defiance of God, imagine around your neck, and
what was in the heart of this shall be the third ruler in
godly man who had sought the kingdom (vv.14-16).
to live a life of purity. Notice that Daniel did
Belshazzar offered Daniel not display the same level
the reward for interpreting of compassion for this king
the dream, but Daniel would that he had once shown to
not be bought. The king said: Nebuchadnezzar. He flatly
I have heard of you, refused the king’s gifts and
that the Spirit of God is exposed his sin. Previously,
in you, and that light he had counseled with
and understanding and compassion. But now he
excellent wisdom are preached with fury.
found in you. Now the Daniel told the king
wise men, the astrologers, to keep his gifts. Then he
20
proceeded to give him a to let God be God.

history lesson. This history • It deserved the
lesson went back to the days judgment of God. The
of Nebuchadnezzar (vv.18- handwritten message on
19) and once again brought the wall indicated that
to the surface the problem judgment was coming
the king had with pride (v.24).
(vv.20-21)—a problem Belshazzar had failed to
shared by Belshazzar. consider the power of the
Before Daniel gave the Most High God and His
interpretation, he declared sovereign intervention.
God’s judgment on The inscription on the
Belshazzar and confirmed wall is revealed in verse 25:
that his sin was not a sin of “MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
ignorance: “You . . . have UPHARSIN.”
not humbled your heart, Daniel gave the
although you knew all this” interpretation of the
(v.22). If not ignorance, what message in verses 26-28:
was it? This is the interpretation
• It was arrogance (v.23), of each word. MENE:
seen in the king’s defiant God has numbered your
spirit. kingdom, and finished it;
• It was blasphemy (v.23), TEKEL: You have been
displayed in the defiling weighed in the balances,
of the temple vessels. and found wanting;
• It was idolatry (v.23). PERES: Your kingdom
Notice Daniel’s sarcasm has been divided, and
as he described the idols given to the Medes and
they were worshiping. Persians.
• It was rebellion (v.23), Judgment was coming.
because the king refused How could it not? It was a
21
classic case of Proverbs armies and the city fell.

29:1, “He who is often The historian Xenophon
rebuked, and hardens tells us that Cyrus’ general,
his neck, will suddenly be Ugbaru, conquered Babylon
destroyed, and that without by damming the river that
remedy.” There was no offer flowed through the heart
of relief or remedy; there of the city. Then the army
was no way out, no marched under the walls
loophole, no technicality— and conquered the city.
just the consequences of Notice, however, that
foolish choices. before Belshazzar was killed
Then Belshazzar gave and his kingdom conquered,
the command, and they he ordered the rewards to be
clothed Daniel with purple given to Daniel, including
and put a chain of gold that he be made the third
around his neck, and highest ruler in the kingdom.
made a proclamation
concerning him that he APPLICATION
should be the third ruler Belshazzar, who was
in the kingdom. That very consumed by the same
night Belshazzar, king of kind of pride that nearly
the Chaldeans, was slain. destroyed his grandfather,
And Darius the Mede tried to defy God. But he
received the kingdom, failed. The result was that
being about sixty-two he was “weighed in the
years old (vv.29-31). balances, and found
“That very night” it all wanting.” This raises a key
happened. The seemingly question that each of us
impenetrable walls of needs to answer: How do
Babylon were penetrated I measure up?
by the Medo-Persian How do I measure up—
22
not in the eyes of the crowd cannot live without?

but in the eyes of God, the Daniel will face that
Audience of One? critical question next.
What we must never It is now about 538 BC,
forget is that we are first and and Daniel, having spent
foremost called to live before almost his entire life in
the Audience of One—not captivity, is an old man
other people. The issue serving under his third
before us is clear. May we ruler—Darius the Mede.
so live that we measure up As chapter 6 opens,
to God’s design for our lives. Darius has set up his
To live, as Daniel did, to be government in Babylon.
measured only by the Lord. Daniel was made one of
the king’s three governors
A LIFE OF over the entire realm (vv.1-
2). Everything in this new
DEVOTION government was complex
(Daniel 6) because of the weakness of
W
hat do you really a split kingdom (Cyrus of
need?” the TV Persia; Darius of Media),
commercial asks and dual bureaucracies.
as you are swimming from When Darius decided to
the depths of the ocean to elevate Daniel and put him
the surface. What do you in charge of the entire realm
need most? Shark repellent? (v.3), Daniel again found
Swim fins? Muscle power? himself under scrutiny.
The answer? What you need
most is oxygen. It is the one THE PROBLEM OF
thing you cannot survive JEALOUSY (6:4-9)
without. So the governors and
What is it that you satraps sought to find
23
some charge against it cannot be changed,

Daniel concerning the according to the law of
kingdom; but they could the Medes and Persians,
find no charge or fault, which does not alter.”
because he was faithful; Therefore King Darius
nor was there any error signed the written decree.
or fault found in him. These lower-level
Then these men said, “We officials despised the fact
shall not find any charge that Daniel was in authority
against this Daniel unless over them—and they
we find it against him wanted him removed. Pride
concerning the law of his is competitive, and envy is
God.” So these governors the result of wounded pride.
and satraps thronged C. S. Lewis wrote:
before the king, and said Pride is essentially
thus to him: “King Darius, competitive. . . . Pride gets
live forever! All the no pleasure out of having
governors of the kingdom, something, only out of
the administrators and having more of it than
satraps, the counselors the next man. We say
and advisors, have people are proud of being
consulted together to rich, or clever, or good-
establish a royal statute looking, but they are not.
and to make a firm decree, They are proud of being
that whoever petitions richer, or cleverer, or
any god or man for thirty better-looking than others
days, except you, O king, (Mere Christianity, p.122).
shall be cast into the den These proud men were
of lions. Now, O king, wounded by the elevation of
establish the decree and a man of integrity—and they
sign the writing, so that wanted to destroy him for it.
24
How would they attack? or man—except to Darius

They looked for grounds to himself. Since Darius was
accuse him, but couldn’t playing second fiddle to
find any fault in him. Why? Cyrus the Persian, this
Because “he was faithful” decree elevated him to
(v.4). This is quite a the position of a god and
testimony—particularly enhanced the sense of
coming from his enemies. his power that Cyrus had
In spite of living in an limited.
environment that was a Notice the penalty for
moral cesspool, Daniel violating this decree: getting
had stayed pure. “cast into the den of lions”
Attacking someone (v.7). The jealousy of the
of impeccable character officials knew no bounds.
is a problem, so Daniel They wanted Daniel dead.
was attacked at his only Darius affirmed their
perceivable point of decree (v.9), and since this
weakness—his devotion was “the law of the Medes
to God. What a testimony! and Persians,” it couldn’t be
The only way to attack revoked. This explains why
Daniel was to attack his the decree was limited to 30
relationship with God. days. After Daniel was dead,
The officials conspired they could get back to their
together and petitioned normal lives.
Darius with a united front Apparently, Darius was a
(vv.6-7), using deception to good man. But, like all of us,
play on Darius’ pride. They he had weaknesses. In the
asked him to create a law heat of the moment, with his
that would make it illegal ego stroked, he made a rash
for the next 30 days to decision and approved their
make a petition to any god law banning prayer.
25
THE POWER OF Daniel disobeyed the

TESTIMONY unjust law by praying. This
(6:10-11) is the secret of a pure life
Daniel was so devoted to in the midst of an impure
God that obedience to Him environment. He went
was more important than about his regular business,
obedience to unjust laws. unwilling to change or even
This illustrates the biblical appear to change to satisfy
principle of obedient the crowd.
disobedience in which Then these men assembled
we must choose between and found Daniel praying
obeying God’s Word or man. and making supplication
In the New Testament, we before his God (v.11).
see this principle practiced Daniel broke their law
by the apostles when they because it violated God’s
were commanded to stop law—and he was caught.
preaching. They said, “We But the fear of being caught
ought to obey God rather did not deter him. Daniel
than men” (Acts 5:29). was willing to accept the
Now when Daniel consequences of being
knew that the writing obedient to God. This is a
was signed, he went hard but vital lesson. Keep
home. And in his upper in mind two things:
room, with his windows • We must be willing to
open toward Jerusalem, accept the consequences
he knelt down on his for doing the right thing.
knees three times that The apostle Peter said,
day, and prayed and “But even if you should
gave thanks before his suffer for righteousness’
God, as was his custom sake, you are blessed”
since early days (v.10). (1 Pet. 3:14).
26
• God is still in control, Judah, does not show

even when life unfairly due regard for you, O
banishes us to the king, or for the decree
proverbial lions’ den. that you have signed, but
Daniel was caught makes his petition three
praying to God, and times a day” (vv.12-13).
he would suffer for These men were
righteousness’ sake. certainly sly. First, they
But he was prepared reminded Darius of his
to glorify God. irrevocable decree. Then
they leveled their attack
THE PEACE OF with an accusation that was
GOD (6:12-17) a mix of truth and slander.
And they went before Daniel had not disregarded
the king, and spoke the king, but he did refuse
concerning the king’s to disregard his God.
decree: “Have you not And the king, when he
signed a decree that every heard these words, was
man who petitions any greatly displeased with
god or man within thirty himself, and set his heart
days, except you, O king, on Daniel to deliver him;
shall be cast into the and he labored till the
den of lions?” The king going down of the sun to
answered and said, “The deliver him. Then these
thing is true, according to men approached the king,
the law of the Medes and and said to the king,
Persians, which does not “Know, O king, that it
alter.” So they answered is the law of the Medes
and said before the king, and Persians that no
“That Daniel, who is decree or statute which
one of the captives from the king establishes may
27
be changed” (vv.14-15). continually, He will deliver

Darius’ response shows you.” Then a stone was
that he finally understood brought and laid on the
what was going on, for he mouth of the den, and the
was “greatly displeased with king sealed it with his own
himself.” He had exercised signet ring and with the
poor judgment, and was signets of his lords, that
grieved. It seems he was the purpose concerning
not displeased with Daniel Daniel might not be
or with Daniel’s behavior changed (vv.16-17).
but with his own pride. Having been found guilty
Darius pursued Daniel’s of the crime of serving God
release because he didn’t continually (v.16), Daniel
want him to suffer the was cast into the lions’ den.
consequences of the foolish These lions were there for
decree (v.14). He looked for the purpose of torturing
a legal loophole, but there prisoners. They were usually
was none. He saw the starved, mistreated, and
impact of his actions and taunted so they would rip
realized that he was too late. a man to pieces.
In effect, Darius was trapped In desperation, Darius
by his own law (v.15). There tried to offer consolation
was no way out—Daniel to Daniel at his execution
had to be executed. (v.16). The den was then
So the king gave the covered with a stone and
command, and they sealed (v.17).
brought Daniel and cast Have you ever wondered
him into the den of lions. what happened inside the
But the king spoke, lions’ den once the stone
saying to Daniel, “Your was sealed? One Bible
God, whom you serve scholar suggests that
28
Daniel slid to the cave floor The king spoke, saying to

and was approached by Daniel, “Daniel, servant of
lions—only to have them lie the living God, has your
around him to give warmth God, whom you serve
and comfort for the cold continually, been able
night ahead! to deliver you from the
lions?” Then Daniel said
THE PROTECTION to the king, “O king, live
OF GOD (6:18-23) forever! My God sent His
As Daniel slept peacefully angel and shut the lions’
with the lions, Darius had mouths, so that they have
a very different kind of not hurt me, because I
night. This highlights the was found innocent before
difference between a clear Him; and also, O king,
conscience (Daniel’s) and a I have done no wrong
heart full of guilt (Darius’). before you.” Now the king
Now the king went to his was exceedingly glad for
palace and spent the night him, and commanded that
fasting; and no musicians they should take Daniel
were brought before him. up out of the den. So
Also his sleep went from Daniel was taken up out
him (v.18). of the den, and no injury
Worry, guilt, loss of sleep, whatever was found on
loss of appetite—all were the him, because he believed
effects of Darius’ failure to in his God (vv.20-23).
discern the evil conspiracy of After a sleepless night,
his officials. So, the king rose Darius went to see what
and went to the den of lions. had happened. He was
When he came to the almost pathetic as he called
den, he cried out with a into the den that should hold
lamenting voice to Daniel. no human life. Even in the
29
words of Darius, we see the EDICTS OF DARIUS

profound impact of Daniel’s (6:24-28)
life on him: “Has your God, And the king gave the
whom you serve continually, command, and they
been able to deliver you from brought those men who
the lions?” It’s amazing that had accused Daniel, and
Darius even considered the they cast them into the
possibility that God protected den of lions—them, their
Daniel from the lions. Then, children, and their wives;
from out of the darkness, and the lions overpowered
came Daniel’s calm, them, and broke all their
confident reply that God, bones in pieces before they
in fact, had protected him. ever came to the bottom of
Daniel was not hurt, the den (v.24).
“because he believed in his Just as Haman in the
God” (6:23). Hebrews 11:33 book of Esther was hanged
also tells us that it was on his own gallows, so the
Daniel’s faith that “stopped accusers were cast into
the mouths of lions.” Of the lions’ den where they
course, as Hebrews 11:35-40 suffered the fate they had
indicates, it’s not always intended for Daniel.
God’s will to deliver His Then King Darius wrote:
children. In the early To all peoples, nations,
church, untold thousands and languages that dwell
of martyrs were fed to lions in all the earth: Peace be
and ushered into eternity. multiplied to you. I make
But whether or not God a decree that in every
delivers at any particular dominion of my kingdom
moment, His ability to men must tremble and fear
deliver is never diminished. before the God of Daniel.
He is always able. For He is the living God,
30
and steadfast forever; His APPLICATION

kingdom is the one which When we read the story
shall not be destroyed, and hundreds of years later, we
His dominion shall endure know the outcome—but
to the end. He delivers and Daniel didn’t. He knew
rescues, and He works God’s ability, but he didn’t
signs and wonders in know God’s plan. He only
heaven and on earth, who knew that he wanted to
has delivered Daniel from live to honor his God.
the power of the lions That meant making a
(vv.25-27). decision to obey God
This is a much stronger rather than submit to the
statement of faith than the most powerful government
one Nebuchadnezzar gave of his day.
(4:34-35,37). Daniel also knew that he
The story ends with an couldn’t survive without
acknowledgment of Daniel’s expressing his heart to God.
prosperity: It’s been said that God’s
So this Daniel prospered Word is the milk, meat, and
in the reign of Darius and bread of life. But prayer is its
in the reign of Cyrus the breath. You can live for a
Persian (v.28). long period of time without
Daniel was the food, but you can’t survive
embodiment of Psalm more than a few minutes
1:3, “He shall be like a tree without breath. That’s how
planted by the rivers of water, important prayer is. But do
that brings forth its fruit in its we give prayer that kind of
season, whose leaf also shall priority in our lives? This is
not wither; and whatever he the essence of spiritual living
does shall prosper.” God had in the midst of a secular
truly blessed Daniel. culture.
31
THE NEED OF wonderful example and

THE HOUR legacy for us.
It’s possible, however,
P
reacher E. M. Bounds that you have not yet
wrote, “The church begun to live in the spirit
is looking for better of Daniel’s God. If not, you
methods; God is looking for can meet the Savior in the
better men” (Power Through pages of the New Testament.
Prayer, p.9). According to the Gospel
The unfolding drama writers, Daniel’s God came
of Daniel shouts that same to us in the person of His
message to us. We are living Son. After 3 years of public
in a Babylonian-like world. life, Jesus voluntarily died
We are surrounded by an on an executioner’s cross to
ever-changing, constantly pay for our sins. Three days
deteriorating culture. Yet, later He rose from the dead.
it is to this kind of a world Now He offers the free
that we are called to be gift of forgiveness to all
the Daniels of our own who will acknowledge their
generation. We can either hopeless condition and
be poured into the mold of trust Him and His gift. If
our culture, or like Daniel, you believe in this Christ
we can use the darkness as but have never personally
an opportunity to reflect the opened your heart to Him,
light of our God. then claim the promise of
The choice is ours. the apostle John, who wrote:
How will we, as men and As many as received Him,
women of God, serve God to them He gave the right
in our generation? Daniel’s to become children of
gracious courage to live God, to those who believe
his life to honor God is a in His name (Jn. 1:12).
32
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Q0724 Daniel pp 3/15/06 9:48 AM Page 1

CULTURE IN being challenged by an

views of God, the world, Babylon—a foreign culture

A LIFE OF it. And the Lord gave

minds and abilities to years of training for them,

delicacies” were not DANIEL’S

based laws of Israel. But but he was determined

obedience to the Word, and probably no more than 20

highest level of skill in not called, which implies

and we will give the words before me till

and they sought Daniel him the entire sad story.

This was a powerful we asked of You, for You

raises up kings,” for • on the Lord of the work,

me before the king, and has demanded, the

especially the God whom people at ease. Like

they brought the gold may have decided to

other. The king cried aloud control. The solution

were found in this Daniel, have been brought in

proceeded to give him a to let God be God.

classic case of Proverbs armies and the city fell.

not in the eyes of the crowd cannot live without?

some charge against it cannot be changed,

How would they attack? or man—except to Darius

THE POWER OF Daniel disobeyed the

• God is still in control, Judah, does not show

be changed” (vv.14-15). continually, He will deliver

Daniel slid to the cave floor The king spoke, saying to

words of Darius, we see the EDICTS OF DARIUS

and steadfast forever; His APPLICATION

THE NEED OF wonderful example and

Your free Bible

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