Daniel 6:6-13

Has anyone ever played a cruel trick on you, or tried to fool you into thinking or acting contrary to how you really wanted?  Many of us have experienced something like this by someone who has had a specific agenda.  Often these experiences were harmless enough, meant only to be funny or at the most to put us in our place.  Our scripture verses today from the Book of Daniel went a little further than a prank.

Prideful behavior fills this sixth chapter of Daniel. Lust for power and control drove King Darius' leaders to enter into a power struggle for the King's favor and to better their situation. Daniel was soon to be made the head administrator over the kingdom and they did not want this 'man of God' in that position.  They wanted the power in their hands.

King Darius played right into their hands because he too struggled with a prideful heart.  His men were able to convince him that he was a god to them and worthy of all their prayers and praise.  They duped the king into making an official royal decree that everyone was to pray only to him and no other under the penalty of death by lion's den.

“The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.” 

(Daniel 6:7)

Daniel was the only one who wasn't in on this plan; he was the object of the deception. King Darius loved Daniel but was powerless to save him from the punishment.  Daniel was faithful to the king, but more importantly he was faithful to God.  He considered prayer to the One True God something worth dying for, and while King Darius was powerless, God was not. Until tomorrow when we hear...the rest of the story...consider times in your life where pride got you into a boatload of trouble and God came to your rescue.

Won't you share one of those stories here or via email?  I will share one of mine here tomorrow.

Read Daniel 6:6-13 here

Listen to Daniel 6:6-13 here