Daniel 6:8 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the satraps (administrators) and governors because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole kingdom.
The Story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den.
King Darius of Persia ( now Iran) divided his kingdom into 120 provinces each under an administrator. The administrators were accountable to three governors, (Daniel was one of the Governors) so that the king could take care of the kingdom of Persia efficiently.
Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and governors, for he had great ability, and the King began to think of placing him over the entire kingdom.
This made the other administrators and governors very jealous, and they began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his affairs so that they could complain to the king about him. But they couldn’t find anything to criticize. He was faithful and honest, and made no mistakes. So they concluded, “our only chance is his religion.”
So they decided to go to the king and say, “King Darius, live forever. We administrators, governors, counsellors and deputies have unanimously decided that you should make a law, irrevocable under any circumstance, that for the next thirty days, anyone who asks a favour of God or man – except from you, O King – shall be thrown in the lion’s den.”
“King Darius, we request your signature on this law; sign it so that it cannot be cancelled or changed; it will be the law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” So the King signed the law.
But though Daniel knew about it, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs bedroom, with its window open towards Jerusalem, and prayed three times a day, just as he always had, giving thanks to his God.
Then the men went to Daniel’s house and found him praying there, asking favours of his God. They rushed back to the King and reminded him about his law. “Haven’t you signed a decree,they said, that permits no petition to any God or man – except you – for thirty days? And anyone disobeying will be thrown to the lions.
“Yes”, the King replied, “It is a law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be altered or revoked.” Then they told the King, “That fellow Daniel, one of the Jewish captives is paying no attention to you or your law, he is making his petitions to his God three times a day.”
Story to be continued, tomorrow.
