Daniel
Chapter 6
{Note: From Chapter 2:4b through Chapter 7, Daniel is writing in the Chaldean language.}
{Chapter
6: Conversion of Darius - Age 62}
{RBT
says Chapter 6 Begins with 5:31 in the Hebrew
5:31~~So Darius, the Median, received the kingdom
at about the age of sixty-two.}
{Note: RBT says that in history, this Darius is known as Darius Cyaxares II. His nephew is Cyrus the great. Cyrus married the daughter of Darius which is often done to cement an alliance - so Darius is Cyrus' father-in-law and uncle at the same time.}
{Note: So we now will end up with three believers in the rulership - Cyrus the Great, Darius Cyaxares II (a Mead), and Daniel (a Jew) is the third.}
1~~
It seemed good to Darius
to
appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom,
{a governor of the Persian 120 provinces}
that
they should be in charge of the whole kingdom.
2~~And
over them, three commissioners/'Co-Presidents'
(of
whom Daniel was one)
that
these satraps might be accountable to them,
and
that the king might not suffer loss.
{Note: So three men will form a Triumvirate controlling about 40 provinces for Darius (under Cyrus the Great who is now absent). (One of these was probably General Gubaru was the general who took Babylon who was left behind in Babylon to protect things for Cyrus.)}
3a~~'At
that time'
{'edayin - a Chaldean adverb - the very time of the takeover of
Babylon - Daniel was not killed, he immediately impressed Cyrus
(as very mature believers tend to do)}
this
Daniel began distinguishing himself
{n@tsach - Ithpael reflexive stem - to conquer - so Daniel
'conquered himself' - how via the constant, long term
study of the Word (23 years) - intaking Divine viewpoint
conquered his human viewpoint - very very spiritually mature}
among
the commissioners/presidents and satraps.
{How
did Daniel do this? Answer:}
3b~~Because
he {Daniel} possessed an extraordinary spirit
{yattiyr ruwach - literally means to have a 'residue of spirit' - to
have a residue of spirit is to have an extraordinary spirit - here
we have the enduement of God the Holy Spirit}.
3c~~And
the king {Darius} planned/purposed
to
cause to appoint him {Daniel} over the entire kingdom.
{Mental
Attitude Sins (Jealousy) of the Other Rulers Against Daniel}
4~~Then
the commissioners/co-presidents and satraps
began
trying to find a ground of accusation
against
Daniel in regard to government affairs;
but
they 'were motivated but could find no ground' of accusation
or
{evidence of} corruption,
inasmuch
as he {Daniel} was caused to keep on being faithful,
{applying the divine viewpoint in his soul kept him out of trouble}
and
no negligence or corruption
was
{to be} found in him.
{Note: Mental attitude sins are like having a gun in your brain. You are always looking for an opportunity to shoot and hurt the object of your sin. These men were looking to hurt Daniel - jealous of him.}
{Jealous
People ALWAYS Strain}
5~~Then
these men said,
"We
shall not find any ground of accusation
against
this Daniel,
unless
we find {it} against him
with
regard to the law of his 'Elahh/God."
{Note: They checked out his job performance and personal life and could find no fault in Daniel. So, they determined that his faithfulness to 'his God' was his weak-point. RBT says that at least one must have been demon possessed and disclosed this weakness to them - this is a battle of the angelic conflict.}
6~~Then
these commissioners and satraps came
by
agreement to the king {Darius} and spoke to him as follows,
"King
Darius, live forever!"
{Next
Sin - of the Tongue - Lying to Cyrus (Daniel did not agree!)}
7~~"All
the commissioners of the kingdom,
the
prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors
have
consulted together
that
the king should establish a statute
and
enforce an injunction
that
anyone who makes a petition
to
any 'elahh/god or man besides you, O king {Darius},
for
thirty days, shall be cast into the hungry lion's den."
{Note: This law attempts to deify Darius - which would appeal to his power and approbation lusts. This is a clear attempt to kill Daniel. (note: The Chaldeans used the fire to punish - as with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The Persians used lions as punishment.)}
8~~"Now,
O king {Darius}, establish the injunction
and
'sign and record' the document
{Darius carries the 'power of attorney' for Cyrus the Great}
so
that it may not be changed,
according
to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which
may not be revoked."
9~~Therefore
King Darius signed the document,
that
is, the injunction.
{Daniel's
'National Rebound Prayer'}
10~~Now
when Daniel knew
{y@da` - Peal perfect intensive completed action -
Daniel knew the facts and knew them well - he understood the
plot against him}
that
the document was signed,
he
entered his house
{bayith - his house - A 'house' brings up the principle of privacy
(a 'home' is where you find others you love - a house can
also be a home)}
(now
in his roof chamber he had windows
open toward Jerusalem)
and
he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day,
'praying
intensively - redoubling his efforts'
{ts@la' - Peal intensive participle - bolder in his prayer as pressure
comes upon him but remember he is in the privacy of his own
house - not flaunting violating the kings command}
and
giving thanks before his God/'Elahh,
as
he had been doing previously.
{Note: See Psalms 80. Daniel here was praying the National Rebound Prayer to restore a nation under the 5th cycle of Discipline. This prayer is why Daniel was tossed into the lion's den where he had the best sleep of his life!}
11~~Then
these 'heroes' {sanctified sarcasm}
caused
themselves to rush together
{r@gash - Aphel perfect - causative active Chaldean - they rushed
to catch Daniel}
and
'sneaked up'
{they RAN then tiptoed when they got close - to peak into
Daniel's house - violating his right to privacy}
on
Daniel 'seeking grace for himself'
and
making supplication before his God/ 'Elahh.
{Daniel
and the Lion's Den}
12~~Then
they approached and spoke before the king
about
the king's injunction.
"Did
you not sign and 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 lion's den?"
The
king answered and said, "The statement is true,
according
to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which
may not be revoked."
13~~Then
they answered and spoke before the king,
"That
Daniel {connotes their contempt for Daniel},
who
is one of the exiles from Judah,
{NOT recognizing Daniel's authority - putting down Daniel}
'does
not name you'/'pays no attention to you', O king,
{for 30 days all supplications are ordered to go to this 'human
deity' and no other god}
or
to the injunction which you signed,
but
keeps making his petition three times a day."
{Note: Principle: Legislation should ONLY be for the protection of the people of a nation. Not as a tool to remove your enemies. This law was a violation of Daniel's right of freedom and privacy to worship Whom he wishes.}
14~~Then
the king listened carefully to this statement,
{sh@ma` - Peal Chaldean intensive stem}
he
{Darius} was deeply distressed
and
purposed/'set his mind'
to
rescue/'snatch from trouble' Daniel.
And
even until sunset
he
kept exerting himself to rescue him.
{Note: He should have thought before he signed. Human folly has no human solution. Only God can unravel the tangle of human failure.}
15~~Then
these men came by agreement to the king
and
said to the king,
"Recognize,
O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians
that
no injunction or statute which the king establishes
may
be changed."
16~~Then
the king gave orders,
and
Daniel was brought in and cast into the lion's den.
The
king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your 'Elahh/God
Whom
you constantly serve/worship
{p@lach - Peal intensive stem - meaning the king recognized that
Daniel was very faithful to his God - his 'Occupation with Christ'}
will
Himself deliver you."
{Note: We know the king does not really believe this because he will spend a sleepless night. But he is trying to give Daniel 'encouragement' - 'it will be all right' type thing. But Daniel remains relaxed. He always has trusted in the Lord. When it is his time, he will be with his Lord. If it is not his time, no power on earth or heaven can take him.}
17a~~And
a stone was brought, and laid over the mouth of the den.
{the stone would remind Daniel of his prophecy in Daniel 2:45 - The
Gigantic Rock Who would protect and deliver him! Jesus Christ}
17b~~And
the king sealed it with his own signet ring
and
with the signet rings of his nobles,
so
that nothing might be changed in regard to Daniel.
18a~~Then the king 'departed miserably' to his palace.
{Note: 'Azal - in the Peal intensive Chaldean stem, perfect (completed action) tense - the king wanted to promote Daniel - he is totally discouraged and upset - he trapped himself - and Daniel was a 'detail of life' to the king - his happiness was related to Daniel instead of placing his faith in God and having his happiness depend on God!}
18b~~And
spent the night fasting
and
no concubines/prostitutes/'female sexual expert' {dachavah}
were
brought before him . . .
and
his sleep fled/'ran away' {n@dad} from him.
{Note: So, Darius was so upset, he could not eat, was not interested in sex and had insomnia. In comparison, Daniel apparently had his best night's sleep ever! For sure, no person or animal bothered him in the lion's den!}
19~~Then
the king arose with the dawn,
at
the break of day,
and
went in haste to the lion's den.
20~~And
when he had come near to the den of Daniel,
he
screamed out with a miserable/troubled voice.
The
king spoke and said to Daniel,
"Daniel,
servant of the living 'Elahh/God, has your 'Elahh/God,
Whom
you constantly serve/worship
been
able to deliver/snatch you
{the king is naively questioning the Character of God - His
Omnipotence here - God is ALWAYS able - whether He does or
does not deliver is HIS business}
from
the 'hungry lions' {'aryeh}? "
21-22a~~
Then Daniel spoke to the king,
"O
king, live forever! 22a~~
My
'Elahh/God 'rushed forth' His Angel
{sh@lach - Peal intensive stem - God was RIGHT THERE when He
was needed - RBT says the 'angel of Jehovah' is a title for Jesus
Christ and this is Jesus Who was sent}
and
delivered from the lions' mouths,
and
they have not harmed me,
inasmuch
as I had 'obtained myself from my own free will'
{sh@kach - Ithpeal reflexive stem - Daniel obtained this himself}
'a
mature frame of reference' {zakuw} before Him.
{Note: Zakuw - means to be innocent in the sense of being in the perfect position to receive the benefits of Grace - daily consistent intake of the Word. He has taken in divine viewpoint and applied it. (all humans (except Christ) are born with the sin of the father and are not 'innocent' - this is referring to Daniel now being a spiritually mature believer and God graced him to the maximum).}
22b~~And
also toward you, O king,
I
have committed no crime."
23a~~Then
the king was 'very much' pleased/'{filled with} happiness'
and
gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den.
23b~~So
Daniel was taken up out of the den,
and
no injury whatever was found on him,
because
he had 'been caused to believe/trust' in his 'Elahh/God.
{'aman - Aphel causative Chaldean stem - caused to believe by his
right lobe - by the doctrine resident in his soul}
24~~The
king then gave orders,
and
they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel,
and
they cast them, their children, and their wives into the lions' den.
{Note: It was a Persian custom that if a person was a criminal or acted against the state, his family was punished with him - since, he most likely had tainted his family with his traitorous activities.}
24b~~And
they had not reached the bottom of the den
before
the lions seized/over-powered them
and
'crushed/broke all their bones {by their powerful jaws}'.
{Zeal
of a New Believer without Doctrine}
25~~
Then Darius the king wrote
to
all the peoples, nations, and {men of every} language
who
were living in all the land,
"May
your peace abound!"
26~~"From
before me, there is appointed a decree . . .
{the assumption here is that he gave this a lot of thought first}
that
in all dominion of my kingdom
men
are to fear and tremble before the 'Elahh/God of Daniel
for
He is the living 'Elahh/God and enduring forever,
and
His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
and
His dominion {will be} forever."
{Note: This is an error of a new believer - you can NOT force people to fear God! Or believe in Him! This must be a free will decision by the individual! Zeal without doctrine first is wrong and dangerous!}
27~~"He
delivers
{sh@zab - the Chaldean for delivering}
and
causes to rescue
{n@tsal - the Hebrew for delivering - Darius has picked up some
Hebrew and puts the decree in both languages!}
and
performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth . . .
Who
has {also} delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
28~~So
this Daniel 'was caused to be honored for the rest of his life'
{ts@lach - Aphel causative stem, perfect tense - indicates this was
for the rest of his life}
in
the reign of Darius
and
in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
{and
that takes Daniel to the end of his life prosperity}
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