Good Morning! - Daniel 6:25-28 - Darius is Converted - 2009.11.13

Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multipliedunto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdomthat which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

He deliverethand rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath deliveredDaniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian (Daniel 6:25-28). (Persia: Iran)

Darius is converted to Daniel's God. He has been brought to the same realization as Nebuchadnezzar. He waxes eloquent in describing the living God in terms of political sovereignty. When a politician thinks he is in charge it is hard for him to humble his heart to acknowledge that God is sovereign and rules in the affairs of men. Actually, one does not have to be a politician to have such a malignancy of the soul.

Nebuchadnezzar finally concluded that God is in charge of the kingdoms of the world …to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men (Daniel 4:17).

And now, Darius is succumbing to a personal faith and surrender to God. That would be the equivalent to the modern day Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran going to the General Assembly of the United Nations and announcing to the whole world that he had found the true and living God, the God of Israel and the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and that men over the world should bow their knee to Jesus as Savior and Lord. We would all go into a state of shock if that should happen but it happened to Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. I doubt if anyone of their times said: "Well, that it is just what I expected."

Was the decree of Darius effective? Probably—somewhat effective—but mostly it was effective in outward conformity. If you wanted to keep your head you went along with whatever the king said.

In his short book in 1848, The Law, French economist Frederic Bastiat made the point that in the autocratic governments the king was law. Under a republic, the law is king. Google: Bastiat The Law to find his little book.

But during the "great experiment" of liberty through law in America we are seeing our inability to maintain moral integrity and economic stability because our hearts are depraved and we are wading into a moral swamp. We-The-People are king in America and We-The-People have chosen to embrace a culture of sexual freedom and death. We have legally taken the lives of over fifty million of the most innocent and helpless of our society—in the womb. We have decided we will define "good" and we will be "good" without God and God's definitions and restraints upon us. And it appears that God has said: "Go ahead and show me what you can do. It's going to cost you dearly."

A nation cannot be forced to "fear and tremble before the God of Daniel." Every man and woman is in charge of his or her own heart. Elijah was an awesome prophet of God with awesome power to call down fire from Heaven and consume a wet sacrifice and even to consume the stones. Let's look at the record:

Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. (38) Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (39) And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. (40) And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there (1Kings 18:37-40).

You would think that after the fire from Heaven and 450 prophets of Baal have been slaughtered and left for the rain to wash out to the sea—you would think —wouldn't you think?— that the whole nation would get it and turn their hearts to God? But they didn't get it in their hearts. And after Jezebel had been eaten by the dogs and Elijah and gone up in the chariot of fire to Heaven, the nation remained so wicked that after a while God sent the Assyrian army to carry the northern ten tribes of the nation of Israel into Assyria to disperse them until they simply disappeared from history.

So, how are you doing in your heart toward the Lord? I hope you've given the Spirit of God the rightful place in your heart. In every Christian, the Holy Spirit is resident. But in every Christian the Holy Spirit is not president. This is a good day to honor Him as president.Ω

Memory Verse for this week:

(Psalm 103:13-14) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).

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Good Morning! - Daniel 6:23-24 - Daniel Delivered - His Enemies Devoured by the Lions - 2009.11.12

Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should
take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken upout of the den, and no
manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. And the king commanded, and theybrought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den (Daniel 6:23-24)

King Darius Cyaxares II (of secular history) was a Mede whose kingdom would merge into the Persian empire. His identity is controversial but I take this position. He did not have the power of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. You remember that Nebuchadnezzar was the original world-class king. All the political power was in his hands and he shared it with no one. He killed and kept alive at his whim and pleasure and no man questioned his authority or reasoning. He was the head of gold on the image in the Book of Daniel. When his grandson, Belshazzar was weighed in the balance and found wanting according to the handwriting on the wall, he was deposed that night and the head of gold was no more.

Darius was the king of the silver breast and arms of the image, and was a less powerful king. Under his reign, the empire of the Medes was broken up into 120 provinces and ruled over by 120 princes. Over these 120 men he set three presidents to supervise them. So, Darius found himself in a much weaker position as he had to please these 120 princes and three presidents to some degree. It was no longer a golden autocracy ruled entirely by one man. He only ruled two years. Cyrus, who followed him, was the son of Darius' sister Mundane and of Cambyses the Persian. "This was what brought the empire together into the Medo-Persian Empire which now ruled the world. Thee were other Darius's that followed, one in particular.

Daniel's enemies had sown to the wind and were reaping a whirlwind. It reminds me of the wicked Haman in the Book of Esther who had gallows built on which to hang Mordecai and ended up getting hung there himself (Esther 7:10). And what of Jesus' disciple Judas who sold out his Lord for 30 pieces of silver and ended up hanging himself, dropping to the ground and bursting open (Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18) . Don't forget the crowd in Moses' day who defied God and the earth opened up and swallowed them all and closed back over them (Numbers 16:32). Selling out God can be expensive.

These men who were responsible for having Daniel put in the lions' den were cast in themselves with their wives and children. These mild-mannered lions whose jaws the angel of God had closed came to life and were tearing at the bodies of these people before they had a chance to hit the floor. Terrible! One thing we should remember is that while God is a God of infinite love, His patience can be exhausted and He is rightfully referred to as an awesome God. The saved and the unsaved alike are subject to God's judgment falling upon them.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;….(1Corinthians 5:10-11a).

This is the judgment seat of Christ for rewarding or withholding rewards for the saved people who are going to Heaven. This is not for unsaved people who will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. And yet the writer speaks of the terror of the Lord at the judgment of the saved. It will not be a happy time until it's over.

For over forty years I have read the following verses every time I have administered the Lord's Supper as a warning to careless Christians who may partake of the ceremony thoughtlessly and with unconfessed sin in the life. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world (1Corinthians 11:29-32).

In this passage we are warned of a sin unto sickness and a sin unto death. Please understand that this was not something that was limited to two thousand years ago. It holds true for today. God loves us with an eternal love and at the same time He is serious about His blood-bought children directing their hearts toward Him in genuine devotion and a commitment to holy living. People of unbelief have always been in trouble with God, saints and sinners alike. You do not have to lose your eternal soul to be in trouble with God.

These wicked men who went after God's servant are an example of how we ought not to live. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:30-31).

Please note that the book of Hebrews is not in the Old Testament under the law of Moses. It is in the New Testament under the covenant of grace. A sorry attitude toward God is not going to turn out well. He is the living God and He will have the last word. His power and commitment toward us in love and mercy are without measure. At the same time, there is a sin unto sickness and there is a sin unto premature death. Ω

Memory Verse for this week:

(Psalm 103:13-14) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).

Good Morning! - Daniel 6:21-22 - Daniel is OK - 2009.11.11

 Good Morning!

 

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever.  My God

 

hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have

 

not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me;

 

and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt (Daniel 6:21-22).

 

Daniel is in a good mood and courteous. Mind you, at age 90, he has gone through an ordeal in spending the night with these  huge, vicious lions. These were not old, toothless lions as we will see tomorrow. They ate whatever raw flesh was dropped through the hole to them and were shut up in an unnatural setting with no ability to run across fields and exercise. We have to assume that in this lion's den—lion's prison—the stench was strong. The Bible does not say that the angel who came to minister to Daniel brought a mop bucket and a bottle of perfume. Only that the angel shut the lions' mouths.

God does many life-saving things to help us and oftentimes goes far beyond our necessities. But we also learn that there is God's part combined with our part. Daniel's part was almost nothing but to trust God to see him through it. But in many life situations our part is more involved than was Daniel's part. God feeds the birds but He doesn't make the worms jump into the birds' nest. Scripture tells us that Adam was provided a garden but that Adam was responsible to dress it and keep it (Genesis 2:15). In Paul's day we are told that we are laborers together with God: (1Corinthians 3:9). When Peter was in prison and set for execution, God's angel came to visit Peter to set him free, but Peter was instructed to do several things to help himself.

 

It is interesting what the angel did for Peter and what Peter had to do.

 

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. The angel did five things for Peter that he could not do for himself. Peter couldn't get an angel to come into the prison, so an angel simply showed up.  Then a light shined in the prison because Peter didn't have a flashlight.  The angel gently slapped Peter on the side and then took hold of him and raised him up. Peter is dead asleep!  Then the angel spoke to Peter and gave him directions. Now look what Peter had to do for himself.

 

And his chains fell off from his hands.  (8)  And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.  (9)  And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision (Acts 12:7-9).

 

Peter was told to rise up quickly. He was told to gird himself and then told to put on his shoes. And then the angel had to tell him to put on his outer garment and then he was told to follow the angel. All of this happened so quickly that Peter is still not wide awake. He still doesn't know if an angel has met with him or if maybe he has had a vision. But God showed Peter enough to get him up and out of jail.

 

We can only imagine the interaction between Daniel and his angel. I don't think they discussed the weather or who was going to win the World's Series. It was all business. Daniel was tired from a long busy day and he needed a pillow. The softest thing in the lion's den was a lion. I like to think that Daniel rubbed his hand over the mane or the flank of of the fattest lion (none of them was actually fat since they could not hunt for themselves) laid his head on the lion and in a few seconds was out like a light.

 

God has this to say about angels, which extends down to our present day and also to you if you are an heir of salvation:

 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2).

 

But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?  (Hebrews 1:13-14)

 

God has this to say about satan:  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you (1Peter 5:8-10).

 

God has this to say about you if you are trusting Him daily and walking with Him:

 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:3).

 

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

 

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2).

 

Have you ever had to depend on the Lord to make you safe through the night? Your lion's den may not look like Daniel's.  Here's a good verse for you:

 

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee (Psalm 56:3).

 

 

Memory Verse for this week:

 

(Psalm 103:13-14)  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 

 

For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust  (Psalm 103:13-14).

 

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Good Morning! - Daniel 6:19-20 - Darius Rushes tol the Lion's Den - 2009.11.10

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?(Daniel 6:19-20)

Our God IS able! The little chorus says what we MUST believe if we would serve God effectively these days. "He's able! He's able" I know He's able! I know the Lord is able to carry me through. (Repeat that.) He healed the broken hearted, and He set the captive free. He made the lame to walk again and He made the blind to see! He's able! He's able! I know He's able! I know the Lord is able to carry me through."

Try that in the key of E-flat, then F, and then G and then A-flat. Singing through those ascending keys will give everybody a lift.

Confessing God's ability with your mouth is good medicine for discouragement. And if you don't feel like singing, hum or whistle. I don't whistle much but I do hum a lot. Humming is good for you. Sometimes I ask Barbara if she has any special humming requests. I can hum in several languages.Try it! Our God is able.

Darius did no humming. He had dismissed his chamber musicians for the night and he tossed in his bed alone. Came morning and he rushed to the lion's den. He had not yet resigned himself to Daniel's cruel death. He did not approach the lion's den in regal robe and flamboyant entourage of courtly attendants. He looked and behaved like a royal mess.The glimmer of hope still buried deep within him did not stem from the fad of the day or from the encouragement of his family or friends.

King Darius had hope only from what he had observed in Daniel's life. Whatever Daniel believed about his God was real because he practiced it to the point of his own death. He could have laid low for just thirty days—THIRTY DAYS!—set God aside for just thirty days and he would have been safe. But no! Daniel was anchored to the Rock of Ages and it was worth more to him than political correctness.

There was nothing phony about The Prophet Daniel. Some things are not for sale. When there is a conflict between politics and the living God of heaven, there's no making a deal. It has already been decided. No political idolatry. Old Daniel has demonstrated for us what to do when there is a conflict between an unruly government and God. Wicked husbands cannot rent their wives out as prostitutes and wicked political leaders cannot command our allegiance above our allegiance to the God of heaven.

Men will not always applaud you for living for God. It may cost you a job or promotion or entrance into a desired educational pursuit. Some men and women hate God with a passion and if you serve God they will see it clearly and hate you with a passion. They will not say you are wonderful because you are a Christian.

Jesus summarized it like this:

The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. (John 15:20)

Darius did not hate God or hate Daniel. He was a little slow and really not much of a politician or he would not have been so easily duped by his cronies. So don't write off everybody who has been party to penalizing you for your faith. They may realize what they have done and spend a sleepless night and visit you at the lion's den to see if the God you serve continually has been able to deliver you from the jaws of the lions.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Revelation 2:10)

Memory Verse for this week:

(Psalm 103:13-14) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).

Good Morning! - Daniel 6:16-18 - No Fiddle Plain' Here Tonight - 2009.11.09

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of
lions. Now the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest
continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords;that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him (Daniel 6:16-18).

The king of the world has a bad night. Even the king of the earth cannot always do what he would like to do. He is, after all, merely a man. He has to take a bath to keep from smelling bad. He has to go to the bath room and has to sleep a certain number of hours—just like the peasants who labor under him.

When trapped by his own laws, he finally gave in and commanded that his friend, old man Daniel, be cast into a den of hungry lions. His only ray of hope was in the fact that Daniel was a praying man. He said to Daniel, "Thy God whom thou servest continually." The people around us know if we are a phony or if we are the genuine article. They can put up with a lot of they are convinced that we are honest and truly believe what we preach and teach.

It is said that "the blood of the martyr's was the life of the church." It is true that the church is holier and more dedicated to the Lord when the bank account is low and when the church is being persecuted. Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (James 2:5)

God seems to have an affinity for broken things. He takes note of the sparrow that falls and he wept at the tomb of Lazarus even though he knew he was going to raise him from the dead in a few minutes. Jesus' body was broken on the cross in the sense that it was mangled and the blood drained from him. He said to the disciples, "This is my body which is broken for you"(Luke 22:19). Gideon's band of 300 soldiers broke their pitchers to reveal the torches inside them. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18).

And now it appears that Daniel's greatest work may be to be broken to pieces in the mouths of lions. Where is God in all of this? Well, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. We may rest assured that one thing that is always the same with God is: 'Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).

We also may rest assured that "… the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…(2Chronicles 16:9)."

Are you in the lion's den? Have you noticed that not everyone is in the lion's den" just you? Do you feel like no one knows or cares that you are in the lion's den? The old Negro Spiritual sings: "Oh nobody knows the trouble I've seen….nobody knows but Jesus. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen…glory hallelujah."

It is good if we can trust God when we are in the lion's den. It is not a cop-out to say: For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's (Romans 14:8). God is not careless or uncaring with His suffering and dying saints. He says: Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15).

Daniel may have thought he was all alone there in that stinking lion's den, but he was not alone.

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18).

It also helps if we can say that our God is the one we serve continually.

Memory Verse for this week:

(Psalm 103:13-14) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).