The vice-regents and governors got together to find
some old scandal or skeleton in Daniel's life that they could use against him,
but they couldn't dig up anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy.
They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. So they finally gave
up and said, "We're never going to find anything against this Daniel
unless we can cook up something religious." The vice-regents and governors
conspired together and then went to the king and said, "King Darius, live
forever! We've convened your vice-regents, governors, and all your leading
officials, and have agreed that the king should issue the following decree:
"For the next thirty days no one is to pray to
any god or mortal except you, O king. Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into
the lions' den."
Issue this decree, O king, and make it unconditional,
as if written in stone like all the laws of the Medes and the Persians."
King Darius signed the decree.
Live forever! Why is it that we all want to “live
forever”? Do we as humans just not want to face death or is it a fear of pain
that we may have to go through as we die? There is an unknown in dying and we
know that we will have to leave family and friends behind. It is hard for everyone—those
who face death and those who are left behind. As children of God we have been
promised that we will live forever with God in Heaven—and actually our
spiritual eternal life begins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. So
here these wise men of Babylon are greeting the King with “live forever” to sweet-talk
him. He won’t “live forever” and they know it. They are certainly liars and
flatters. They said that they had convened all the leading officials and that
they agreed to the decree, but it is obvious that Daniel, the head vice-regent,
had not been consulted. King Darius is easily swayed and signs the decree. He
was so flattered—what was he thinking?
Was this type of punishment, being thrown into
the lions’ den a common form of punishment? It is not evident by the scripture
or internet searches, but the lions’ den was already in existence before the
decree with a hole at the top of the cave for dropping people into the presence
of the beasts. Was Daniel the only one who prayed to the true God? What became
of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? We don’t hear anything more about them after
Chapter three in Daniel. Now it is Daniel’s turn to be treated much like his
three friends. He had to trust in the Lord as he faced death with those beasts.
Where do you stand with the Lord? Are you ready
to face death, like Daniel and his friends? Have you considered where you’ll be
going when you die? Everyone will go to heaven—some for judgment and some to
stay in God’s home forever. I know that I’m headed for that heavenly home some
day—a mansion that will come down from heaven to the new earth. In Revelation
21:1-2 it says, Then I saw a new heaven
and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and
there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down
out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband (NASB). Jesus is that “husband” or bridegroom—and
all the Christians are His bride to live in His home on the new earth. I feel
so privileged to be part of that group. How about you?
Lord Jesus, live
forever! I praise You for You are God. I look forward to “living forever” with
You in Your heavenly home where we won’t have to fear any lions’ den.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Scripture from The Message, except where noted.
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