Week 20: The Living God Rescues His Servant
WEEK 20 | Daniel 6:16-24
Day 1 Deeper Daniel Father, open my eyes to see the truth in Your Word that I may know and love you more deeply.
For Daniel 6, we are reading the book of Esther in parts on Day 1. For this lesson, read or listen to Esther 5-7.
1. What similarities do you see in Esther and Daniel’s stories?
2. We love stories where someone who is poor becomes rich or someone who is bullied rises above her tormentor. These stories are called reversals, and the Bible contains many such stories. When Jesus taught, He often spoke of the reversals to come in His Kingdom: “The first shall become last, and the last first” or “He is who is least among you shall be great.” Focus on one reversal in the book of Esther.
What does it teach you about God?
How should that affect how you live under His rule now?
3. Read Romans 8:28.
Make a list of where you have already seen God work good from something bad in your life.
Likely you are waiting to see God bring good in some situation that concerns you right now. He may do that tomorrow or twenty years from now or when He reigns in His Kingdom. Knowing that the timing is in His hands, how should you pray? Consider your situation from all angles and the people involved too. Make a sweet list.
Prayer – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Keep this list close to you today and seek this God as you go about your day. Pray this verse also over believers suffering persecution, who are also waiting to see God vindicate their faith in Him.
Days 2-3 Jesus, the Greater Daniel Father, open my eyes to see your Son and exalt Him with my life!
Your Title for Luke 23:33-49 Review directions below if needed. ____________________________________________
Directions for Writing Titles – We are trying a new way for observing a text where you give a unit of ideas (a paragraph or short story, etc.) a title. The boundaries given for the writing of this title help you identify the most important words in the text. These words, then, help you determine the key idea. The boundaries/guidelines include:
The words in your title must come from the words in the text only.
You can only choose six words (or less) from the text.
You must write the words in the order they occur in the text, but they do not need to form a sentence.
You may use punctuation to communicate ( , . ; ! ? = + -- | / ( ) < > - “ “ ). Get creative with that!
See Lesson 18 for examples if you missed that lesson.
Your Title for Matthew 27:57-28:1-10 _____________________________________________________________
Days 4-5 Central Passage Father, open my eyes to see the truth in Your Word that I may know and love you more deeply.
Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you.” 17 And a stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed regarding Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions’ den. 20 And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they threw them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Daniel 6:16-24 ESV
Historical Context – Daniel wrote “His angel” in the same form as he did in 3:28; therefore, we can expect that the same Person who protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-neg protected Daniel. The angel most likely is the Angel of Yahweh who speaks and acts like God and is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ our Savior.
When the conspirators said, “All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together....” we know that was a lie because clearly Daniel would not have agreed with their proposed statute. The whole government was not thrown to the lions; only those who accused Daniel and deceived the King. To put families to death for the crimes of their fathers was forbidden in the Mosaic Law; rather, “everyone shall be put to death for his own sin alone” (Deuteronomy 24:16 c.f. 2 Kings 14:5-6, emphasis mine). However, it seems under Persian law, or perhaps custom, a person who committed a capital offense was put to death along with his entire family.
Those who doubt the authenticity of miracles state, “The lions were simply not hungry when Daniel was cast into the pit.” According to caloriehealthy.com, wild lions need to consume 10-25 pounds per day and captive lions 6-8 pounds per day. They usually eat every three to four days; but because meat is not always available when needed, lions will eat even if they are not hungry (planetjourney.com). That such pits were constructed for the very purpose of torture and sure death by those with experiential knowledge of lions (i.e. by those who did not have to google their lion facts) makes it unlikely the Persian lions welcomed Daniel with open paws while keeping their mouths shut.
OBSERVE DICTION
Ask: Which words/phrases might provide clues to the author’s message? What do they literally mean?
Ex. Daniel > “God is my judge”; keep this meaning for Daniel in mind as you study God’s vindication of his name. In Scripture a person’s name is his parents’ prayer for his character; therefore, “name” is a metaphor for character.
Ex. continually > “in the original sense of enduring; permanence” (blueletterbible.org)
Ex. serve > serve, worship, revere, minister for
Ex. Himself > a reflexive pronoun used to emphasize God will personally rescue Daniel
Ex. entertainment > Blue Letter Bible lists diversions, dancing girls, concubines, music
Ex. at dawn, at break of day > at the first light of day
Ex. very glad > overjoyed; this is the reverse of Darius’ emotion in 6:14.
Ex. maliciously accuse > devour, “eat to pieces”; recall this word used of the Chaldeans who slandered Daniel’s friends (Daniel 3:8).
*Underline the word “found” in Daniel 6:21, 23.
OBSERVE DETAILS
Ask and answer simple w-questions: when? where? who? what? how?
What does the King order to be done to Daniel? (v16)
Write exactly what the King said to Daniel. (v16)
Use verse 17 to list the steps taken to ensure that “nothing would be changed regarding Daniel.”
Underline the words: mouth, stone, ring, and rings in your answer.
List the three things the King did NOT do that night while Daniel was in the pit. (v18)
When and how does the King go to the lions’ den the next day? (v19)
What word describes the King’s voice? (v20)
What title does the King give to Daniel? ___________ What words does he use to justify why he gave Daniel that title? (v20)
(v20) What title does the King give to God? ___________
Write the question the King asks in hopes He is indeed this God. Underline the word able.
How does Daniel greet the King from the pit? (v21)
Who does God send? (v22)
What does God’s angel do? (v22) Underline the word mouths in your answer.
What two reasons does Daniel give for why His God would do that? (v22)
How glad was the King? (v23)
What orders does he give in light of that?
What was NOT found on Daniel? (v23)
What reason does the narrator give for why this was not found? (v23)
Which men are specifically brought before the King? (v24)
Who ALL is thrown into the lion pit? (v24)
See diction box. What is the figurative definition for “maliciously accuse” that expresses what these men wanted to do to Daniel?
What do the lions do to the bodies? (v24)
What happens to ALL their bones? (v24)
(Does that kinda sound like the bones were “eaten to pieces”?)
Go back to the passage. Underline the many things Darius actively does in this present scene. The ONE thing Daniel does in this scene is speak to the King, but circle what Daniel did in the past (vs22-23).
INTERPRET & APPLY
Ask: Why did the author choose to include these details and use these words? Ask: How should I live?
1. Daniel did not obey seeking Darius as if he were the son, representative, and manifestation of the God of Judah.
How does this text make clear that Darius is merely a man in contrast to the true Son of the God in this story?
2. Darius has not spoken one word against Daniel nor acted with any malice even though Daniel disobeyed Darius’ decree that all Daniel’s petitions come through Darius. He does, however, judge the conspirators.
What does Darius recognize and see affirmed about Daniel’s relationship with the Living God that would account for this favor? To answer this, re-read Daniel 6:1-24 only. Review your observations.
How is the manner of the conspirators’ judgement just?
What do you think about the children and wives being cast into the pit with their father/husband?
How to Read Your Bible – Using Blue Letter Bible as a Tool
1. Go to blueletterbible.org. Type Daniel 6 and choose the NASB20 translation.
2. Click Dan 6:4. Then click the number 1156 next to the word “trying.” Write the transliteration here: _________ Note that it is a verb and means “ask” or “seek.”
3. Click Dan 6:7. Then click the number 1159 next to the word “petition.” Write the transliteration here: _________ Note that it is a noun that means “petition.” The NASB translates that as “prayer.”
4. Compare the two transliterations. You can see this verb and noun have the same root meaning.
5. Now read through the Daniel 6 verses below that use the words seek/seeking and find/found.
4 Then the commissioners and satraps began trying [seeking] to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him regarding the law of his God.”
7 All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who offers a prayer [a “seeking”] to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel offering a prayer [a seeking] and imploring favor before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction: “Did you not sign an injunction that any person who offers a prayer [a seeking] to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they responded and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps [seeking]offering his prayer [his seeking] three times a day.”
My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
3. Note the contrast to what the conspirators seek to what Daniel seeks.
What is the conspirators’ motive for seeking?
What is Daniel’s?
The conspirators do “find” Daniel’s weakness. He will not disobey the Law of God. How does Daniel’s weakness set up a reversal that “finds” his strength? (See verses 22-23.)
4. Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 that outlines the gospel. Both Daniel and Jesus had one option: to obey the will of God. Both were convicted. Both were sent to their deaths. Both were sealed under the authority and guard of men in the earth. Both emerged from the earth alive because God vindicated them as innocent.
When we say, Jesus is the Greater Daniel, we mean that in some way Daniel pre-figures the Messiah to come. Daniel is an Old Testament type that foreshadows what shall be revealed in the New Testament in the Person and Work of Christ. But Jesus Christ is the Greater Reality, for He is the only Fully God|Fully Man Person and He does what only this Person could do.
To be saved body and soul from eternal death, the Word of God gives us one option. We are to believe that Jesus ___________________________ according to the Scriptures and that _______________________ and that ___________________________________________ according to the Scripture (1 Cor 15:3-4).
How is Jesus the Greater Daniel?
How does Daniel show the only way for a fully human person to live for God?
Now, will God not bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He delay long for them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:7-8
5. In Lesson 18 on Day 1, we read Psalm 119. Read Psalm 119:41-48. Your brother Daniel and your Greater Brother Jesus read this Word and obeyed it unto death and they were not ashamed. Seek the Lord and keep seeking the Lord. He has promised that you shall find all truth and security in Him (Matthew 7:7), and His promise is sure for HE IS RISEN!
Write your praises, confessions and petitions.
6. Again and again, we have learned in Daniel that God rules all and His rule is absolutely trustworthy. Our application for the next six weeks is to plan for His rule in our lives and then to live our plan over the summer as a way to enjoy God’s loyal love, His hesedto us and our hesed to Him. We are going to plan our second portion now.
a. In your notebook or on your device title this 2nd part of your Rule of Life Personal Life & Health.
b. This portion will focus on your sleep, rest & sabbath, physical health/fitness, recreation/hobbies, money/possessions. In this portion consider that, yes, you are called to live “spent” laying your life down daily for God, but you also must spend what God gives you to steward (time/resources, etc.) wisely. God is unlimited; you are not.
c. Choose a Bible verse for this section. A few ideas – Ps 4:8; Eph. 5:15; Ps 90:12; 1 Cor 6:19-20; Ps 23:1-2
d. Write a biblical statement reminding yourself that you steward what God gives you.
e. Make a list of commitments you are willing to make in the areas listed in 3b above. Start with the commitments you have already made and maintain well. Note the commitments are still written as addressing self. See examples:
o Sleep 7-8 hours per night. On Saturday, sleep until fully rested.
o Walk a mile 4-5 times per week in the house or outside. Walk with ____ if possible.
o Keep up with dentist, eye, physical, hair appointments.
o Do something creative each week instead of watching other people’s creativity on social media or television.
f. Now consider where you are lacking a commitment or where you could strengthen a commitment.
o Actually use your vacation hours. Go somewhere beautiful this summer.
o Take the six-week Moneywise course at Grace this year.
Triads & Quads Time – Get together with your prayer partners.
Directions – Share with your group one way you will apply what you learned. Then each person will pray for the person to their right to be faithful in their application and each person will pray for one of our church petitions below:
Prayer
Pray for our spiritual growth that amid a world that tests our faith and mistreats us, we would remain faithful and find true peace and comfort in knowing Christ, who delivers us from death.
Pray for our men’s retreat. Pray for open hearts, spiritual renewal, and genuine fellowship. May our men embrace a gospel framework for their lives and faithfully follow Jesus as His disciples every day.
Pray for the missionary your group adopted that God would provide all that is needed for them to be faithful to their calling and that He would ignite the Word they speak and live before those who need His salvation.
Pray for persecuted believers who are lonely, fearful and anxious. Ask God to comfort those isolated from family and community with His daily presence.
God’s joy & strength to you!