Daniel 6:17, commentary and pictures

A stone was laid over the mouth of the lions' den and secured with the signet of the king and the signets of his lords so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed, making his confinement final after the king's effort to save him had failed and leaving the king distressed through the night. He was there because his promotion had stirred jealousy that could find no fault in him except his faithfulness to God's law, so his enemies secured a thirty-day decree against prayer to any god or man but the king, yet he still knelt three times a day with his window open toward Jerusalem. God permitted his enemies to carry out their purpose so that the deliverance would be more striking and His name honored, and He sent holy angels into the sealed den to be with Daniel, shut the lions' mouths, and bring him out unharmed. His trial and rescue exposed the plotters, turned the king against them, and led Darius to decree to all peoples and languages that men tremble before the God of Daniel as the living and enduring God who delivers and works wonders in heaven and earth. The sealed den therefore stands as a call to steadfast faith that is the same in adversity as in prosperity, trusting God's word helpless in itself yet able to withstand the whole world, refusing to lower God's standard or surrender loyalty to escape human displeasure.

Kingdom Setting Under Darius

Daniel 6:17 belongs to the reign of Darius the Median after he took the throne formerly occupied by the Babylonian rulers. Upon taking power he set 120 princes over the kingdom and three presidents over them, of whom Daniel was first, so that the princes would give account to them and the king would suffer no damage. Because an excellent spirit was in Daniel he was preferred above the presidents and princes, and the king planned to set him over the whole realm.

It occurred early in the establishment of the Medo-Persian empire after the fall of Babylon, during the two years Darius the Mede reigned over Medo-Persia. Daniel was cast into the lions' den and came out unharmed, and afterward he prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. His stand in facing the sealed den rested on an earlier stand when he purposed not to weaken his powers by eating at the king's table so that he could glorify God. Because he stood firm in that first test he stood firm when prayer was forbidden, refusing to lower God's standard to meet circumstances or to make faith convenient.

Stone And Seal

A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den and secured with the king's own signet together with the signets of his lords, so that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. The sealing made his confinement final under a decree treated as unchangeable, and it followed the failure of the king's effort to save him, so the sentence was carried out. The king then spent the night distressed and unable to sleep while Daniel lay shut inside. The sealed entrance made the intended punishment appear impossible to reverse, yet it could not prevent God from protecting and delivering the one who had remained faithful.

God permitted Daniel's enemies to carry out this ordeal, allowing him to be cast into the lions' den and humbled for a time. The permission was purposeful, that his deliverance would be more striking, the defeat of his enemies more complete, and God's name honored. In the end Daniel triumphed, and God was glorified through him.

Cause Of Condemnation

Daniel's promotion as first president under Darius excited the jealousy of the leading men, and they sought occasion of complaint against him but could find no error or fault because he was faithful in all his work. Finding fault only in his faithfulness to God's law, they devised a plot involving his prayers and the king's decree in order to destroy him through that faithfulness. His blameless conduct left them no other ground, so the enmity centered on his obedience to God and carried him to the lions' den where God's angels were present with him.

Darius was led to issue a thirty-day decree that no one should ask a petition of any God or man except the king, on pain of being cast into the lions' den. Daniel knew of the decree, yet he still sought his Lord three times a day in his chamber with his window open toward Jerusalem, just as he had done before. He did not hide his purpose or lower his colors to escape death, but held his steady adherence to duty when death threatened him for faithfulness to God.

The setting is a test of principle and integrity over worship of the true God, with the lions' den open before him and principle at stake. In that trial he stood true to principle and to God, purposing in his heart to worship the true God notwithstanding the decree. He would not turn from his integrity nor obey an earthly mandate that dishonored God, and would let no man come between him and God. He counted it better to lose his present life than to dishonor God or to lose eternal life, choosing faithfulness though efforts were made to constrain him. His courage and firmness had grown as he remained steadfast through lesser trials, and all heaven watched to see if he would be faithful, while God did not forget him but honored his unwavering worship, made angels his companions, and stopped the lions' mouths to deliver him.

Divine Protection Inside

Daniel was cast into the den because he prayed and remained faithful to God despite the king's decree, and he kept praying even inside the den. There God sent holy angels to be with him as companions and guards, shutting the lions' mouths and keeping him from all harm. The king himself witnessed the rescue and brought Daniel out with honor, unharmed. Husbands and wives who unite to pray at morning and at noon as Daniel did will have the angels of God protect them in the same way as they prepare for what is coming upon the world.

The den was sealed with the king's own signet and with the signets of his lords, making the intended punishment appear impossible to reverse, yet the sealed stone could not prevent God from protecting and delivering him. He was shut in because he remained faithful to his duty to God and continued praying despite decree and threat of death, and God delivered him from the lions. Protection is certain when trial comes in the path of duty, for God did not forget him there. Christ was with him in the den and kept him from harm, and Christ does not forsake His own even in mortal danger, so imprisonment for doing right did not mean God had stopped reigning or had abandoned him. He was placed there though guilty of no crime except seeking to make men kind and obedient, truthful and loyal, revealing God's tenderness, compassion, and governing power toward His obedient children when condemned and imprisoned for right, calling them to trust in Him. Association with the servants of Satan and conformity to worldly customs is never necessary for safety, for familiarity with sin makes it appear less repulsive, but God guards the obedient while those who place themselves under temptation by choosing the society of the ungodly will fall sooner or later.

His faithful prayers had brought the rulers' attention to his case, and his deliverance from the den showed them that the God he worshiped continually is the true and living God. Under the thirty-day decree that no one ask a petition of any god or man except the king on pain of being cast into the den, he knew of the decree yet kept praying three times a day with his window open toward Jerusalem just as he had done before. The God whom he served continually delivered him out of the power of the lions, proving the value of communion with God and that earnest prayer is answered.

Witness To Rulers

Daniel's persecution for faithfulness to God reached its height when he was shut in to face death with the den sealed over him, yet that very trial became the occasion for rulers to recognize God's supremacy. He had been cast in because he purposed in heart to worship the true God notwithstanding the decree, with principle at stake and integrity holding him faithful. All heaven watched his case to see if he would be faithful, and God did not forget him in the den, for angels were his companions in the trial and stopped the lions' mouths and delivered him. The king then saw the real object of the plotters to rid Daniel of his power, was wroth, and destroyed Daniel's enemies.

His coming out unharmed led Darius to decree to all peoples, nations, and languages in every dominion of his kingdom that men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. That God is the living God and steadfast forever, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed and His dominion shall be even unto the end, who delivers and rescues and works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth in delivering Daniel from the power of the lions. The event shows God preparing the hearts of kings to show favor to His repentant people while those loyal to God were seeking the Lord and studying the prophecies foretelling their deliverance. It reveals God's tenderness, compassion, and governing power toward His obedient children when, though guilty of no crime except seeking to make men kind and obedient, truthful and loyal, they are condemned and imprisoned for right. Jesus was with Daniel there so he was kept from harm, calling all so condemned to trust in God.

Call To Steadfast Faith

Daniel remains steadfast under trial, the same faithful man in the den as when standing before the king, with a heart stayed on God that is the same in adversity as in prosperity. Even the threat of the den did not keep him from his daily prayers or make him untrue to God. This is because faith reaches beyond what is seen and holds to eternal things.

His courage and firmness had grown as he remained steadfast through lesser trials, so that with the lions' den open before him he stood true to principle and to God. The threat of death did not turn him from his duty or his loyalty to God, for he continued praying openly and was cast into the den and delivered. His steadfastness illustrates the strength that comes from knowing and trusting God, and his peril is an example of the trials God's faithful followers may endure. Though God permitted him to be humbled in being cast into the den for loyalty, he triumphed in the end and God was glorified through him, for he counted it better to lose his present life than to lose eternal life.

Among the lions, surrounded by enemies in the high places of the kingdom and utterly helpless in himself, his trust in God's word enabled him to stand against powerful enemies. That trust withstood the power of the whole world with its human power and policy in support of evil, showing that faith in God's word gives such power. He belongs to the world's true nobility, its royal line, and the youth of today are called to take their place in that line.

Loyalty to God must not be surrendered to avoid human displeasure, even at the risk of death, and God vindicated His servants so that their steadfastness helped spread knowledge of the true God. Association with the servants of Satan and conformity to worldly customs is never necessary for safety, for protection is certain when trial comes in the path of duty. Familiarity with sin makes it appear less repulsive, but God guards the obedient, while those who place themselves under temptation by choosing the society of the ungodly will fall sooner or later.

The gaping den stands as a terror used to force denial and betrayal of truth for favor, worldly honors, exalted position, and human reputation. Those who lay aside preconceived opinions to take the Word as divine authority, with its principles inwrought in the heart and lived out in Christlikeness, cannot be intimidated by that threat. To them man's reputation is as nothingness; to live is to obey the word of Christ and to die for truth's sake is gain, as soldiers enlisted under the Prince's banner. All who will dare to be a Daniel by consecrating themselves to God as vessels and channels of grace to enrich poverty-stricken souls will find faithfulness under condemnation and death possible, themselves enriched as they enrich others and reaching the highest mental and moral development by cooperating with Christ.

His course requires the same strict integrity now, refusing to lower God's standard to meet circumstances or to make faith convenient by manipulating it. He had purposed not to weaken his powers by eating at the king's table so he could glorify God, and because he stood firm in that first test he stood firm when prayer was forbidden, refusing to let man come between him and God but worshiping openly though death threatened, choosing to lose his life rather than dishonor God, and God honored him with wisdom above all the astrologers and magicians. All who will enter the city of God are tested whether they will keep God's commandments and honor Him above the powers that be. Husbands and wives who unite to pray at morning and at noon as Daniel did will have angels protect them in the same way as they prepare for what is coming, for he was cast into the den because he prayed and angels protected him in that emergency. The Lord does not forget His people when government protection is withdrawn and enemies thrust them into prison and sentence them to death with no human help, since dungeon walls cannot cut off communication between their souls and Christ who is above all earthly powers, but angels come with light and peace so the prison becomes as a palace lighted with heavenly light.