Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree means he gave formal approval that made binding law forbidding anyone for thirty days to ask a petition or offer prayer to any god or person except the king, with violation punishable by being cast into the den of lions under the unchangeable custom of the Medes and Persians. The signing came from jealousy, envy and secret plotting by leading men who could find no error or fault in Daniel because he was faithful, and could target him only through his obedience to the law of his God, while Darius was misled, flattered and persuaded without realizing their purpose to destroy him. Daniel knew the decree was aimed at him, yet he kept his established custom of praying openly three times a day with windows open toward Jerusalem, keeping communion with the King of kings. For that faithfulness he was thrown into the lions' den, but God did not forsake him and sent holy angels to guard him and shut the lions' mouths so they did him no harm. The verse teaches that no earthly power has the right to dictate whom a person may worship or pray to, that devotion to God must stand firm even when it carries the penalty of death, and that such steadfastness to principle under opposition brings a present helper and deliverer in God.
Setting and Decree
Darius the Median had taken the throne formerly occupied by the Babylonian rulers and reorganized the government by setting one hundred and twenty princes over the kingdom and three presidents over them, with Daniel first so the princes would give account through them and the king would suffer no damage. Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him, so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.
The signing grew out of jealousy among the leading men over the honors bestowed on Daniel. Wicked men moved by envy and hatred sought to remove him from favor because he found favor with kings and nobles and was honored as the greatest man, and the wise men of Babylon engaged in secret, underhanded plotting to put an end to his life, though they were the very men whose lives he had earlier pleaded to save from destruction. They sought occasion for complaint against him but could find none because he was faithful, with neither error nor fault found in his conduct. They could find no fault in him except concerning the law of his God, so they laid a snare by targeting him only through his obedience to that law.
By prevailing on the king they secured a writing that for thirty days forbade anyone in the realm to ask a petition or make a request or offer prayer to any god or person except the king. The decree made Daniel's prayers to God a crime, with violation punishable by being cast into the den of lions. By signing, Darius gave formal approval and made the decree binding as law under the unchangeable custom of the Medes and Persians that could not be changed or undone.
Darius was misled, deceived, flattered and persuaded by the princes without realizing their hostile purpose to harm Daniel. Unaware that his court had acted from envy, he approved it as a way to increase his own honor and authority, which put Daniel's fidelity to God on trial. The verse belongs to the account of the Medo-Persian realm, which was visited by Heaven's wrath because God's law was trampled underfoot.
Faithfulness Tested and Vindicated
Daniel knew the signed writing was aimed at his destruction, yet he did not change his established custom but went to his chamber three times a day with windows open toward Jerusalem to pray aloud to the God of heaven. For thirty days the decree forbade asking a petition of any god or person except the king, and Daniel would not confine himself to the king's business but kept communion with the King of kings and Lord of lords. His address was in God's keeping as he spoke most earnestly aloud, keeping communion rather than abandoning prayer under threat.
That firm courage and adherence to principle had been cultivated from youth and did not fail when tested. His one special duty under the decree was to keep close to duty in prayer.
For that faithfulness he was cast into the lions' den under the king's decree, because his enemies could find no fault in his conduct and had devised the decree to make his prayers a crime. God did not forsake him but sent holy angels to minister to him, guard him, and shut the lions' mouths so they did him no harm.
No earthly power has the right to dictate whom a person may worship or pray to, and Daniel's faithfulness remained firm even though devotion to God carried the penalty of death. The decree brought his customary prayers to the rulers' attention and gave him the chance to testify that the God of heaven alone deserves worship, praise, and homage. His rescue from the den showed that his God is the true and living God.
In contrast to secret plotting that seeks to grieve and afflict, to oppress and destroy those who do not serve after a prescribed plan, his course was imbued with transforming grace that seeks to save the lost and call sinners to repentance. Steadfastness to principle under opposition and even persecution brings a present helper and deliverer in God, so now is the time to cultivate such integrity of character. As a decree of the Medes and Persians that could not be changed or undone, the verse also means no manager can make such an unalterable decree to hold persons in the Sanitarium who are not capable of doing the duties devolving upon them, and those who refuse to reform must for their own good and the good of the institution be dismissed.
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree means he gave formal approval that made binding law forbidding anyone for thirty days to ask a petition or offer prayer to any god or person except the king, with violation punishable by being cast into the den of lions under the unchangeable custom of the Medes and Persians. The signing came from jealousy, envy and secret plotting by leading men who could find no error or fault in Daniel because he was faithful, and could target him only through his obedience to the law of his God, while Darius was misled, flattered and persuaded without realizing their purpose to destroy him. Daniel knew the decree was aimed at him, yet he kept his established custom of praying openly three times a day with windows open toward Jerusalem, keeping communion with the King of kings. For that faithfulness he was thrown into the lions' den, but God did not forsake him and sent holy angels to guard him and shut the lions' mouths so they did him no harm. The verse teaches that no earthly power has the right to dictate whom a person may worship or pray to, that devotion to God must stand firm even when it carries the penalty of death, and that such steadfastness to principle under opposition brings a present helper and deliverer in God.
Setting and Decree
Darius the Median had taken the throne formerly occupied by the Babylonian rulers and reorganized the government by setting one hundred and twenty princes over the kingdom and three presidents over them, with Daniel first so the princes would give account through them and the king would suffer no damage. Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him, so the king planned to set him over the whole realm.
The signing grew out of jealousy among the leading men over the honors bestowed on Daniel. Wicked men moved by envy and hatred sought to remove him from favor because he found favor with kings and nobles and was honored as the greatest man, and the wise men of Babylon engaged in secret, underhanded plotting to put an end to his life, though they were the very men whose lives he had earlier pleaded to save from destruction. They sought occasion for complaint against him but could find none because he was faithful, with neither error nor fault found in his conduct. They could find no fault in him except concerning the law of his God, so they laid a snare by targeting him only through his obedience to that law.
By prevailing on the king they secured a writing that for thirty days forbade anyone in the realm to ask a petition or make a request or offer prayer to any god or person except the king. The decree made Daniel's prayers to God a crime, with violation punishable by being cast into the den of lions. By signing, Darius gave formal approval and made the decree binding as law under the unchangeable custom of the Medes and Persians that could not be changed or undone.
Darius was misled, deceived, flattered and persuaded by the princes without realizing their hostile purpose to harm Daniel. Unaware that his court had acted from envy, he approved it as a way to increase his own honor and authority, which put Daniel's fidelity to God on trial. The verse belongs to the account of the Medo-Persian realm, which was visited by Heaven's wrath because God's law was trampled underfoot.
Faithfulness Tested and Vindicated
Daniel knew the signed writing was aimed at his destruction, yet he did not change his established custom but went to his chamber three times a day with windows open toward Jerusalem to pray aloud to the God of heaven. For thirty days the decree forbade asking a petition of any god or person except the king, and Daniel would not confine himself to the king's business but kept communion with the King of kings and Lord of lords. His address was in God's keeping as he spoke most earnestly aloud, keeping communion rather than abandoning prayer under threat.
That firm courage and adherence to principle had been cultivated from youth and did not fail when tested. His one special duty under the decree was to keep close to duty in prayer.
For that faithfulness he was cast into the lions' den under the king's decree, because his enemies could find no fault in his conduct and had devised the decree to make his prayers a crime. God did not forsake him but sent holy angels to minister to him, guard him, and shut the lions' mouths so they did him no harm.
No earthly power has the right to dictate whom a person may worship or pray to, and Daniel's faithfulness remained firm even though devotion to God carried the penalty of death. The decree brought his customary prayers to the rulers' attention and gave him the chance to testify that the God of heaven alone deserves worship, praise, and homage. His rescue from the den showed that his God is the true and living God.
In contrast to secret plotting that seeks to grieve and afflict, to oppress and destroy those who do not serve after a prescribed plan, his course was imbued with transforming grace that seeks to save the lost and call sinners to repentance. Steadfastness to principle under opposition and even persecution brings a present helper and deliverer in God, so now is the time to cultivate such integrity of character. As a decree of the Medes and Persians that could not be changed or undone, the verse also means no manager can make such an unalterable decree to hold persons in the Sanitarium who are not capable of doing the duties devolving upon them, and those who refuse to reform must for their own good and the good of the institution be dismissed.