Dan 6:1-28
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Contents
Summary
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The relationship chapter 6 to the rest of the book, and to chapter 3 regarding the fiery furnace in particular, is discussed at Daniel. Chapter 6 can be outlined as follows:
- C. The den of lions (Daniel 6)
- a. Daniel promoted over the whole realm (1-3)
- 1b. the princes can find no fault in Daniel (4-5)
- c. the princes obtain the decree forbidding prayer (6-9)
- 2b. Daniel ignores the decree and prays to God (10)
- c. the princes report Daniel violating the decree (11-13)
- 3b - d. king tries to deliver Daniel by ignoring decree (14-15)
- e. king hopes God will save Daniel from lions (16-17)
- d. king fasts for Daniel’s deliverance (18-20)
- 4b. angel delivers Daniel because there is no error in him (21-23)
- c. the princes are eaten by the lions (24)
- 1b. the princes can find no fault in Daniel (4-5)
- a. Darius commands people to tremble before Daniel’s living God (25-28)
In the first section (4-9) the princes can find no fault in Daniel, so they obtain a law they know his religious devotion will cause him to violate.
In the second section (10-13) the princes execute their plan, reporting to the king that Daniel has violated the law and insisting that he be thrown into the den of lions. Daniel had even left his windows open while praying, inviting people to see that his religious devotion is greater than his fear of death.
In the fourth section (21-24) Daniel is delivered from the lions because of his innocence and faith. The princes are not innocent, and the lions quickly kill them. Like his three friends in the fiery furnace (chapter 3), Daniel is delivered by an angel.
The story would work without the third section (14-20), but the story's meaning would be reduced. This section makes the point that Daniel could not be delivered by any earthly power, not even by the king. At the end of the day Darius is reduced to expressing his hope that “Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” The king then spends the night fasting, recognizing that the only help he can offer is supplication to a power greater than himself.
In the conclusion (25-28) King Darius, who was powerless to deliver Daniel, commands that his subjects tremble and fear before the living God who, as in chapter 3, does deliver and rescue (6:26).
Discussion
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Parallel passages in other scriptures
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Points to ponder
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Notes
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