King Darius decided to divide his kingdom into 120 provinces and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the his interests. This King made a decision to put Daniel in charge because he saw Daniel as someone special.
Daniel 3:3 says: Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Let's look at this remark about Daniel, it says an excellent spirit was in him. Daniel had favor because he was a man who gave God time. He prayed and worshipped and thanked his God three times a day. He enjoyed being with his Lord and that reflected in his life. I'm sure Darius knew nothing of Daniel's relationship with God at this time but Darius could see something in Daniel that no one else had in that kingdom. What Darius saw was a reflection of God in Daniel.
A jealous spirit overtook the administrator's and high officer's hearts as a result of the favor King Darius showed toward Daniel; so they began to search for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs. They couldn't find anything to condemn him for, because he was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So they concluded, Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.
So these officials conceived an evil plan and went to the king and said, Long live, King Darius! We are all in agreement, that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced giving orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human "except to you", Oh King, will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, O King, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, and as an official law of the Medes and Persians it cannot be revoked. So King Darius signed the law into effect.
When Daniel found out about the decree he went home and knelt down as usual in his upper chambers facing toward Jerusalem with the windows open.
He prayed this way just as he always had done, three times a day, giving thanks to his God.
These jealous official's went together to Daniel's house and saw him praying and asking for God's help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human, except to you, O King, will be thrown into the lion's den?
King Darius had been trapped, he was told Daniel was ignoring the decree and was praying to his God. It bothered the King he had signed this irrevocable decree but he still gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The King said to Daniel, May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.
We know the same God that Daniel had honored, the same God in whom Daniel prayed, the same God who had favored Daniel and gave him an excellent spirit, did just that. God shut the mouth of the lions and spared Daniel's life. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
Darius knew that Daniels God had supernaturally spared him, so Darius proclaimed to his nation that Daniels God was God, and a God who spared his people. So Daniel prospered during the reign of King Darius and the reign of King Cyrus the Persian.
There is a way for each one of us to have the blessings, protection and this excellent spirit just as Daniel did. If we would learn to enjoy the presence of our Lord, spending quality time with Him, thanking Him, worshipping Him and simply learning to love Him. This will change us, and as a result, bring Gods favor on our lives, making a difference in us and in the world around us.
Daniel 3:3 says: Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Let's look at this remark about Daniel, it says an excellent spirit was in him. Daniel had favor because he was a man who gave God time. He prayed and worshipped and thanked his God three times a day. He enjoyed being with his Lord and that reflected in his life. I'm sure Darius knew nothing of Daniel's relationship with God at this time but Darius could see something in Daniel that no one else had in that kingdom. What Darius saw was a reflection of God in Daniel.
A jealous spirit overtook the administrator's and high officer's hearts as a result of the favor King Darius showed toward Daniel; so they began to search for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs. They couldn't find anything to condemn him for, because he was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. So they concluded, Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.
So these officials conceived an evil plan and went to the king and said, Long live, King Darius! We are all in agreement, that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced giving orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human "except to you", Oh King, will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, O King, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, and as an official law of the Medes and Persians it cannot be revoked. So King Darius signed the law into effect.
When Daniel found out about the decree he went home and knelt down as usual in his upper chambers facing toward Jerusalem with the windows open.
He prayed this way just as he always had done, three times a day, giving thanks to his God.
These jealous official's went together to Daniel's house and saw him praying and asking for God's help. So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human, except to you, O King, will be thrown into the lion's den?
King Darius had been trapped, he was told Daniel was ignoring the decree and was praying to his God. It bothered the King he had signed this irrevocable decree but he still gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The King said to Daniel, May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.
We know the same God that Daniel had honored, the same God in whom Daniel prayed, the same God who had favored Daniel and gave him an excellent spirit, did just that. God shut the mouth of the lions and spared Daniel's life. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
Darius knew that Daniels God had supernaturally spared him, so Darius proclaimed to his nation that Daniels God was God, and a God who spared his people. So Daniel prospered during the reign of King Darius and the reign of King Cyrus the Persian.
There is a way for each one of us to have the blessings, protection and this excellent spirit just as Daniel did. If we would learn to enjoy the presence of our Lord, spending quality time with Him, thanking Him, worshipping Him and simply learning to love Him. This will change us, and as a result, bring Gods favor on our lives, making a difference in us and in the world around us.
