Daniel 6:11-18 – What Daniel Teaches Us About the World
Not only is Daniel 6 an inspirational story, it also helps us to better understand the world in which we live. Let’s look at two lessons it brings to the fore.
First of all – the world hates us. I realise that this can sound somewhat hysterical when life is comfortable for many, but it is undeniably true. Jesus himself said that it was so (John 15:18). Many things have changed during Daniel’s time in captivity – the Babylonian Empire has crumbled and Darius is a very different ruler to the men who came before. Things have changed in Daniel’s personal life – he is now one of the most prominent men in the entire country. And yet one thing that has not changed is the hatred and animosity of God’s enemies towards his faithful followers.
If Daniel had turned a blind eye to corruption and if his three friends had bowed the knee in chapter 3, they wouldn’t have found themselves facing grisly execution. If the Scottish Covenanters had just abandoned their principles they wouldn’t have been hounded through the moors. Of course, we shouldn’t go out of our way to seek persecution (as some professing Christians appear to do in 2021) – notice that Daniel didn’t engage in any grandstanding whatsoever (v10). Yet this account warns us that currying favour with the world is an impossible dream for a follower of Christ who also remains faithful to his king.
The second lesson – the world can’t save us. In Darius, Daniel had a friend in high places who was desperate to save the prophet’s skin. Yet notice how feeble this ruler truly was as he desperately scrambled around to no avail (v14).
This is a lesson we desperately need to learn. It is folly to place our trust in the man in the Oval Office, in any political party, or in any charismatic spokesman. God warns us of this very trap – “Put not your trust in princes…blessed is he whose hope is in the LORD his God.” (Psalm 146:3 & 5).
Questions
- Are there human leaders or organisations whom you have been trusting to accomplish what only Christ can accomplish?
- How does putting our trust in the wrong place dishonour Christ?
Prayer Points
- Repent of times you have “put your trust in princes”.
- Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you to fix your trust in the Saviour who is worth trusting.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.