Government Versus God

O. T. #1992  "Government Versus God"

July 30, 2021

Daniel 6-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Do you feel like you are in a den of lions, loudly roaring and showing sharp teeth, ready to pounce? Sometimes we feel like we are surrounded by lions that are liars. I call them lying lions.That is when we should ask God to shut their mouths. People tend to jump on the wagon of criticism without knowing the whole story or hearing it from only one side. Didn't that happen to Daniel?

Today's lesson is probably familiar to most of us. But do we know why Daniel was thrown into the den of hungry lions? Daniel had not done anything wrong, but he had done what was right in God's sight, praying 3 times a day.

King Darius was considering promoting Daniel to the highest official in the Mede-Persian empire. Daniel had interpreted what the handwriting on the wall meant, as God revealed to him. All of this should have brought cheers from the other government officials, but it did not. It triggered jealousy and envy among them. After all, Daniel was a foreigner, wasn't he?

Now Daniel possessed an extraordinary spirit of excellent attitude, was faithful in his work, and was characterized by personal purity. The government officials looked for a fault in Daniel's public or private life, were unable to find one, consulted together, so they initiated a plan that would pit Daniel's religious convictions against the Medo-Persian government. (verses 5-6) Since Daniel faithfully obeyed their laws, there had to be a new law made.

Then they presented it to the king. We find it in verse 7: ... they consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whomsoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

That is their strategy to get rid of Daniel, a godly witness, so one of their corrupt co-workers could replace him power. (Were they skimming off the top of the bank?)

King Darius signed the new law, so it could not be changed nor revoked. These schemers had Daniel, once and for all, so they thought. No one was allowed to pray to anyone, divine or human, except to the king. Oooo, they set the king up as a god. What an ego stroking law. What pagan king would refuse that honor?

Unfortunately, people are punished for acting righteously, while others are rewarded for sinning.

Charles Swindoll says in his Bible study guide, Daniel this for us to consider:

We will seldom receive what we deserve from people. So we should learn not to expect it. We will always receive what is best from God. Although it may not be according to our timetable, God will always supply us with what we need. So we should not doubt Him. Our ability to handle human injustice and divine goodness is directly related to consistency of our walk with God.

They did not know that our God is a way maker, a miracle worker, and a promise keeper. That is who our God is. 

 

LET IT GROW

Daniel knew about the new law that prohibited his praying to God and not to the king.  Yet, Daniel continued his routine of praying three times a day to the Most High God in his house, opening his windows toward Jerusalem, kneeling, giving thanks before his God. (verse 10)

Daniel knew he had to obey God, no matter what man might command or how much he might stand to lose personally by such actions (his life). He would not disobey God in order to please the king, like Daniel's three friends that survived the king's hotter-than- blazes fiery furnace.

What do we do when confronted with a decision to disobey a human law in order to maintain obedience to God?

Peter answered that question in Acts 5:29, We ought to obey God rather than men.

We are always to obey the laws of our government unless they obviously conflict with something God has clearly commanded us to do in His Word. We don't know what the future holds for us. We may be called upon to face this dilemma. Will we continue our devotion God or not?

 

LET IT GO

Almighty God, You alone are sovereign and in control.

Keep us in Your will, committed to serving only You, God.

Even if death is a result of our commitment, so be it.

May You receive glory from our life, Merciful God.