Daniel 6:1–10

Introduction

Daniel 6:1–10: The new king Darius appoints Daniel to a high office supervising the governors across the empire. Daniel’s success and integrity makes the other administrators jealous, and they advise Darius to give an order: for thirty days, anyone who petitions a god or human being apart from the king will be fed to lions. The reading concludes with Daniel going into his room to pray.

Today’s Key Verse: Daniel 6:10b GNT

In an upstairs room of [Daniel’s] house there were windows that faced toward Jerusalem. There, just as he had always done, he knelt down at the open windows and prayed to God three times a day.

Read

¹ Darius decided to appoint a hundred and twenty governors to hold office throughout his empire. ² In addition, he chose Daniel and two others to supervise the governors and to look after the king’s interests. ³ Daniel soon showed that he could do better work than the other supervisors or the governors. Because he was so outstanding, the king considered putting him in charge of the whole empire. ⁴ Then the other supervisors and the governors tried to find something wrong with the way Daniel administered the empire, but they couldn’t, because Daniel was reliable and did not do anything wrong or dishonest. ⁵ They said to each other, “We are not going to find anything of which to accuse Daniel unless it is something in connection with his religion.”⁶ So they went to see the king and said, “King Darius, may Your Majesty live forever! ⁷ All of us who administer your empire—the supervisors, the governors, the lieutenant governors, and the other officials—have agreed that Your Majesty should issue an order and enforce it strictly. Give orders that for thirty days no one be permitted to request anything from any god or from any human being except from Your Majesty. Anyone who violates this order is to be thrown into a pit filled with lions. ⁸ So let Your Majesty issue this order and sign it, and it will be in force, a law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.” ⁹ And so King Darius signed the order. ¹⁰ When Daniel learned that the order had been signed, he went home. In an upstairs room of his house there were windows that faced toward Jerusalem. There, just as he had always done, he knelt down at the open windows and prayed to God three times a day.

Reflect

Why do the other administrators have trouble making an accusation against Daniel (verse 4)? What do they decide to target (verse 5)? What does Daniel do after the king’s order has been issued (verse 10)? Based on today’s reading, how would you characterize Daniel’s loyalty to the king? How might this help us navigate conflicts between political and religious obligations?

Pray

Lord Jesus, you have placed us within cities and nations, yet you rule over all, calling us to your heavenly kingdom. Help us to be fair and honest citizens, quick to meet neighbors with assistance and love. Yet give us courage to serve you above all, that we may remain faithful no matter the cost. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Daniel 6:11–28: Daniel is thrown in a pit of lions.