Daniel and the Promise of Hope
For Meditation
The book of Daniel brings us to the period of time in Israel’s history when they are living in exile, or what is sometimes called “The Babylonian Captivity.” This story takes place around the time that the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and brought an end to the establishment of Judah as an independent kingdom. It was a horrible, dark period in the life of Israel, one that was marked by hopelessness, discouragement and at times despair.
In a brilliant yet nefarious strategy to eliminate their enemies, Babylon would often conscript the best and brightest of their enemies to be assimilated into Babylonian culture, thus eradicating their distinct identity and ensuring that no eventual rebellion would surface. Daniel and his three friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were part of the group of young Israelite men that watched their home be destroyed and were then carried into exile and forced to work in the Babylonian service.
The book of Daniel tells the stories about how these young men sought to work with excellence and character in their new positions in a pagan empire, even as they sought to be faithful to their God and God's law. At times their faithfulness led to their advancement, and at other times it also led to great danger and near death. But in each case, God came through for them and provided a way out.
The book of Daniel is less about us and how we should be courageous and faithful under pressure (although that is certainly a lesson of this book). It is more about God. Specifically, it’s about how God promises to rescue his people in seasons of great trouble, and points to the promise of God’s ultimate rescue of the world through his Son Jesus Christ. This is a story about hope.
In preparation for worship this week, read the whole of Daniel 6 and reflect on how you see God at work in this story. Invite the Lord to bring hope in your life in a place where yo may be experiencing hopelessness.
Daniel 6:1-10, 16-23
1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.