Obeying Laws

Used to be every child attending church learned about Daniel’s trip to the lion’s den. They still do in our church, but I’m not certain about others’ use of Bible stories.

Adults need to look at the subterfuge that put him there.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever 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. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. (Daniel 6:7-8 KJV)

How better to flatter someone?  Everyone would be asking after Darius, for all their needs. He would be the very center of their lives. Of course, there was an underlying reason for their actions:

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. (Daniel 6:5 KJV)

That hasn’t changed in all these years. Laws are written that impact God’s laws as lived by those who love Him. May they continue to follow Daniel’s example:

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. (Daniel 6:10-11 KJV)

Please note what Daniel DID NOT DO. Make your own list, I’m not going there now.  I’m thinking of what Daniel did – which was not change a thing.  He continued to pray.

Remember those guys who went to Darius with a marvelous idea?  In verse 12, it becomes Darius’ decree – and by law could not be changed. Darius sought ways around it.  He did not want to fulfill the obligation of the unintended results of an unchangeable bad law, but he did. As he placed Daniel in the lion’s den, he said:

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. (Daniel 6:16 KJV)

Even with the unintended results of a law he didn’t think through, Darius followed the letter of the law with a faith in God’s ability. We can pray our lawmakers anticipate unintended results, or change bad laws when recognized.

Did Darius believe for himself, or only Daniel?   Doesn’t matter to us today.  What does is whether we believe that our God will deliver us.

He has. He does. He will.