Here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
19Then the king in the dawn arose in the daylight and in haste to the pit of the lions he went. 20And approaching to the pit to Daniel, the king cried in a grieved voice answering and saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve constantly, was He able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel with the king said, “O king, live to ages. 22My God sent His angel and He shut the mouths of the lions and they have not hurt me because before Him innocence was found to me and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23Then the king was very good upon him and he said to take up Daniel from the pit and Daniel was brought up from the pit and all of harm was not found in him because he trusted in his God.
There are so many lessons to take from this passage, it is difficult to stop. However, there is one last observation I’d like to record before I leave these verses and move on and that is to admire Daniel’s spirit. Just like when his three friends emerged from the fiery furnace, Daniel certainly could have responded in a lot of different ways. He has just been subjected to what was nothing less than gross injustice. All he’s ever done is to be faithful at his job, yet his co-workers deliberately hatched a plot to get him fired (killed), then his boss allowed the ruse to go down, knowing full well it was an unjust scheme.
What just happened to Daniel was wrong in every possible way. When the king called to him that morning, he certainly could have been angry. “Why did you let this happen?” He could have also emerged “militant,” with a victorious attitude, “My God’s better than your god!” On the other hand, one could say at least the king had tried. At least he wanted to stop it all. But what about the nobles? Daniel would certainly have every right to emerge from the den very angry at them, demanding justice against them.
Yet what do we read? Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! 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, O king.” Notice that his very first words were, “O king.” Daniel, from the very first instant, is still being respectful to this man, his king and his boss.
Can we all pause and appreciate how extremely important this is? If there is one thing a Christian ought to be in the workplace, it is respectful. The boss is the boss. Right or wrong. Fair or unfair. Wise or not. Good boss, bad boss—he’s still the boss. The very, very center of Satan’s being is the spirit of “I will ascend my throne above the stars of heaven…” He could not and never will accept that he exists under authority. At the very center of his being, he cannot accept that he is not the boss. When America was actually a Christian nation, we were all taught to say, “Yes, sir,” and “Yes, ma’am,” and it is interesting to me to note, in parts of the country where the Bible is still respected, the kids still know how to say, “Yes, sir.”
And where does that all come from? Is it not the very spirit of Jesus Himself? “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish it.” Even as a child under his parents, we read that “He returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” He was the God of the universe, yet, as a child, He submitted to his parents’ authority over Him. Peter tells us, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors…Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king” (I Peter 2:13-18).
“Submission” today has become the s-word. No one wants to hear it, but why is that? Is it not because our world now knows too much of the spirit of Satan and too little of the spirit of Jesus? Daniel knew the difference and you and I had better as well. No matter where we find ourselves, a Christian’s basic spirit is submissive. Respectful. “Yes, sir.” In Ephesians we read, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (5:21). It’s just a way of life, and it emerges right out of the heart of Jesus. If you and I would have any influence at all for Christ in our workplaces, the one thing we’d better practice is respect. Daniel did and we can too.
Even Daniel’s appellation, “O king, live forever,” is worth noting. Of course that is a very customary way to address kings. Even Daniel’s evil accusers used it back in v.6. However, the words can be simply customary, or they can be expressed sincerely. I’m quite sure Darius knew, coming from Daniel, and especially at that moment, that his words were quite sincere. Daniel, whom he has just subjected to a monumental injustice, is still sincerely wishing him well! Here again we see the spirit of Jesus. Joseph knew it all the way back in Gen. 50:19,20 where he said to his brothers, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives…”
We read of Jesus Himself, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (I Peter 2:21-23). Can we all see that these very words describe exactly how Daniel responded?
At least as far as what is recorded, Daniel didn’t say a word about his accusers. He only states to the king the fact of his own innocence. That was extremely important as his accusers had said, “Daniel pays no attention to you” (v.13). The accusers of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego made the same accusation to Nebuchadnezzar back in 3:12, “They pay no attention to you.” It wasn’t true there and it isn’t true here either. In both cases, the guys had to “disobey” the king in order to obey God, but it was never out of disrespect or ill-will, and both kings knew it. Isn’t it interesting that Daniel could, in effect, “state his case,” then leave it all in the king’s hands.
That leads me to what is my final observation. What made Daniel this way? What allowed him to respond so well even to gross injustice? Obviously, it was his faith, as the text says, “…because he trusted in his God.” Jesus “entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” So did Daniel, and so can you and I. If we would keep an excellent spirit, even in a world of injustice, we need a God to trust above it all! If we would keep an excellent spirit, even in a world of endless evils over which we find we have no control, we need to know the good God who rules over it all.
The greatest injustice in all of human history was the death of Jesus. Yet our God took even that and turned it into the very redemption of Creation. Daniel could trust Him and live well 2,600 years ago. You and I can do it too. In these Last Days and especially in our workplaces, may you and I live the spirit of Jesus. Daniel has just shown us how. May ours be the spirit of Daniel!
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