Daniel's
destruction sought: the exaltation of man to shut out God
Another form of iniquity
appears besides that of Babylon (chap. 6). Cyrus,
personally, had better thoughts; and God, from whom they
came, made use of him for the temporary re-establishment
of His people, in order that the Messiah should come and
present Himself to them—the last trial of His
beloved people. It is not Cyrus, therefore, whom we find
here the instrument of the iniquity which sought to
destroy Daniel—of that human will which can never
endure faithfulness to God. Here it is not idolatry, nor
is it insult offered to Jehovah, but the exaltation of
man himself, who would shut out all idea of God, who
would have no God. This is one of the features that
characterise the depths of the human heart.
Man and God
Man in general is well
pleased with a god who will help him to satisfy his
passions and his desires—a god who suits his purpose
for the unity of his empire and the consolidation of his
power. The religious part of man's nature is satisfied
with gods of this kind, and worships them willingly,
though he who establishes them imperially may do it only
politically. Poor world! the true God suits neither their
conscience nor their lusts. The enemy of our souls is
well-pleased to cultivate in this manner the
religiousness of our nature. False religion sets up gods
that correspond to the desires of the natural heart,
whatever they may be; but which never call into communion
and never act upon the conscience. They may impose
ceremonies and observances, for these suit man; but they
can never bring an awakened conscience into relationship
with themselves. That which man fears, and that which man
desires, is the sphere of their influence. They produce
nothing in the heart beyond the action of natural joys
and fears.
But, on the other hand,
the pride of man sometimes assumes a character that
changes everything in this respect. Man will himself be
God and act according to his own will, and shut out a
rivalship which his pride cannot endure. A superiority
which cannot be disputed, if God exists, is insupportable
to one who would stand alone. God must be got rid of. The
enemies of the faithful avail themselves of this
disposition. Cruelty is less inventive, save that its
subtlety is shewn in this, that, in flattering the higher
power, it does not appear to blame any except those who
disobey and despise his word.
Daniel's
preservation and Darius' acknowledgment of the living God
The contest being with God
Himself, the question with men is decided with more
carelessness and less passion as to them. Passion allies
itself less with the pride than with the will of man.
Man, whatever his position, is the slave of those who pay
him the tribute of their flattery. Self-will is more its
own master. In this case, deceived by his vanity, the
king finds himself bound by laws, apparently instituted
to guard his subjects from his caprices, under colour of
attributing the character of immutability to his will and
to his wisdom—a character that belongs to God alone.
Daniel is cast into the lions' den. God preserves him. He
will do the same for the remnant of Israel at the end of
the age. The judgment, which the enemies of Israel sought
to bring upon those who were faithful among that people,
is executed upon themselves. But the effect of this
judgment extends farther than in the former cases.
Nebuchadnezzar forbade any evil being spoken of the God
of Israel, and He extolled the King of heaven by whom he
had been humbled. But Darius commands that in every place
the God of Daniel and of Israel should be acknowledged,
the only living God, whose kingdom is everlasting, and
who had indeed delivered the man that trusted in Him.
Historically it appears that Darius had some feelings of
respect for God and for Daniel's piety. It was not his
God, but the God of Daniel: still he honours Him, and
even calls Him the living God.
The
characteristics of the great empires: the causes of their
judgment
Thus we see that idolatry,
impiety, the pride that exalts itself above everything,
are the characteristics of the great empires which Daniel
sets before us, and the causes of their judgment. The
judgment results in owning the God of the Jews as the
living and delivering God and the Most High that ruleth
in the kingdom of men. The same features will be found in
the last days. This terminates the first part of the
book.
Daniel 6 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Another form of iniquity appears besides that of Babylon (chap. 6). Cyrus, personally, had better thoughts; and God, from whom they came, made use of him for the temporary re-establishment of His people, in order that the Messiah should come and present Himself to them—the last trial of His beloved people. It is not Cyrus, therefore, whom we find here the instrument of the iniquity which sought to destroy Daniel—of that human will which can never endure faithfulness to God. Here it is not idolatry, nor is it insult offered to Jehovah, but the exaltation of man himself, who would shut out all idea of God, who would have no God. This is one of the features that characterise the depths of the human heart.
Man and God
Man in general is well pleased with a god who will help him to satisfy his passions and his desires—a god who suits his purpose for the unity of his empire and the consolidation of his power. The religious part of man's nature is satisfied with gods of this kind, and worships them willingly, though he who establishes them imperially may do it only politically. Poor world! the true God suits neither their conscience nor their lusts. The enemy of our souls is well-pleased to cultivate in this manner the religiousness of our nature. False religion sets up gods that correspond to the desires of the natural heart, whatever they may be; but which never call into communion and never act upon the conscience. They may impose ceremonies and observances, for these suit man; but they can never bring an awakened conscience into relationship with themselves. That which man fears, and that which man desires, is the sphere of their influence. They produce nothing in the heart beyond the action of natural joys and fears.
But, on the other hand, the pride of man sometimes assumes a character that changes everything in this respect. Man will himself be God and act according to his own will, and shut out a rivalship which his pride cannot endure. A superiority which cannot be disputed, if God exists, is insupportable to one who would stand alone. God must be got rid of. The enemies of the faithful avail themselves of this disposition. Cruelty is less inventive, save that its subtlety is shewn in this, that, in flattering the higher power, it does not appear to blame any except those who disobey and despise his word.
Daniel's preservation and Darius' acknowledgment of the living God
The contest being with God Himself, the question with men is decided with more carelessness and less passion as to them. Passion allies itself less with the pride than with the will of man. Man, whatever his position, is the slave of those who pay him the tribute of their flattery. Self-will is more its own master. In this case, deceived by his vanity, the king finds himself bound by laws, apparently instituted to guard his subjects from his caprices, under colour of attributing the character of immutability to his will and to his wisdom—a character that belongs to God alone. Daniel is cast into the lions' den. God preserves him. He will do the same for the remnant of Israel at the end of the age. The judgment, which the enemies of Israel sought to bring upon those who were faithful among that people, is executed upon themselves. But the effect of this judgment extends farther than in the former cases. Nebuchadnezzar forbade any evil being spoken of the God of Israel, and He extolled the King of heaven by whom he had been humbled. But Darius commands that in every place the God of Daniel and of Israel should be acknowledged, the only living God, whose kingdom is everlasting, and who had indeed delivered the man that trusted in Him. Historically it appears that Darius had some feelings of respect for God and for Daniel's piety. It was not his God, but the God of Daniel: still he honours Him, and even calls Him the living God.
The characteristics of the great empires: the causes of their judgment
Thus we see that idolatry, impiety, the pride that exalts itself above everything, are the characteristics of the great empires which Daniel sets before us, and the causes of their judgment. The judgment results in owning the God of the Jews as the living and delivering God and the Most High that ruleth in the kingdom of men. The same features will be found in the last days. This terminates the first part of the book.