| THE BEAST AND HIS MARK |
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| The beast “shall intend to change times and law” (Dan 7:25), to elevate himself as high as God (Dan 11:36). In particular, he will try to change the commandment of God regarding the Sabbath Day. The governors and satraps see if they can find any charge against Daniel regarding the Law of his God. The King (the beast) makes a decree that sets him as high as God. Daniel must go into the Lion’s den because the King is unable to change his own decree. |
| 1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, that these local governors might give account to them, and that the king should suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the local governors, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him. 5 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. |
| Dan 6:5 unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God – the paramount significance of the law of God is introduced. Of course, the first commandment is in mind, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exod 20:3). In Daniel Chapter 3, the saints were forced to worship an “image” that Nebuchadnezzar, the Beast, set up. But now the King – “the Beast” will have everyone to worship him. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thess 2:3-4) But the main focus of this Chapter is “the Law that cannot be changed.” For the Beast will make himself as great as God by claiming the authority to change God’s commandments. |
| 6 Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree. |
| Dan 6:6 King Darius live forever – his advisors set him as high as God. They tell him that he shall be the only god. The Beast will also tries to make himself as high as God, as we read in Dan 11:36. Dan 6:8 that it cannot be changed – they put His words as high as God’s such that they cannot be altered. To change the law that cannot be changed will be the intent of the beast, “to change time and law” (Dan 7:25). |
| 10 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. 11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed a decree that every man who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, “This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him. |
| Dan 6:14 he labored til the going down of the sun – the King is unable even to find a way to change his own decree, a comparison to the changing of the law of God. |
| 15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute which the king establishes may be changed. |
| Dan 6:15 no edit or statute which the king establishes may be changed – the law that could not be changed, as “the commandment of God.” |
| 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him. 15 Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.” 16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.” 17 A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, because innocence was found in me before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den. 25 Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even to the end. 27 He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. |
| Dan 6:26 To all peoples, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth…fear the God of Daniel – the introduction of Darius speech is identical to that of King Nebuchadnezzar in Dan 4:1-3, as we noted there. After we learn about the mark of the beast, Darius warns us to fear God. King Nebuchadnezzar told us to give God glory, after we learned that we need to worship the true God, and not the image of the beast. These two speeches prefigure the call of the Angel in Rev 14:6 and Rev 14:7, to “those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people…’fear God and give Him glory.’” |
