Audio Download

Dan 6:1-28  Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee

[Study Aired March 28, 2024]

Dan 6:1  It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 
Dan 6:2  And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 
Dan 6:3  Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 
Dan 6:4  Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 
Dan 6:5  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 6:6  Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 
Dan 6:7  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. 
Dan 6:8  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. 
Dan 6:9  Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Dan 6:10  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. 
Dan 6:11  Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 
Dan 6:12  Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 
Dan 6:13  Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 
Dan 6:14  Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 
Dan 6:15  Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 
Dan 6:16  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. 
Dan 6:17  And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Dan 6:18  Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
Dan 6:19  Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
Dan 6:20  And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
Dan 6:21  Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
Dan 6:22  My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 
Dan 6:23  Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
Dan 6:24  And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
Dan 6:25  Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 6:26  I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 
Dan 6:27  He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 
Dan 6:28  So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. 

Darius’ kingdom that proceeds after Nebuchadnezzar is represented by the breast and arms of silver on the statue found in Daniel 2:32. This section of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of is then further developed in its description in Daniel 7:5.

Dan 2:32  This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 

Dan 7:5  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

The first composite beast of Nebuchadnezzar’s empire has its power over land and the air with symbolic beasts that rule in both of these areas – a lion and an eagle (Dan 7:4). The bear which describes Darius’ empire is another beast that devours flesh, and both of these empires are used by God to do just that. The pattern continues with the last two empires on the statue, revealing more beastly creatures that have dominion over flesh to destroy it (Dan 7:6-7). It is through the destruction of flesh that life comes (1Co 15:21-22, Gal 2:20). 

There is an inward application to these empires within God’s elect that we are given dominion over as a result of Christ ruling in our hearts and minds, His wrath abiding on the beasts that are being destroyed little by little (Joh 3:36, Joh 8:36). The lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5) is greater than the lion who is the god of this world (1Pe 5:8), and the positive example of the eagle expressed in John’s gospel reminds us that Christ soars higher than all the powers and principalities against which we war that are in the heavens (Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21).

The statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represents the man of perdition who must be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming within us (2Th 2:3-6), and it is by God’s goodness that we can acknowledge today those powers and principalities of our former conversation and be given dominion over them through Him (Eph 2:3, Rom 2:4). All of humanity has to come to see these beasts as describing who they are themselves and not someone else. The dream is one, and all these beasts described in multifaceted ways all represent the same beast, which is mankind (Ecc 3:18-19, Rev 13:18, Rev 15:2).

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

In the final analysis, both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius declare Daniel’s God as being the One to Whom their respective empires should pay homage (Dan 3:28, Dan 6:26). God’s elect are judged today (1Pe 4:17) acknowledging who we are as mere beasts of the field, even as we come to see the new creation being formed within us making all things new (2Co 5:17-18). So we not only acknowledge God or believe on Him, but through Christ continue to believe and suffer for His name’s sake in order to get “victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name” (Php 1:28-29, Rev 15:2).

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15), mankind will be ruled over with a rod of iron (Rev 12:5) which will forcibly bring the empires of mankind into subjection to what will be required by the Lord. Being brought into subjection to God’s truth, which is spirit, is something that is contrary to the flesh of man, and is a life-long dying daily process for those who have God’s spirit within them today, of which no one will have throughout the thousand-year reign (Rom 8:5, Gal 5:17, Rev 20:4).

This chapter of Daniel has many prophetic undertones regarding the conditions that the church will find the world during the rule of the saints, and initially until Satan is loosed for a “little season”, the rulers of those kingdoms will exact judgment upon their citizens if they do not pay homage to Christ and His body.  Nebuchadnezzar and Darius both concluded that should be the case once they were privy to bear witness to God’s power in the lives of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel, which are all types of the elect. 

Both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius came to terms with the power of God working within God’s servants and acknowledged that no one in their kingdoms should speak anything amiss toward their God (Dan 3:28-29, Dan 6:26). These eras with kings Darius and Nebuchadnezzar are shadows of the compliance that the kingdoms of this world will demonstrate during the reign of Christ and His Christ. God will use the elect as His threshing instrument during the thousand-year reign (Isa 41:15), resulting in the rulers complying just as Nebuchadnezzar and Darius did after seeing God’s power in action. It only takes a “little season”, however many days that is after Satan is loosed, to see all this work undone and a worldwide rebellion against the camp of the saints to ensue. That loosing of Satan for a “little season” will show mankind how fickle we are without God’s spirit that alone can give us power to resist the devil. This rebellion is the predestined occasion that God has in store for all those who will be in fleshly bodies at this time (Rev 20:3, Rev 20:8, Eph 1:11)

Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Dan 6:1  It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 
Dan 6:2  And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 
Dan 6:3  Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 

These first three verses set the stage for a spirit of envy that is going to manifest, and which was the reason Christ was killed and Daniel became a target of those who were supposed to be his colleagues (Mat 27:17-18, Act 7:9, Pro 23:17). Darius set his carnal fleshly princes up, represented by the number 120 (fleshly 10×12 foundation). Over these 120 there were three presidents of which Daniel was first, and the 120 gave account to the presidents. This is a shadow of how God’s elect, represented by Daniel, will work in conjunction with the ruling class of this world. They will be subservient to Christ and His Christ. It won’t take long for the world to realize the excellent spirit of God within the elect, and like Daniel, the elect will be “preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” Here’s where the envy comes in and bubbles and brews for as many years as God has determined, until Satan is used to push things over the top, creating a worldwide rebellion against the camp of the saints when he is loosed for a little season (Rev 20:8).

Mat 27:17  Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 
Mat 27:18  For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

Act 7:9  And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

Dan 6:4  Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

We have dominion over sin now if Christ is ruling and reigning in our hearts (Rom 6:14), yet we still have sin in our members that is being burned out of us and will be until our last days in these corrupt vessels of clay (Rom 2:4, 1Jn 1:7, 1Co 15:31). However, those in the first resurrection, as Daniel is typical of being in this section of the story, won’t be able to sin, typified by this statement: “they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him” (1Jn 3:9).

1Jn 3:9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Presently we can say our new man cannot sin. It is Christ working in us, our hope of glory [obedience] within (Php 2:12-13, Col 1:27). However, God will cause our old man to err and sin (Pro 24:16) as He seeks an occasion against our flesh (Isa 63:17) to then drag us to Christ (Joh 6:44) to confess our faults, our iniquities, to a faithful Advocate who will forgive us every time (Lev 26:40, 1Jn 1:9-10, 1Jn 2:1). 

Dan 6:5  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. 

The “these men” is speaking of “the presidents and princes [who] sought to find occasion against Daniel.” In order to do this, they are going to create a sting operation using “the law of his God” to seek an occasion against Daniel. This is a key way Satan continues to attack the body of Christ and Christ when He was on this earth, as the accuser of the brethren (accusers of the brethren Rev 12:10, false witnesses Mat 26:59-64). They can’t find anything on him, so they will manufacture a situation that will tie the hands of Darius. It’s amazing, God uses “the law of his God” to put Daniel in this precarious position, in conjunction with “the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not“, not to destroy Daniel but to glorify God with the circumstances that will in time have the tables turned on his adversaries. Christ’s lot in life was to be the goat that was sacrificed, and Daniel is a type of the scapegoat which God’s elect are.

Dan 6:6  Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 
Dan 6:7  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. 
Dan 6:8  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. 
Dan 6:9  Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

In these verses we see how the dirty deed was carried out. What subtlety of spirit we are witnessing, beginning with the flattering words toward Darius, “live for ever” (Gen 3:1, Mat 26:4, Act 13:10, 2Co 11:3). The presidents and princes assembled and wormed their way into getting king Darius to sign this binding decree of the “Medes and Persians, which altereth not” in hopes of having Daniel killed for his noncompliance to the decree (1Jn 3:15).

Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Dan 6:10  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.

Daniel, like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, typify the elect who are not afraid of what men can do to their flesh (Mat 10:28), and know to fear God (Luk 12:5), and let God be true and every man a liar (Rom 3:4), and they, and we, ought to obey God rather than men (Act 5:29). These are all scriptures which come to mind, and can be fulfilled in our lives through God’s spirit that can make us more than conquerors through Christ Who can give us the power to endure all things as He strengthens us (Rom 8:37, Php 4:13). 

There is overwhelming evidence in scripture that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Heb 11:1-40, Rom 8:32-36), and Daniel knew what the consequences would be for obeying God, but still went to his house and prayed with an open window after knowing the decree was written. An open window is symbolic of his typical liberty in Christ, a window that pointed to Jerusalem which is a symbol of Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, of whose wings we are under and none can take us from (Gal 4:26, Joh 10:27-30). He kneeled upon his knees “three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” which typifies the process of judgment that is required as we work out of our own salvation with fear and trembling and fervent continual prayer (Php 2:1-13) as Christ did and was heard in that he feared God and not man (Heb 5:7, Mat 26:44).

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Mat 26:44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Dan 6:11  Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 
Dan 6:12  Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Dan 6:13  Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Just as there is a positive example of being subject to God through a process of judgment [3] in our earth that makes it possible for us to learn of His righteousness (Isa 26:9), in the negative example of judgment if we draw close to the idolatrous ways of men and embrace them for “thirty days“, we will avoid losing our physical life for that bad judgment but won’t find the life of Christ for trying to preserve our flesh (Mat 10:39). It is in this darkened world, in the night, that we are blessed to be judged in this life. The darkness is within us, all the sins of the world, but our hope of glory within is giving us power to overcome that darkness, so that light can come out of darkness (Rev 11:3).

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Dan 6:14  Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 
Dan 6:15  Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 
Dan 6:16  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.

King Darius was like the wife of Pilate and knew that Daniel was a just man (Mat 27:19) and “was sore displeased with himself” for this turn of events, and from that moment forward “set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.” In the midst of this anguish the king was feeling, the self-righteous murderers needed to remind the king of the rules of the road, and this likely added to his anger and retribution against them when Daniel was ultimately delivered. All Darius could say at this point was, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee“, because he was bound by his own words and knew that only God could save Daniel now. If we seek the Lord will all our heart continually, we are also promised that we will be delivered from all our trials, and will leave a witness to this world of His might and power that can and will deliver (1Co 10:13).

Any rebellion and scheming behind the scenes during the thousand-year reign will be discovered (Luk 8:17), and the tables will be turned on all our adversaries every time, no weapon prospering against us (Isa 54:17).

Luk 8:17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Dan 6:17  And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Dan 6:18  Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

This stone that was laid upon the mouth of the den is reminiscent of the stone put before Christs’ tomb which was rolled away after a great earthquake (Mat 28:2-4). Death had no hold on Christ, and Daniel was not going to be killed but rather spared from the lions that represent Satan and his minions, who if it were possible, would deceive the very elect and sift us (Mat 24:24, Luk 22:31).

“The king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel” represents the gates of hell that won’t prevail against the church (Mat 16:18).

Look at the effect Daniel had on the king:  “Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him“, telling us that there will be those during the reign of the saints that will be devoted toward the body of Christ, even though, in the final analysis, all the disciples will forsake Christ not being able to overcome the fear within them, love not being able to be perfected (1Jn 4:18). That is the critical point God is teaching all of humanity who will rebel when Satan is loosed for a season. It is only when His love is shed abroad in our hearts that we will be able to obey the Lord and not just say, “Lord, Lord” and not do the things He commands (Luk 6:46).

Dan 6:19  Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
Dan 6:20  And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 

Like Mary running early in the morning to see the tomb where Christ was buried, Darius “the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions“ (Mar 16:1-2).

Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Mar 16:2  And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

It is when Mary came to the tomb that she, with a lamentable voice, answered the angels first and then Christ Himself regarding why she was weeping. These actions parallel nicely with the emotional status of Darius at this point: “And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?“

Joh 20:12  And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
Joh 20:13  And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
Joh 20:14  And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 20:15  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Dan 6:21  Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
Dan 6:22  My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Daniel in sincerity of heart now says “O king, live for ever” unlike the presidents and princes from earlier. Daniel’s report of an angel staying the mouth of the lions is akin to our knowing that death would have no hold on Christ and those who believe that He is resurrected understand that they are not living their lives in vain (1Co 15:14, Eph 2:6).

1Co 15:14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

The innocence that was found in Daniel typifies the innocence that will be found in those who are the chaste bride of Christ (2Co 11:2, 1Pe 3:2, Mat 18:3) who will be in that blessed and holy first resurrection. Daniel declares his innocency to the king with these words “O king, have I done no hurt” and reminds us that in the day of others’ visitation if we’ve been given to overcome and endure until the end there will be no condemnation or accusations brought against Christ’s body which has already  been judged in this life (1Pe 2:12, Rom 8:1).

1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Dan 6:23  Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

If we “believe on him whom he hath sent“, we can do the work of God (Joh 6:28-29) and no manner of hurt will come upon us spiritually. Whatever we must go through physically, God will make a way where there appears to be none (Isa 43:18-19, Php 3:13-14). This is the lesson being shown regarding Daniel’s deliverance that represents our deliverance from death and sin.

The king was “exceeding glad for him” and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. This moment symbolizes for us the exceeding joy that was felt when Christ was discovered to be resurrected from the dead, alive and unharmed, and is a shadow of the first resurrection as well (Mat 28:5-11, Jud 1:24).

Mat 28:8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Dan 6:24  And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

This verse reminds us that vengeance is God’s against our sinful flesh (Nah 1:2, Deu 32:43, Psa 94:1, Rom 12:9, Rev 22:12). This all seems very “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” (Mat 5:38), and it does represent the severity and goodness of God upon all flesh (Rom 11:16-22).

In short, this verse reminds us that no flesh will inherit the kingdom of God, and in order to have a new foundation in Christ we must be judged, and our old Adamic foundation represented by “all their bones” must be broken in order to make a new vessel to His glory. The lions having “mastery” reminds us that Satan can be used masterfully of the Lord to do his bidding as his sword against our old man in our life today, but these lions in the time period that they represent tell us that it is the elect who are represented by these lions who are going to break in shivers nations from afar (Psa 17:13, Rev 2:27).

H7981 “Mastery”
– Transliteration: Shelet (Aramaic)
– Phonetic: shel-ate’
– Definition: 

1. to have power, rule, domineer, rule over 
2. (P’al) have power upon or over, rule, fall upon, assault, be ruler 
3. (Aphel) make ruler 

– Origin: corresponding to H7980
– TWOT entry: 3034
– Part(s) of speech: Verb
– Strong’s: (Chaldee); corresponding to H7980: – have the mastery have power bear rule be (make) ruler.

Total KJV Occurrences: 7 

• mastery, 1Dan_6:24
• power, 1   Dan_3:27
• rule, 1      Dan_2:39
• ruler, 4     Dan_2:38; Dan_2:48; Dan_5:7; Dan_5:16

It is a quick work that God does against our carnal nature in our heavens, symbolized by this statement, “all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.” There is no heritage for the wickedness of our first man Adam, which is why it is not just those men who accused Daniel who were cast into the den of lions, but also “their children, and their wives“, who represent doctrine and churches; all of Babylon that must be destroyed within us.

Dan 6:25  Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 6:26  I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

Darius, who is a type of the rulers of “the kingdoms of this world”, declares and makes a decree that is typical of this decree made in Revelation 11:15 stated this way: “That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.“

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

There will be no end to the peace of God’s government, and Darius makes this declaration that also foreshadows the ongoing peace which will be with God’s government (Isa 9:7):  “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.“

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Dan 6:27  He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Dan 6:28  So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

These last two verses represent the heritage of the saints in Christ, who by God’s grace, will be sent as Christ was, to “worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth“, delivering the world from “the power of the lions” (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:15-17). 

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Daniel’s prosperity “in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” is a witness that foreshadows the prosperity of the saints during their rule and reign on this earth, prior to the great white throne judgment (Rev 20:6, Rev 20:11).

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Finally “He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth“ is another witness of what God can do within the body of Christ whom He has promised to deliver and rescue (1Co 10:13).

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.