I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. Later this month it will be my wife’s and my 16th anniversary. To celebrate this event I have decided to wish my wife Happy Anniversary for 16 days.
Thank you for being my wife.
Today, I am reading and commenting on Daniel 5-6.
The story of Daniel and the lion’s den shows us that the temptation to use religion as a means to unite a nation was not unique to King Nebuchadnezzar. Although the issue here is slightly different. Darius did not require everyone to worship him or his gods. Instead, he “merely” required that no one worship anyone or anything else. We do not know what Darius’ advisors told him to sign this law but it is clear that he thought it was a good idea. Whatever they told Darius, it never occurred to him that the law would be used to target Daniel. As is often the case with such laws, the intent was not to use it to deal with troublemakers. Rather, it was intended to be used against someone who unpopular with the political elites (Daniel). Daniel was no more willing to NOT worship and pray to God than his friends were to bow down and worship the statue.