“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.” (Daniel 6:4 KJV)
What is it in a person that when an investigation for a fault has found no fault; they continue to plow forward? Think about this for a second. If you want to have people who are around you that are faultless and upstanding, is this not a great opportunity to adjust and begin some sort of friendship? Is there not some real value in having honest and transparent people in a position of leadership? The very thing that incites you to brush this logic aside and feed your desire for control marks a starting point for where the rottenness or the cancer begins. The lion that you hope to throw them to has already begun to devour you.
So, the story in Daniel 6 continues, and a trap is set. Prayer to anyone other than the king is banned. Daniel continues to pray. Verse ten shows that Daniel knew about the decree. What was the content of Daniel’s prayer? Was it merely a ritual done multiple times a day like so many others in our modern world seem to do? Seems unlikely knowing the penalty and knowing that everyone else had likely stopped the practice. At least for the 30 days. If Daniel got to spend time before a God who he knew was a living God, knew that his circumstances were seen, and knew of great mercies and forgiveness; then what may have been the content of Daniel’s prayers in the time that he spent lifting them up?
When we have been sidelined by those who are either going to find fault with us or are going to manufacture fault, what is our prayer to God likely to contain? Save me from this trap? Perhaps. Daniel gives us a hint of the content of his prayer in his response to king Darius in verse 22, “forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me”. At least part of Daniel’s prayer was asking for a deeper investigation before a God who indeed could investigate deeper than any man could. If there actually was a problem, he wanted to know about it so that work toward a fix could be done. He did not shy away from the potential of guilt. He wanted to root it out and seek redemption if it was available. No hint of attempting to compare my small guilt with the other’s big problem.
You know what else he may have been praying for? He may have even been praying for his enemies and their families because Daniel also knew what it was like to have his home land absolutely devoured. And when you elevate an investigation to God; judgement will come.
“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.” (Daniel 6:24 KJV)