King Darius chose one hundred and twenty princes to help him rule this new kingdom. Over these men were three presidents. Daniel was made chide of the three. The others were responsible to him, and he was responsible to the king.
The other princes and presidents did not like to have a Jew, a foreigner from another land rule over them. They got together and tried to plan some way to get rid of Daniel. They could find no fault with his work, for he was honest and faithful and did his work well.
Finally they said, "We can never find anything against Daniel unless it is in the way he worships his God." After thinking about it, they finally came up with a plan. A group of men came to the king. They bowed before him and said, "King Darius, live forever. We have written a decree ad we want you to sign it, saying that for thirty days no one is to ask anything of anyone but you. If they do, they shall be cast into the den of lions." The king was not doubt pleased, for he thought that the men were doing him honour before the people. He never suspected what they were really planning. He signed the paper and fixed it with his seal. As the men left, perhaps they thought, "Now we have Daniel in our trap."
When Daniel heard about this, the first thing he did was to go to his house and pray. Just as he had always done, he knelt three times a day before the open window which faced Jerusalem. He gave thanks to God just as he had done all his life long.
The men who had been plotting against Daniel were watching him. They saw Daniel praying to his God. They hurried away to the king to tell him. "Have you not signed a decree that if anyone should ask anything of anyone but you for thirty days, he shall be put into the lions den?" The king answered, "Yes, that is true." Then these wicked men answered, "This Daniel pays no attention to your decree, but prays three times a day to his God."
When the king heard this, he was very much displeased to think that he had been tricked into signing this decree. He loved Daniel and did not want him hurt. All day long he worked hard trying to have the decree changed. The men said, "But it has been signed with the king's seal. It is the Law of the Medes and Persians it can not be changed." Finally the king gave the command that Daniel be taken and cast into the den of hungry lions.
The other princes and presidents did not like to have a Jew, a foreigner from another land rule over them. They got together and tried to plan some way to get rid of Daniel. They could find no fault with his work, for he was honest and faithful and did his work well.
Finally they said, "We can never find anything against Daniel unless it is in the way he worships his God." After thinking about it, they finally came up with a plan. A group of men came to the king. They bowed before him and said, "King Darius, live forever. We have written a decree ad we want you to sign it, saying that for thirty days no one is to ask anything of anyone but you. If they do, they shall be cast into the den of lions." The king was not doubt pleased, for he thought that the men were doing him honour before the people. He never suspected what they were really planning. He signed the paper and fixed it with his seal. As the men left, perhaps they thought, "Now we have Daniel in our trap."
When Daniel heard about this, the first thing he did was to go to his house and pray. Just as he had always done, he knelt three times a day before the open window which faced Jerusalem. He gave thanks to God just as he had done all his life long.
The men who had been plotting against Daniel were watching him. They saw Daniel praying to his God. They hurried away to the king to tell him. "Have you not signed a decree that if anyone should ask anything of anyone but you for thirty days, he shall be put into the lions den?" The king answered, "Yes, that is true." Then these wicked men answered, "This Daniel pays no attention to your decree, but prays three times a day to his God."
When the king heard this, he was very much displeased to think that he had been tricked into signing this decree. He loved Daniel and did not want him hurt. All day long he worked hard trying to have the decree changed. The men said, "But it has been signed with the king's seal. It is the Law of the Medes and Persians it can not be changed." Finally the king gave the command that Daniel be taken and cast into the den of hungry lions.