Daniel and jealousy
Daniel 'had distinguished himself' under Darius, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom, upsetting Daniel's two co-presidents and the hundred or so satraps under them. So a conspiracy to entrap Daniel began. Was this just jealousy, or did they have uncomfortable ethical issues with Daniel in charge? Was Daniel responsible for rooting out corruption, for ensuring that the laws were administered justly and that only appropriate expenses were claimed?
There certainly seems to have been a racial issue - 'Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you', they reported to the king. For them he was still, after all those years, an alien worshipping a foreign god. Casting around for some way to bring Daniel down, they realised that his religion was the one area where they could catch him out. They knew that he would not compromise his faith.
Darius was flattered and happy to sign an edict, proposed by his entire administration, for a period of religious observance during which he alone as 'divine' king would receive the peoples' prayers. And, of course, Daniel's colleagues knew that Daniel would not comply. He did as he had always done, praying regularly to the living God, with his windows open towards distant Jerusalem. Darius was deeply distressed when he realised he had inadvertently signed Daniel's death warrant.
Once again we see Daniel working diligently and with distinction in the service of the rulers of Babylon. He and the other Hebrew exiles administered the laws, saw to the smooth running of the kingdom, and cooperated with their colleagues in the state apparatus. But there would come a point where their cooperation ended, they would dig in their heels and take the consequences. This time the angel of the Lord delivered Daniel from the den of lions and Darius acknowledged the living God.
At what point do we dig in our heels, challenged by regulations and practices that we cannot in all conscience obey, or facing discrimination for our ethnic origin, our ethical stand, or our Christian commitment? God can change circumstances and minds and thus deliver us, but if not?
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