All of us have an ego. The description, by definition, is a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance. Some people have an inflated ego. They think way too much of themselves and are very difficult to be around. Others don’t think they are capable of anything, and they have very little ego. Most fall somewhere in the middle. Christians should realize anything they accomplish is a gift from God. We can do all things, but it’s through him. He gives the ability and the strength.
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
In the 6th chapter of Daniel, we find a King whose ego was inflated. While it is true that he was king and could do anything he desired, it was also true that because of his ego, he was tricked into doing something he didn’t want to do.
Daniel was one of the three presidents King Darius chose to get reports from the 120 princes he had set over the kingdom. Daniel had been chosen as the first of the three. Daniel had proven to be an honorable man whom the King trusted. The princes and the other presidents were jealous of Daniel and sought to find fault in him, but they found none. In Daniel 6:5, we see men plotting and discussing how to get rid of Daniel. They finally conclude that the only fault they can find in Daniel is concerning the law of his God.
Daniel’s allegiance to the King was unquestionable. He was loyal and trustworthy, and his integrity was impeccable. Everyone knew Daniel was a man of faith. He was committed to God, and that ruled everything else about his life. He lived in a pagan land where his God was one of many, but all respected Daniel, and he never wavered from his faithfulness to God. Daniel 6:3 tells us the King preferred Daniel because there was an excellent spirit within him.
Daniel 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. 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. 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 other princes and presidents were so jealous they were desperate to find fault with Daniel. They sought a fault that would cost him his life. With their new plan, they would be rid of him forever. They go to the King and tell him the rulers have met together and established a royal statute that anyone asking a petition of any God or man for 30 days will be thrown into the den of lions. They flatter the King, building up his ego and then asking him to sign the law. Never once did he think about how this would affect his friend Daniel. He signed it into law, and it could not be changed.
Daniel 6:6 “Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, 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. 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. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.”
The first thing Daniel did was to go to his room and pray as he always did. It was his custom to pray to God three times a day openly. This was a known fact about Daniel, but he forgot because of the flattery that stroked the King’s ego. He was so consumed with himself, that he forgot all about his trusted friend Daniel. He regretted what he had done, but once it was the law there was no turning back.
The king was very upset and sought every way possible to deliver Daniel from this plot, but the law was the law. Just before Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, the King spoke to him these words, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” The King paced all night and could not wait for morning to come to check on his friend. God had taken care of Daniel and shut the mouths of the lions, but more importantly, the power of Daniel’s God was shown to all around, especially the King!
Daniel 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 6:13-14 “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. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.”
As soon as daybreak came the King hurried to check on his friend. When the entrance to the lion’s den was opened, Daniel was found unharmed. The King recognized his men had tricked him, and it was his own fault that his ego had been flattered so much that he made a terrible mistake. However, because of this mistake, the King became a believer and declared Daniel’s God as the one true God.
Daniel 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 steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.”
Two lessons can be learned here: 1) stay true to God no matter what, and 2) thinking much of ourselves sets us up for the fall. We need to understand any abilities or opportunities are under God’s control, and we are nothing on our own. It is through Him and by Him that anything of any value is achieved.
