Daniel 6

Daniel: at least 83 years old; over 60 years in public office; still in a position of honor.

Darius, the Mede?

1) Cyrus himself? Donald J. Wiseman of the British Museum
2) Cambyses, son of Cyrus? Charles Boutfolower
3) Gubaru, appointed to rule over Babylon by Cyrus? John Whitcomb. [See Wood, p.154]

"Darius" may be an honorable title, meaning "holder of the scepter." Used of five later Persian rulers.

The return of the Jews was made in Cyrus' 1st year, 538/537 BC (2Ch 36:22; Ezr 1:1-2; probably only a few months before the Lion's Den.

Ezr 1:2-4; 6:3-5:

Temple to be rebuilt (Cyrus helped finance).

Jews free to go; others to assist financially.

Nebuchadnezzar's booty returned.

(Was it Daniel's influence and role that influenced Cyrus?)

"Satraps" = "Kingdom Protectors."

[4] No evil recorded of Daniel; Rev 14:1-5; Rev 7:1-4

[Jealousy leads men to attack a colleague who is more competent than themselves. A man in the Kingdom of God will prompt the kingdom of this world to drive its members to display a more extreme bitterness in their assault.]

The emerging persecution of the "Religious fundamentalists" and "dangerous religious cultists," et al.

(Remember the Waco Massacre! Randy Weaver at Ruby Creek, etc.)

[5] Laws of submission —  Luk 20:25; Rom 13:1; 1Pe 2:3; Act 5:29
      vs.
Law of Persians vs. Law of God

[7] Assumed "divinity" of kings derives from ancient legends from Gen 6: demigods. Examples: Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Seleucid, and Roman empires. We'll see it again.

"den" = gob, from Heb. verb gub, to dig: a pit or cistern.

[10] Prayer (cf. Ch 2, 6, 9)

[Honored for not kneeling in Chap 3; also 1Ki 8:54; Eze 9:5.]

Note: Praise not absent, even with pending danger. Our own country was founded by men who knew and believed in the power of prayer.

[12] They bugged his apartment.

[13] Did he sign? Why did they ask first?

[14] Knew Daniel for more than a year…Aramaic word order places Daniel first in the sentence, the stressed position: "And as for Daniel, he set his mind to deliver him."

[15] Monarchy not absolute. Diodorus Siculus records a similar paradox with King Darious III. Also Esther 1:19; 8:8.

[16] "whom you serve continually": what a witness!

[17] Both rings would be needed to remove the stone.

[18] Sleepless in the palace...

[19] Daniel was not kept from his hour of trial!

[22] By faith (Heb 11:33). Secret of safety: the Breastplate of righteousness (but whose?)

Angels: Psa 91:11; Heb 1:14; Psa 34:7; Psa 103:20.

Aramaic, and other early languages, have a singularly strong idiom for "slander": "eat the pieces of a man." (Found in the Assyrian and Amarna letters.)

When Daniel came out the next morning, he was the gainer: The king approved him, admired him, loved him. Everybody heard of it; what awe he must have inspired. The king was not regarded as half as much a "god" as Daniel. The counselors never troubled him again. The lions had taken care of them.

[25] Satan's attempt to extinguish the light of the Living God in Babylon: Cf. Rev 12…

Wrath restrained: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." Psa 76:10.

[28] 1 Chr 22:13.

Parallels

Faithful remnant: Edward Dennett (1893), A.C. Gaebelein, G.H. Lang, H.A. Ironside, O.B. Greene, P.R. Newell.

Foreshadows a Man of Sin, claiming divine honors, under penalty of death: Rev 7:3, 14; 12:13-17; Mat 24:13-14; Mar 13:13.

Regathered the Second time: Isa 11:11; Jer 30:3-7; Isa 13:1-13; 43:6-7; Eze 36:24ff; Luk 21:20, 24; Rom 11:25; Zec 13:8-9…

Dan 6:4 Cf. Rev 14:1-5.

"Roaring Lion": 1Pe 5:8; 2 Tim 4:17; Rev 13:2.

Daniel did not receive the "mark of the Beast." Cf. Seal of 144,000 in Rev 7, 14.

Lessons

Safety in persecution…!
Faithfulness of God
Inspiring faith of one consecrated
Blessing of obeying God rather than men
Reward of separation
God is equal to every emergency
"Thou shalt prosper, if thou takest heed" 1 Chr 22:13

Magi Traditions

Eastern tradition: 12. Christmas: Jan 6.
Western tradition: 3. Epiphany: Jan 6.

3rd century: Kings bearing gifts,Psa 72:10, 68:29.

6th century chronicle, (Exerpia Latina Garbari):

Bede (673-735): three sons of Noah—Asia, Africa, Europe—Shem, Ham, Japheth.

14th century Armenian tradition:

Relics attributed to them discovered in the 4th century; transferred from Constantinople to Milan, 5th century; to Cologne by Frederick Barbarossa in 1162 where they remain enshrined.

From Latinized form of Magoi (Herodotus, 1:101); Ancient Greek transliteration of the Persian original (Sing., magus, "magic"). However, "Magicians" (a profession, rather than citizenship or cultural link) are presented in Acts as vile men without standing or morals: Simon Magus in Samaria, Act 8:9-24: Elymas Magus at Paphos on the Island of Cyprus associated with Sergius Paulsu the proconsul (Inter. Dict. 3:222).

Persian Cult

Rab-mag, Chief of the Magi. (Untranslated title of Nergal-shar-ezer in Nebuchadnezzar's court, Jer 39:3, 13.) Magi of lesser rank in Dan 2:10, 27; 4:7, 9; 5:11. Cf. Magi are Median (vs. Chaldean).

Title of Daniel (Dan 4:9; Dan 5:11);His Jewish appointment may have had repercussions among the hereditary Median priesthood, leading to the plot of Daniel 6.

Persian magi credited with profound and extraordinary religious knowledge. (Babylonian magi often considered imposters.)

Established as the state religion of Persia by Darius the Great, after some Magi who were considered to be expert in the interpretation of dreams had been attached to the Median court. (Oneiromancy, not astrology, is the key skill mentioned by Herodotus, et al. I.107, 120; VII.19.)

It was in this dual capacity, whereby civil and political counsel was invested with religious authority, that the Magi became the supreme priestly caste of the empire.

In the tri-lingual inscription of Bisitun: Darius I (The Great) (550-486 BC; reigned 522-486); Three languages: Elamite, Akkadian/Babylonian, Old Persian/Aramaic. (Speaks of his speedy and final triumph over a revolt of Magi in 522 BC)

Not originally followers of Zoroaster (Encyc. Britannica 7:691)

The subsequent syncretistic Magian religion of Archaemenid days had much in common with the religion of the Jews: Each had its monotheistic concept of one beneficent creator, author of all good, who, in turn, was opposed by a malevolent evil spirit. Each had its hereditary priesthood which became the essential mediator between God and man by virtue of a blood sacrifice. Each depended upon the wisdom of the priesthood in divination (The Urim and Thummim of the Levite, the barsoms, small bundles of divining rods); mutually held concepts of clean and unclean forms of life.

Developed into an hereditary priesthood, serving several religions; the priestly caste during Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian periods.

NT Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)

Political Background:

Since the days of Daniel, the fortunes of both the Persian and the Jewish nation had been closely intertwined.

Both nations had in their turn fallen under Seleucid domination in the wake of Alexander's conquests. Subsequently both had regained their independence: the Jews under Maccabean leadership, and the Persians as the dominating ruling group within the Parthian empire. It was at this time that the Magi, in their dual priestly and governmental office, composed the upper house of the council of the Megistanes ("magistrates"?) whose duties included the absolute choice and election of the king of the realm.

It was, therefore, a group of Persian-Parthian king makers who entered Jerusalem in the latter days of the reign of Herod. Herod's reaction was understandably one of fear when one considers the background of Roman-Parthian rivalry that prevailed during his lifetime.

Pompey, the first Roman conqueror of Jerusalem in 63 BC had attacked the Armenian outpost of Parthia. In 55 BC Crassus led Roman legions in sacking Jerusalem and in a subsequent attack on Parthia proper. The Romans were decisively defeated at the battle of Carrhae with the loss of 30,000 troops, including their commander.

The Parthians counterattacked with a token invasion of Armenia, Syria, and Palestine.

Nominal Roman rule was reestablished under Antipater, the father of Herod, who in his turn retreated before another Parthian invasion in 40 BC

Mark Antony reestablished Roman sovereignty in 37 BC, and like Carssus before him also embarked on a similarly ill-fated Parthian expedition. His disastrous retreat was followed by another wave of invading Parthians which swept all Roman opposition completely out of Palestine (including Herod himself, who fled to Alexandria and then to Rome).

With Parthian collaboration Jewish sovereignty was restored and Jerusalem was fortified with a Jewish garrison.

Herod by this time secured from Augustus Caesar the title of "King of the Jews." However, it was not for three years, including a five months' siege by Roman troops, that the king was able to occupy his own capital city. Herod had thus gained the throne of a rebellious buffer state which was situated between two mighty contending empires. At any time his own subjects might conspire in bringing the Parthians to their aid.

At the time of the birth of Christ, Herod may have been close to his final illness. Augustus was also aged; and Rome, since the retirement of Tiberius, was without any experienced military commander. Pro-Parthian Armenia was fomenting revolt against Rome (which was successfully accomplished within two years). The time was ripe for another Parthian invasion of the buffer provinces, except for the fact that Parthia itself was racked by internal dissension.

Phraates IV, the unpopular and aging king, had once been deposed and it was not improbable that the Persian Magi were already involved in the political maneuvering requisite to choosing his successor. It is possible that the Magi might have taken advantage of the king's lack of popularity to further their own interests with the establishment of a new dynasty which could have been implemented if a sufficiently strong contender could be found.

At this time it was entirely possible that the Messianic prophecies of the OT, culminating in the writings of Daniel, one of their own Magians, was of profound motivating significance. The promise of divinely imposed world dominion at the hands of a Jewish monarch was more than acceptable to them.

(Their own Persian and Medo-Persian history was studded with Jewish nobles, ministers, and counselors; and in the great Achaemenid days some of the kings themselves were apparently of Jewish blood.)

In Jerusalem the sudden appearance of the Magi, probably traveling in force with imaginable oriental pomp, and accompanied by adequate calvary escort to insure their safe penetration of Roman territory, certainly alarmed Herod and the populace of Jerusalem.

It would seem as if these Magi were attempting to perpetrate a border incident which could bring swift reprisal from Parthian armies. Their request of Herod regarding him who "has been born king of the Jews" (Mat 2:2) was a calculated insult to him who had contrived and bribed his way into that office.

In the providence of God, the Messianic prophecy of the kingdom was not then fulfilled; the Magi "being warned in a dream" (a form of communication most acceptable to them) departed to their own country with empty hands.

Within two years Phraataces, the parricide son of Phraates IV, was duly installed by the Magi as the new ruler of Parthia. Later: Philo of Alexandria, Cicero, and Philo, and others, record that Magi were attached to senior Roman courts with acknowledged gifts and standing.

Star of Bethlehem?

Balaam's prophecy in Num 24:17? Num 24:17 and Isa 60:3 not quoted by Matthew. (Note Simon Bar Cocheba, "Son of the Star.") Conjunctions? Kepler suggested that the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces in 7 BC (Wrong date: 2 BC 4 BC suggested from an erroneous inference from Josephus.) (See Signs in the Heavens for a discussion of the Hebrew Mazzeroth and the Zodiac.).

* * *

Endnotes:

1. Los Angeles Times, Sept. 6, 1990.

2. Encyclopedia Britannica, 7:582; 18:912.

3. Walvoord. Other examples: D.H. Tuke, Dictionary of Psychological Medicine, P. 5, 752; Dr. D. R. Burrell,  American Journal of Insanity, April,1894,pp. 493-504.

4. Josephus, Contra Apion, I, 20 (Thackery's translation).

5. J.T. Milik, Ten Years of Discovery in the Wilderness of Judea, pp. 36, 37.

Bibliography for Daniel 1-6

Commentaries on Daniel

Anderson, Sir Robert Anderson, The Coming Prince, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1895. A classic work on the Seventy Weeks Prophecy of Daniel 9.

Baldwin, Joyce G., Daniel, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Inter-Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1978.

Barnes, Albert, "Daniel," 2 Vols. Notes on the Old Testament. Ed. by Robert Frew. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1950

Bloomfield, Arthur E., The End of the Days, Bethany Fellowship, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1961.

Charles, Robert H., Apocrypha and Pseudipigrapha of the Old Testament in English, Vol 2. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1913.

Culver, Robert D., Daniel and the Latter Days, Moody Press, Chicago, 1954

DeHaan, Martin R., Daniel the Prophet, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, 1947.

Driver, Samuel R., The Book of Daniel, University Press, Cambridge, 1900.

Faucsset, A.R., The Book of Daniel, A Critical and Experimental Commentary, Vol. IV. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1945.

Feinberg, Charles, Premillennialism or Amillennialism? Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1936.

Gaebelein, Arno C., The Prophet Daniel, Our Hope Publishers, New York, 1911.

Hartman, Louis F., and Di Lella, Alexander A., The Book of Daniel, Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York, 1977.

Ironside, Henry A., Lectures on Daniel the Prophet, Loizeaux Bros., New York, 1920.

Keil, Carl F., The Book of the Prophet Daniel, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, translated by M.G. Easton. T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1891.

Larkin, Clarence, The Book of Daniel, Clarence Larkin, Philadelphia, 1929.

Leupold, Herbert C., Exposition of Daniel, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1969.

McClain, Alva J., Daniel's Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1940.

Newell, Philip R., Daniel: the Man Greatly Beloved and His Prophecies, Moody Press, Chicago, Ill., 1962.

Pentecost, J. Dwight, Things to Come, Dunham Publishing Co., Findlay, Ohio, 1958.

Pritchard, James B., ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N. J., 1950.

Pusey, Edward B., Daniel the Prophet, Funk & Wagnalls, New York, 1891.

Strauss, Lehman, The Prophecies of Daniel, Loizeaux Bros., Neptune N.J., 1965.

Walvoord, John F., Daniel, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1971.

Whitcomb, John C., Jr., Darius the Mede, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1959.

Wilson, Robert Dick, Studies in the Book of Daniel, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1979.

Wiseman, Donad J., The Chronicles of the Chaldean Kings (626-556 B.C.), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1956.

Wood, Leon, A Commentary on Daniel, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1973

Young, Edward J., The Prophecy of Daniel, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1949.

Babylon

Allen, Kenneth W., "The Rebuilding and Destruction of Babylon," Bibliotheca Sacra, January 1976.

Dyer, Charles H., The Rise of Babylon, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1991.

Gordon G. Garner, Curses and Prophecies, Buried History 9 (March 1973).

Grayson, A.K., Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, Texts from Cuneiform Sources, J.J. Augustin Publisher, Locust Valley, N.Y, 1975.

Hislop, Alexander, The Two Babylons, Loizeaux Brothers, Neptune New Jersey, 1916.

King, Leonard W., A History of Babylon, From the Foundation of the Monarchy to the Persian Conquest, Ams Press, New York, 1969 (Reprinted from the edition of 1915, London.

Koldewey, Robert, The Excavations at Babylon, trans. Agnes S. Johns, Macmillan and Company, London, 1914.

MacQueen, James G., Babylon, Robert Hale, London, 1964.

Oates, Joan, Babylon, Thames and Hudson, London, 1979.

Pritchard, James B., ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N. J., 1950.

Rich, Claudius J., Babylon and Persepolis, Duncan & Malcolm, London, 1839.

Seignobobs, Charles, The World of Babylon, Leon Amiel Publisher, Paris, 1975.

Snaith, Norman H., The Jews from Cyrus to Herod, Abingdon Press, New York.

Wiseman, Donad J., The Chronicles of the Chaldean Kings (626-556 B.C.), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1956.

Conspiracy Theory of History

Epperson, A. Ralph, The Unseen Hand, Publius Press, Tucson AZ, 1985.

McAlvany, Don A., Toward a New World Order, Western Pacific, Phoenix AZ, 1992.

McManus, John F., The Insiders, The John Birch Society, Appleton, WI, 1992.

Morey, Robert, The Truth About Masons, Harvest House, Eugene OR 1993. A well researched, more balanced view of Masonic history.

Quigley, Carroll, Tragedy and Hope, McMillan Press, 1972. (Taken out of print by the Rockefellers.)