What does the king's fasting reveal about his relationship with Daniel and God? Setting the Scene Daniel had been lowered into the lions’ den. The Medo-Persian law could not be revoked, and King Darius had signed it. Verse 14 says he was “deeply distressed,” and verse 16 records his parting words: “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you!”. Now we watch the king walk back to the palace for the longest night of his life. A Sleepless, Fasting Monarch “Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.” (Daniel 6:18) What His Fasting Says About His Heart Toward Daniel • Genuine affection and respect – Verse 3 had already noted that Darius intended to promote Daniel over the whole kingdom. His fasting underscores how personally invested he was in Daniel’s welfare. • Identification with Daniel’s suffering – By choosing hunger in the safety of the palace, the king symbolically joins Daniel in the den, sharing in his hardship (cf. Romans 12:15). • Deep remorse and moral conflict – He realizes his own edict trapped the very man he valued (v. 14). Fasting becomes a silent confession of that guilt. What His Fasting Says About His Awakening Toward God • Recognizing the limits of royal power – A Middle-Eastern monarch possessed absolute authority, yet Darius could neither revoke the law nor rescue Daniel. His fast is an admission that only a higher throne can intervene (cf. Psalm 146:3). • Humbling himself before the true God – In Scripture, fasting is consistently linked to humility and petition (Ezra 8:21; Joel 2:12). For a pagan king to adopt this posture shows he is taking Daniel’s God seriously. • Expectant faith, though still unformed – “Your God … will deliver you” (v. 16) reveals budding belief. The fast keeps that hope alive through the night, culminating in his dawn question: “Has your God … been able to rescue you?” (v. 20). • Preparing for public testimony – After the deliverance, Darius issues a decree honoring “the living God” who “shut the lions’ mouths” (vv. 26-27). His private fast sets the stage for that public confession. Supporting Snapshots from Other Scriptures • Nineveh’s king also fasted in sackcloth, leading his city to repentance (Jonah 3:6-9). • Nebuchadnezzar earlier praised God after witnessing miraculous deliverance (Daniel 3:28-29). • Hebrews 11:33 later celebrates those “who through faith … shut the mouths of lions,” tying Daniel’s rescue to the faith-awakening effect it had on observers like Darius. Takeaways for Us Today • Personal integrity can soften hardened authority figures; Daniel’s faithfulness reached the palace throne. • God uses the crises of His servants to confront rulers with their own limits. • Even the most powerful are invited to humility and faith; no one is beyond the Spirit’s reach. • Fasting remains a practical expression of dependence, aligning us with God’s purposes when human solutions fail. |
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