Daniel 6:25

"Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwelt in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and stedfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

DARIUS' DECREE CONCERNING DANIEL'S GOD

The overwhelming proof of the wonders reported in Daniel is inherent in one tremendously important historical certainty, namely, that Israel did indeed return, after a full seventy years, from their Babylonian captivity and were again settled in the land of Palestine, where they rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem.

Now that undeniable fact proves that the wonders here recorded actually occurred. Otherwise, Israel would never have returned.

This marvelous decree published by Darius was very similar to the edict of Nebuchadnezzar subsequent to God's delivery of the faithful three from the fiery furnace; indeed it used some of the very terminology of that prior edict.

The acute need for this very type of encouragement and protection of God's people was far more than sufficient grounds for God's intervention here in order to bring about the full achievement of his purpose of redemption for mankind. Biblical wonders must always be understood in their relation to the universal, worldwide purpose of God's redemptive intention for Adam's race.

Most scholars agree that Darius did not become a monotheist by this experience. What he apparently did was to accept God as indeed the greatest of the gods, but not as the one and only true God.

SUMMARY

Daniel 6:28, So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

See the chapter introduction for a discussion of the historical difficult of these two names. One possible reading of this verse was given by Millard thus:

"The reign of Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus the Persian."[34] It is of course true that ancient kings often had more than one name; and this reading of the passage is not as far-fetched as some might think. One of these days, the whole truth about these two names may be excavated from the mud of ancient Babylon; and when this is done, the Bible will, as always, be completely supported and proved to be correct. In the meanwhile, the Bible needs no such support or corroboration from pagan sources.