但以理書6:25-28

6:25 那時，大利烏王傳旨，曉諭住在全地各方、各國、各族的人說：「願你們大享平安！

6:26 現在我降旨曉諭我所統轄的全國人民，要在但以理的上帝面前，戰兢恐懼。因為他是永遠長存的活上帝，他的國永不敗壞；他的權柄永存無極！

6:27 他護庇人，搭救人，在天上地下施行神蹟奇事，救了但以理脫離獅子的口。」

6:28 如此，這但以理，當大利烏王在位的時候和波斯王古列在位的時候，大享亨通。

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.  I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,      

for he is the living God,

enduring forever;

his kingdom shall never be destroyed,

and his dominion shall be to the end.

  He delivers and rescues;

he works signs and wonders

in heaven and on earth,

he who has saved Daniel

from the power of the lions.”

  So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

***********

    大利烏王從但以理的身上看見上帝的作為，心裡對上帝崇敬，就發布下列的詔書：「要在但以理的上帝面前，戰兢恐懼。因為他是永遠長存的活上帝，他的國永不敗壞；他的權柄永存無極！他護庇人，搭救人，在天上地下施行神蹟奇事，救了但以理脫離獅子的口。」

    可見上帝同在的見證是我們傳福音的利器！而上帝真的樂意拯救與幫助祂的兒女。願意用祂的救恩來豐富我們的生命，救我們脫離各樣困苦的環境，使我們的生命充滿祂同在的榮耀！

    這是基督徒的生命特別之處，我們不再是自己一人面對人生，是上帝與我們同在，使人從我們看見基督的榮美！

但以理書6:19-24

6:19 次日黎明，王就起來，急忙往獅子坑那裡去。

6:20 臨近坑邊，哀聲呼叫但以理，對但以理說：「永生上帝的僕人但以理啊，你所常事奉的上帝能救你脫離獅子嗎？」

6:21 但以理對王說：「願王萬歲！

6:22 我的上帝差遣使者，封住獅子的口，叫獅子不傷我；因我在上帝面前無辜，我在王面前也沒有行過虧損的事。」

6:23 王就甚喜樂，吩咐人將但以理從坑裡繫上來。於是但以理從坑裡被繫上來，身上毫無傷損，因為信靠他的上帝。

6:24 王下令，人就把那些控告但以理的人，連他們的妻子兒女都帶來，扔在獅子坑中。他們還沒有到坑底，獅子就抓住（原文是勝了）他們，咬碎他們的骨頭。

Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.  As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”  Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!  My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”  Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.  And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

************

    但以理被扔入獅子坑中，一夜過去卻毫髮無傷。這件事讓波斯王很安慰，因為上帝派遣使者封住獅子的口，以至於但以理的生命的以保存。對王來說，他沒有失去一位好的大臣。

    於是王用自己的權威下令，就把那些控告但以理的人，連他們的妻子兒女都帶來，扔在獅子坑中。他們的結局就是：還沒有到坑底，獅子就抓住他們，咬碎他們的骨頭。

    事實上上帝也不一定要搭救但以理，就像羅馬時代許多基督徒在競技場中喪生在獅子口下，上帝並未搭救。但是上帝選擇搭救但以理，這是要讓被擄的猶太人獲得激勵。因為他們雖然處於異族的統治下，但上帝仍然掌權。

    故此，我們不要為眼前的事感到灰心失望，上帝的勝利是必然的，而且是永遠的，現在的只是過程中而已，不要害怕，勇敢向前眺望吧！

但以理書6:10-18

6:10 但以理知道這禁令蓋了玉璽，就到自己家裡（他樓上的窗戶開向耶路撒冷），一日三次，雙膝跪在他上帝面前，禱告感謝，與素常一樣。

6:11 那些人就紛紛聚集，見但以理在他上帝面前祈禱懇求。

6:12 他們便進到王前，提王的禁令，說：「王啊，三十日內不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麼，必被扔在獅子坑中。王不是在這禁令上蓋了玉璽麼？」王回答說：「實有這事，照瑪代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。」

6:13 他們對王說：「王啊，那被擄之猶大人中的但以理不理你，也不遵你蓋了玉璽的禁令，他竟一日三次祈禱。」

6:14 王聽見這話，就甚愁煩，一心要救但以理，籌劃解救他，直到日落的時候。

6:15 那些人就紛紛聚集來見王，說：「王啊，當知道瑪代人和波斯人有例，凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。」

6:16 王下令，人就把但以理帶來，扔在獅子坑中。王對但以理說：「你所常事奉的上帝，他必救你。」

6:17 有人搬石頭放在坑口，王用自己的璽和大臣的印，封閉那坑，使懲辦但以理的事毫無更改。

6:18 王回宮，終夜禁食，無人拿樂器到他面前，並且睡不著覺。

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.  Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.  Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

  Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.  Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 

And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.  Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

***********

    但以理知道波斯王發出的禁令，並沒有甚麼激烈的反應，反倒是跟平常一樣的禱告，這時，他大概已經有了最壞的準備。我們遭遇到不利自己信仰的處境，能夠不為所動的持續持守自己的信仰嗎？

    但以理的政敵先用法律問題擠住波斯王，讓他不能更改禁令，等到波斯王承認禁令不能更改之後，再控告但以理，這樣波斯王就能不制裁但以理了。於弄到

波斯王心中十分難過，也展現出他的無能！

    故此，人是軟弱的，不管地位和階級是如何，總是有無奈的情形！但是，但以理不被規條所綑綁，仍然努力愛主，把生死置之度外！這反而是剛強與自由！

但以理書6章

        但以理書6章1-28節   ,

        但以理書6:1-9   , 但以理書6:3 ,

        但以理書6:10-18   ,

        但以理書6:19-24   , 但以理書6:23 ,

        但以理書6:25-28  , 但以理書6:26  ,

但以理書6:1-9

6:1 大利烏隨心所願，立一百二十個總督，治理通國。

6:2 又在他們以上立總長三人（但以理在其中），使總督在他們三人面前回覆事務，免得王受虧損。

6:3 因這但以理有美好的靈性，所以顯然超乎其餘的總長和總督，王又想立他治理通國。

6:4 那時，總長和總督尋找但以理誤國的把柄，為要參他；只是找不著他的錯誤過失，因他忠心辦事，毫無錯誤過失。

6:5 那些人便說：「我們要找參這但以理的把柄，除非在他上帝的律法中就尋不著。」

6:6 於是，總長和總督紛紛聚集來見王，說：「願大利烏王萬歲！

6:7 國中的總長、欽差、總督、謀士，和巡撫彼此商議，要立一條堅定的禁令（或譯：求王下旨要立一條……），三十日內，不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麼，就必扔在獅子坑中。

6:8 王啊，現在求你立這禁令，加蓋玉璽，使禁令決不更改；照瑪代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。」

6:9 於是大利烏王立這禁令，加蓋玉璽。

​ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;  and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.  Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.  Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.  Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!  All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.  Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

**************

    大利烏王使用一百二十個總督統治全國，總督之上又立了三個總長監督。但以理擔任總長，得王的器重，其他官員想要找他的把柄，但無法得逞，於是打算透過但以理的信仰陷害他。

    在此看見人性一個很大的弱點，就是「嫉妒」。這是個難以處理的心態，但以理因為太能幹，沒有過錯，反而招到同僚的嫉妒，準備以奸惡的手法來陷害他。他的同僚不因但以理的「有能力、無過失」而尊重、敬佩他，反倒視之為眼中釘。但以理因為太能幹，沒有過錯，反而招到同僚的嫉妒陷害的原因，可能是擋人財路。就好像一件工程，若遇上忠心不貪污的官吏可以一百萬完成。但想要從中牟利的，就可能要花費一千萬。因此忠心的人，若又不同流合污，且位居「監督管理」的職位，自然會招人陷害。

    雖然如此，但以理的政敵找不到把柄，只好要求王設定禁令來陷害但以理，禁止人向王之外祈求。因為他們知道但以理是敬虔愛禱告的人，以此法除掉但以理。

    其實仇敵也是如此對待我們，隨時找機會要吞吃我們，搶奪我們離開上帝，若不是主的保守，就被魔鬼擄走了！