The story in this session once again places us in the court of a foreign king while the Israelites are in exile. Now, however, the king is not Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar, but Darius, king of the Medes and Persians, who has just conquered the Babylonians. While Nebuchadnezzar had been hostile to Daniel and his three friends for their disobedience, King Darius seems only to love and respect Daniel.

Daniel has become one of the top government administrators. He is about to be placed over the entire kingdom. But it's dangerous to rise too high in that foreign world of bureaucrats and officials. It invites their jealousy, especially if, like Daniel, you are an extraordinarily loyal and faithful servant of the king---and a Jew who worships a strange God.

This jealousy causes the other leaders to set a trap for Daniel. Finding nothing questionable in the way he carries out his office, they turn to his religion, "the law of his God." These officials have seen Daniel or heard from the servants how he prays aloud to his God three times every day. Facing Jerusalem, where the temple is located, he kneels to pray regularly and faithfully. Knowing Daniel's uncompromising character, they believe this is the way to trap him.

Daniel's enemies begin to flatter King Darius, proposing a law that for thirty days prayer can be offered only to the king, on pain of death in the lions' den. Again, we see the tendency of despotic monarchs to desire not only their subjects' allegiance but their worship. King Darius approves the law, and like all laws of the Medes and Persians, his decree is unchangeable.

When the plotting officials accuse Daniel of breaking the law, the king is shocked and heartbroken. He likes and trusts Daniel and should have suspected that this was all a plot to destroy Daniel. But Darius is bound by the law. He cannot make an exception even for his trusted administrator.

As the officials are about to throw Daniel into the lions' den, the king expresses his desire, even now, that Daniel will be saved: "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

When the stone is finally placed over the mouth of the lions' den and sealed, the king returns to his palace but cannot eat or sleep. Clearly, King Darius loves and respects Daniel. At dawn he hurries to the den and calls out to Daniel, hoping against hope that his God has saved him. Daniel shouts to the king, "My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, your Majesty."

In the end Daniel's accusers are punished, but Daniel prospers. King Darius takes the highly unusual step of decreeing that everyone must honor the God of Daniel, "for he is the living God, and he endures forever. . . ."