Daniel and the ‘Deep State’ – Toni Babcock
“They adopt an evil plan; they talk about hiding traps and say, “Who will see them?” (Psalm 64:5 CSB)
Unlike many political figures in our day, Daniel had a stellar reputation and was a favorite of King Darius who planned to promote him to the chief administrator over his entire kingdom.
Daniel was an ‘outsider’ — originally one of the Judean exiles who’d been taken as a Hebrew captive and groomed to serve in the king’s palace. Through his extraordinary abilities, he rose in rank to become one of Darius’s top administrators.
Daniel’s proposed promotion did not sit well with his political rivals who were desperate to find some fault, but they knew any accusation they laid against him wouldn’t stick. He seemed untouchable.
So, the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors came up with a devious plot. They convinced the king to sign a new unbreakable law stating no one in the kingdom could pray or petition any god or man for thirty days besides the king — or else they’d be thrown into a den of lions.
Many of us know how the story ends. Daniel continued to pray to his God as usual. When caught ‘breaking the law’, he was thrown into a den of lions. God sent an angel to shut the lion’s mouths and Daniel’s life was miraculously spared. (Daniel 6:16-23 CSB)
The king was relieved. Best of all, he issued a new decree that everyone in his royal dominion “tremble in fear before the God of Daniel,” (Daniel 6:25-28 CSB).
Praise the Lord no matter what means the devil uses to destroy God’s people, plan, or purpose — God always gets the last word.
Toni M. Babcock is the author of The Stone Writer, and Reflections from the Heart in Light of the Gospel of Jesus. Contact
