Daniel 6:19-24 meaning

Despite the decree that Darius' rulers tricked him into signing, Daniel continued with his custom of praying three times a day. The rulers accused Daniel before King Darius on the basis of the law he had just signed. Darius had no choice but to throw Daniel in the lion's den. Full of regret, the king was very distraught and spent the night fasting and not sleeping.

The king could not wait to see if Daniel's God had saved him from the lions. He arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den. When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?" When Darius cast Daniel into the lion's den, he expressed hope that Daniel's God would save him. Now he has come to see the outcome.

Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime." Although Daniel broke the decree the king had signed, he committed no crime before God. He chose to continue praying despite the law. In the New Testament, when Peter and the apostles are instructed not to preach Christ, they respond, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). Despite God's instruction to obey the governing authorities (Romans 13), there are certainly exceptions when the governing authority tries to make someone disobey God. Darius was tricked into signing the decree, not knowing it would implicate Daniel, Daniel also claims innocence towards the king.

Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Daniel was saved because he believed that God would take care of him, he trusted him.

The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Daniel's accusers designed their entire plan to trick Darius and kill Daniel. Instead, they meet their death in the way they have devised for Daniel.