This post is part 1 of 3 of requirement to pray to the governing authority.
Click for part 2 of 3 of requirement to pray to governing authority.
Click for part 3 of 3 of requirement to pray to governing authority.
Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.
- New government is set up by new governing leader.
- Government officials plot against people of God who have authority over them.
- Laws are established to oust people of God from government positions.
Darius begins his reign as king. “That very night Belshazzar…was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.” Daniel 5:30-31
New government is set up by new governing leader.
“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.” Daniel 6:1-2
Darius conquered the Babylonian Empire when the spiritually corrupt Belshazzar was king. Belshazzar is described in the posts on Daniel 5. He was the son of king Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuchadnezzar passed somewhere between the end of Daniel chapter 4 and the beginning of Daniel chapter 5. Daniel was a teenager when he was brought to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, and by the time Darius conquered Babylon, Daniel was in his late 70s to early 80s.
Babylon was just one province in the whole empire of Darius. When he conquered Babylon, it was an acquisition that was added to his existing territories. He needed satraps and close advisors to him that knew Babylon inside and out.
Darius began to set up his government administration throughout Babylon by choosing 120 satraps to be over the whole empire. Satraps were in charge of courts and law enforcement, collected state and local taxes, were in charge of “national guards”, and were responsible for reporting regularly to the president [Darius]. They would be similar to state governors and such that were given charge over branches throughout the provinces of Babylon. As we see in the world today, with a change in who runs the country, there comes a change in political appointees, all across the nation. Darius chose three people to be over the 120 other governing leaders, and Daniel was one of those three. Daniel had been working within the government of Babylon for over 60 years, directly under king Nebuchadnezzar and king Belshazzar. The three over the 120 satraps would be like the inner circle of Darius, those closest to him. That would be like a president’s closest advisors today, part of his personal “cabinet”.
Today, as the United Nations progresses in becoming the undisputed one world government, we are seeing changes in those who govern over nations, states, and cities. The most notable change is how national state, and city leaders embrace and promote the agenda of the United Nations. That is visibly seen in how they embrace the “Sustainable Development Goals” of the United Nations. With that, city, state, national, and global leaders welcome the beast to govern through them by giving them what to say, do, think, and feel. The beast gives breath/life to the image of the beast to speak by speaking and living through people. By what they are given to say and do, people are conformed to the mark, name, number of the beast. That is the new governing authority of today, that is why it is called the government of the beast.
Daniel served the Living God, and in later verses we will see how other government officials plotted to have Daniel killed. Likewise, we who put our faith in Christ Jesus are not wanted as governing leaders because the government lives and governs for the beast.
Government officials plot against people of God who have authority over them.
“Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.” Daniel 6:3
The “whole realm” was the Babylon province of the empire of Darius. Daniel was doing so well at managing the 120 satraps under him, and as part of the inner circle of Darius, that Darius had it in mind to let him rule over all of Babylon. That would promote him above those of the inner circle of Darius and make him the “right-hand man” to Darius himself. At the same time, Daniel remained faithful to the Living God and was truly practicing the words of Jesus who says to us, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21 In other words, give to this world’s government what is theirs, and give to God what is His, which is our heart and soul.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to work honestly, diligently, and as good stewards for our employers, from within the presence of the Holy Spirit. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Romans 13:1 Today, those working for the government of the beast do not want Christians to have any influence in government matters, they live by what the beast gives them to do, say, think, and feel, not what Holy Spirit filled followers of Jesus Christ directs them to do. As we see in the coming verses, the governing officials plotted against Daniel to oust him from governing influence.
“So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.” Daniel 6:4
The governors and the 120 satraps decided to seek some type of charge to bring against Daniel, to dethrone him as the right-hand-man of Darius. The 120 satraps did not want Daniel to govern them in a way that exalted his authority above the other governors. No longer would Daniel be sharing governing power with two other governors, but his authority would exceed theirs and give him the final word over the 120 satraps. The governors and satraps would have combed through all the written records for a misstep in his administration over Babylon. They were trying to “dig up dirt” on Daniel that would drive a wedge between Daniel and Darius, in any way, shape, or form.
Those who live and govern for the beast that gives them what to do, say, think, and feel are looking for hostile attitudes within the followers of Jesus Christ against today’s global government and its global culture. They are looking for any background information to verify that we are not suitable for public service. While our background documentation does not adequately reflect who we really are, and the way we actually live our life, we are consistent in living as the Holy Spirit directs us to, “…to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:1 Even so, today’s culture does not want we who live for the Gospel of Christ to govern over them. They live to discourage belief in God, to discard the need for Christ Jesus, and they do not want to be guided by the Holy Spirit.
“Then these men said, “We will not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Daniel 6:5
The governors and the 120 satraps came to the realization that they would not be able to “dig up dirt” on Daniel in the way he governed over the province of Babylon. Daniel was sharing governing power over the 120 satraps with two other governors, so all the decisions made over the satraps were done in agreement with one another. It would have been extremely difficult to find a charge against Daniel without incriminating themselves. As followers of Jesus Christ, we work within the policies, rules, and regulations of the place/places where we work, or have ever worked. We are not trying to create a chaotic workplace of rebellion against governing authority. We work in harmony with the workplace culture, within the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s the catch, while Daniel was respectful to co-workers, or co-governors, the governors and satraps decided to try another approach to dethrone Daniel…attack his devotion to the Living God. As followers of Jesus Christ, we do everything we can to give to governing authorities what is theirs and to Give God what is His. We respect those in authority, live at peace with them, and live at peace with everyone as far as we can. That is where those who live and govern for the beast comes against us. They intend to drive a wedge between our suitability for leadership positions and our faith in God, through Jesus Christ, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Governing laws are being passed that cannot possibly be compatible to the life we live in Christ Jesus.
Laws are established to oust people of God from government positions.
“So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, will be cast into the den of lions.” Danie 6:6-7
The governors and satraps decided to call a meeting with king Darius. Envision two of his three closest advisors, “cabinet members”, calling an emergency meeting with the king, but Daniel [faithful to the Living God] being left out [Daniel being the third member of the inner circle of Darius]. With the governors, were also the 120 satraps and counselors and advisors, who were in charge of courts and law enforcement, collected state and local taxes, were in charge of “national guards”, and were responsible for reporting regularly to the president [Darius]. Their intent was to have the king approve legislation in favor of them but against the faith of Daniel.
Today’s governing authorities convene legislative sessions intending to squelch the input of anyone who believes in God the Creator, who acknowledge the need for Jesus Christ who forgives unbelief, and who live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. The intent of the lawmakers is to pass laws that no Christian could possibly support and thus making the influence of the way of Christ extinct within governing places. Even in the United States of America, it’s impossible for a follower of Jesus Christ to have a place within government leadership. That’s because it would be necessary to uphold, support, and initiate laws that blatantly destroys the way of Jesus Christ. For example, there are laws promoting same sex marriages, there are laws enabling the killing of the unborn, there are laws that dismantle the family as God intended it to be, there are laws prohibiting speaking about the gospel of Jesus Christ in community settings, there are laws against referring to certain behaviors as being sin [called hate speech], and the list goes on. Then, there is the unwritten law that government leadership must support the beast that governs through them by giving them what to say, do, think, and feel.
The lawmakers who approached king Darius wanted a law passed requiring the “whole world” at that time to only pray to him. They knew that Daniel was devoted to the Living God, and that he prayed to God three times a day, with his windows wide open for everyone to see, as quoted, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” Daniel 6:10 The governors and satraps knew Daniel would not pray to Darius. They added a clause to the law that anyone who did not pray to Darius would be thrown into a den of lions to be eaten alive. That was their plot to be rid of Daniel, to rid him from governing influence over the Babylonian culture.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we do not pray through anyone else except Christ Jesus. Today’s culture, which is global, has made the house of prayer a den of thieves, as Jesus says to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” Matthew 21:13 There is an unwritten law that everyone must pray to the beast that has power over physiology to provide for them their requests. That beast gives people what to think and feel to direct what they say and do. We are created to be the home of the Holy Spirit, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16, However, the unwritten law demands that we make ourselves the home of the beast that gives people what to say and do. The beast sits in the temple of God, our body, as if is God, and is the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Click for a post on that.
Today’s governors in cities, states, nations, and on a global level live by the unwritten law that they must pray in the will of the beast. That means they do not pray relating to belief in God the Creator, nor do they seek the intercession of Jesus Christ who prays for us, “It is Christ…who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:34, nor do they ask for anything within the presence of the Holy Spirit. For Christ Jesus to make intercession for us in our prayers is to be against the government and culture of the beast. The prayers of those living and governing for the beast have obvious intentions; to glorify and empower the government of the beast, to usher in the undisputed one world government of the beast, to spread worldwide the “Sustainable Development Goals” of the United Nations, and for all people to serve the image of the beast that is given breath/life to speak by speaking and living through people.
Anyone who does not “pray” in the will of the beast are thrown into a “…den of lions…” That “den of lions” being the fierce disapproval of the governing body around them and of the global culture [their “constituents” or “voting” base]. As we know, that affliction and tribulation is all too real, even for we who live for Christ Jesus on the grass roots level of society. In the coming days, the “den of lions” will become severe persecution against the way of Christ. We live for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and speak of sin and the need for changing our ways by coming to the Cross where Jesus atoned for our sin. We are called haters of humanity, bigots, unloving, not caring, inhumane, etc. If we join with them in their defiance against Jesus Christ, then we are given support and approval, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20
“Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.” Daniel 6:8-9
Darius approved the legislation to require all people to pray to him and those who didn’t were thrown into a den of lions to be eaten alive. Today, the unwritten law has been signed to require that all people live for the beast that gives what to say, do, think, and feel…anyone who don’t are thrown into the fierce disapproval of the community culture of the beast, the “…den of lions…”. “…to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’…I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.’” Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1
Discover more from Spiritual Society in Jesus Christ
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Spiritual Society in Jesus Christ 