Courage to Admit Mistakes: Lessons from King Darius, Daniel 6

Are We a People of Courage?

Are we a people of courage? When we are placed in difficult positions do we choose the easy way or the right way? In Daniel 6 we see the story of a great king who was in such a position. Was he able to admit he made a mistake and make the right decision?

Most of us have heard the story of Daniel in the lions’ den many times. We usually focus on Daniel’s great faith and courage. But today I want to look at this story from a different angle. What if the real lesson is not about Daniel’s bravery, but about a king’s failure? A powerful man who did not have the courage to admit mistakes and refused to correct them. This story has as much to say about our pride and lack of courage as it does about Daniel’s faithfulness.

Who Was Daniel?

First, who was Daniel? Daniel was an important Old Testament prophet and an official under Babylonian and Persian rulers. He was taken into captivity to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar II as a young man. He was well known for his ability to interpret dreams and his unwavering loyalty to God and his Jewish faith. Other officials became jealous of his power and plotted against him to have him killed.

These officials, who knew that Daniel prayed three times daily to God, came to King Darius and asked him to sign into law a decree "that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions" (Daniel 6:7). This was a law that, once signed, traditionally could never be changed.

They knew they would be able to set up Daniel in this way because they knew his faithfulness to God. Indeed shortly after the king signed the decree they came to him announcing that Daniel must die. They told Darius that Daniel had prayed to his God in defiance of the decree.

When King Darius heard this, he was deeply upset. He valued Daniel. He did not want to see him die. He searched desperately for a way out, but the law of the Medes and Persians could not be changed. Darius, like you and I at times was, leaning on his own understanding. If only he had been courageous enough to admit his mistake. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Have we today faced situations of our own making that we later realized were mistakes but were unable to correct them? Admitting our mistakes felt too humbling. Darius knew he had created the mess that Daniel was in but he still let him go to his death rather than go back on his own law.

A King Caught in His Own Trap

When Darius approached Daniel he encouraged him that his God would deliver him from the lions. Darius was no Jew. His god was not Daniel's God, but he knew the faithfulness of Daniel and in those times the belief was that whoever you worshiped, as long as you were faithful, that god would be able to save you. Yet even in his weakness and fear, the king still showed a spark of respect for Daniel’s God.

Have you known non-believers who have encouraged you to pray, even though they do not themselves? Some non-believers have watched God work in other people’s lives. Yet they have no faith He can work in their own. Sadly, many feel they must be ‘good enough’ first. Others once believed—but they drifted so far they can barely remember why they ever trusted Him. Back in the palace, King Darius was discovering just how heavy his own mistake had become.

That night the king could not eat. He could not sleep. No musicians were called to play. One question haunted him: What would happen if Daniel’s God actually saved him? Would that powerful God turn on the king who had thrown His servant into the lions’ den? We can't know for certain what questions kept Darius up. We do know that first thing in the morning Darius returns to the lion's den to see if Daniel might still be alive.

Scripture says he cried out to Daniel with a "lamenting voice." To lament something is a passionate cry of grief or sorrow. He thought Daniel was dead and was very distraught. The king asked Daniel "has your God been able to deliver you?" (Daniel 6:20).

Your non-Christian friends don't want bad things to happen to you. They feel sorrow when they hear you are dealing with a great loss of some kind. But in their hearts they may wonder if your God can deliver you.

When God does deliver you, do you give glory to Him and let your non-Christian friends know that you praise Him for your deliverance? Or when God gives you peace to deal with loss do you share that with your non-believing friends? Giving praise to God is an easy way to witness to others.

Morning at the Lion’s Den

Much to the king's delight Daniel answers him! Daniel tells the king,

"...“O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” "(Daniel 6:21-22).

The first thing out of Daniel's mouth was to give praise to the man who had signed his death decree. He tells the king to "live forever." He is not harboring resentment or anger toward King Darius. In that moment, Daniel showed the power of a forgiving heart. He is practicing what Jesus tells us to do, forgive. Even in the face of death, Daniel chose forgiveness. The first thing out of his mouth was not complaint, but grace.

He escaped the lions because God had found him innocent and he had done no wrong to the king. They took him out of the lion's den and found no harm had come to him. Why? Because Daniel believed in his God (Daniel 6:23). In the darkest night, Daniel discovered that joy comes in the morning. Daniel knew His God was bigger than whatever situation he found himself in. He trusted God. Do we, in bad times, do the same? Or do we let our circumstances overwhelm us?

The King’s Harsh Justice and His Proclamation

When the king realized that all of what happened had been engineered to kill Daniel, Darius brought the accusers and their families and threw them to the lions. Today we view this punishment as barbaric. However, in those times it was common practice that entire families would be wiped out for the sin of the father. This was not God's moral standard. Do our mistakes sometimes harm people in ways we can't imagine?

Then Darius makes his famous announcement. He tells the people of Babylon and all of Persia that they should show fear before Daniel's God. He announces that Daniel's God is living, steadfast, and His kingdom will never be destroyed. Darius tells his kingdom that God is a deliverer, a rescuer, a worker of signs and wonders, and that it was his God who delivered Daniel from the lions. But what kind of faith was this really?

We are tempted to believe that Darius became a believer in the one true God. However, it is much more likely that he really just wanted his subjects to know that God was one of many gods who could be rightfully worshipped. The Persians were known for treating other religions with respect. Darius was "covering his bases" as we would say today. He might not have believed personally in the God of the Jews, but he would allow His worship to go on in his kingdom.

Don't be fooled when non-Christians show respect to the Christian faith. This doesn't automatically mean they are Christian. It just means they acknowledge your right to believe. We would do well to remember this in today's world when many people claim faith in God, but they don't really believe. Their God might be the god of many religions, not the one true God.

The Real Story: A King Without Courage to Admit Mistakes

When you read the account of Daniel in the lion's den you quickly realize that the story is as much about the king and his failure as it is about Daniel. It is also very much about God's sovereignty. Daniel was never surprised that he was saved from the lion's mouths. The king was a weak man. But the mercy of God was greater than the king’s weakness.

He, like some who came after him—Pilate or Judas, could not admit his mistakes. Even though Daniel didn't die, many people ended up destroyed by the lions because Darius would not step up and do the right thing. Daniel walked out alive, but the cost of one man’s lack of courage was still enormous.

One man’s failure to be courageous affected far more lives than just his own. Courage is a rare commodity. Many people claim to be courageous, or like to think they would be, but in the face of opposition they cave in and refuse to stand for what is right. Which are we? What is more important to us, saving face or making the hard choices?