6:10 The new decree did not deter Daniel from continuing to pray for the welfare of the city where God had sent them into exile and for the Jews' return from exile. That this was the subject of his praying, among other things including thanksgiving (v. 10), seems clear since Daniel possessed a copy of Jeremiah's prophecy (9:2; cf. Jer. 29:1, 7, 10). Jeremiah had written that God had promised to hear such prayers, if they were wholehearted, to restore the fortunes of the Jews, and to regather them to the Promised Land (Jer. 29:12-14).217Daniel refused to pray to the king, but He willingly prayed to the king's sovereign.
"It is not a question of a positive sin which he will not commit, but of a positive duty which he will not omit."218
Solomon had taught the Jews to pray to the Lord facing Jerusalem since that is where He promised to be in a special sense for them (2 Chron. 6:21, 34-39; cf. Ps. 5:7).219Daniel's kneeling posture, reminiscent of Solomon's at the temple dedication, indicated his dependence on God as a suppliant. Normally the Jews stood when they prayed (cf. 1 Chron. 23:30; Neh. 9; Matt. 6:5; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13), but they kneeled (and prostrated themselves) when they felt a more urgent need (cf. 1 Kings 8:54; Ezra 9:5; Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; 9:40; 20:36; 21:5). Praying three times a day was evidently the practice of godly Jews dating back to David if not before then (cf. Ps. 55:16-17). The fact that his window was open evidently symbolized for Daniel that his prayers were unhindered. Windows in ancient Near Eastern cities were normally small, high, and had a latice covering, so Daniel was probably not praying with his window open to be seen by others.220
"While Daniel's consistency of life and testimony has been evident throughout the book of Daniel, here we learn the inner secret. In spite of the pressures of being a busy executive with many demands upon his time, Daniel had retired to his house three times a day to offer his prayers for the peace of Jerusalem as well as for his personal needs. This was not the act of a person courting martyrdom but the continuation of a faithful ministry in prayer which had characterized his long life."221
"It was this prayer-fellowship with Yahweh that had safeguarded Daniel from the corrupting influences of Babylonian culture."222
"It is a common observation that those who have no regular habits of prayer very seldom do much praying. It is well for God's people purposefully and deliberately to set aside and faithfully adhere to a definite prayer schedule. Prayer is thus recognized as a [sic] important part of the Christian life and given the place which it deserves."223
"In times of testing believers need to remain faithful to God. Sometimes this will require:
• Wisdomto seek a creative compromise that enables the believer to meet society's expectations without violating his or her beliefs (1:8-14).
• Courageto be willing to stand up for one's beliefs when no compromise is possible (3:15-18).
• Personal disciplineto develop a lifestyle of faithfulness so the right response to a test will come naturally' (6:10)."224
6:11 Daniel's colleagues knew about his prayer habits (cf. Phil. 4:6). They contrived to observe him praying in his own house somehow to make sure they could give eyewitness testimony that they had seen him violate the king's order. Did they suppose that Daniel would deny that he had been praying? They expected that the edict would not deter him from his regular devotional habit even though it might cost him his life. What a testimony Daniel had among his fellow workers!
6:12-13 After reminding Darius of his decree, the hostile officials informed the king that his prime minister elect had violated it and was therefore worthy of death. Notice that they described Daniel as "one of the exiles from Judah"(cf. 2:25; 5:13) rather than as a royal cabinet minister. They were evidently hoping that Daniel's Jewish nationality and religion would contribute to Darius' distaste for him. This was not the result, however. They also used almost the same words that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego's accusers had used when they charged Daniel with disregarding the king (cf. 3:12). To them prayer to Yahweh constituted disrespect for the king rather than respect for the Most High God.
6:14-15 Daniel had so won the king's favor that Darius immediately and energetically began trying to rescue his friend. Nebuchadnezzar had become angry with Daniel's three friends when they refused to idolize him (3:19), but Darius became angry with himself for signing the decree (cf. 2:1; 3:13; 5:6, 9). This shows how much he respected and valued Daniel.
