Manipulating The King

Manipulating The King by Kirk Hunt

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, shall be cast into the den of lions.

Daniel 6:7 NKJV

King Darius’ advisors manipulated him.  Their flattery and appeal to his ego got him to sign a law designed to kill a single man, Daniel.  Were it not for God’s divine intervention, Daniel would have become lion chow.

What was Daniel’s crime that the highest advisors of the Kingdom sought his life?  Daniel, a foreign-born man had achieved high rank.  He also prayed his prayers daily and openly to a foreign God (Jehovah-Jireh).  Daniel’s righteous living matched his prayer life.  The only way to get at Daniel was to manipulate the king into executing him without good cause..

Men and women must seek and labor to do the right thing.  Righteousness does not come naturally or easily.  And there are others who will encourage, or trick you into going down a wicked, evil path.

Your advisors may, or may not, be working in your best interests.  Had King Darius stopped listening to his own ego and self-image long enough, he might have asked why this new but temporary law needed to be signed.  Seek God’s wisdom and insight at all times, no matter how you trust those around you.

Think:      Am I doing what I am doing for my ego or for God’s righteousness?

Pray:         “Lord, help me not to be manipulated by false and wicked advisors.”

 

Copyright © November 2019, Kirk Hunt

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