John Calvin Commentary Daniel 6:23

"Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God." — Daniel 6:23 (ASV)

Daniel confirms what he had previously narrated concerning the feelings of King Darius. Just as the king had departed in anxiety to his palace, had abstained from food and drink, and had set aside all pleasures and delights, so also he rejoiced in hearing of the wonderful deliverance from death of God’s holy servant.

He later adds, And by the king’s command Daniel was drawn out of the cave, and no corruption was found in him. This cannot be ascribed to good fortune. Therefore, God made His power conspicuous in providing for Daniel’s safety from the grasp of the lions. He would have been torn to pieces if God had not closed their mouths; and this contributes significantly to magnify the miracle, since no scratch or mark was found upon his body.

That the lions then spared him arose from God’s secret counsel; and the narrator highlighted this more clearly when Daniel’s accusers were thrown into the cave and were immediately torn apart by the lions, as he will soon add. But we must notice the reason given: He was preserved, since he trusted in his God! It will often happen that a person may have a good cause and yet fare poorly and unhappily, because he adds to what is otherwise worthy of praise an excessive confidence in his own plans, prudence, and efforts.

Therefore, it is not surprising if those who undertake good causes often fail, as we frequently see among the worldly. For the history of all ages testifies to the downfall of those who cherish a just cause; but this happens because of their perverse confidence, since they never focused on serving God but rather sought their own praise and the world's applause.

Therefore, when ambition seized them, they became pleased with their own plans. Thus arose that saying of Brutus, “Virtue is a frivolous thing!” because he thought himself unfairly treated while fighting for Roman liberty, when the gods were hostile instead of favorable. It was as if God should have given him aid that he had never hoped for and never sought. For we know the pride of that hero’s character. I offer only one example; but if we carefully consider the motives that drive the worldly when they fight strenuously for good causes, we will find ambition to be the prevailing motive. It is no wonder then if God deserted them in this regard, since they were unworthy of receiving His help. For this reason, Daniel states that he was safely preserved, because he trusted in his God.

The Apostle refers to this in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 11:33), where he says some were snatched away or preserved from the mouths of lions through faith. Therefore, the Apostle assigns faith as the cause of Daniel’s safe escape and directs us back to faith. But we must here consider the meaning and power of the word “believing.” For the Prophet (Daniel) does not speak of his deliverance as springing merely from believing that the God of Israel is the true and only God, the Maker of heaven and earth, but from his committing his life to Him, from his resting in His grace, and from his firm conviction that his end would be blessed if he worshipped Him.

Therefore, since Daniel was certainly persuaded that his life was in God’s hand and that his hope in Him was not in vain, he boldly faced danger and courageously suffered for the sincere worship of God. Therefore, it is said, he believed in God. We see then that the word “belief” is not to be understood superficially, as the Papists imagine, since their notion implies an undeveloped, dead, and formless faith; for they think faith is nothing more than a vague awareness of God.

Whenever people have any conception of God at all, the Papists consider this to be faith; but the Holy Spirit teaches us very differently. For we must consider the language of the Apostle: We do not properly believe in God, unless we determine Him to be a rewarder of all who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

God is not sought through foolish arrogance, as if by our merits we could place Him under an obligation; but He is sought through faith, humility, and prayer. But when we are persuaded that God is the rewarder of all who seek Him, and we know how He ought to be sought, this is true faith.

So Daniel did not doubt that God would deliver him, because he trusted the teaching of piety he had learned since boyhood, and relying on this teaching, he had always called upon God. This, therefore, was the cause of his deliverance. Meanwhile, it is clear that Daniel’s trust in God did not spring from any prior knowledge about the outcome, for he instead committed his life to God, since he was prepared for death.

Therefore, Daniel could not have known this outcome before he was cast into the cave and exposed to the lions, being ignorant of whether God would deliver him. This is as we previously saw in the case of his companions, who said, “God, if He pleases, will deliver us; but if not, we are prepared to worship Him, and to disobey your edict.”

If Daniel had been informed of the outcome beforehand, his steadfastness would not have deserved much praise. But since he was willing to meet death fearlessly for the worship of God, and could deny himself and renounce the world, this is a true and significant proof of his faith and steadfastness. He believed therefore in God, not because he hoped for such a miracle, but because he knew his own happiness consisted in persisting in the true worship of God.

So Paul says, Christ is gain to me, both in life and in death (Philippians 1:21). Daniel therefore rested in God's help, but he closed his eyes to the outcome and was not unusually anxious about his life. Since his mind was set on the hope of a better life, even if he had to die a hundred times, he still would not have failed in his confidence. This is because our faith extends beyond the boundaries of this frail and perishable life, as all the godly know well enough.