Daniel 10 - Pride on the Prowl - watch out!

Daniel 6
11. Then the men thronged to Daniel's house and found him praying there, asking favors of his God.
12. They rushed back to the king and reminded him about his law. "Haven't you signed a decree," they demanded, "that permits no petitions to any God or man - except you - for thirty days? And anyone disobeying will be thrown to the lions?"
"Yes," the king replied, "it is 'a law of the Medes and Persians,'that cannot be altered or revoked."
13. Then they told the king, "That fellow Daniel, one of the Jewish captives, is paying no attention to you or your law. He is asking favors of his God three times a day."
14. Hearing this, the king was very angry with himself for signing the law, and determined to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day trying to think of some way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
15. In the evening the men came again to the king and said, "Your Majesty, there is nothing you can do. You signed the law and it cannot be changed."
16. So at last the king gave the order for Daniel's arrest, and he was taken to the den of lions. The king said to him, "May your God, whom you worship continually, deliver you."
And then they threw him in.
LB

King Darius - the most powerful man on earth in Daniel's time - discovered that he was powerless to help his friend Daniel, at a time when Daniel seemingly needed his help more than at any other time!

This was a hard blow from God to the arrogance of king Darius, who believed that he had the power do anything!

But this circumstance was allowed by God to show king Darius the difference between being the most powerful man on earth, and being the Most High God.
King Darius believed himself to be divine. God showed Darius that he was a mere human being.
If anyone was going to save Daniel, it would be the Most High God.

It is a dangerous thing to harbour arrogance inside yourself, to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Arrogant pride has the following consequences:
18. Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall.
(Proverbs 16 LB)
6. . . As the Scripture says, God gives strength to the humble, but sets himself against the proud and haughty.
(James 4 LB)

Prayer:
Father, if there is any trace of arrogant pride in me, please help me to humble myself before You, so that I can be rid of it.
I have no desire for destruction in my life.
Neither do I want to put myself in the position of having You set yourself against me.
I acknowledge that You alone are the Most High God,
and I need You,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.