Daniel and the Lions’ Den
Introduction:
Daniel serves as a great example of the faithful servant of God. He
came to Babylon when he was quite young. (Daniel
1)
(Daniel
1:6)
Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah.”
NKJV
By the time of his encounter with the lions, he may have been as old
as eighty-five or ninety. At this time, the ruler of the land was
Darius, King of the Medo-Persian Empire. Daniel rose to a position
of great power and influence because he possessed “an excellent
spirit.” Text:
Daniel 6
Body:
I.
The World in which He Lived
Daniel 6:4-9
“So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or
fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault
found in him.
5
Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this
Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his
God.’
6
So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said
this to him: ‘King Darius, live forever!
7
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.
8
Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it
cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which does not alter.’
9
Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.”
NKJV
·
Daniel lived in a barbaric, cruel world where life was not highly
valued. The excesses of sin were no doubt all around: idolatry,
immorality, and ungodliness. Yet, despite his surroundings, Daniel
displayed a stellar character. His motivation came from the
inside. We should never say, “If conditions were better, I could be
a better Christian.”
·
Daniel lived under the rule of an irreligious king who loved to have
his subjects worship him. (Verses
6-9)
Darius allowed evil men to use him in their plot against Daniel.
“Men are responsible for the evil they can prevent, as well as the
good they can accomplish.”
Unknown
·
Daniel’s world included a number of enemies. You can tell a lot
about a person by his enemies. (Verses
4-5)
They hated a good man simply because he was good. (Proverbs
27:4)
“Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, But who is able to stand before
jealousy?”
NKJV
Just because a person is righteous, doesn’t mean he won’t have
enemies. (Isaiah
59:15)
“So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.
Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him”
NKJV
The world hates those who are not like them. (John
15:18-19)
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated
you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet
because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.”
NKJV
Daniel’s enemies could determine what he would do by his faith.
They knew Daniel was so faithful to his God that he would never
compromise his worship. Would our enemies know what we would do?
Where we would be on Sunday morning? Whether we would take that
drink of alcohol? Whether we would take God’s name in vain?
II.
The Choices Daniel Faced
Daniel 6:10
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home.
And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he
knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave
thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”
NKJV
·
After the king signed the decree, Daniel went ahead and did what he
always did. He knelt and prayed like he had done yesterday and the
day before. He prayed in the same room, same windows, same
direction. (I
Kings 8:48-49)
“and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their
soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and
pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the
city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for
Your name: then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and
their supplication, and maintain their cause.”
NKJV
·
Daniel could have compromised. He could have just prayed silently
or quietly. Or since the decree was for only thirty days, he could
have just not worshipped for that length of time. He could have
reasoned that this would be only a small compromise – no big deal.
But Daniel would not begin to compromise because it would be even
easier to compromise the next time.
·
How many Christians today would just sit out for thirty days and
wait until the decree was over? It is not easy to stand against the
hypocrites in the church and the enemies in the world. But stand we
must!
·
Furthermore, why should God’s people be forced to compromise simply
because the wicked do not like what we do?
III.
Daniel Faces the Lions
Daniel 19:11-23
“Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God.
12
And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s
decree: ‘Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions
any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast
into the den of lions?’ The king
answered and said, ‘The thing is true, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which does not alter.’
13
So they answered and said before the king, ‘That Daniel, who is one
of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O
king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition
three times a day.’
14
And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with
himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him.
15
Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, ‘Know, O
king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or
statute which the king establishes may be changed.’
16
So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him
into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Your
God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.’
17
Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the
king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his
lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
18
Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no
musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.
19
Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to
the den of lions.
20
And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to
Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the
living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to
deliver you from the lions?’
21
Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever!
22
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.’
23
Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they
should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of
the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he
believed in his God.”
NKJV
·
Daniel’s enemies’ tell the king what Daniel had done. The righteous
will always have enemies. (Verses
11-13)
·
The king faces a dilemma. (Verses
14-15)
The king could not go on record as changing his mind. (Verse
8)
·
So Daniel is thrown into the den of lions. (Verses
16-17)
The king had obviously been impressed by Daniel’s character. He was
different.
·
The king was tormented all night. (Verses
18-19)
He could not wait to check on Daniel. His hope was that Daniel’s
God had saved him. (Verse
20)
·
Of course, Daniel is saved and the king was glad. (Verses
21-23)
IV.
Darius Honors God
Daniel 19:24-28
“And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had
accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions – them,
their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and
broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom
of the den.
25
Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that
dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
26
I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must
tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living
God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not
be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. 27
He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders in heaven
and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of
Cyrus the Persian.”
NKJV
·
The enemies are killed by the lions. While it may appear that the
wicked are prospering their prosperity will not last forever. God
is still in control. (Verse
24)
·
Darius makes another decree. This time it is about the living God,
the God Daniel worshipped. (Verses
25-28)
Daniel, because of his steadfast faith, had greatly influenced this
world leader.
Conclusion:
Daniel presents a great example of unwavering trust in Jehovah. His
strong faith in Jehovah kept him from compromising his convictions.
In the days ahead, we too will need this unwavering trust and strong
faith to survive.
Bobby Stafford
September 18, 2016
