In this video, we will be looking at Daniel chapter six about Daniel in the lion’s den.
Babylon as the Head of Gold fell under the reign of King Belshazzar and Darius the Mede
received the kingdom. Daniel chapter 6 begins with Daniel’s promotion as one of the three
governors over the 120 satraps. The king must have heard of his life and influence over
the realm of Babylon. We are told in verse three that Daniel distinguished himself above
the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought
to setting him over the whole kingdom. Motivated by intense jealousy, the governors and satraps
sought to find some charges 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. These men said, “We shall not find any charge
against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Satan’s
strategy is to always try and use God’s very words by undermining or twisting what
He says. This can be seen clearly when the serpent tempted Eve by putting a question
mark on God’s Word, “Did God really say…?“ We read further from verse 7, that all the
governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counsellors and advisors,
consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions
any god or man for thirty days, except the king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
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.” Therefore, King Darius
signed the written decree. These men appealed to Darius’ pride and ego which led him to
be deceived. 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. Daniel didn’t compromise when he heard that new
laws had been decreed, nor did he try to water down his discipline before the LORD. He didn’t
say, from now on I will pray less, or I’ll close the windows, hide and pray secretly
so I don’t get caught. In fact, He did exactly the opposite. He was a man of integrity. Daniel
remained unchangeable in changeable times. What does that mean? It is not to say that
we do not turn away from our own ways and change from glory to glory in the LORD but
rather, in a world that’s constantly trying to change the times and laws as we clearly
see today in the political world, where all kinds of ideologies such as gender, marriage
and the sanctity of life are being pushed, we are to be immovable. 1 Corinthians 15:58
tells us, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Daniel
would not let the world dictate his identity and actions but was a man of the Word. It
says in Psalm 55:17, Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and
he shall hear my voice. Daniel thus prayed three times that day. He did not change his
lifestyle of prayer. Yes, he disobeyed man’s law and was ready to suffer the consequences.
He obeyed God’s law, which was the high law. When man’s law violates God’s higher
and holy law, then it is better “to obey God rather than man.”
Let’s look at what made Daniel so distinguished above the governors and satraps.
Number 1, Daniel had an Excellent Spirit Number 2, He was faultless
Number 3, He was faithful Number 4, He was steadfast
Number 5, He was courageous We read in verse 11, Then these men assembled,
and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God and brought accusation before
the king. Their dislike for Daniel was quite obvious. They said to the King, “That Daniel,
which is one of the children of the captivity of Judah does not show due regard for you,
O king.” When the king saw what had happened, he became displeased with himself that he
set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. He laboured till the going down of the sun to
deliver him. Then, Daniel’s accusers approached the king, and said to him, “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.” So, it came to pass that the king gave the
command and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. 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. It
is quite surprising that Darius said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He
will deliver you.” It is indeed astonishing that a Gentile King would have so much faith
in the God of Daniel. Moreover, Darius went to his palace and spent the night fasting,
and no musicians were brought before him. His sleep also went from him. Then the king
arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came
to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel saying, “Daniel, servant
of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you
from the lions?” Naturally speaking, Daniel would be dead and ripped apart by the lions,
yet the King called out it seems in faith that Daniel was still alive. Truly, Daniel
was a significant influence, testimony, and witness of God, that even a Gentile King would
respond as such. Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live
forever! 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.” This Angel, as previous chapters is seen as Jesus Himself, known as a Christophany.
It is a pre-cross manifestation of Jesus in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord.
Note how Daniel was preserved through and not from the lion’s den just as his friends
in chapter three were preserved through the fire and not from it. This principal becomes
especially important in understanding the preservation of the church during the 3½
years of great tribulation. The church will not be preserved from but through the Great
Tribulation. Daniel is a wonderful type of Jesus. Just
as Daniel was cast into the lion’s den which was sealed by the King’s seal and experienced
miraculous protection and preservation, Jesus , who was laid in Joseph’s tomb, sealed
with the seal of Rome saw no corruption as His body was preserved.
Just as King Nebuchadnezzar wrote a decree, so here King Darius made a decree to all peoples,
nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth saying:
Number 1, Peace be multiplied to you. Number 2, Tremble, and fear before the God
of Daniel. Number 3, He is the Living God.
Number 4, He is the steadfast God. Number 5, His kingdom shall never be destroyed.
Number 6, His dominion is forever. Number 7, He delivers and rescues.
Number 8, He works signs and wonders in heaven and earth.
Number 9, He delivered Daniel from the hand of the power of the lions.
In the end, God is always glorified and praised, even by Gentile kings. Daniel began at a very
young age under Nebuchadnezzar, and continued to prosper even in his old age under Belshazzar,
to Darius right through to the reign of Cyrus the Persian who would issue the decree to
restore and build Jerusalem and the temple, allowing the captives to go back to their
land. If we keep an eye on what is happening around
the world, we can see how it intends to change times and laws. You may have allowed these
ideologies to shape your thinking rather than renewing the mind by the word of God or perhaps
you have been unstable in your walk with Jesus. Today, you can choose to be like Daniel, to
be full of faith and steadfast. We were created in the image and likeness of God and we were
designed to worship God alone. Creation declares the wonders of the Creator God. If you do
not know the LORD Jesus Christ, you can make a choice to turn away from sin and receive
Him as your personal Lord and Saviour and you shall receive the gift of eternal life.
God is with and for us. He will never leave us nor forsake us, even in the lion’s den
if we will choose to walk with Him.