What is Your Lion's Den?
Daniel 6:1-28
Message #8
One of the most important things you do when the enemy attacks you is - you do what you’re supposed to do regardless of how you feel. In fact, you do it in spite of how you feel. In opposition to how you feel. In warfare to how you feel. You do what you’re called to do.
What is your lion’s den?
What situation are you facing right now that is causing you to consider taking the easy way out? What circumstance in your life would be more easily “handled” if you would slightly “adjust” your Bible-centered convictions? What situation could you avoid some potentially painful consequences by simply “relaxing” your commitment to God?
Can you hear me very clear on this point, please?
Your lion’s den is NOT your situation
Your lion’s den is NOT your circumstance
Your lion’s den is how you handle that situation. It’s how you handle that circumstance.
Circumstances and situations come and go our entire lives. In this life we will have trials and tribulations. But those trials and tribulations are not the lion’s den.
The lion’s den is:
How we handle
How we approach
How we respond
– to those trials and tribulations. The lion’s den was not Daniel’s trial. The lion’s den was a result of how Daniel handled his trial.
Today we get to re-visit (for most of us) one of the most familiar lessons in the entire Bible. But we’re not watching a flannel graph board and eating goldfish crackers today. We want to re-visit this famous lesson with a direct application to something genuinely happening in our lives right now.
As we come to Daniel Chapter 6, Daniel is 80 years old, and he’s been serving in the government of Babylon for over 60 years. In our last message, we actually saw the Kingdom of Babylon fall. It fell to the Mede’s and the Persians who had joined forces and would ultimately be called the Medo-Persian Empire. This would be the second empire from Daniel’s statue of “world ruling” empires, from Daniel Chapter 2.
(There’s some really cool prophetic stuff about the fall of Babylon to the Mede’s and Persian’s. I couldn’t fit it in the last message, and I can’t fit it in today’s message, either. So, I am going to try to keep the prophesy stuff with the prophecy, which is the remainder of the book, starting next message.)
But, as we open Chapter 6, the Kings of the Medo-Persian Empire are now ruling Babylon, and God has again put Daniel in the highest possible position in the midst of these pagan rulers.
Daniel 6:1–3 (NLT)
1 Darius the Mede (representing the new ruling empire) decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.
2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. (Notice Daniel’s High Position)
3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
Again, God sovereignly raises Daniel up to the highest possible position, which is great… but the other officials didn’t exactly appreciate the King’s plan for elevating Daniel to this position. It’s just like the previous officials didn’t appreciate it back in Chapter 3 when Daniel’s friends ended up in the fiery furnace. So, here we go again.
Daniel 6:4–5 (NLT)
4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
5 So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”
Now right there should be one of the highest goals of every follower of Jesus Christ - they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn in Daniel. That is one of my highest goals as a Pastor and one that I am still far from attaining.
People regularly find things to criticize and condemn me for, and it’s almost always in one area – how I handle conflict situations because I’m terrible at handling conflict (the enemy knows well.) So, I’ve been in this ten-year rehab program with God, with the primary goal of me not giving people good reason to criticize and condemn me over how I handle conflicts. I haven’t graduated from the program yet, but it is one of my highest goals in my relationship with God.
Daniel wouldn’t need that rehab program because these guys couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn him for. And so they say in verse 5, our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion. Man, what if we made that our prayer? What if we made a commitment to live in such a way that the only thing they could accuse us of would be in connection to our “living for God?” That has everything to do with whether you end up in the lion’s den or not. Water your commitment down, back down a notch, and you’ll never have to worry about the lion’s den. In fact, if you’re good enough at it, people won’t even know you’re a Christian.
But Daniel’s right living for God didn’t stop the elected officials. They easily put together a plan to take Daniel out based on his commitment to God.
Daniel 6:6–9 (NLT)
6 So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius!
7 We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.
8 And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
9 So King Darius signed the law.
Now, there was probably a bit more “schmoozing” going on here than what we have recorded. It was normal for the King to see himself as a god, but these guys capitalized in a big way on that ego-mania. And verse 8 may be implying that they already had the law written and schmoozed the King into signing it right there and then. And so their villainous plan was set in motion.
They created the opportunity for the lion’s den, but Daniel would end up there by his own actions. They set Daniel up. But it was Daniel’s response that landed him in the lion’s den. Daniel could have avoided this entire situation. But…
Daniel 6:10–11 (NLT)
10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.
Daniel, Daniel. Just a little adjustment in your commitment, and you could have avoided this entire thing. Could you not have just set aside your daily routine with God for just 30 days? Could you not have a least shut your windows and door and prayed in secret for 30 days. Daniel, you brought this on yourself because you were unwilling to bend even one inch in your daily commitment to God. Exactly!! Exactly!!
Did you know that Daniel is one of the few people in the Bible with no sins recorded in the eternal Scripture? That’s not to say Daniel was sinless, but almost every hero of the Bible has their sins recorded in Scripture, but not Daniel. Why? Because Daniel would not bow! When he was young, he taught his friends not to bow, and now that he is old, he still refuses to bow, although he is obviously a great diplomat and counselor (he couldn’t be in his position otherwise.) Yet even in this high position, when it comes to his commitment to God, he will not bow! He will not bend because of the demand of his culture. He will not bend in order to avoid a potentially painful experience.
Notice again in verse 10 - - Daniel knelt down as usual . . . and He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. That is what you call being in the world, but not of the world.
Can we tell the difference? Can we tell the difference between being “IN” the world and being influenced by the world? Can we face the situation we are in today, and not alter or adjust what is right before God, even if it means having to face a potentially painful experience?
Very simply, Daniel’s commitment to God was not altered by his circumstances… whether good or bad.
And so, what is your lion den, today? What situation are you facing today that would be a little easier to get through if you would just lighten up a little bit on your commitment to God in order to get through this difficulty? That is your lion’s den! Not the situation, but the question… will you adjust your commitment to God in order to get through this difficulty? The answer to that question will determine whether you find yourself in the lion’s den – or not.
Let’s see how it worked for Daniel. Daniel 6:11 (again) – 13.
Daniel 6:11-13 (NLT)
11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.
12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”
Guys, it was Daniel’s unwavering stance for God that was earning him a trip to the lion’s den. But the King was not happy about it.
Daniel 6:14–16 (NLT)
14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
Notice the good relationship Daniel had with the King
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”
16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”
The King figured out immediately he’d been hoodwinked. But there was nothing he could do about it. The law of the King was irrevocable. Daniel’s enemies had set him up, but his unwavering commitment to God is what got him thrown into the lion’s den.
So, let me ask you, is it sounding like a good thing or a bad thing for you to end up in the lion’s den because of your unwavering commitment to God?
We’ll see why in just a minute. But first, into the lion’s den goes Daniel.
Daniel 6:17–20 (NLT)
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.
18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night. (Again notice the relationship between Daniel and the King)
19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.
20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
Okay, I need you to really pay attention right at this point, because verse 22 is the key to this entire lesson.
Daniel 6:21–22 (NLT)
21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king!
22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”
What got Daniel a trip to the lion’s den? His unwavering commitment to God! Why was Daniel unharmed in the lion’s den? Because he was innocent in God’s sight, and he had not wronged the King.
Listen to me, please. I have dealt with so much spiritual pride, both in myself and in others, that I can assure you that a Christian can justify absolutely any action in the name of “commitment to God.” I have literally had death threats in the name of “commitment to God.” I have seen Christians do very ungodly things in the name of “commitment to God.” Don’t be like that. Don’t be that Christian, because the only one that you’re making happy is the devil.
If we are going to prepare ourselves for a trip to the lion’s den, we must have both
1). A completely unwavering commitment to God
2). An innocence in God’s sight, including having not wronged the person who’s throwing us in the lion’s den.
We must not justify our actions by our spiritual pride in the name of “commitment to God.” Instead, we must operate in a genuine Spirit-Filled godly life that allows us to say with Daniel; I have been found innocent in God’s sight. And I have not wronged the people throwing me in this lion’s den.
Write these verses in your margin right next to Daniel 6:22. Write 1 Peter 2:19-20.
1 Peter 2:19–20 (NLT)
19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.
20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
That is what the lion’s den is about. It’s about us doing what is right and being treated unfairly because of it.
What happens when we do this? What happened to Daniel when he did this? Daniel met God in a way that he could not otherwise meet him. Just like his friends met Jesus in the fire, so Daniel met him in the lion’s den. In fact, there are some who believe the angel mention in Daniel 6:22 is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. If you find yourself in the lion’s den for doing what is right and being innocent in God’s sight, you will meet God there like you cannot otherwise meet him. And you will have a testimony there like you cannot otherwise have.
Don’t be afraid of the lion’s den.
Just be sure if you end up there
1). It’s because of your unwavering commitment to God
2). You are innocent in God’s sight
3). You haven’t wronged anyone to get there
Then you will meet God there like you cannot otherwise meet him, and you will have a testimony there like you cannot otherwise have. You’ll have a testimony similar to Daniel’s.
Daniel 6:23–24 (NLT)
23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. (There’s that testimony that can only come in the Lion’s Den)
24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
(Well that didn’t work out so well, did it?)
Then in verse 25 is a decree that is so right-on; it is prophetic in the sense that it is straight from God.
Daniel 6:25–28 (NLT)
25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!
26 “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.
27 He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
That is the one of a kind testimony that you and I can have if we will face our lion’s dens the same way Daniel faced his.
So what is your lion’s den? We all have them. Job problems. People problems. Home problems. Church problems… we all have them. Somewhere in our lives is the opportunity for us to face our lion’s den. And can I tell you what the ultimate reason is? The ultimate reason, the ultimate answer to the question “why” is for the glory of God to show in our lives. Daniel isn’t the hero of this story, God is!
The King didn’t issue a decree proclaiming the glory of Daniel. He issued a decree proclaiming the glory of God! The reason for your lion’s den testimony is for the glory of God to show in your life. We don’t know how, but if God asks us to go into the lion’s den, his purpose is to display his glory through our lives.
Let’s be willing to meet God there and to have that testimony. Let’s commit to live in a way that will bring God glory when we face our own lion’s den. Watch, your lion’s den is a decision to stand for Christ, at the risk of possible pain, or ratchet down your commitment to avoid difficulty.
What is your lion’s den?
What situation are you facing right now that is causing you to consider taking the easy way out? What circumstance in your life would be more easily “handled” if you would slightly “adjust” your Bible-centered convictions? What situation could you avoid some potentially painful consequences by simply “relaxing” your commitment to God?
Can you hear me very clear on this point, please?
Your lion’s den is NOT your situation
Your lion’s den is NOT your circumstance
Your lion’s den is how you handle that situation. It’s how you handle that circumstance.
Circumstances and situations come and go our entire lives. In this life we will have trials and tribulations. But those trials and tribulations are not the lion’s den.
The lion’s den is:
How we handle
How we approach
How we respond
– to those trials and tribulations. The lion’s den was not Daniel’s trial. The lion’s den was a result of how Daniel handled his trial.
Today we get to re-visit (for most of us) one of the most familiar lessons in the entire Bible. But we’re not watching a flannel graph board and eating goldfish crackers today. We want to re-visit this famous lesson with a direct application to something genuinely happening in our lives right now.
As we come to Daniel Chapter 6, Daniel is 80 years old, and he’s been serving in the government of Babylon for over 60 years. In our last message, we actually saw the Kingdom of Babylon fall. It fell to the Mede’s and the Persians who had joined forces and would ultimately be called the Medo-Persian Empire. This would be the second empire from Daniel’s statue of “world ruling” empires, from Daniel Chapter 2.
(There’s some really cool prophetic stuff about the fall of Babylon to the Mede’s and Persian’s. I couldn’t fit it in the last message, and I can’t fit it in today’s message, either. So, I am going to try to keep the prophesy stuff with the prophecy, which is the remainder of the book, starting next message.)
But, as we open Chapter 6, the Kings of the Medo-Persian Empire are now ruling Babylon, and God has again put Daniel in the highest possible position in the midst of these pagan rulers.
Daniel 6:1–3 (NLT)
1 Darius the Mede (representing the new ruling empire) decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.
2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. (Notice Daniel’s High Position)
3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
Again, God sovereignly raises Daniel up to the highest possible position, which is great… but the other officials didn’t exactly appreciate the King’s plan for elevating Daniel to this position. It’s just like the previous officials didn’t appreciate it back in Chapter 3 when Daniel’s friends ended up in the fiery furnace. So, here we go again.
Daniel 6:4–5 (NLT)
4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
5 So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”
Now right there should be one of the highest goals of every follower of Jesus Christ - they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn in Daniel. That is one of my highest goals as a Pastor and one that I am still far from attaining.
People regularly find things to criticize and condemn me for, and it’s almost always in one area – how I handle conflict situations because I’m terrible at handling conflict (the enemy knows well.) So, I’ve been in this ten-year rehab program with God, with the primary goal of me not giving people good reason to criticize and condemn me over how I handle conflicts. I haven’t graduated from the program yet, but it is one of my highest goals in my relationship with God.
Daniel wouldn’t need that rehab program because these guys couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn him for. And so they say in verse 5, our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion. Man, what if we made that our prayer? What if we made a commitment to live in such a way that the only thing they could accuse us of would be in connection to our “living for God?” That has everything to do with whether you end up in the lion’s den or not. Water your commitment down, back down a notch, and you’ll never have to worry about the lion’s den. In fact, if you’re good enough at it, people won’t even know you’re a Christian.
But Daniel’s right living for God didn’t stop the elected officials. They easily put together a plan to take Daniel out based on his commitment to God.
Daniel 6:6–9 (NLT)
6 So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius!
7 We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.
8 And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
9 So King Darius signed the law.
Now, there was probably a bit more “schmoozing” going on here than what we have recorded. It was normal for the King to see himself as a god, but these guys capitalized in a big way on that ego-mania. And verse 8 may be implying that they already had the law written and schmoozed the King into signing it right there and then. And so their villainous plan was set in motion.
They created the opportunity for the lion’s den, but Daniel would end up there by his own actions. They set Daniel up. But it was Daniel’s response that landed him in the lion’s den. Daniel could have avoided this entire situation. But…
Daniel 6:10–11 (NLT)
10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.
Daniel, Daniel. Just a little adjustment in your commitment, and you could have avoided this entire thing. Could you not have just set aside your daily routine with God for just 30 days? Could you not have a least shut your windows and door and prayed in secret for 30 days. Daniel, you brought this on yourself because you were unwilling to bend even one inch in your daily commitment to God. Exactly!! Exactly!!
Did you know that Daniel is one of the few people in the Bible with no sins recorded in the eternal Scripture? That’s not to say Daniel was sinless, but almost every hero of the Bible has their sins recorded in Scripture, but not Daniel. Why? Because Daniel would not bow! When he was young, he taught his friends not to bow, and now that he is old, he still refuses to bow, although he is obviously a great diplomat and counselor (he couldn’t be in his position otherwise.) Yet even in this high position, when it comes to his commitment to God, he will not bow! He will not bend because of the demand of his culture. He will not bend in order to avoid a potentially painful experience.
Notice again in verse 10 - - Daniel knelt down as usual . . . and He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. That is what you call being in the world, but not of the world.
Can we tell the difference? Can we tell the difference between being “IN” the world and being influenced by the world? Can we face the situation we are in today, and not alter or adjust what is right before God, even if it means having to face a potentially painful experience?
Very simply, Daniel’s commitment to God was not altered by his circumstances… whether good or bad.
And so, what is your lion den, today? What situation are you facing today that would be a little easier to get through if you would just lighten up a little bit on your commitment to God in order to get through this difficulty? That is your lion’s den! Not the situation, but the question… will you adjust your commitment to God in order to get through this difficulty? The answer to that question will determine whether you find yourself in the lion’s den – or not.
Let’s see how it worked for Daniel. Daniel 6:11 (again) – 13.
Daniel 6:11-13 (NLT)
11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.
12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”
Guys, it was Daniel’s unwavering stance for God that was earning him a trip to the lion’s den. But the King was not happy about it.
Daniel 6:14–16 (NLT)
14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
Notice the good relationship Daniel had with the King
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”
16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”
The King figured out immediately he’d been hoodwinked. But there was nothing he could do about it. The law of the King was irrevocable. Daniel’s enemies had set him up, but his unwavering commitment to God is what got him thrown into the lion’s den.
So, let me ask you, is it sounding like a good thing or a bad thing for you to end up in the lion’s den because of your unwavering commitment to God?
We’ll see why in just a minute. But first, into the lion’s den goes Daniel.
Daniel 6:17–20 (NLT)
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.
18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night. (Again notice the relationship between Daniel and the King)
19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.
20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
Okay, I need you to really pay attention right at this point, because verse 22 is the key to this entire lesson.
Daniel 6:21–22 (NLT)
21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king!
22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”
What got Daniel a trip to the lion’s den? His unwavering commitment to God! Why was Daniel unharmed in the lion’s den? Because he was innocent in God’s sight, and he had not wronged the King.
Listen to me, please. I have dealt with so much spiritual pride, both in myself and in others, that I can assure you that a Christian can justify absolutely any action in the name of “commitment to God.” I have literally had death threats in the name of “commitment to God.” I have seen Christians do very ungodly things in the name of “commitment to God.” Don’t be like that. Don’t be that Christian, because the only one that you’re making happy is the devil.
If we are going to prepare ourselves for a trip to the lion’s den, we must have both
1). A completely unwavering commitment to God
2). An innocence in God’s sight, including having not wronged the person who’s throwing us in the lion’s den.
We must not justify our actions by our spiritual pride in the name of “commitment to God.” Instead, we must operate in a genuine Spirit-Filled godly life that allows us to say with Daniel; I have been found innocent in God’s sight. And I have not wronged the people throwing me in this lion’s den.
Write these verses in your margin right next to Daniel 6:22. Write 1 Peter 2:19-20.
1 Peter 2:19–20 (NLT)
19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.
20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
That is what the lion’s den is about. It’s about us doing what is right and being treated unfairly because of it.
What happens when we do this? What happened to Daniel when he did this? Daniel met God in a way that he could not otherwise meet him. Just like his friends met Jesus in the fire, so Daniel met him in the lion’s den. In fact, there are some who believe the angel mention in Daniel 6:22 is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. If you find yourself in the lion’s den for doing what is right and being innocent in God’s sight, you will meet God there like you cannot otherwise meet him. And you will have a testimony there like you cannot otherwise have.
Don’t be afraid of the lion’s den.
Just be sure if you end up there
1). It’s because of your unwavering commitment to God
2). You are innocent in God’s sight
3). You haven’t wronged anyone to get there
Then you will meet God there like you cannot otherwise meet him, and you will have a testimony there like you cannot otherwise have. You’ll have a testimony similar to Daniel’s.
Daniel 6:23–24 (NLT)
23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. (There’s that testimony that can only come in the Lion’s Den)
24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
(Well that didn’t work out so well, did it?)
Then in verse 25 is a decree that is so right-on; it is prophetic in the sense that it is straight from God.
Daniel 6:25–28 (NLT)
25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!
26 “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.
27 He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
That is the one of a kind testimony that you and I can have if we will face our lion’s dens the same way Daniel faced his.
So what is your lion’s den? We all have them. Job problems. People problems. Home problems. Church problems… we all have them. Somewhere in our lives is the opportunity for us to face our lion’s den. And can I tell you what the ultimate reason is? The ultimate reason, the ultimate answer to the question “why” is for the glory of God to show in our lives. Daniel isn’t the hero of this story, God is!
The King didn’t issue a decree proclaiming the glory of Daniel. He issued a decree proclaiming the glory of God! The reason for your lion’s den testimony is for the glory of God to show in your life. We don’t know how, but if God asks us to go into the lion’s den, his purpose is to display his glory through our lives.
Let’s be willing to meet God there and to have that testimony. Let’s commit to live in a way that will bring God glory when we face our own lion’s den. Watch, your lion’s den is a decision to stand for Christ, at the risk of possible pain, or ratchet down your commitment to avoid difficulty.