Which Way to The Lion's Den?
Daniel 6:1-28
What situation are you facing right now that is causing you to consider adjusting or even ignoring what you know is right before God? What circumstance could you fix by minimizing or even setting aside how God has called you to live?
Your opportunity to meet God in the Lion’s Den is a direct result of you handling that situation or circumstance correctly! What I am saying is, if you get to meet God in the Lion’s Den – in the right way – it’s a good thing, not a bad thing.
If you get to meet God in the Lion’s Den in the right way, then two things will happen.
1). You will meet God in a way that you cannot meet him in any other place
2). You will have the opportunity to bring God glory in a way that you only can from inside the Lion’s Den
As we come to Daniel Chapter 6, Daniel is at least seventy-five years old, and he’s been serving the government of Babylon for over sixty years. In Daniel Chapter 5, the Kingdom of Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians, who had joined forces. And so, as we open Chapter 6, the kings of the Medo-Persian Empire are now ruling Babylon.
Back in Daniel Chapter 2, Daniel had been put in a very high position under the previous King – Nebuchadnezzar (whom God used to take the Israelites into the Babylonian Captivity sixty years earlier). And now, God is about to – again – put Daniel in the highest possible position in Babylon, which is the event that leads Daniel into the Lion’s Den.
Daniel 6:1–3 (NLT)
1 Darius the Mede (Current King of Babylon) 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.
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.
So, God sovereignly raises Daniel up to the highest possible position, which is great. Except the other officials didn’t appreciate the king’s plan of elevating Daniel over them. And so, these officials are going to set up Daniel, and it’s not the first time. These same officials (or maybe their fathers) set up Daniel and his three friends back in Daniel Chapter 3, which is what landed Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, which was their opportunity to meet the Lord in a way that they could not meet him in any other circumstance. So, this time, it’s Daniel’s turn.
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.”
There, in verse 4, should be one of the highest goals of every follower of Jesus Christ.
Daniel 6:4 (NLT)
4 . . . they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. [Daniel] was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
And so, the “bad guys” say this in verse 5. Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.
Again, that’s an awesome way to get “accused.” What if the only thing we could be accused of would be in connection with us “living rightly for God”?
But, here’s the deal. You don’t “earn” anything except God’s favor. His rewards are relational. They’re spiritual, and they’re eternal.
But “living rightly for God” doesn’t stop people from setting you up. It may even increase your experience, which increases your opportunity to meet God in the Lion’s Den. So, it all works together for good.
So, these guys (the “bad guys”) 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.
Kings saw themselves as gods – they still do. Darius thought this was a good idea, “Let’s have everyone pray to me for thirty days.” And so, he signed the law.
Verse 8 seems to imply they already had the law written, and they schmoozed the king into signing it right then, knowing that an official law – signed by the king – could not be revoked, even by the king himself. And so, the setup was “in motion.”
Here’s what Daniel’s enemies did. They set up a “test” for Daniel. That’s all they did. But Daniel responding rightly to the test is what earns him the opportunity to meet God in the Lion’s Den. It gave him the opportunity to meet God in a very special place. Daniel could have easily avoided this entire situation. Just set aside your commitment to God for thirty days. What can it hurt? Just this one situation, right? Like, God wouldn’t have you go through something painful, would he? Right? So, just adjust. OR humbly keep your commitment to God; that’s the other option.
But Daniel 6, verses 10-11 say,
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 (as usual). 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.
And so, we might say (before we understand the “good” part of this), Daniel, why did you do that? Daniel wasn’t operating in their face. He wasn’t being aggressive or puffed up and prideful. Daniel was just doing what he did every day. He decided he was going to live for God the way he was called to live for God. I’m going to do what God has called me to do, but I’m going to do it humbly the way I always do it, in my room, by myself, but I open the windows to the east. But he could have just set it aside or shut the windows or even prayed quietly.
Daniel, Daniel – if you would have just “set aside” your commitment to God for this one time, you could have avoided this entire thing. Just “set aside” how God has called you to live for a minute, and you could make this situation – go away.
Daniel humbly, not aggressively, not offensively, he diplomatically – he humbly kept his commitment to God to live the way God called him to live. He could have made it go away, but instead, he held on with everything he had to his relationship with the Lord. He held on to what God had called him to. He held on to what we would call (in the New Testament) “walking in the Spirit.”
How about us? If we knew that someone was setting us up to take us down, if we knew there was a conspiracy that was focused on us, would we remain true to what God is calling us to, or without thinking, would we set that aside and take this matter into our own hands and respond in the flesh?
It’s really easy to be godly when everything around you is godly and when you’re not the focus of any kind of “anything.” But, if we know this could go really bad for me, how am I going to respond? Am I going to figure it out myself? Take action myself? Or am I just going to do what I do? Just get up every morning and pray, and meet God, and be led by the Holy Spirit, and see what happens. And if I do that, maybe I’ll get to meet God in a way that I could not meet him in any other way.
The important part is a gentle and humble spirit. We know, just by knowing Daniel’s life (even from Chapter 1), Daniel always is a gentle and humble person. He always conveyed a gentle and humble spirit. He was never arrogant, aggressive, or prideful. He was always humble – he was always gentle. That’s why two kings had raised him to the highest position in the empire because he was gentle and humble.
That’s why I say our true test, our true trial, isn’t being found in the Lion’s Den with God. That’s the reward. Our true test is correctly handling the situation upfront. It’s how we get to the Lion’s Den. Which way to the Lion’s Den? It’s through a humble, unwavering, gentle to the people, commitment to God and to what he’s called us to do. If God sees fit, he’ll meet us in the Lion’s Den.
Listen, God may or may not take you to the Lion’s Den. And quite frankly, he may or may not save you there. You win either way. Just like the “boys in the fire.” They said, listen, our God is able to save us, and he might even save us. But whether he saves us or not, we will never bow! (Chapter 3.)
This is the same thing. Daniel is just being gentler than “the boys.” Daniel would not fear the Lion’s Den over his commitment to humbly live right before God. It’s releasing the situation to God and saying, “Lord, I’m just going to do what I do. I’m going to continue to be transformed by you. And if there’s a Lion’s Den in the future, then I’ll see you there, just like I see you here.”
Can we do that? Can we face the situation we are in today and not alter or adjust our right relationship (what we know is right before God), even if it means going to the Lion’s Den?
Let me tell you, personally, what gets in the way – is you. What gets in the way is your flesh. What gets in the way is you and your own big ideas. “I’m going to do this. I’m going to do that.” And God says, “How about trusting me? How about just continuing to live the way I called you to live, and wherever that leads you, I’ll be there with you?”
It’s not about God fixing our circumstances. It’s about God being WITH US in our circumstances.
Whether we end up meeting God in the Lion’s Den or not depends on the level of our commitment to humbly live right before God.
Let’s see how it worked for Daniel.
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.”
Daniel’s gentle, humble, unwavering commitment to God was earning him a trip to the Lion’s Den. That was his way to the Lion’s Den, by gently, humbly, and unwaveringly maintaining his commitment to God and living right.
But the king was not happy about it. Look here at this incredible relationship Daniel had with the newest king. And this is about four or five kings after Nebuchadnezzar. This has been a long time that Daniel has been in Babylon.
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.”
(These are the kinds of things you want people to say to you. “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 it was Daniel humbly maintaining his commitment to God and the way God had called him to live, and THAT is what got him thrown into the Lion’s Den.
For us, as New Testament Christians, it’s about crucifying the flesh and walking in the Spirit. In the Old Testament, it was about maintaining the Laws of God as a method of worship of God.
So that’s how Daniel ended up in the Lion’s Den. That was his way to the Lion’s Den. Is it a good thing or a bad thing for you to end up in the Lion’s Den by gently and humbly maintaining your commitment to God and living for him? It’s a good thing, right? “See you there, Lord.”
In verse 17, Daniel goes into the Lion’s Den.
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?”
And then, the real power lesson for today is in verses 21-22.
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, humble commitment to LIVE for God!!
And 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.
If we are going to prepare ourselves for a trip to the Lion’s Den, we must…
1). Have an unwavering HUMBLE commitment to God (humble means “void of self”)
2). Be INNOCENT in God’s sight (your heart and actions have to be pure in God’s sight)
3). Have NOT WRONGED the person who is throwing us into the Lion’s Den
Let’s read verse 22 again.
Daniel 6:22 (NLT)
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.”
Do you want to meet God in a way that you cannot meet him ANY other way?
1). Have an unwavering humble commitment to God (lifestyle and choices)
2). Be innocent in God’s sight (not your own)
3). Have not wronged the person who’s throwing you into the Lion’s Den
In your margin next to Daniel 6, verse 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 humbly doing what is right before God and facing unfair treatment because of it.
What happened to Daniel when he did this? Daniel met God in a way that he could not otherwise meet him.
You meet God there, in the fire, in the Lion’s Den, in a way that changes you forever. And so, God has to put you there sometimes so he can meet you there in order for him to change you forever, right?
In fact, there are some who believe (speculate – there’s no formal basis for this) the Angel mentioned in Daniel 6, verse 22, is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. (I don’t know about that.) I do know about this – if you find yourself in the Lion’s Den for humbly doing what’s right in your life with God and being innocent in God’s sight and for having not wronged the person who threw you there, you will meet God there like you cannot meet him any other way. AND you will have a testimony there like you cannot have anywhere else or build any other way. Isn’t that really what the Christian life is about? Meeting God in a deeper way and glorifying him in a greater way?
Don’t be afraid of the Lion’s Den.
Just make 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 anybody to get there
THEN you will meet God there, AND you will have a powerful testimony right there.
Daniel’s testimony begins in verses 23-24.
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.
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.
This was life-changing for both Daniel and for those who had conspired against him.
Then, in verse 25, is the glory that God brought to himself through Daniel’s humble, unwavering commitment to live for 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 Den the same way Daniel faced his.
Guys, we all have trials and tests in job problems, people problems, home problems, and church problems. Somewhere in our lives is an opportunity for us to face our Lion’s Den.
And if we will make sure that we end up in the Lion’s Den – only because
1). Of a humble and unwavering commitment to God
2). We are truly innocent in God’s sight
3). We haven’t wronged anybody to get there
Then God will meet us there in a unique and powerful way. And he will make a testimony out of our time in the Lion’s Den that will speak powerfully to both the people who put us there and the people around us.
The reason for your Lion’s Den testimony is for the glory of God. If we’ll be willing to meet God there for his glory, then we’ll know him like we couldn’t know him any other way, and he will bring himself glory through our lives like he can no other way.
So, let’s be willing to meet God there for his glory.
Your opportunity to meet God in the Lion’s Den is a direct result of you handling that situation or circumstance correctly! What I am saying is, if you get to meet God in the Lion’s Den – in the right way – it’s a good thing, not a bad thing.
If you get to meet God in the Lion’s Den in the right way, then two things will happen.
1). You will meet God in a way that you cannot meet him in any other place
2). You will have the opportunity to bring God glory in a way that you only can from inside the Lion’s Den
As we come to Daniel Chapter 6, Daniel is at least seventy-five years old, and he’s been serving the government of Babylon for over sixty years. In Daniel Chapter 5, the Kingdom of Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians, who had joined forces. And so, as we open Chapter 6, the kings of the Medo-Persian Empire are now ruling Babylon.
Back in Daniel Chapter 2, Daniel had been put in a very high position under the previous King – Nebuchadnezzar (whom God used to take the Israelites into the Babylonian Captivity sixty years earlier). And now, God is about to – again – put Daniel in the highest possible position in Babylon, which is the event that leads Daniel into the Lion’s Den.
Daniel 6:1–3 (NLT)
1 Darius the Mede (Current King of Babylon) 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.
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.
So, God sovereignly raises Daniel up to the highest possible position, which is great. Except the other officials didn’t appreciate the king’s plan of elevating Daniel over them. And so, these officials are going to set up Daniel, and it’s not the first time. These same officials (or maybe their fathers) set up Daniel and his three friends back in Daniel Chapter 3, which is what landed Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, which was their opportunity to meet the Lord in a way that they could not meet him in any other circumstance. So, this time, it’s Daniel’s turn.
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.”
There, in verse 4, should be one of the highest goals of every follower of Jesus Christ.
Daniel 6:4 (NLT)
4 . . . they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. [Daniel] was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
And so, the “bad guys” say this in verse 5. Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.
Again, that’s an awesome way to get “accused.” What if the only thing we could be accused of would be in connection with us “living rightly for God”?
But, here’s the deal. You don’t “earn” anything except God’s favor. His rewards are relational. They’re spiritual, and they’re eternal.
But “living rightly for God” doesn’t stop people from setting you up. It may even increase your experience, which increases your opportunity to meet God in the Lion’s Den. So, it all works together for good.
So, these guys (the “bad guys”) 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.
Kings saw themselves as gods – they still do. Darius thought this was a good idea, “Let’s have everyone pray to me for thirty days.” And so, he signed the law.
Verse 8 seems to imply they already had the law written, and they schmoozed the king into signing it right then, knowing that an official law – signed by the king – could not be revoked, even by the king himself. And so, the setup was “in motion.”
Here’s what Daniel’s enemies did. They set up a “test” for Daniel. That’s all they did. But Daniel responding rightly to the test is what earns him the opportunity to meet God in the Lion’s Den. It gave him the opportunity to meet God in a very special place. Daniel could have easily avoided this entire situation. Just set aside your commitment to God for thirty days. What can it hurt? Just this one situation, right? Like, God wouldn’t have you go through something painful, would he? Right? So, just adjust. OR humbly keep your commitment to God; that’s the other option.
But Daniel 6, verses 10-11 say,
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 (as usual). 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.
And so, we might say (before we understand the “good” part of this), Daniel, why did you do that? Daniel wasn’t operating in their face. He wasn’t being aggressive or puffed up and prideful. Daniel was just doing what he did every day. He decided he was going to live for God the way he was called to live for God. I’m going to do what God has called me to do, but I’m going to do it humbly the way I always do it, in my room, by myself, but I open the windows to the east. But he could have just set it aside or shut the windows or even prayed quietly.
Daniel, Daniel – if you would have just “set aside” your commitment to God for this one time, you could have avoided this entire thing. Just “set aside” how God has called you to live for a minute, and you could make this situation – go away.
Daniel humbly, not aggressively, not offensively, he diplomatically – he humbly kept his commitment to God to live the way God called him to live. He could have made it go away, but instead, he held on with everything he had to his relationship with the Lord. He held on to what God had called him to. He held on to what we would call (in the New Testament) “walking in the Spirit.”
How about us? If we knew that someone was setting us up to take us down, if we knew there was a conspiracy that was focused on us, would we remain true to what God is calling us to, or without thinking, would we set that aside and take this matter into our own hands and respond in the flesh?
It’s really easy to be godly when everything around you is godly and when you’re not the focus of any kind of “anything.” But, if we know this could go really bad for me, how am I going to respond? Am I going to figure it out myself? Take action myself? Or am I just going to do what I do? Just get up every morning and pray, and meet God, and be led by the Holy Spirit, and see what happens. And if I do that, maybe I’ll get to meet God in a way that I could not meet him in any other way.
The important part is a gentle and humble spirit. We know, just by knowing Daniel’s life (even from Chapter 1), Daniel always is a gentle and humble person. He always conveyed a gentle and humble spirit. He was never arrogant, aggressive, or prideful. He was always humble – he was always gentle. That’s why two kings had raised him to the highest position in the empire because he was gentle and humble.
That’s why I say our true test, our true trial, isn’t being found in the Lion’s Den with God. That’s the reward. Our true test is correctly handling the situation upfront. It’s how we get to the Lion’s Den. Which way to the Lion’s Den? It’s through a humble, unwavering, gentle to the people, commitment to God and to what he’s called us to do. If God sees fit, he’ll meet us in the Lion’s Den.
Listen, God may or may not take you to the Lion’s Den. And quite frankly, he may or may not save you there. You win either way. Just like the “boys in the fire.” They said, listen, our God is able to save us, and he might even save us. But whether he saves us or not, we will never bow! (Chapter 3.)
This is the same thing. Daniel is just being gentler than “the boys.” Daniel would not fear the Lion’s Den over his commitment to humbly live right before God. It’s releasing the situation to God and saying, “Lord, I’m just going to do what I do. I’m going to continue to be transformed by you. And if there’s a Lion’s Den in the future, then I’ll see you there, just like I see you here.”
Can we do that? Can we face the situation we are in today and not alter or adjust our right relationship (what we know is right before God), even if it means going to the Lion’s Den?
Let me tell you, personally, what gets in the way – is you. What gets in the way is your flesh. What gets in the way is you and your own big ideas. “I’m going to do this. I’m going to do that.” And God says, “How about trusting me? How about just continuing to live the way I called you to live, and wherever that leads you, I’ll be there with you?”
It’s not about God fixing our circumstances. It’s about God being WITH US in our circumstances.
Whether we end up meeting God in the Lion’s Den or not depends on the level of our commitment to humbly live right before God.
Let’s see how it worked for Daniel.
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.”
Daniel’s gentle, humble, unwavering commitment to God was earning him a trip to the Lion’s Den. That was his way to the Lion’s Den, by gently, humbly, and unwaveringly maintaining his commitment to God and living right.
But the king was not happy about it. Look here at this incredible relationship Daniel had with the newest king. And this is about four or five kings after Nebuchadnezzar. This has been a long time that Daniel has been in Babylon.
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.”
(These are the kinds of things you want people to say to you. “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 it was Daniel humbly maintaining his commitment to God and the way God had called him to live, and THAT is what got him thrown into the Lion’s Den.
For us, as New Testament Christians, it’s about crucifying the flesh and walking in the Spirit. In the Old Testament, it was about maintaining the Laws of God as a method of worship of God.
So that’s how Daniel ended up in the Lion’s Den. That was his way to the Lion’s Den. Is it a good thing or a bad thing for you to end up in the Lion’s Den by gently and humbly maintaining your commitment to God and living for him? It’s a good thing, right? “See you there, Lord.”
In verse 17, Daniel goes into the Lion’s Den.
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?”
And then, the real power lesson for today is in verses 21-22.
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, humble commitment to LIVE for God!!
And 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.
If we are going to prepare ourselves for a trip to the Lion’s Den, we must…
1). Have an unwavering HUMBLE commitment to God (humble means “void of self”)
2). Be INNOCENT in God’s sight (your heart and actions have to be pure in God’s sight)
3). Have NOT WRONGED the person who is throwing us into the Lion’s Den
Let’s read verse 22 again.
Daniel 6:22 (NLT)
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.”
Do you want to meet God in a way that you cannot meet him ANY other way?
1). Have an unwavering humble commitment to God (lifestyle and choices)
2). Be innocent in God’s sight (not your own)
3). Have not wronged the person who’s throwing you into the Lion’s Den
In your margin next to Daniel 6, verse 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 humbly doing what is right before God and facing unfair treatment because of it.
What happened to Daniel when he did this? Daniel met God in a way that he could not otherwise meet him.
You meet God there, in the fire, in the Lion’s Den, in a way that changes you forever. And so, God has to put you there sometimes so he can meet you there in order for him to change you forever, right?
In fact, there are some who believe (speculate – there’s no formal basis for this) the Angel mentioned in Daniel 6, verse 22, is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. (I don’t know about that.) I do know about this – if you find yourself in the Lion’s Den for humbly doing what’s right in your life with God and being innocent in God’s sight and for having not wronged the person who threw you there, you will meet God there like you cannot meet him any other way. AND you will have a testimony there like you cannot have anywhere else or build any other way. Isn’t that really what the Christian life is about? Meeting God in a deeper way and glorifying him in a greater way?
Don’t be afraid of the Lion’s Den.
Just make 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 anybody to get there
THEN you will meet God there, AND you will have a powerful testimony right there.
Daniel’s testimony begins in verses 23-24.
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.
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.
This was life-changing for both Daniel and for those who had conspired against him.
Then, in verse 25, is the glory that God brought to himself through Daniel’s humble, unwavering commitment to live for 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 Den the same way Daniel faced his.
Guys, we all have trials and tests in job problems, people problems, home problems, and church problems. Somewhere in our lives is an opportunity for us to face our Lion’s Den.
And if we will make sure that we end up in the Lion’s Den – only because
1). Of a humble and unwavering commitment to God
2). We are truly innocent in God’s sight
3). We haven’t wronged anybody to get there
Then God will meet us there in a unique and powerful way. And he will make a testimony out of our time in the Lion’s Den that will speak powerfully to both the people who put us there and the people around us.
The reason for your Lion’s Den testimony is for the glory of God. If we’ll be willing to meet God there for his glory, then we’ll know him like we couldn’t know him any other way, and he will bring himself glory through our lives like he can no other way.
So, let’s be willing to meet God there for his glory.