Daniel in the Den of Lions
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing… entire passage at link:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%206&version=NIV1984
Synopsis
Jealousy is what led the religious leaders of Jesus’ day to hang him on a cross to die, and jealousy is what led these administrators and satraps to devise a plan to have Daniel put to death, so that he no longer served as competition for them, and so that his godly character no longer stood as an affront and challenge to their own wickedness.
Daniel was a man of God – the one true and only God. Daniel distinguished himself by his exceptional qualities. He was not corrupt; he was fully trustworthy; and he was not negligent in his duties. So, the administrators and satraps could find no grounds for charges against Daniel, unless it had something to do with “the law of his God.” So, they devised a plan to get Daniel put to death based upon his faith in God. Yet, when Daniel learned of the king’s decree, he did not shrink back in his faith and practice, out of fear of what might happen to him. He went to his home, and before an open window, it appears, he prayed to God three times a day, as was his practice. He did not alter his lifestyle or habits out of fear of the king’s edict. He was willing to die, if necessary, for his faith in the one true God.
Since Daniel prayed openly and did not hide his faith and practice, these co-conspirators, who had plotted his demise, went to the king to get the king to make good on his decree, and to have Daniel thrown into the den of lions. This distressed the king greatly. He was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort to save him, but to no avail. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, a stone was placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it. This brings to mind how Jesus, after his death (crucifixion), was placed in a tomb, a rock was put in front of it, and it was sealed to keep his disciples from stealing his body and claiming he had risen from the dead.
Yet, the king was not party to this plot to kill Daniel. He said, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” He was pulling for him. In fact, he refused to eat and to engage in entertainment while Daniel was in the den, and he could not sleep that night, either. And, first thing in the morning he rushed to the den and, in anguished voice, cried out to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” He was fearful, yet hopeful. Daniel answered back, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to have Daniel lifted out of the den. No wound was found on him because he trusted in his God.
The king then commanded that the men who had falsely accused Daniel, along with their wives and children, be thrown into the den of lions. And, there they were all killed. Then, the king wrote to all the people of the land issuing another decree. This time, the decree stated that in every part of his kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Practical Application
Jesus said that we would be hated, persecuted and even put to death for our testimony for Jesus Christ and for his gospel. He told his disciples that if he was hated, they would be hated, too. So, why did they hate Jesus? And, why were the religious leaders of his day jealous of him?
Jesus Christ stood for what was right. He never sinned (not something any of us can say). His motives were always pure. Yet, he challenged the institutionalized religion of his day on the basis of God’s love versus rules of men. Since the religious leaders of his day were mainly those who were self-righteous and who held strictly to a list of man-made rules, over and above love and mercy for their fellow man, Jesus challenged them and their empty religion. He revealed it for what it was. He spoke the truth in love. He confronted sin in sinful man. He called people to repentance and obedience to God. He let them know the cost of following Christ, and what it truly means to be one of his disciples. And, he claimed to be exactly who he is – God the Son – the second person of our triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The religious leaders hated him and were jealous of him because he challenged them, because he told them the truth about themselves, because he claimed to be God, and because he served as a threat to their own religious and political positions of power. The people had a love-hate relationship with him. One minute they were waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” and the next minute they were shouting, “Crucify him!” When he told the crowds the true cost of following him, many deserted him, because the teaching was too hard for them to accept. They were ok with him when he was performing miracles on their behalf, but when he got down to the nitty-gritty of what it truly means to be one of his followers, that is when some of them decided that they wanted out. When his own disciples were confronted with the reality of why he came, which was to die, they, too, deserted him, one completely denied him, and another betrayed him. And, when he was placed in the tomb, those who put him to death sealed the tomb because they wanted to make sure they had truly stopped Jesus, and that this “movement” would die with him.
Though Daniel was not without sin, as was Jesus, still he was a godly and righteous man. He was a man of honesty and integrity. And, he made it his practice to do what was right. This is why his fellow administrators and the satraps underneath him hated him and were jealous of him. His integrity and uprightness stood as a continuous affront to their own wickedness. And, he gained much favor in the eyes of the king, which also aroused their jealousy. When they learned he was about to be promoted, thus, they put their heads together and came up with a plan to get rid of him. Why? Because he served as a threat to their own positions of power and rule, and his practice of right living probably hindered their own ability to practice corruption. To place him in a den of lions was a pretty sure way for them to make certain he really died, yet they were not satisfied with that. It appears to me that they made sure the stone was placed over the den and that the king sealed it, to make certain that Daniel did not escape, and to ensure his demise. They wanted to put an end to Daniel just like Jesus’ murderers wanted to make sure he and his “movement” were put to rest, once and for all.
God miraculously rescued Daniel just like he rescued Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace when they refused the king’s edict to bow down to and worship a golden statute. They were all miraculously saved from death. And, God used those miracles to advance his heavenly kingdom and to make known his power and righteousness. Jesus was not saved from death, because it was God’s will that he die for our sins so that we could be free from sin and the penalty of sin. Yet, he was brought back to life. So, his death and resurrection also accomplished God’s will, and greatly advanced the kingdom of God as now salvation through Jesus’ shed blood had come to the world and was available for all mankind to receive through faith. So, God does not always rescue us physically from trouble, hardship, persecution or even death at the hands of our enemies. Sometimes he chooses to rescue us through our difficulties and to bring glory to his name by how we respond to our tribulations, and by how we grow in his grace through our trials. And, many times he uses even the deaths of his saints to further the spreading of the gospel, to advance his kingdom, and for the salvation of even more lives.
The king acknowledged that Daniel was a man who continually (persistently; endlessly) served (worked for as a servant) his God. So, when the decree was made, Daniel did not break stride. He did not retreat in fear. He continued to do what he always did. He believed his God allowed this to happen to him, and that God could take care of him through it. So, he committed his life into God’s capable hands. And, God sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions.
We, too, will face the roars of “lions” and the threat of their bite in this life. Satan is called a roaring lion who is roaming around seeking whom he may devour. And, he will use human instruments to do his dirty work. Yet, we are to resist him, standing firm in the faith, as did Daniel. We are to reject Satan’s lies and accusations against us, and we are to continue in our walks with the Lord Jesus, in being his servants, and in obeying him, even if it costs us our lives here on this earth, because we have better lives in heaven awaiting us. We need to follow Daniel’s example of how he lived his life and of how he responded to his persecutors and their plot to take his life, so that, whether in life or in death, we may, too, retain our testimony for Jesus Christ and may be used of God to advance his heavenly kingdom and to see the people of this earth come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives.
To My Beloved / An Original Work / November 14, 2011
Based off I Pet. 5:6-9; Eph. 6:10-20; Jms. 4:4-10
Be strong in the grace of Christ, and
Put on His full armor in your fight
Against the enemy of your souls,
And resist him with all your might.
Take up the shield of your faith within you.
Salvation’s helmet – you put it on.
Put on the belt of truth,
And walk in the Spirit,
And you’ll not be ashamed.
Love your Lord Jesus; call His Name.
Call on your Lord and Savior, Jesus, and
Make Him Lord and King of your hearts.
Obey all of His teachings He has given
To you to follow in all His ways.
Repent of your sins. Return to your God.
Follow Him where’er He leads you now.
Humble yourselves in full
Surrender to His will
For your lives today.
Bow before Him, and humbly pray.
Be strong in the grace of Christ, and
Obey your Lord in ev’rything, always
Keeping His teachings in your hearts near you.
Walk with Christ in ev’ry way.
Resist the devil. He will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and He’ll be near you.
Wash your hands you sinners
And double minded.
Weep and wail o’er sin.
With Christ, your new lives begin.
http://youtu.be/PLMZdBxhE3I
http://www.godcares.tv/video/1298/To-My-Beloved
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