A Lion Amongst Lions!
Daniel 6: “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. Then this 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 realm. 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. 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.’ So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: ‘King Darius, live forever! 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. 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. 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. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 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.’ 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.’ And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 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.’ 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.’ 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. 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. 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. 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?’ 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.’ 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. 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. Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 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. 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. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”
This utterly amazing yet true story brings to mind another story involving a lion, and it’s not the Wizard of Oz. It’s the story of a missionary who many years ago was tracking through the jungles of Africa with his machete on his way to preach the gospel to a small village, when all of a sudden in the distance he saw a lion. When he saw this lion he naturally was afraid, but then what came to mind were those great verses in Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” So this missionary immediately dropped to his knees, and he prayed saying, “Lord, please make this lion a Christian lion.” Well lo and behold when he opened his eyes this lion was right in front of him, on his knees praying, “Lord, bless this food to my body in Jesus name, Amen.”
Now these lions which we read about here in the opening part of Daniel 6 were not Christian lions. And yet God still did some remarkable things with them, which we will see as we make our way through this story which can be divided into three parts, beginning with:
1. Darius’ Decree
In the opening portion of this chapter King Darius of the Medo-Persian empire which succeeded the Babylonian empire, issued an incredible decree. And he did so for two reasons.
He did so first of all because of jealousy, more specifically because of the jealousy of certain political officials. “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. Then this 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 realm. So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom…” (Daniel 6:1-4).
So Daniel is about to be made to 2IC, or second in command under King Darius. He’s about to be promoted to an even higher position of government. He was already in a high position of government, but he’s about to be promoted even higher. And certain other political officials don’t like it. So what do they do? They do what any good politician does; they look for ways to take him down. They look for ways to destroy him politically. They look for ways to discredit him. And it was all because of jealousy.
Jealousy can be such a terrible thing, can’t it? It can destroy relationships, it can destroy careers, it can destroy ministries. It can even destroy churches. In fact I would suggest to you that most church splits, and a lot of church splits take place today, can be attributed to jealousy. Not to doctrine or something serious of that nature, which sometimes requires a church split. “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Romans 16:17). But to jealousy.
Now the second reason Darius issued this decree was because of consistency. Because of the consistency of Daniel’s character. “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. 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’” (Daniel 6:4-5).
Isn’t this tremendous? Even though certain political officials tried to get a smear campaign going against Daniel they were not able to do it. After all Daniel was no Bill Clinton, no Eliot Spitzer, no Kwame Kilpatrick. He was a man of great, great integrity. As you may recall during the Nixon administration President Richard Nixon professed his innocence. He said, “I am not a crook.” Remember that? But he was a crook. The Watergate scandal proved that. Yet Daniel was no crook. Consequently these political officials realized that the only way they could get at him was through some sort of a religious ban, was by making his religion in some sense illegal.
Just as an aside wouldn’t it be great if what was said about Daniel in verse 4 could be said about all believers? Do you know those Christians named Tim, Bob, and Sue who are always in your face with their faith? We can’t hang anything on them. We’ve gone through their trash, we’ve bugged their phones, we’ve secretly put video cameras in their homes, and there are no skeletons in their closet. They’re squeaky clean. We can’t find any error or fault in them. Sadly this can’t be said about all believers, which is the precise reason the gospel of Jesus Christ is so often discredited. Ha, they claim to be a Christian, what a joke. If that’s what Christianity is all about you can have it. This is why Paul’s words in Philippians 1:27 are so important: “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
So just what was this decree that Darius made that resulted from the jealousy of certain political officials and the consistency of Daniel? “So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: ‘King Darius, live forever! 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. 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” (Daniel 6:6-9).
If our President signed a decree like this most of us would be shocked. We would consider that to be highly inappropriate and highly arrogant. But the religious system of the Medo-Persian Empire was able to accommodate this sort of decree.
Now notice with me next:
2. Daniel’s Dilemma
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home…” (Daniel 6:10). And although our text does not say so when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he also found himself in a dilemma. He could either continue to serve God, continue to do what was right, or because of external pressure he could not serve God, not do what was right.
Now of course you and I find ourselves in this sort of dilemma all the time, don’t we? I can either continue to serve God by maintaining my sexual purity, my moral integrity, or because of external pressure I can relinquish my sexual purity and have sex with my boyfriend or my girlfriend, who has told me categorically that if I don’t have sex with them they’re going to break up with me and take up with somebody else. Or how about, I can continue to serve God by being honest on the job or because of external pressure, because of external pressure from my boss who has threatened to fire me, which would be terrible in this economy, I can be dishonest and fix the books like he has told me to. Or what about, I can continue to serve God by not cheating on that exam, or because of the external pressure of getting into a good graduate school I can cheat and get that “A” that I so desperately need.
Many people are familiar with Eric Liddell, otherwise known as the flying Scot, who was the focus of a movie that came out in the early 1980’s entitled Chariots of Fire. In 1924 Eric Liddell was himself in this sort of a dilemma. See that summer he was favored to win the 100 meter dash at the Olympic games in Paris. However the championship heat was to be run on a Sunday, and Eric Liddell believed that it was wrong for him to compete on a Sunday because it was the Lord’s Day. And so he had a choice to make. He could either continue to serve God and not compete, or because of external pressure, because of the external pressure of a gold medal he could run the event. So what did he do? He decided not to run the event. Interestingly the Lord blessed him after that by enabling him to win the gold medal in the 400 meter race, which was run on another day.
Now we observe here thirdly:
3. Daniel’s Devotion
And Daniel’s devotion was not unlike that of Eric Liddell’s and other great saints who have gone on before, for his devotion was first of all an unwavering devotion. In spite of external pressure Daniel did not stop serving God, did not stop doing the right thing. “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 6:10).
I want you to notice this expression which we find at the end of this verse, “…as was his custom since early days.” It was Daniel’s custom to pray three times a day on his knees towards Jerusalem and to give thanks. It was also his custom to do so openly. Now here is where we have a problem when it comes to contemporary evangelicalism. After all many Christians today, many contemporary evangelicals not only don’t have unwavering devotion, they don’t have any devotion at all. Which is why many wouldn’t have had any problem whatsoever with the sort of decree issued by Darius. Let my prayer life slide for 30 days? No problem! I’ve done that time and time again. In fact I’ve let it slide for 45 days, and 60 days for far less significant reasons.
Let me ask you believer, how is your devotion to the Lord? Let me make it more specific. How is your prayer life? Do you pray on a continual basis? Are you following the mandate of 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18: “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” And the mandate of Hebrews 4:16: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” And how is your witness for the Lord? Do you have an open type of Christianity? How many people actually know that you are a believer in Jesus Christ? How many of your friends know? How many of your colleagues know? How many of your neighbors know? How many of your relatives know?
Daniel had both devotion and an unwavering devotion. Even though this decree was signed he kept on keeping on.
Now Daniel’s devotion was not only an unwavering devotion but his was a confident devotion. In fact that’s why his devotion was unwavering. It was because it was inspired by confidence. “Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God” (Daniel 6:11). That is asking God to intervene on his behalf.
Now based upon this verse we can identify three things that Daniel was confident about. To begin with he was confident that God was with him no matter what. He was also confident that God would hear his prayers. In addition he was confident that God could undertake for him in this particular situation.
Now those are the three things that you and I can be confident about as well. We can have confidence that God will be with us no matter what. That He “…will never leave [us] nor forsake [us]” (Hebrews 13:5). And we can have confidence that God will hear our prayers. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). And we can have confidence that God has the capacity to undertake for us in any situation, which brings to mind the words of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego earlier in Daniel 3:17: “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.” God will be with us. He will hear our prayers. He has the capacity to deliver us in any situation. If anything should inspire unwavering devotion it is this.
Daniel’s devotion was an unwavering devotion. It was a confident devotion. Now thirdly his was a productive devotion. In other words it resulted in a number of things. For starters it resulted in hardship. “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.’ 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.’ And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him” (Daniel 6:12-14).
I love this 14th verse, for it provides us with a tremendous picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. On the one hand there is the law of God, which cannot be altered, which condemns us to hell, to the lake of fire, to eternal condemnation. On the other hand there is the King, the sovereign God of the universe, in eternity past, laboring to deliver us from the law’s condemnation. And of course the great news is that the King found a way, and that way is through the person and the work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
“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.’ 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.’ 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” (Daniel 6:15-17).
Daniel’s devotion resulted in hardship. And very often our devotion to the Lord will result in hardship as well, but that is not bad, for God has promised to bless our hardship to us. It’s like Christians sometimes sing, “When through the deep waters I call thee to go. The rivers of woe shall not overflow. For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless. And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.” The words of that hymn reflect what we read in Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
Now besides hardship, Daniel’s devotion resulted in blessing. “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. 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. 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?’ Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever. My God sent His angel (and made those lions like Detroit Lions – clawless, toothless, powerless, not really!) 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.’ 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” (Daniel 6:18-23).
Believer in Jesus Christ if you maintain your devotion to the Lord, in some way you’re going to be blessed. God may not deliver you out of all of your hardships, but in some way, shape, or form, and perhaps in more than one way, shape, or form you’re going to be richly blessed. And you can take that to the bank.
Finally Daniel’s devotion resulted in transformation. “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. Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 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. 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. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (verses 24-28).
I’m not quite sure exactly what happened here with King Darius, whether or not this set of circumstances actually resulted in his conversion. But what I do know is that to some extent he was transformed. And that’s what devotion to the Lord produces. It produces transformation.
Conclusion
What a story! What a man! What a hero! And there’s a little song that goes along with this story that children sometimes sing in Sunday School entitled, “Dare to be a Daniel.” Now that’s the question that needs to be asked. Will you dare to be a Daniel? God demands that, but will you dare to be that? If you dare to be that I can tell you on all the authority of the Word of God you will never ever regret it.