Living like Daniel in a Sinful World…Part 2

Last week we talked a little about the background of David, and somewhat of an insight in what I am hoping to accomplish through this post. We learned how Daniel, and his 3 friends, had found favor with the king, and how they became important people in the King’s service. That stayed with them through the different kings that had come into rule. How many of you know the story of Daniel and the Lion’s den? I know, it’s a story I’m sure a lot of you heard in Sunday school, if you went to church. However, I’m going to look at this story differently, and tie it in with everything that’s going on in our world today.

“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.” Daniel 6:1-3

In the verse 3 verses we’re able to see the man that Daniel was, and how much the kings respected him. We see that king Darius had planned on setting Daniel over the entire kingdom! How awesome! Remember, Daniel didn’t follow the same beliefs as king Darius, however Daniel respected the king, and still served him. All become he knew that was what God wanted, He wanted Daniel to respect the king that was put before him. Hmm…sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Now, I’m not saying that if you respect the governing authorities, that you’re going to get to a powerful position. Not at all. I’m saying that respecting the governing authorities is something that God has asked us to do. However, I believe we will be blessed by obeying the Lord, and what He has asked of us.

“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 these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May 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 human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing.” Daniel 6:4-9

Wow…I know, that’s a lot to take in. So in these verses we see that the other administrators and satraps didn’t like that Daniel was given all of this special treatment, so they tried to find ways to get him in trouble, and to put him in prison. However, they weren’t able to because of who he was, and the characteristics that he had. He was trustworthy, and he wasn’t corrupt. Then these men realized that the only way they could get Daniel in trouble, is if they did something that had to do with Daniel’s God, and the law that Daniel followed. First off, I want to be the kind of christian that Daniel was! I want to be so wrapped up in the Lord, that people would know that I wouldn’t go against the law of the Lord! I want that to be my weakness. So these men came up with the idea that King Darius should come up with an edict that says that no one shall pray to any other god or human, other than the king himself. They also wanted to make sure this was enforced, so that anyone who was caught disobeying this edict would be thrown into the Lion’s den. They then went a step further and said that the king should issue this decree on paper so it couldn’t be altered, and it couldn’t be repealed. These men hated Daniel so much that they had this edict made so they could get Daniel out of the way. Satan truly works overtime on our hearts, friends.

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw “him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” “ Daniel 6: 10-16

What a guy Daniel was, am I right? Not only did he go against the edict, but he didn’t even HIDE. He openly, in front of a window, prayed to God to ask for help. He would not hide, or be ashamed, of his faith, and he certainly would not pray to someone other than the Lord. He obeyed God, and those men knew that he would. So they went right to King Darius and told him, and because of Daniel disobeying the edict, yet obeying the Lord, he was thrown into the lion’s den. Daniel knew that even though he was obeying the Lord, there was a chance he could die, and he was okay with that!

“A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.” Daniel 6:17-18

Could you imagine how King Darius had to have felt? I would think that deep down he knew that doing this was wrong, because he knew that Daniel had always respected him while worshiping his Lord. Daniel had become someone that was very important to King Darius, and I’m sure they were very close. So knowing that he had to throw Daniel into the Lion’s den must’ve torn him apart.

“At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den^. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “May the 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, Your Majesty.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! I issue a decree that in every part of my 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.” Daniel 6:19-28

Wouldn’t you love to know what happened with Daniel that night in the lion’s den? I would’ve loved to see how the Lord protected Daniel. For example, we know that the Lord shut the mouths of the lions, but was Daniel able to pet them? Or did the Lord just keep them from eating him? However the Lord protected Daniel, I can only imagine how amazing it was! What a mighty God we serve, that He can keep a den of lions from eating a man! What’s even more incredible is that through this incident, the Lord was able to bring King Darius to Him! King Darius could see how the Lord protected Daniel, and that He was truly the one true God! How awesome!

So what should we get out of the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den? We are called to respect the governing authorities, whether or not we agree with them. But if the governing authorities are asking us to do something that we know goes against the word of God, then we know that we must disobey, because obeying the Lord is our priority. So you don’t like masks, is wearing them something that goes against God’s word? No, so wear your mask. Be respectful to the authorities that God has placed before us. We’re not called to argue with whoever doesn’t believe in the Lord, we’re called to respect them, and to follow laws that aren’t going against the Word of God. I live in New York, so if our governor made a law saying that we all had to worship and pray to only him, then you better believe I will not be obeying that law. I only worship and pray to my Lord. I pray that I can live a life like Daniel did. I pray that I can be respectful to my authorities like Daniel was. I pray that my life, and the way I live, will lead others to the Lord like Daniel’s. I pray that if worshipping the Lord could lead to death, I would still worship and obey Him, just like Daniel.

I loved rereading Daniel’s story and seeing how he continued to trust and obey in the Lord. Even though his life was threatened. I want to clarify that I’m not saying that if you trust and obey in the Lord, and then are faced with death, you won’t die. That isn’t even the point of Daniel’s story. We need to trust and obey in the Lord, EVEN if it means death. Daniel knew the punishment, and he DIDN’T CARE. All he cared about was trusting and obeying in the Lord!

I want to live like Daniel. What about you? Until next time, friends!