When Facing Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Jealousy in the workplace is a common occurrence.  One worker does a good job on a project and the boss rewards him with a bonus or a promotion.  Then some other coworkers get all tied in knots over this. Daniel experienced this in a very serious way in our passage today.  His faith and trust in the Lord was also put to the test, whether he would compromise his beliefs or not. Daniel came through his test strong and true.  Let’s take a look at this Scripture account.

At the time of the events in chapter 6, Daniel was a very elderly gentleman, over the age of 80.  Due to his administrative skills, leadership ability, godly wisdom, and honesty, he had served in high ranking positions under several rulers in the Babylonian and now the Medo-Persian empires.  He served under King Nebuchadnezzar, and now King Darius (vs 1-3). Many of the other governmental officials were now very jealous of Daniel. He had risen from being one of the youth taken captive when Nebuchadnezzar overran the Kingdom of Judah to now being second to King Darius.  They did not like him, as he was a good and honest worker. Daniel’s enemies wanted to bring him down, and they kept an eye on him to see if he would do anything that they could report to the king on, and have him arrested, or at the very least demoted (vs 4). Daniel conducted his life above reproach, with nothing to hide.

With nothing else to attack him with, his enemies attacked Daniel through his faith in Yahweh (vs 5).  Knowing that Darius really liked Daniel, these other politicians knew that they would have to come up with a subtle plot.  Darius was a king with a strong ego, so they used that to work against Daniel, and wrote up a temporary law, that no one could pray to any god other than the king for a month, under penalty of death (vs 6-9).  Once enacted, the Med0-Persian law could not be changed by anyone, including the king. These men knew that Daniel was a devout follower of Yahweh, and would not keep this law, so unless he would suddenly give up worshipping God, they had him!

Just as they knew would happen, Daniel was not going to change his pattern of prayer to the living God (vs 10).  He made no attempt to either change his prayer routine or to hide it. He followed the Old Testament pattern of praying towards Jerusalem (I Kings 8:44-45). Daniel also prayed three times a day (Psalm 55:16-17). God did not get the crumbs of Daniel’s time, even though he was a very busy man with a high-ranking government position.  Though he knew this might cost him his life, Daniel was not afraid or ashamed of his faith in God.

Right away the other government officials caught Daniel praying, arrested him, and went straight to the king with their report. “Daniel was praying to Yahweh! Throw him to the lions!” (vs. 11-13). The king had no choice. He knew he had been tricked into signing this law, all due to his ego and their jealousy.  Though the king was very distraught over this situation, Daniel was thrown into the lions pit.

Daniel must have spoken to Darius about the Lord God over the years he was a government official close to the king, as King Darius had some hope that Daniel’s God would be able to help him (vs. 16). First thing in the morning, Darius raced to the opening of the lion’s pit and called out to Daniel. He had some hope that God would save Daniel (vs 19-20). Yes, Daniel was alive and unharmed. God openly honored Daniel’s faith, and showed His glory to Darius and the kingdom (vs 21-23).  And to show that this was a miracle done to save Daniel, and not just that the lions weren’t hungry or had no teeth, the men who had plotted against him were thrown in, and immediately eaten (vs 24).

Daniel’s faith was a testimony to God, and led to the conversion of Darius (vs. 25-27), as it had to Nebuchadnezzar years earlier (Daniel 4:1-3, 34-37).  Daniel wasn’t intent on being popular. He was committed to doing right in the eyes of God. God wants us to have an unshakable faith. If trials, tests, and suffering are what it takes for us to have that, then He will allow them.  Trust God even in the face of lions!