Survivors Guide for Being Thrown in a Lions Den

Can you imagine what Daniel must have felt like when he was thrown into the lion’s den? Hopeless? Terrified? Maybe even feel forgotten by God? You feeling like you’ve thrown in a lion’s den lately? Today we are going to examine the classic account of Daniel and the lion’s den in Daniel 6. As we move through the story, I want to make 4 quick points.

Daniel is made a part of the king’s top 3 high officials to help him run the country. Daniel is so effective that we find this in verse 3 – “Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.” Even in this group Daniel becomes distinguished because of the excellent spirit that was in him. What is this “spirit”? We shouldn’t assume this to be in reference to the Holy Spirit. Rather it has more to do with the character and attitude of Daniel. No matter his situation he strove to be the best he could. We see this in other stories as well. Remember Joseph in Genesis whether it was as a slave in Egypt or a prisoner wrongfully convicted or a servant to Pharaoh, he did his very best. And so, Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

The other members of the high court became jealous of Daniel and conspired against him but they couldn’t find anything to use against him! We find them making a powerful statement in Daniel 6:5, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.” The only thing they could use against Daniel was his commitment to God! May this be said of all of us!!! In his classic fictional work The Screwtape Letters C.S. Lewis writes from the demon Screwtape’s perspective, “All extremes, except extreme devotion to the Enemy (God), are to be encouraged.” In short, the only thing they should be able to accuse of is unreasonable devotion to God! We are to live at peace with others, put their interests first, obey the government in all other areas. During these trying times could something like Daniel 6:5 be said of you?

So, these guys convince the king to make a law that if anyone prays to any other “god” than the king for a month they would be thrown in the lion’s den. The king is flattered by this apparently and makes it into law and look at Daniel 6:10, “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” Daniel knew it had been signed and he didn’t go out and do something deliberately new to break this law he simply went and did what he did every day without hesitation. He prayed before an open window to the one, true God. He was a good and loyal subject – but only as far as it didn’t conflict with his devotion to God. Even when you know it will cost you are you still faithful to the Lord? 

Daniel is swiftly arrested; the king is horrified because he doesn’t want to do this to Daniel, but he has to obey his own law. So, Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den and the entrance is sealed with a stone. The king literally fasts all night and doesn’t sleep. The next morning the king runs out there and has the stone removed and calls out to Daniel. To his shock, Daniel replies and says that the Lord shut the mouths of the lions. The king promptly has Daniel pulled out and the schemers thrown in (the lion’s mouths were no longer shut). Finally, we get to the pagan king’s reaction to all of this in Daniel 6:25-27, “Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
    enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,    and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders
    in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel    from the power of the lions.”

May the world say such things about our God when they see how we depend on God and God delivers us! Amen! 

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