WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE ON THE MENU!
Daniel 6:1-28
1 Pet 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Dan 6:1-9 It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.”
6 Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.
* The true roaring lions in this story are not the actual lions, but these 2 commissioners and the satraps. They have prowled and set the trap for Daniel in order to destroy him. They knew he was a man of honor and conviction and would not forsake his God.
* Daniel, though, had to choose whether he would obey man or obey God!! Lions are hungry!!
SO, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE ON THE MENU?
1. BE FAITHFUL TO GOD.
** Remember- Daniel wasn’t guilty of any kind of corruption. They were not going to trap him for being unfaithful, but for being faithful.
Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.
The question is “Will Daniel remain faithful to death?”
At some point in your life you may find yourself in a hard situation.
It may be demanded of you to sacrifice your morals, principles, and Christian witness or suffer the consequences at work, school, etc.
* You need to decide up front how you will respond. In my life, the times I’ve stood firm, God has always blessed me in the end.
Dan 6:11-14 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and spoke before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.” 14 Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him
The trap has been sprung, Daniel has been snared, and the lions are ready to destroy him. The King loved and respected Daniel and sought to find a way out of this bad situation.
2. REALIZE YOUR LIMITATIONS.
Dan 6:15-18a Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” 16 Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17 A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18 Then the king went off to his palace
(1) The Law trapped him.(vs 15) The Law of Medes/Persians- No one could reverse the judgement- even the King or he would suffer.
(2) The Stone imprisoned him. (Vs 17) The stone was placed over the opening so that Daniel could not save himself.
(3) The Seal ensured his fate. (Vs 17) Fresh clay is laid to dry. The king and all the nobles used signet rings pressed into the clay to seal it. No one, even the king himself, could save him. Executed if attempted.
What was Daniel’s limitations? He could not save himself. No man could come to his rescue. He was, it seemed to all, totally helpless.
** Who could save Daniel? The king said it himself in VS 16, but I don’t think he really believed it. He loved Daniel so he hoped for it.
** Maybe you are in a tough situation today? JOB? MARRIAGE? FINANCES? You feel like you are right there in that pit like Daniel.
You have tried everything, but you see no way of escape! No hope!
** Unless God intervenes, you will be destroyed! Friend– this is not the worst place to be in life. When you realize that you have nowhere to turn but Jesus, then turn to Jesus!
* When you are in a hopeless situation, what you do next is important!
3. TRUST GOD TO DELIVER YOU.
Dan 6:18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
* Notice the king, who was not a believer, worried and fretted all night. I believe Daniel laid down in that pit and use a lion for his pillow and slept like a babe in his mother’s arms. Why do I think this?
* In Vs 22, you see that he trusted God to deliver him and watched as God did just that.
* Live in fear if you want to.... worry yourself to death if you want to.. But it won’t change anything at all. When destruction faces you every way you turn, TURN TO JESUS!
4. TESTIFY OF GOD’S GREAT SALVATION.
Dan 6:19-23 19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23 Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 2
One of the biggest failures I see in believers today is “praise report”.
* I see sick people get a dozen churches and everybody they know on facebook to pray when they are in a desperate situation. Proclaim how much they are trusting God for their healing. Then, when the miracle happens they respond by telling everybody how the Doc saved them.
** A word of advice when you’re praying for a miracle that happens**
PAY YOUR DOCTOR AND PRAISE YOUR SAVIOR!!
Notice what Daniel does here! He said “My God delivered me!!”
** When your next just in time miracle comes, don’t rationalize it, don’t explain it away, and definitely don’t ignore what God has done!
** Just hit your knees! Put your hands in the air!! And
GET YOUR PRAISE ON!! Then go and tell others what He did.
Whatever you do, though, don’t act like God didn’t just do something. Don’t forget to thank Him. Don’t forget to praise Him.
* And never forget that the God of the Universe just moved Heaven and Earth to rescue you!
* He loves you. He rescues you. He saved you.
* IF GOD HAS DELIVERED YOU– THEN RIGHT NOW GIVE HIM PRAISE AND GLORY IN HIS HOUSE!!
5. BRING GOD GLORY.
(1) The enemy is brought to defeat and shame.
Dan 6:24 The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
This verse tells me is that God is in the Justice Business. When His people are attacked–He will take care of the roaring lions.
* Our job is to stand firm in faith. His job defeat the enemy for us.
* 2000 years ago that is exactly what happened. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins and rose from the grave in victory.
Col 2 13 When you were dead in your transgressions, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
(2) God is glorified.
Your praise of God and your testimony of His great power are infectious. Notice who is now praising the Lord God !
Dan 6:25-27 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: “May your peace abound! 26 I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever. 27 “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Sometimes God will allow you to be put on Satan’s Menu, so that when He delivers you, His Name will be glorified!
* If God is going to be glorified in your life, though, you must be willing to face the roaring lions of life and stand in faith in God!
(3) God’s Servant is Blessed.
Dan 6:28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Notice that David’s faith was greatly tested, but he remained faithful. And, once the time of testing was over, God blessed Daniel greatly. This formula has been true throughout the ages in God’s Kingdom.
“First comes the testing and then comes the blessing”.
SO, WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURELF ON THE MENU?
1. Be faithful to God!
2. Realize your own Limitations!
3. Trust God to deliver You!
4. Once he delivers you, Testify of God’s Great Salvation.
5. Bring God glory through your faithfulness and your testimony!
