Daniel’s story is in your Bible so you’ll always know hope. Hope in the Christian sense is the confident and certain expectation of future blessings and the confidence that the best is yet to come. We need a hope that a virus cannot touch. We need a hope that a divorce cannot destroy. We need a hope that bankruptcy cannot obliterate!
Today I want to speak to you on this topic, “Jesus in the Lion’s Den.” In the moments to come, I want you to compare the experience of Daniel with Jesus.
Today’s Scripture
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 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. 4 Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”
6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.”
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 6:1-10)
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:16-23).
1. There’s Just Something about Daniel
“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” (Daniel 6:3).
Look carefully at the middle part of verse 3, “an excellent spirit was in him.” Remember, Daniel was deported to the modern nation of Iraq. He would spend the rest of his life in a foreign nation and he was given no choice in the matter. He was forced to come to the modern nation of Iraq because they looked for the best of the best. Daniel was chosen because he was one of the brightest men in the Hebrew people. He was among the best looking, the smartest, socially well-to-do, the crème-de-la-crème. He was a first-round draft pick or a five-star recruit, if you will. There was just something about Daniel.
1.1 A Recurring Theme
Now, remember when the old man Daniel was called in to interpret the doom and gloom dream of Belshazzer? When nobody else could interpret the dream, the Queen said, “I know a man who can!” When the Queen Mother described Daniel to Belshazzar, she raved about him. It was like she was his PR agent! The queen said, “There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar” (Daniel 5:11-12a).
Daniel is a five-star Christ-follower! Again, there’s just something about Daniel. If you would have approached Daniel and asked this elderly man, “Would you tell me your secret to success?” Daniel wouldn’t have told you it was hard work, luck, or a great education from a top-notch school. The hand of the Lord was on Daniel:
“Daniel’s real secret was that he had become a godly man as a result of many years of walking with the God of heaven and because God’s hand was uniquely upon him.”
Daniel was a godly man. Daniel was a man who feared the Lord, our God.
1. There’s Just Something about Daniel
2. A Political Power Play
“Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him” (Daniel 6:3).
There are only so many positions at the top. And Daniel’s fellow high officials and satraps wanted the penthouse. To get to the penthouse, they schemed against Daniel. You can almost picture them meeting in dark allies together and speaking in whisper-quiet mode. “How are we going to bring down Daniel? Maybe we can use his age against him?” But this was quickly shot down. Several options may have been suggested but as hard as they looked, they could not find a chink in his armor.
2.1 Daniel’s Character
The reason that nothing would stick against Daniel was that he was “he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him” (Daniel 6:3b). In a word, Daniel was trustworthy. He was reliable. You could count on Daniel to do right. Daniel was a man whose first commitment was to please the Lord, our God. And so, his political enemies decided they were going to weaponize Daniel’s faith against him.
2.2 Daniel’s Reaction
Look at Daniel’s Reaction: “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 6:10).
Daniel prays at the same place, at the hour, in the same position, and in the same spirit as he had done before. There was no alteration in his convictions. Daniel knew that if he were to stop praying as was his habit, it would look like he was complying with the new decree.
2.3 What Daniel Didn’t Do
Many Christians would rationalize and say, “So what if I pray in secret for the next 30 days.” Daniel didn’t look for a secret place to pray and he didn’t skip his morning, noon, and night devotions. Daniel didn’t pray with his windows shut and he didn’t adjust his prayers according to someone’s convenience. Daniel was a lion of a man for Daniel was a man of conviction. Friend, do right and leave the consequences up to God.
1. There’s Just Something about Daniel
2. A Political Power Play
3. God’s Protection
“Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God” (Daniel 6:23).
3.1 The Irony of the Night
I find it interesting that the story is from King Darius’ point of view. Even though Daniel wrote the account, the reader is taken inside the king’s bedroom rather than inside the lion’s den. And there’s a real irony here when we compare the two men’s perspectives that night: one man was at peace while the other was in conflict. We are told that the King “cried out in a tone of anguish” from the safety of his kingly palace (Daniel 6:20b). All the while it was discovered that “no kind of harm was found on” Daniel inside the lion’s den. When you are working against God, you will not sleep even when you are in a sleep number mattress in the Ritz Carlton! But when you are in the will of God, you will sleep on even a bed of lions. The king had everything at his disposal for comfort and rest, whereas Daniel only had the presence of God.
3.2 The Lion’s Den
You know the story well. Daniel is shut up in a lion’s den all night. But not a scratch is on his body the next morning. Those lions curled up around his feet like Tabby, the cat that runs around your house. Those lions rubbed up against Daniel like Sylvester the cast does in your neighborhood. They purred all night!
Normally, when a pastor preaches on this story, the pastor shuts his Bible, and he finally shuts his mouth, and everyone goes home feeling good. Yes, Daniel was protected! Yes, Daniel was spared.
3.3 Christ at Gethsemane
Think with me a minute. Quiet your hearts and I ask you for a moment of silent reflection with me. Can I have your imagination take a trip with me for a moment? Let’s fast forward in time around 550 years from Daniel’s day. As we leave our time machine, we have left the ancient land of modern-day Iraq because we now find ourselves in Jerusalem. We arrive at the Mount of Olives at night, just outside the skirts of ancient Jerusalem. You notice a beehive of activity among the Roman soldiers marching with torch lights toward you. As frightening as this is, something else catches your eye. Really it is Somone. A solitary figure alone in a garden is a garden. It’s easy to see He’s in agony even from a distance. As you eye continues to adjust to the dark, you come to the realization that this is Jesus of Nazareth. And you have arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, only hours ahead of His crucifixion. An angel is there to strengthen the Son of God while three disciples are sleeping nearby. You come close enough, as it were, to hear His agonized prayers. He prays, “Father, into your hands I commit my life. Let this cup pass from me. Protect your Son as you did the prophets and patriarchs before me. Protect me as you did the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. Protect me as you did Daniel in the Lion’s den.” You marvel at the passion behind His prayer. You think to yourself, “Yes, surely He will be protected. Surely God will spare Him the pain!”
3.4 If the Father …
If the Father protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, then surely He will protect the virgin-born prophet of Nazareth. Yes, if the Father protected the children of Israel as they passed through the Red Sea, surely He will protect the miracle-working Jesus! If the Father protected Lot and his family in the city of Sodom, then surely He will protect the one who fed the multitudes with a few fish and bread! Oh yes, if the Father made the sun and moon stand still for Joshua, surely He will guard the One who walked on water! And if the Father fed Elijah with ravens, I just know He will safeguard the One who has taught with authority. And if the Father shut the mouths of lions for Daniel, don’t you just know that God will keep His Son from death by Roman capital punishment!
3.5 Jesus Repeatedly Asked
When you examine each time Jesus prays in the four gospels, there’s only one time do we see Jesus praying the same thing more than once, and we find it in the Garden of Gethsemane.
3.5.1 The First Time
“And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:41-42).
3.5.2 The Second Time
“And being in agony he prayed more earnestly…” (Luke 22:44).
3.5.3 The Third Time
“So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.” (Matthew 26:44).
Jesus repeated the same prayer three times. This is the only time that Jesus repeats the same prayer three times in your Bibles. Search all your Bible and you will find Jesus repeating the same prayer three times only here.
Jesus did what any real human being would do. He said, “I don’t want this. Let me out. I don’t want to die. Let this cup pass from me.” In effect, Jesus banged on the door to heaven, and it didn’t open. He says to the Father, “Father, I don’t think I can handle it. Let this cup pass from me.”
Why was He feeling such agony? Let me assure you it was not because He was afraid of dying. Look, here’s the best person who’s ever lived. And it’s here that Jesus really began to feel the wrath of God on Him. Unlike our friend, Daniel, Jesus was getting a sense from the Father that the cup wasn’t going to pass.
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.” (Luke 22:42a)
What did Jesus mean when He said, “If you are willing”? He said, “If it’s possible,” meaning, “If there’s another possibility. If there’s some other way to do the salvation.”
3.6 Jesus Already Knew
When I think about Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the story is so well known. When Jesus entered the Garden, He knew He would be arrested there. He knew the end from the beginning. When John describes the arrival of the soldiers to arrest Jesus, he tells us this: “Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples” (John 18:2). Jesus often met with His disciples at this Garden. Even Judas knew where Jesus would be that night. Nearly everyone knew where Jesus would be in a moment like this.
When I think of the garden of Gethsemane, I consider what Jesus Christ already knew. You see, when everything was dark, when the disciples were asleep, and there were no soldiers there. This was the perfect time in which He could have gotten out.
He knew when He entered in the Garden of Gethsemane that the soldiers were on the way.
He knew when He entered in the Garden of Gethsemane there was going to be torture.
He knew when He entered in the Garden of Gethsemane there were going to be nails splintering His bones.
He knew when He entered in the Garden of Gethsemane there were going to be thorns in His scalp and there was going to be a spear in His side.
He knew when He entered in the Garden of Gethsemane there was going to be the slow death of suffocation awaiting Him on the cross.
And He knew in the Garden what He was presently experiencing was nothing more than a mosquito bite compared to the pain and torment of the rejection of the Father.
“And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’” (Luke 22:41-42)
What kind of pressure does it take for the eternal Son of God to feel so that He is tempted to call it quits? Oh my! Jesus is better than Daniel, but He’s not protected like Daniel!
3.7 Jesus in the Lion’s Den
It was in the Garden that the Father, in a sense, came to Jesus. No, this wasn’t going to be a Daniel in the Lion’s Den moment. Again, it’s the night before Jesus is going to receive the cup. The very thought of this moment where the wrath of God is going to fall into His Son’s heart… … He is so upset just thinking about it. The Father was giving him a foretaste … … just a taste of what he was going to experience.
Jonathan Edwards, in a sermon called Christ’s Agony, talks about how it was that in the Garden of Gethsemane: “He had then a near view of that furnace of wrath, into which he was to be cast; he was brought to the mouth of the furnace that he might look into it, and stand and view its raging flames, and see the glowings of its heat, that he might know where he was going and what he was about to suffer. This was the thing that filled his soul with sorrow and darkness …”
“… none of God’s children ever had such a cup set before them …”
No, this wasn’t going to be a Daniel in the Lion’s Den moment. In fact, you can draw a direct line from Gethsemane to Jesus’ Cry on the Cross: “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Mark 15:34)?
3.8 The Quantity of Jesus’ Suffering
Pause and think of the quantity of Jesus suffering for a moment. The Son of God was under such pressure and was experiencing such inward agony just looking at what he was going to go through, the blood vessels close to His skin burst and blood came out through His capillaries. Doctors describe this condition as hemosiderosis. This is a very rare, but very serious condition. You actually start spilling blood from your sweat glands. His heart rate was off the charts. His blood pressure was out off the roof. Jesus felt all of this simply by looking at the wrath of God. If the eternal Son of God could sweat blood just thinking about the cross, how much worse must it have actually been to actually suffer it?
So there you are watching all this in the Garden. And the light bulb comes on and you realize, “The Father isn’t going to save Him.” In the Garden, God the Father told His Son, “You deserve more than my servant Daniel but I will not protect you like Daniel. No angels are coming for you. Instead, I’m going to crush you with all the powers of hell.”
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt…” (Isaiah 53:10a).
This was Jesus’ “Lion’s Den” moment. Only the cats didn’t purr and His body wasn’t protected. The king didn’t lay awake all night fasting and worried about Him. Instead, King Pilate washed his hands of him and slept like a baby. Instead, they crucified Him between two thieves and cast His body aside to the first women who would take it.
3.9 God Will Get Enough of Me
Some of you think, “If I begin to follow Christ, God will quickly get fed up with me.” You think there’s a day that Jesus might possibly look down at you in your sin and say, “That does it! I can’t take any more of Scott Maze!” If Jesus Christ could take all the hell the Father laid on Him… If Jesus’ love for you was that strong… if He valued you that much… … what is it you think you’re going to do to kick Him out of your life?
Yes, you should feel convicted about your sin. Yes, you should feel terrible about the pain you are causing Jesus. But no, He’ll not quit loving you. Would that your hearts melt by feeling His mercy.
Closing Statement
You may think that the battle for our salvation was won at the cross, but it wasn’t. The war was won on the cross but the battle was won in the Garden. If Jesus had said, “not your will, but mine be done,” we wouldn’t be here today. Jesus made up his mind in the Garden that He would rather experience hell for us than to go to heaven without us. The war was won at the cross, but the battle was fought in the garden.
Closing Prayer
Father, I am amazed when I see your Son’s actions in the Garden … completely, utterly amazed. When everyone else would have run, your Son remains there to embrace the full frontal assault of your rightful anger for my sins. Thank you, Father. Thank you. Amen.
