INTRODUCTION:
The Story of Tattletale Johnny- In Sunday School, little Johnny was told that they all needed to keep their eyes closed during the prayer. But when he discovered that a classmate wasn’t following the rules, he took it upon himself to inform the teacher. For a brief moment, Johnny expected to be praised for enforcing God’s will. He felt Godly. All that came crashing down as his teacher pointed out the obvious: The only way Johnny could tell on his classmate, was if he’d violated the same rule… the one he accused his classmate of breaking. To which Johnny protested: “But how can I tell on the other kids if I can’t open my eyes?”
How many of you have ever been tattled on by another? Do we like tattle-tales? I’ve worked with people over the years who think it is their entire purpose to tell on others and be the official informer. I think maybe those people believe that if they tell on others by pointing out other people’s mistakes, their mistakes might be overlooked. And so we nitpick at others to minimize our own faults and failures. But people always talk.
This month we’ve been studying on the topic of standing strong and standing together. My question to you this morning is how can we stand strong when others are against us, when others speak evil against us, when others tell on us to get us in trouble, or when others persecute us?
How can we stand strong when we feel all alone?
Can I have faith when people are out to get me?
Today we are going to learn the story of Daniel in the Lions’ Den!
Please turn in your Bibles today to the book of Daniel chapter six.
BODY:
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah have done evil in the sight of God by serving other gods and bowing down to idols. Therefore, God allowed them to be taken into captivity by foreign nations.
Daniel lived in captivity the entire 70 years of the exile, from the time King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem destroying the temple to the time of King Cyrus of Persia allowing the Jews to return and rebuild the temple. He served under 4 different rulers and two Empires.
He was known for his incredible wisdom, integrity, and faithfulness to God; in fact Daniel is one of the few people in the Bible that has nothing negative to say about him. Not to say that he was sinless or perfect, but just that he lived a very righteous life and was faithful to God. Think of just how many people in a foreign land that Daniel was able to witness to and influence by his faith during the course of his life. Most likely he was in his late teens when taken from his home as a slave. That would make him an old man, probably in his eighties by the time of today’s story.
In Daniel chapter six we learn that Daniel is serving under a ruler known as Darius the Mede. Now Darius decided to appoint 120 satraps (or governors) to oversee the different provinces of his kingdom. Daniel was one of those chosen to be governor; in fact Daniel was so trusted and well thought of by King Darius, that Darius wanted to promote him make him his head administrator over the entire kingdom… second in command. But certain people didn’t like the attention that Daniel was getting, so they plotted against him.
[Daniel 6:4-5 NLT] 4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. 5 So they concluded, "Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion." [NASB – “unless we find it against him regarding the law of his God.”]
They decided to use his faith against him.
[Daniel 6:6-9 NLT] 6 So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, "Long live King Darius! 7 We are all in agreement--we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors--that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced.”
Was this the truth or a lie? Some of them had been consulted. Some of them had gotten together. But Daniel, obviously, wasn’t consulted. Nobody asked his opinion. So, they lie to the king and say, “OH King, we are all in agreement that you should do this!”
Here’s what they told him to do: “Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human--except to you, Your Majesty--will be thrown into the den of lions. 8 And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." 9 So King Darius signed the law.
King Darius followed their advise. They had the king make up a law that for one month, no one could pray to any god except the king. And anyone who prayed to a god must be thrown into the lion’s den. The king liked this idea – it appealed to his ego. And so he put the decree in writing.
It became a law. Now it was an established principle in the Medo-Persian Empire that when a king formally signed and instituted a decree, it was so binding that not even the king himself could change it. It was a done-deal!
He couldn't take it back. No back-sees.
So what would Daniel do? Would he stop praying to God for a whole month? Would he do it secretly? Here’s what he did…
[Daniel 6:10-11 NLT] 10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. 11 Then the officials went together to Daniel's house and found him praying and asking for God's help.
This was Daniel’s routine, to openly spend time with God three times a day, meditating on his Word, and praying.
Daniel stood strong and obeyed God even if it meant being thrown to the lions. He kept praying. He kept trusting and obeying.
[Daniel 6:12-13 NLT] 12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. "Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human--except to you, Your Majesty--will be thrown into the den of lions?" "Yes," the king replied, "that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." 13 Then they told the king, "That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day."
“That man Daniel!” As they point their fingers. Tattletale! Informer! We saw Daniel do just what you said not to! Shouldn’t you do something??
[Daniel 6:14-18 NLT] 14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, "Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed." 16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, "May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you." 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. [It was in God’s hands now!] 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night.
Just look at the impact Daniel's faith had on King Darius. This really upset him! He knew that he’d made a mistake listening to these advisers.
And now his best man is locked in a den full of hungry lions.
Surely, he won’t last through the night. Surely he’s already dead!
[Daniel 6:19-24 NLT] 19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions' den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?" 21 Daniel answered, "Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty." 23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. 24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
Daniel stood strong. How do we stand strong when people are against us? How do we stand strong when people say bad things about us?
We keep doing what we know is right… what God would have us do… what the Bible tells us to… no matter what! Let God handle the rest.
Let God deal with the consequences and with those who are fighting against us. Put it in God’s hands and leave it there. God will shut the mouths of the lions and those who wish to harm you.
[David Guzik]
It isn’t hard to see why people are men-pleasers [instead of seeking to be God-pleasers]; it seems as if people have the power to hire or fire us, to break our hearts, to slander us, to make our lives generally miserable. The power to obey God and stand for Him comes from a settled understanding that God is really in control.
CONCLUSION:
There is an old song that was written in 1873 that dares us to be just like Daniel. It goes like this: Dare to be a Daniel! Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm! Dare to make it known!
I dare you. When people talk about you, I dare you to be a Daniel.
