Surviving the Lions’ Den
Daniel 6
November 10, 2002
Intro:
A. [Unshakeable Faith, Citation: Abraham Heschel, Jewish author. Men of Integrity, Vol. 1, no. 2.]
Faith like Job’s cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken.
B. Today we come to the sixth chapter of Daniel and the story of the lions’ den.
1. Daniel certainly had an unshakable faith because his faith had been shaken and tested in the past.
2. Today we certainly don’t face literal lions’ dens like Daniel did, but we certainly have difficulties that remind us of being in one.
3. So let’s study this chapter together and see what we can learn about surviving the lions’ den.
I. Daniel 6:1-4 (NIV), It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
A. Satraps: Jealousy
1. Now these satraps were governors of provinces or states.
2. The KJV uses the word “princes.”
3. But we would more closely relate to them as governors of states.
4. Of course, they weren’t elected governors, they were appointed by Darius.
5. Now I should also point out that Cyrus was actually the king that took over after the slaying of Belshazzar, but he appoint Darius to oversee the kingdom of Babylon.
6. Then, Darius appointed these 120 satraps to oversee the provinces within Babylon, which ther called “satrapies.”
7. Then, Darius appointed three administrators to oversee the 120 satraps, and the three administrators would report to Darius.
8. Each of the administrators probably oversaw 40 satraps.
9. One of the three administrators was Daniel.
10. However, verse three tells us that Daniel had so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps that the king planned to set Daniel over all of Babylon.
11. Now I know that this kind of thing doesn’t happen today in our government, but (believe it or not) the 122 got pretty upset about this idea!
12. When the king started talking about setting Daniel over the whole kingdom, the 120 satraps and the other two administrators got offended.
13. I know that when governmental officials today get selected for the high positions of power, our governors and other politicians very graciously congratulate them and don’t become jealous. J
14. But as far-fetched as it may seem to us, the 122 got pretty jealous of Daniel and decided to dig up some dirt on him. J
15. They didn’t have any commercials to produce to try to get them elected, but they did look for some mud to sling around on Daniel.
B. Daniel: Diligence
1. Now we need to understand that when Nebuchadnezzar originally deported Daniel in the first chapter from Jerusalem to Babylon, he was probably about 16 years old.
2. Now, he is about 80 years old.
3. Verse four tells us that they tried to find some corruption in Daniel, but because he was trustworthy and diligent, they couldn’t come up with any dirt on him.
4. Notice the things the Scriptures say about Daniel here: “so distinguished himself,” they found no grounds for charges against Daniel, found no corruption in him, “he was trustworthy,” “he was neither corrupt nor negligent.”
5. Daniel was diligent in the way that he conducted himself in his governmental duties and as a result they were unable to dig up any dirt on him.
II. Daniel 6:5-12 (NIV), Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." 6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?" The king answered, "The decree stands--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."
A. Satraps: Religion Card
1. The jealous politicians couldn’t dig up any dirt on their prospective new leader and so they tried to the religion card.
2. They couldn’t find any corruption in him, so they thought if they were going to find any basis for charges against him, it would have to be something to do with his religion.
3. He had obviously not been overbearing with his religion, but they knew he was devout and walked in his talk in accordance with his own beliefs.
4. So they devised a scheme to play off the king’s ego.
5. Knowing full well that Daniel prayed to God regularly, they got the king to sign a decree that forbad anyone to pray to any god or man other than himself.
6. The penalty for praying to anyone other than the king was the lions’ den.
7. The 122 couldn’t find any corruption in Daniel so they decided to play the religion card.
8. Julie Carson did something similar recently in her bid for reelection as one of Indiana’s representatives in Washington; only she played the race card…
She was in a debate with her opponent and she got up and walked out of the debate.
The reason that she got up and walked out was because she implied that her opponent was racist.
Her proof of that was that he was showing a photo of her in his advertisements.
She implied that because he was showing her photo, he was drawing attention to her race.
She felt that she couldn’t debate with a racist so she got up and walked out.
Sadly, she played the race card and got away with it; it was a very close political race, but she pulled away shortly after that.
9. The 122 were playing the religion card in their political maneuvering.
B. Daniel: Standing Tall
1. At noon that day, Daniel had a choice to make.
2. Verse ten tells us that after Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home.
3. What was he going to do now?
4. Well it was an easy decision for him to make because he had been doing this for years.
5. The decree didn’t change his custom at all.
6. The 122 knew that it wouldn’t, that’s why they devised this whole thing.
7. Daniel was not going to quit praying just because his government told him not to.
8. Daniel went home at noon and got down on his knees and gave thanks to God and asked God for help, as was his custom.
9. In the face of a governmental decree against praying to God, Daniel stood tall by getting down on his knees.
10. Now I got some people upset for saying this earlier this year, but I’m going to say it again: Daniel did what the church of America should have done when the courts told us not to pray in public!
11. Daniel did what Peter and John did when the government told them not to speak any more in the name of Jesus—the DISobeyed!
12. And I’m telling you that I’m grateful that we now have a government that probably won’t tell us to stop speaking about or praying to Jesus, but if our government ever does—we’d better obey God rather than men!
13. Daniel stood tall on his knees!
III. Daniel 6:13-28 (NIV), Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day." 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed." 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" 21 Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly! 26 "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
A. Satraps: Insistence
1. So these guys got exactly what they wanted.
2. They got a little nervous for a few hours, but they finally got what they wanted.
3. As soon as Daniel went to his room to pray, they went to tell the king.
4. The king liked Daniel, so the rest of the afternoon he looked for a way out of this.
5. So again at sundown, they went and reminded him since it was in writing it could not be changed.
6. And so the kind finally relented and had Daniel thrown into the lions’ den.
B. Daniel: Endurance
1. Daniel had no idea what would happen, but he knew the penalty when he got down on his knees.
2. We have no record of any resistance on Daniel’s part and allowed himself to be thrown into the lions’ den.
3. Of course God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions and Daniel survived the lions’ den.
4. But notice the boomerang effect that took place here…
a. Even thou the 122 thought they could have Daniel done away with by having the king throw him in the lions’ den, they were the ones that were done away with.
b. Again, notice the contrast here…
1) An angel came and shut the mouths of the lions when he was in there and he was unhurt.
2) However, when the others were thrown in, they didn’t even reach the floor of the cave before the lions had overpowered them and crushed their bones.
3) I might point out that Daniel was thrown down into the cave at 80 years old and was unhurt even by the effects of the fall itself.
IV. Surviving the Lions’ Den
A. Uprightness in the community
Daniel 6:4 (NIV), At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
1. Did you notice how upright Daniel had lived?
2. Daniel lived uprightly in his community.
3. Daniel conducted himself uprightly in his work place.
4. If we are going to survive the lions’ dens in our lives, we are going to have to walk uprightly as well!
5. We are going to have to live in such a way that they will not be able to find any corruption in us.
6. We are going to have to live in such a way that they will not be able to bring any charges against us.
7. We are going to have to live in such a way that we distinguish ourselves among our peers.
8. We need to conduct ourselves with honesty and integrity.
9. Colossians 3:23 (NIV), Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
10. If we are going to have the hand of God upon us in our lions’ dens, have to work as if Christ were our boss and not a human.
11. How would we work if Christ were our boss?
12. If fact, the Scriptures repeatedly told slaves to work like this for their masters.
13. We are to work for our bosses just like we would if Christ were our boss, no matter how un-Christlike our bosses are!
14. We have to listen to criticism and honestly ask God if it is accurate criticism and if it is we need to repent!
15. We need to distinguish ourselves in the work place and in the community and when we do, God will send his angels to get us out of the lions’ den!
B. Prayer as a way of life
Daniel 6:10 (NIV), Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
1. Now first of all notice that this was Daniel’s custom.
2. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
3. Daniel had always done this; this was his custom.
4. And if we expect to survive the lions’ den, we are going to have to be people of prayer.
5. Now there is nothing in the scripture that commands us to pray at morning, noon, or evening, but when DO you pray?
6. When IS your prayer time?
7. Some people pray continuously; some people pray three times a day; some people spend fifteen minutes a day in prayer.
8. But when do you pray?
9. If you are not praying, God is not working fully in your life!
10. This is one of those topics that I’ve been ridiculed for repeating, but I’m going to continue to repeat it!
11. We needed to be people of prayer!
12. God is doing things in prayer with people that He hasn’t done in our lifetimes!
13. God is doing supernatural things through prayer that even many Pentecostals haven’t experienced.
14. God is doing things in prayer today that are just as amazing as what he did for Daniel and you need that in your life!
15. If you are going to survive the lions’ den, you are going to have to be a person of prayer!
C. Steadfastness in the midst of attack
Daniel 6:10 (NIV), Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Acts 5:29 (NIV), Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!
1. If we are gong to survive the lions’ den, we have to stand firm.
2. Now this is a topic that I can speak about with a voice of experience!
3. Ephesians 6:13 (NIV), Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
4. When we are attacked, we cannot back down!
5. When the Supreme Court told us to take down the Ten Commandments, what did we do? We took ‘em down!
6. When the Supreme Court told us to stop praying…We stopped praying.
7. We did not stand our ground!
8. But I believe that we’re beginning to realize our mistake and we are beginning to take a stand!
9. Do you know what group their saying is responsible for the outcome of this election? Rightwing evangelical Christians!
10. I believe we are beginning to stand our ground in the political arena, but when we undergo attacks either personally or as a church, we must also stand our ground in those arenas as well!
11. Daniel stood his ground and he survived the lions’ den!
D. Innocence before God
Daniel 6:22 (NIV), My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
1 John 1:8-2:6 (NIV), If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 2:1, My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
1. Daniel said that not only was he innocent before the king, he was innocent before the King of Kings!
2. But the trouble is that we aren’t always as innocent before God as we may think we are.
3. You see John teaches us that we are all sinners, even if we are saved!
4. Even if we are saved we are still sinners.
5. John said that if we say we are not, we call God a liar!
6. But John doesn’t leave us without hope; John says we have an advocate—if our heart is right!
7. You know we have too many Christians running around acting as if they are holier than thou simply because they go to church.
8. We’ve got too many Christians who think that simply because they are saved, they can do whatever they want to do.
9. Do you see that this all comes down to an attitude of the heart?
10. Do we simply take His grace for granted or are we diligently trying to become more and more like Christ?
11. Do we take His grace for granted or are we diligently trying to keep His commands?
12. Do we take His grace for granted or do we strive to walk as Jesus walked?
13. I think one of the tests of having a correct attitude is being able to admit when we have sinned.
14. I think one of the tests of having a correct attitude is being able to confess that we have done something wrong.
15. I think one of the tests of having a correct attitude is whether we are working hard and praying about getting sin out of our life.
16. And in order for us to do that, the church has got to be a grace place!
17. We have got to be a place where people can come in here and say, “Pray for me and hold me accountable for gossip.”
18. We have got to be a place where people can come in here and say, “Pray for me and hold me accountable for sexual immorality.”
19. We have got to be a place where people can come in here and say, “Pray for me and hold me accountable for my addiction.”
20. We need to be a place where sinners can feel comfortable to come in here and confess sins and not worry about it being spread all over town!
21. These are things that we must do in order to be innocent before God.
22. Being innocent before God is one of the things we need to do in order to be able to survive the lions’ dens.
Conclusion:
A. [Confidence in a Crisis, Citation: Men of Integrity, Vol. 1, no. 2.]
Green Bay Packers’ [now Seattle Seahawks] head coach Mike Holmgren looks back at a heartbreaking moment, when he was cut from the New York Jets as backup quarterback to Joe Namath, that directed him to a bigger plan.
"I had committed my life to Jesus Christ when I was 11, but in my pursuit to make a name for myself in football, I left God next to my dust-covered Bible.
But after getting cut from the Jets, I pulled out my Bible and found comfort in a verse I had memorized in Sunday school: ’Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths’ (Proverbs 3:5-6).
"I asked Jesus Christ to take control again. My priorities in life are faith, family, and football--in that order."
B. Is yours the kind of faith that cannot be shaken when you are thrown into the lions’ den? If not which of these four things that we have learned from Daniel, do you need to begin to incorporate into your life?
1. Are you living uprightly in the community?
2. Are you committed to prayer as a way of life?
3. Are you standing your ground in the face of attack?
4. Are you striving for innocence before God?
5. Do you need to ask Jesus Christ to take control of your life?
