INTRODUCTION
The title of this series from Daniel is “Turning Chaos into Character.” In chapter one, Daniel refused to eat the king’s rich food. He went on what I call the “Daniel Diet.” In chapter two, the king saw a vision of a multi-metallic statue representing Gentile Kingdoms. Here in chapter six we are in the time of the second kingdom, that of the Medes and Persians. In chapter three the three Hebrew friends refused to bow down to the image of gold, so they were thrown into a fiery furnace. But they found that it was cool in the furnace when Jesus is walking with you. In chapter four, we read the testimony of proud King Nebuchadnezzar who is humbled until he turns to the living God. Last week in chapter five we read the Handwriting on the Wall.
If there is any story from the book of Daniel that most people know it is the wonderful story of Daniel in the lions’ den. Most of us first heard this story as children in Sunday School or when our parents taught us Bible stories. Someone asked me if this title was a misprint. No. Today I want us to study “The Lions in Daniel’s Den.” You’ll understand what I mean by that toward the end of the message.
Most of you know the story, let’s read the highlights to review the details of this great story, then we’ll talk about what it means to us today.
Daniel 6:1-7. “It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 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. 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. 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…So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: ‘O King Darius, live forever! 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 lion’s den.’”
They were appealing to Darius’ ego. They were applying a double coat of flattery to his pride. Years ago there was an old TV show called “Queen for a Day.” They would take an ordinary lady and load her down with all kinds of personal, feminine gifts like a washing machine, a vacuum cleaner, and a dishwasher. Darius was already king, so they said, “King we want you to be ‘god for a month.’” Darius liked the sound of that, so he signed the paper.
Daniel 6:10-11. “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. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.”
So they went to the king and told on him. To Darius it was a precarious dilemma, because when the Law of the Medes and Persians was signed, nothing could break it and he was fond of old Daniel. But to these conspirators, it was hilarious, because they had trapped the king.
Daniel 6:16-24. “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!’ 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. 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. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 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?’ Daniel answered, ‘Oh, king, live forever! 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, Oh, king.’ 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. 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.”
Daniel gives us a great example of how we ought to live and behave. Just as he was a child of God living in a foreign, pagan culture, you and I are children of God who live in an American culture that is becoming less and less Christian with each passing day. What can we learn from old Daniel? First:
I. IN PUBLIC: PURITY SHOULD BE YOUR GOAL
These Persian leaders were jealous of Daniel and they wanted to discredit him - but his reputation was so flawless there were no skeletons in the closet for them to expose. His life was one of purity: He was beyond reproach. The passage tells us in verse three that he possessed “exceptional qualities.” That’s a phrase that is also translated “an excellent spirit” or a “surpassing spirit.” It really has something to do with his attitude. That’s the first thing we can learn from Daniel:
1) Stay positive—whatever your age!
The word “excellent spirit” means that even though he was an old man, he still had a positive, winsome attitude about life and about his job. Have you noticed that as some people get older they become grouchy ole men or grouchy old women?
I told somebody that I wake up at 5:30 on Friday mornings to lead my Experiencing God group. And that person asked me, “Don’t you wake up grouchy?” I said, “No, I let her sleep.” Not really. Cindy is a great positive person ... just not at 5:30 a.m.!
It is true that when some people get older they become cynical and develop a sour attitude...but it doesn’t have to be so. I’ve asked God to never let me lose my zeal and enthusiasm, whatever age He allows me to live. The word “enthusiasm” comes from two words en- and theos. Theos means “God,” so the more “in” God you are, the more en-thusiastic you will be!
Now, Daniel was a man who kept his positive enthusiasm even into his 80’s. I’m thrilled to see how excited our teenagers are. Their new theme is “Wired and Inspired.” That’s great! I’m glad to know that we have some senior adults who are stilled wired too! Some of the others have blown a fuse, I’m afraid!
There are folks in our church who are in their 70’s and 80’s and they still have a positive attitude. As you know, we are going to have to change our schedule as we prepare to move into our new building. One of the older men in our church said to me, “Nobody likes change, but, Pastor, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to see that our church keeps growing and reaching people. If you want to plan a 6 a.m. Sunday School, or a 7 a.m. worship service, just tell me where we meet and I’ll show up with bells on!”
I thank God for that kind of “excellent spirit.” Daniel had it, and so should we!
2) Show integrity—whatever your job!
Integrity means “honest and trustworthy, even when nobody is looking.” Does that describe you when you are working in your job?
Look at the last part of verse four. It says Daniel “was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.” That means that he was known on the job as being a “straight arrow.” He could be trusted. He wasn’t going to steal. He was diligent, a hard worker. These conspirators decided Daniel had to be removed. So they put a tail on him. They screened his telephone calls and email. They looked to see which sites he visited on the Internet. They tried to dig up any garbage from the past. Why, you would have thought Daniel was running for public office in America! But they couldn’t find anything wrong with him. Their only observation was that “he loves God too much.”
Daniel is a great example to us of a man who loved God but was also successful in his career. Some of you may be wondering, “Can I be faithful to God and still advance in my career?” Well, Daniel was one of the most successful Prime Ministers in the history of the world. To him, his job was NOT just something he did to put food on the table. It wasn’t just something to occupy his time five days a week. He saw his job as a platform upon which he could demonstrate his faith in God. Are you doing that? When people look at you on the job, can they say, “Here is a good, faithful, honest, hard-working person who loves Jesus.”
By the way, when you live for God, there will always be those who are “out to get you.” They target you because your faithfulness and honesty only shows up their lack of integrity. Like Daniel, if you decide to be an honest, faithful, diligent employee, God will honor and bless you. Here’s a great true story to illustrate that.
A number of years ago, an elderly man and his wife arrived by train in the city of Chicago. It was a stormy night and their train had been delayed. It was after midnight when they finally arrived at a downtown hotel they hoped had a vacancy. The young clerk on duty that night was named George Boldt and he explained that because there were three different conventions in town, their hotel was full, but he would be glad to call around and check with some other hotels. After several calls, it was clear that there were no empty rooms to be found.
The young clerk said to the couple, “I can’t send a nice couple like you out into the rain on a night like this. Would you be willing to sleep in my room in the basement? It’s not large, but it’s clean and I don’t need it tonight because I’m on duty.”
The couple gladly accepted his offer. The next morning the man tried to pay George personally, but the young clerk refused. Then the man said to George Boldt, “You’re the kind of man who ought to be the boss of the best hotel in America. Maybe one day I’ll build one for you.” The young clerk only smiled and said, “I was just glad to be of service.”
Several years later George Boldt received a letter with train ticket to New York City. The old gentleman took him to the corner of 5th Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan and said, “This is the hotel I have built for you to manage.” George Boldt stared in awe and said, “Are you joking?” It was no joke. The old man’s name was William Waldorf Astor. And that’s how George Boldt became the first manager of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. When I took Cindy to New York City for our 25th Anniversary last year, we stayed there. And there was George’s Portrait in the lobby, a tribute to a clerk who showed integrity and went the second mile. What do people say about you when they see you in your job?
The next thing we learn from old Daniel is:
II. IN PRIVATE: PRAYER SHOULD BE YOUR HABIT
While Daniel’s public life was one of purity, notice that his private life was characterized by prayer. When Daniel learned that it was suddenly against the law to pray, he was faced with a dilemma. Now, if he had been like some of us, he probably would have said, “I don’t want to cause any trouble, I will just pray in my heart–after all, you don’t have to get on your knees–and you really don’t have to pray out loud.” No, he made the decision that he would just keep on praying the way he had always prayed. He decided that it was more important to please the God of heaven rather than the law of man.
Now this is the second time in this book that a child of God commits civil disobedience. That is, he refused to obey the law of the land. Remember, in chapter three, the king commanded that everyone had to bow down. The three Hebrew boys conscientiously refused to obey. That’s an example of when man’s government tells you to do something that God’s word forbids: idolatry. But this example in chapter five is just the opposite–it’s where man’s government tells a child of God that he cannot do what God has commanded him to do: Pray.
Daniel carefully considers the consequences–and he breaks the law–he prays anyway. He doesn’t put on a public display. He doesn’t make it a constitutional fight, he just prays.
I can’t predict what will happen in the 21st century, but if the trend continues, government is going to infringe more and more on our God-given right to pray by telling us where and when we may or may not pray. My advice to you: pray anyway. But be prepared to face the consequences. Don’t ever be afraid to pray publicly, but make sure you aren’t doing for show, and make sure it arises out of a faithful, consistent, private prayer life. That’s what Daniel did. He went to his room and opened the windows toward Jerusalem, that is, he wasn’t ashamed to be seen or heard praying. This was a spiritual sting operation; he had been “set up.” They were there, and they caught him praying. His prayer, even though it was against the law, made a powerful statement about his devotion to God.
Let me ask you. Has anyone ever caught you praying? You don’t have to “show off” your prayer life, just pray. But you should never be ashamed to pray and your prayer makes a powerful statement.
One of my favorite Norman Rockwell prints appeared on the cover of Post Magazine in November 1951. The scene is a greasy, crowded New York restaurant. The scene outside the window shows a dirty, railroad yard. The floor is littered with cigarette butts, and the air is clouded with tobacco smoke. A grandmother and her young grandson who are traveling have been forced to sit at a table with a couple of strange men. Norman Rockwell has captured the precise moment when they are bowing their heads to pray and give thanks for the food. You can see four men who are staring at this sight; someone is praying! But it is as if, for that moment, quietness has descended and the presence of God has invaded that noisy café.
I say again: don’t ever pray for show, just pray. Don’t ever be embarrassed to pray, and the very act of your praying will send a testimony. Teenagers, when you gather around the flagpole each September, you are praying, but you are sending a powerful message, too.
Let me ask you: how important is prayer to you? I’ve decided if you drive in traffic around Tyler, you’d better know how to pray! If suddenly our government issued a law saying you couldn’t pray for 30 days, how many of you would miss it? Verses 10 and 11 give us some important tips about prayer. Let’s learn four
KEYS TO A DYNAMIC PRAYER LIFE:
1) A specific place
Daniel had a place where he prayed, his room. He opened the windows toward Jerusalem. During this time, Jerusalem was only a pile of rubble. But he wasn’t praying to Jerusalem, he was praying in faith to the God whom he believed could rebuild Jerusalem.
It helps to have a designated place for you to have your quiet time. For me, it’s a chair in my study. That’s where I meet God every morning for prayer and devotional Bible study, not sermon preparation.
The Bible indicates that Jesus sought out a special place to pray. Look at Mark 1:35, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” You need to find a special place where you can get alone with God and meet Him every day.
2) A regular time
Did you see Daniel had a regular schedule of praying? He did it three times a day, probably based on Psalm 55:17, which says, “Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress and He hears my voice.” The Jewish day began with sunset; that is why he started by saying evening.
For most of us our day begins in the morning. That’s a good time to start. Have a regular time set aside to meet the Lord in prayer. If you don’t think you have time to do it in the morning, try setting your clock 15 minutes earlier. Get up, get awake, and find a place to be alone. Read a psalm and then start talking to God. Set that time as your regular prayer time, you’ll be amazed at the difference it will make in your life.
3) A devoted posture
Notice Daniel got down on his knees–he was in his eighties! The Bible doesn’t command us to kneel when we pray. There are several prayer postures mentioned in the Bible, kneeling, eyes uplifted to heaven, standing, arms raised or a combination of all of them. It’s interesting that the one posture most of us adopt, bowing our head and closing our eyes is never mentioned in scripture! The picture of hands pressed together is probably a form of lifting hands to God. I think kneeling is a good posture, because we only kneel to someone that we surrender and submit to. Some people are too proud to bow their knee to anyone.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He was crucified, we are told that Jesus knelt down to pray. Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason, I kneel before the Father ... ”
You ever wonder how a bird sleeps on a branch without falling off? The secret is in the tendons in the bird’s leg. They are constructed such that when the leg is bent at the knee the claws contract and grip like a steel trap. The claws refuse to let go as long as the bird’s legs are bent as they are when it is sleeping. Only when it straightens its legs when awake that it can let go! How true for us too. It is only when we bend our knees in prayer that we become anchored, so much so that our lives are like a steel trap, never letting go of God and falling! If you want to get a better grip, try bending your knees before God.
Years ago I learned the little humorous poem that teaches you can pray in any position:
“The proper way for a man to pray,” said Deacon Lemuel Keys;
“And the only proper way - is down upon his knees.”
“Well I should say - a man should pray with rapt and upturned eyes-
With both his hands lifted up,” said Rev. Brother Wise.
“Oh no, no, no!” Said Elder Snow “Such posture is too proud!
A man should pray with eyes fast closed and head contritely bowed.”
“Well it seems to me, that his hands should be austerely clasped in front
With both his thumbs pointing down.” said Rev. Dr. Blount.
“Last year I fell in Higgins’ well - Head-first!” said Cyrus Brown
“With both my feet a stickin’ up and my head a pointin’ down.
I prayed a prayer right then and there - the prayingest prayer I’ve said.
Stuck in a well that day a standin’ on my head!”
So you see, you can pray in any posture, of course, but we have scriptural support that praying on your knees is a good posture. Try it for yourself and see.
4) A consistent habit
The most important thing these two verses say about Daniel’s prayer life is found in the last six words of verse 10, “just as he had done before.” That means for Daniel, prayer was a regular, consistent habit. It wasn’t some kind of emergency mode that he had to resort to when trouble arose. He prayed regularly every day.
There are good habits and there are plenty of bad habits. You need to get into the good habit of praying every single day. I promise you Satan will do everything within his power to keep you from praying.
Samuel Chadwick wrote, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.”
In public, Daniel’s life was characterized by purity. That should be your goal. In private, his life was characterized by prayer. That should be our habit as well. Now we come to the third example:
III. UNDER PRESSURE: PEACE WILL BE YOUR GIFT
The Persians had a pit where they kept hungry, savage lions. They took this 80-year-old saint and tossed him into the pit and sealed the opening–now that’s pressure! The conspirators laughed with wicked glee. All they expected to find the next morning was a greasy spot that had once been Daniel, but God had other plans.
Let’s talk about the lions in Daniel’s den, because Daniel was really the host–not the guest. And let’s talk about some of the lions that you and I face, all different kinds of pressure. First let’s notice:
1) There are still lions you must face
Now, obviously few of us will ever be tossed before literal lions, but we face all kinds of savage danger that is every bit as real as a hungry lion. I’m talking about the pressures of life, the circumstances and situations that threaten to consume us. The Bible says all of us have a foe that is like a lion. Look at II Pet 5:8, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
I’ve read that one of the loudest, most terrifying sounds in the jungle is a sound of a lion roaring. Sometimes the roar of a lion is enough to paralyze a surprised prey. The main weapon the devil has is his roar. His bark really is worse that his bite. Jesus has pretty much rendered old Satan toothless and clawless since the cross, but some folks are still frightened into spiritual paralysis by his roar. Satan wants to scare you.
I heard the funny story about a small congregation that was meeting one Sunday morning. Right in the middle of the service the devil burst into the building and started roaring to scare the people. Folks were running out every door and jumping out every window, even the preacher ran off. The room was empty except for the devil and one old man who was sitting there calmly with his arms crossed. The devil got right in his face and roared again. The main didn’t move. The devil said, “Do you know who I am? Why aren’t you afraid of me?” The man looked at him and said, “Yeah, you’re the devil, but I’m not scared of you ... ‘cause I’ve been married to your sister for 45 years.”
You don’t have to be afraid of the devil either. Just be aware that he’s out there roaring. But there are other lions, too. The lion pit you are in right now might be filled with relational lions. Maybe you are going through an ugly divorce, or a tough marriage, or you are having trouble with a friend, or a family member.
Your pit may be filled with financial lions. You are in trouble financially and you don’t know which way to turn. They are creeping up on you threatening to devour you.
Some of you are backed up against the wall facing physical lions. You’ve gotten a bad diagnosis, or worse, you have a nagging health problem and they don’t know what it is. Name your lions. There are all different kinds out there. Here’s the second truth we learn from Daniel:
2) When in the pit, seek the dominant lion (or the Head Lion)
Now, I like to watch the Animal Planet channel, and I’ve done a great deal or research on lions because I’m interested in knowing what really took place in that pit. I want you to think about the lions in Daniel’s Den.
A male lion is known as the King of Beasts. A male lion can grow to over 10 feet in length, including his tail, and can weigh over 500 pounds. A grown male can kill a 150-pound gazelle with one swipe of his paw and can jump over a three-foot fence with that gazelle in his mouth. Of all God’s creatures, the lion is one of the most beautiful, fearsome, awesome creatures. That’s one reason why the Bible uses this symbol to describe the Lord Jesus.
Look at Rev. 5:5a, “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘do not weep! See, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.’” In light of this scripture, let me tell you what I think happened when Daniel was tossed into the pit of lions. He later told Darius God sent “His angel” to close the mouths of the lions. What do you picture? It could have been some lion-taming angel who went around and wrapped a muzzle around each lion’s mouth. But, you know, perhaps this is the “angel of the Lord,” the very same “angel” that walked with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. It could have been that the preincarnate Christ visited the lion’s pit as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Let me teach you what I’ve learned about lions. Get ready to shout, “Hallelujah!”
Lions are very group-oriented. They live and hunt in prides. In each pride there is always a dominant male. What he does the others do. When he sleeps, the rest sleep. When he hunts, the others hunt. When he eats, they all eat. This dominant male, often called the Alpha Male, is in charge until a new male comes along and challenges and drives him off.
I believe on that evening when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, there was new boss of the Pride: the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
Can’t you just imagine the scene? Here’s the new Dominant Lion. He said, “Here kitty, kitty, settle down fellas. You don’t want to eat old Daniel. After all he is one half grit and one half backbone! Besides, you are going to have an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet tomorrow morning. It’s a little chilly down here, so one of you lay down there so Daniel will have something warm to lay beside. Another one of you let him share your mane so he’ll have a soft pillow. And there are a lot of flies down here. Why don’t a couple of you swish your tails over his face to keep those flies away?” So Daniel just lay down, pulled his pocket Old Testament out of his robe and had a good time–he was reading between the lions! (Sorry!)
Let me ask you: who had more peace that night, Daniel in the pit of lions or Darius in the palace? Darius had his own lions to fight: the lion of conscience, the lion of guilt, and the lion of accusation. He didn’t sleep a wink. What’s the difference? Daniel was in touch with the real King, not the king of beasts, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who is also called the Prince of Peace. So here was old Daniel, resting comfortably, peace in the midst of pressure, while Darius stays up all night fighting his own personal lions.
Which scene best describes your life right now? Yeah, there are going to be lions. Sure, you will be thrown into the pit, but when it happens, make sure you are in touch with the Dominant Lion, the One who can give you peace in midst of pressure.
Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have spoken these words unto you so that in me you might have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But be of good cheer! I have overcome [dominated] the world.” Here’s the final truth:
3) Jesus is still taming lions today!
So Darius hurries to the lion pit early the next morning and finds Daniel alive and well, not a scratch is on his body. And Darius condemns the group for conspiracy to commit murder and they are all eaten. Wow! What a story! Just as Jesus tamed those lions 2,600 years ago, He can tame your lions today.
Now you may be saying, “Now, pastor, you are just stretching a point here, trying to make an application here. I really don’t have any lions to face.” Really? Let me call your attention to an interesting verse from the New Testament. II Timothy is Paul’s last letter. Chapter four is the last chapter of his last letter. These words were written not long before he was beheaded. He has already written the famous statement, “The time of my departure is at hand, and I am now ready to be offered ... ” As he concludes this letter, he makes an amazing statement. Look at what he writes in II Tim. 4:17-18, He was talking about the time when he was in Ephesus and an evil man by the name of Alexander tried to destroy his ministry. As Paul looks back on this terrible experience he says, “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength ... and I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.”
So, you see, this is not just preacher talk. There really are lions out there. And whatever your lions look like, Jesus will be there to stand beside you to give you strength and peace. He is still in the lion taming business!
CONCLUSION
To me, the saddest part of the story was when Darius threw the evil men and their families into the lion’s pit, and the Bible says it wasn’t pretty. The savage lions pounced on them and broke their bones before they could hit the ground. Let me ask you: what was the difference between Daniel and these people? What is the key to having peace in the lion’s pit instead of being destroyed?
Here’s the difference: Daniel had a living, personal, relationship with the God of heaven. I mean, Daniel carried on a conversation with the God of the Universe three times a day, and when he found himself in the pit, God was there! These men and their families didn’t know God. And there was no peace for them, only agony.
Listen to me carefully. If you don’t know Jesus Christ, there will be no one to deliver you through the painful lion’s den experiences of life. One of these days, you will find yourself in the pit of sickness, but there will be no peace or deliverance.
One of these days you will face the pit of death, but there will be no God to resurrect you.
And God forbid, that you should enter into the pit of hell, and there will be no God to open the door of heaven.
You basically have a choice this morning. Which lion will you choose? Will you choose to listen to the roaring lion, Satan and his plan for your life? Or you may choose the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lord Jesus. When you choose Jesus there is always ultimate deliverance to whatever pit this world may throw you into. Won’t you trust Him today?
