Daniel 6 - Life in the Lion's Den

Daniel 6

God delivers Daniel, who paid the price for persisting in prayer

“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.” Daniel 6:10

OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTER

1. The Plot Against the Prayerful: Daniel is Set Up by His Colleagues (v. 1-9)
2. Daniel’s Defiant Devotion: Persisting in Private Prayer (v. 10)
3. Conspirators Convince a Distressed Darius to Damn Daniel (v. 11-15)
4. Daniel is Thrown into the Lion’s Den with a Blessing (v. 16-18)
5. An Anxious Darius Finds that God was Faithful: Daniel Survives at Night with the Lions (v. 19-23)
6. Darius Publicly Praises the God of Daniel (v. 24-28)

CHARACTER UPDATE…

Darius the Mede, Yet Another King (likely not Darius the Great of Persia, cf. Ezra/Nehemiah)

• Friendly to Daniel throughout the story
• Planned to appoint Daniel over the whole kingdom
• Tricked by conspirators (Daniel’s jealous colleagues) into passing a law that Daniel would break
• Gives the sentence grudgingly, hopes that Daniel’s God will deliver
• Follows up to see if Daniel’s God delivered him from the lions
• Proclaims to everyone that they should worship Daniel’s God, the living God.

Daniel – Many years have passed as he continued in service through the reigns of different rulers.  He is now much older than he was at the beginning when he was at the outset in Daniel 1.  Picture him here as the aged and seasoned advisor, full of wisdom. 

• He is a man of integrity “no negligence or corruption” (v. 4).
• He is serving with excellence in his daily secular job.
• He faces this major test when he’s older: there is never a time in life when our faithfulness is beyond testing. 

THE MESSAGE:

Keep praying to the living God no matter what;

Your faithfulness will be met by God’s

READING WITH CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD – Christopher J.H. Wright

“Daniel 6 has a very sharp relevance to all Christians who are put under pressure by authorities, especially in those parts of the world where to stand up for the living God can be a matter of life and death.” – C.J.H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel, 125

1. Unintentional Outlaws: When quiet Christian actions are against the law

Choosing between a law of God and a law of the state

Stand up for constitutional rights – they matter for believers

• First Amendment to the Constitution (USA): “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
• Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Restrictive “freedom of religion” – you can follow, but can’t convert or evangelize

2. Innocent Victims: Facing undeserved threats

Den of lions = punishment of persecuted believers

Den of lions = people we work with who want to tear us apart and devour us

• Jealous of success
• Disdain of religious identity

Question 1: Have you experienced mistreatment from others in the secular world because of your Christian faith or lifestyle?  Do you know anyone - either personally or through testimony – who has?

3. Powerfully Provided-for…by Prayer

God’s faithfulness on display in Daniel’s deliverance

Justice prevails – Conspirators “hoist on their own petard” (Shakespeare, Hamlet)

Prayer as a Powerful Practice

• Protection from threats
• Opening a window to shine God’s light in the darkness

Question 2: What story do you have about God delivering you or protecting you from something threatening?  What stories like this have you heard?

Question 3: How does your life of prayer relate to the everyday world of secular life and work?  Is it more about relief from surrounding pressures or drawing God’s presence into the problem?