Daniel in the Lions’ Den - 14

Christian lady asked welcome to Turning Point which is addition, like Daniel, you face a good deal of Lawrence may be a joint work will school.

We want to be treated unfairly because of your foot today. David Jeremiah offers help for surviving the lines in your life. As soon as David she is Daniel in the lines when we are studying the book of Daniel, and here in the weekend edition we find ourselves today in the sixth chapter of the historic story of Daniel in the lines that it's not just history though it's about our lives to and how God intervenes on our behalf. When we stand true to him. You don't want to miss any of today's program this weekend edition story at the end of the 13th verse, when Daniel was about to be thrown into the lives that he is been caught these about to be sentenced and executed in his judgment, we come now to verses 14 to 23, Daniel protected by his God. First of all, under this section of the protection of Daniel by his God.

We notice in verses 14 and 15 the displeasure of the king. It's interesting as you read those verses to discover what you think would happen doesn't happen. It says in verse 14 that when the king heard the words concerning Daniel's not obeying the commandment and praying to his own God that the king was sore displeased, and you would think you would read after that with Daniel but that's not what the text says is the king was sore displeased with himself, for he had been tricked.

He didn't want to hurt Daniel and when he realized what happened and that his own people had against him so that he was killed, Daniel.

The Scripture says the king was displeased with himself, he has been tricked and deceived that he is sick at heart. Now, the Scripture goes on to say that King Darius set his heart on delivering Daniel and to his credit, he worked hard at that.

In fact, the Bible says that he worked from the morning until the night.

Finally, the hour for Daniel's physical salvation was gone, usually under Persian law. When a person was convicted of a crime and the sentence was passed.

They were executed on the same day as soon as the sentence was passed. There were no opportunities for redress or appeals soon as it was known they were guilty they carried it out and they did it on the same day and so the time for King Darius to do anything about this ended when the sun sets at night and his trouble was rewarded with no success. One of the historians he writes about this period of time. A man by the name of Montgomery cites an incident in the reign of Darius the third in 336 to 331 BC when that particular team put to death a man that he knew was innocent and immediately according to the historian he repented and he blamed himself as having greatly aired, but it was not possible to undo what was done for as we have learned the laws of the Medes and Persians were unalterable. They could not be changed for the Persian kings were considered to be infallible and therefore anything they said was irreversible.

And if you study in your text, you will discover that four different times in the sixth chapter, we are reminded that that which the Medo Persian monarch would say, could not be changed. Verse eight says, which alters not verse 12 says, which alters not verse 15 says cannot be changed cannot be changed.

The Medo Persian law could not be changed. We come to verses 16 and 17, and we discover after the displeasure of the king, the deliverance of Daniel to the lion's den. I want to remind you as we look at these verses that Daniel's punishment is not due to the fact that he has committed positive sin, but it's due to the fact that he is refused to omit a positive duty.

He didn't do anything to get punished. He just did what it always been doing as he did 1/4 time he prayed he carried on his devotional habit and the result of that was that he was set up and now he's about to be punished.

So here is the lion hearted in the lion's den, you've probably seen those famous pictures of Daniel standing in the lion's den and white contemplation with his hands behind his back two or three lines looking at him and all you see those pictures. What I'd like to change your mental picture to what went on that night you might want to adjust it just a bit.

Let me jump ahead in the text for just a moment to tell you that in the 24th verse, we learn that when those who had tried to kill Daniel were thrown in the den, the Bible says they were devoured before they hit the floor. Now wait a minute how many people was that how many were there who were in the princes and the governors on back and check us out. There were 120 princes and two others and their families were thrown in the line stanza. Let's give him credit for three-piece so wrapped about three or 400 you know how many lines would take to eat three or 400 people before they could hit the floor. The lines den my friend that is a lot of liens. One writer describes what happened this way. Listen, he said as the guards closed the aperture and went their way. Daniel slid gradually to the floor of the den, the big liens that had come bounding from their caverns at the inflow of light all stopped suddenly sure as a steed rained out by a powerful hand on the bright. The initial wars died away as they formed a solid phalanx and look toward this man who stood in their den within their easy reach.

There was some snorting and a little whining and some of them turned around and went back to their caverns. Others of the great beast yawned and lay down on the floor but not one made a move toward their visitor thanks be unto Jehovah brief. The prophet you have stopped the mouths of these fierce beasts, and they will do me no harm. He sat down on the floor of the Dan and he leaned back against the wall to make himself comfortable for the night soon to come. Lines moved in his direction not stealthily or crouching, as though to make an attack, but an obvious friendliness and one leg on each side of Daniel's though to give them warmth and protection in the chilly dungeon. Presently, their mother and old Linus crept over and lay in front of the prophet. He gently stroked their backs as they each turned their heads and licked his hand, and closed by the Linus and her cubs, the head of the patriarch was gradually pillowed on the back of one of the cubs as the four slept soundly in perfect peace and tranquility. Meanwhile, back at the palace.

Verse 18 then the king went to his policy past night fasting. Neither were instruments of music brought before him and his sleep went from him. Isn't it interesting how the Bible is almost like a television novel. Can you imagine you reading the story and it tells you that they brought Danny. Let me open up the hole in the great cavern that had a entrance down from the side and they drop them in may close it up and then they say all right cut to the palace and you don't know what's going on. I just read you what I think was going on but that's not in the Bible you come at the end of her 17 it says stone was brought lay on the mouth of the damaging symbol of his own signet with the second was large that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel McCain what was palace who cares.

I don't care what's going on. The palace what's going on with Daniel down there. We have to wait a while when I can get to that. See, it's time for the next scene is the way it always is on television.

In fact, I don't want very much television, but the only time I ever watch is when they have this really exciting novel and I get all caught up into it. I think it's a commercial break in the words to be continued, come on the screen and I figure that's not worth and I don't want to watch anymore. The suspense is building. Bible says in verse 18, that when King Darius went back to his palace he could not sleep. He could not eat, and it says here he could not be diverted the phrase in the 18th verse means when it says neither were instruments of music brought before him. The phrase has to do with diversion and some scholars believe it's talking about that they brought dancing women to try to divert them, and that in doing good.

I couldn't find any way for the king to get his mind off of a troubled heart that he had about his friend Daniel who was in the lines. Remember now. Daniel had been in charge of the whole empire. The king had given himself to Daniel and you give a whole empire under his control and he not only was losing a friend, but he was losing his number one administrator from the whole kingdom. The Bible says that though he had not deliberately consigned Daniel to the lion's den. He was responsible and that his own vanity and cause Daniel's demise. So while the condemned man is resting the one who condemned him as restless. I had to stop at the only ones who didn't eat supper that night were the king and the liens that interesting. Well, it brings us the verses 19 to 23 and we see the deliverance of Daniel in the lion's den, verses 19 to 23 verse 19 says the king arose very early in the morning.

He went in haste under the den of lions when he came to the den.

He cried with a lamentable voice of the Daniel and the king spoke and said to Daniel Daniel, servant of the living God is not God know about service continually able to deliver me from the liens and said Daniel is the king okay live forever by God has sent his angel and shut the liens mouths and they have not hurt me for as much as before him innocence. He was found in me and also before the opening of I don't know her, then, was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the dam, so Daniel was taken up out of the dam and no matter of hurt was found upon them because he believed God, I want you to notice that the king got up early and he hurried to the dam and in a weeping lamentable voice he cried out, Daniel, servant of the living God is thy God whom thou service continually able to deliver leave from the liens.

I wish I had been Daniel. Just at that point in the story not in any the rest for him to go back up to verse 16 when they were about to put Daniel in the lion's den.

This is what the king said to him. Now the king spoke and said in the Daniel by God whom thou service continually, he will deliver the me that's the kind of pious stuff you always say to somebody was hurting even when you don't believe it yourself and obviously the kingdom believe it because he went to the den that morning and what did he do. He asked Daniel if what he said was true was really true like you been Daniel and said address. I'm all right.

Just like you said, I'm all right. Just what you said would happen. That's what happened. My God, whom I continually serve he has delivered me. That was the response of Daniel notice that Daniel responded and he said my God has sent his angel and shut the liens mouths that they have not hurt me not reminded of what Paul said over him. Second Timothy 417. He said I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Paul must've been thinking about Daniel when he wrote that I want you to notice not only the response would secondly under this section. The rationale verse 22. The rationale according to Daniel for his deliverance was the innocence he was found in him and he said to the king before the I have done no hurt. Notice the reaction of the king.

He was exceeding glad, and commanded that they should take up Daniel out of the den and they dropped wrote down through that opening Daniel hung on and they pulled them up out of their help verse 23 the last phrase is the most important phrase in the whole tech support gives us the reason no matter of hurt was found upon him, and here it is because he believed in his God because he believed in his God. The history of what God has done in a miraculous way from the beginning of Christianity. Right up until modern days is wrapped up in what God does for somebody who believes in his God wasn't because Daniel was special. He wasn't one of God's pets wasn't because he was elected or foreordained or predestined, but it was because Daniel believed in his God wasn't any different than you or me except in the measure of his faith in his Almighty God. The book of Hebrews in the 11th chapter chronicles for us what happens in the live of a man what he believes in his God unit, believed in his God and he was translated Hebrews 11 five Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain because he believed it is God. Hebrews 11 for Noah built an ark to the saving of himself and his family because he believed in his God.

Hebrews 11 seven Abraham went out, not knowing whether he went because he believed in his God. Hebrews 11 eight. Joseph gave commandment concerning his bones because he believed in his God. Hebrews 1122 Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God because he believed in his God. And Daniel according to Hebrews 11 though is not mentioned by name.

Hebrews 1132 and 33 says stop the mouths of lions because he believed in his God teacher once asked a group of girls why Daniel wasn't afraid when he was in the lion's den and one old girl answered because one of the liens was the lion of the tribe of Judah, and he was in there with him. A man then we come to verse 24, and we see the fifth major section of this text. And we see Daniel prove by his God. Daniel proved by his God. Verse 24 is a sorry story of the paganism of the Medo Persian Empire says in the king commanded and he brought those men which had accused Daniel and they cast them into the den of lions them, their children and their wives and the liens had the mastery of them and break all their bones in pieces or ever. They came at the bottom of the den. Sometimes I've heard people try to tell the story of Daniel and explain it in human terms like the liens work very hungry that day or Daniel hit in the corner of the lion's den and I didn't find.

I want to tell you something. Those were hungry, ravenous, ferocious, terrible liens of the real variety. Scripture says all of those who persecuted Daniel were themselves persecuted is an interesting that the liens finally got their reward instead of one tough old you know they got a lot of tender spineless Persians for breakfast. They were starved and they were hungry and ate the whole lot before they hit the ground like Haman, who was hanged on his own gallows. Psalm 715 says this the wicked, made a pit and didn't get and is fallen into the ditch, which he made because of that something the wicked, made a pit and they did good and they fell in the ditch, which they made for somebody else. I believe that God often does that when people reach out to touch his anointed, inevitably God touches them.

There's a tremendous story in the 12th chapter of the book of acts. Sometime when you get a chance, you need to read it about how Peter was saved out of prison. The first part of the chapter says that Herod stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the church and he killed James and he tried to kill Peter and you read that whole story of how Peter was miraculous delivered out of jail situation and you come to the end of the story and there's a little addendum to it at the end of the 12th chapter and it talks about Herod claiming himself to be God and receiving the praise of man as if he were God and the Scripture says that Herod was eaten of worms and he died. Herod stretched his hand forth to get the church, God stretched his hand forth and got here because inevitably when you touch one of God's anointed is terrible thing to see what God does.

Now that's the story with the exception of the last couple of verses that I want to just wrap up in this conclusion, but I will ask this question as we come to the end of the sixth chapter and the question is this, what difference does it make to me. I mean, I've been hearing the story since Oslo to Sunday school. I know all the flannel graph positions by heart. I've colored it 100 times and coloring books.

I've heard it on all of the records I've seen it all. Christian cartoon shows obscene Daniel obliged in every which way you can show them so what I want you to know people that there's not a thing in this book doesn't have practical application of your life, not a story, no matter how familiar that doesn't have something to say to you, and I just like to give you two or three practical things for you from this text don't you listen carefully.

This is where the rubber meets the road. Number one I want you to notice the lesson that's wrapped up in the probability of a lion's den. The probability of the lion's den. The nature of the Christian faith marks all of us for the liens we are out of step with the world around us. And that's why were always in jeopardy of a lion's den dear member earlier in the third chapter, Shadrach me shack and Abednego were standing when everybody else was kneeling.

Now everybody else is standing in Daniel's kneeling Shadrach me shack and Abednego were out of step with their times and Daniel is out of step with his time and God delivered them, but I want you to notice. He delivered Shadrach me shack and Abednego through the fiery furnace, and he delivered Daniel through the lion's den was no attempt on the part of God to withhold them from the pressure of certain death and it will be like that for you and for me. Psalm says this my soul is among liens and I lie even among them that are set on fire have any liens in your life any ravenous beasts that are after you because of who you are and what you are, maybe you're not expecting them. Someone has reminded us that the liens we confront may be illness or business reverses or slander or domestic friction or any of a great number of things when he faces the liens a Christian businessman was encountered reverses, or a farmer who was lost his crop does not yield to despair but he praises God for reminding him to lay up treasures in heaven.

Christian mother whose baby is snatched away by sudden death is not frantic, but is comforted by your assurance that she will rejoin her child in the father's house. A young believer whose love is not returned is not embittered but quietly trust that God acts in the best interest of his people. Sooner or later, it is inevitable that every single person will face the liens. The Bible even says that our adversary the devil goes about like a lion, seeking whom he may devour.

And if he hasn't been after you lately. Maybe it's because you become too friendly to suffering and testing is inevitable in the life of the Christian we cannot escape it. The probability of a lion's den is out there for all of you. It may be just around the corner.

Maybe tomorrow it may be tonight. I want you to notice. Secondly, that there's a lesson here that's wrapped up in the promise of the lion's den. The promise of the lives then Daniel was not From the liens but he was In the midst of them. God has not promised to keep us from difficulty but he has promised to keep us in the midst of it and let me just remind you of a couple of his promises to that effect. Psalm 34, seven, says the angel of the Lord in camp with round about them that fear him and deliver them in Psalm 9710 says God preserve at the soles of his saints. He deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.

That's the promise of God, you know, when I first began to travel whenever I get on an airplane to go somewhere I'd have a real battle in my soul. I used to be afraid that something would happen to me and I would never see my family again or I'd be afraid that something would happen to my family while I was gone and in those early days, as I would like to preach in conferences and administering other places. Sometimes going away the very traveling to Galway was torture and I get there and call my wife. I just really was going through a difficult time and I remember one day when I read the statement and I have really never recovered from it and I haven't worried since that time the statement goes like this, a man of God in the will of God is immortal and till his work on earth is done. Listen to me now a man of God in the will of God is immortal until his work on earth is done. What is that say simply says that as long as I'm a man of God and I'm in the will of God, not anything in the world can touch me till God's done with a friend when God's done with not only around here so I get on that plane if I'm in the will of God going where God wants me to go and I can just be sure of, all right, I can trust him with my family and with my safety because a man of God in the will of God is immortal until his work on earth is done. The promise of the lion's den and I want you to notice the third lesson for all of us. And that's the purpose of the lion's den. The purpose of it.

Why does God let these things happen to us. I mean if he's a good God and he's in control. Why would he ever let any of his children go through the kind of suffering that would be described by the terms of this text. The lion's den.

Well, I think we can learn something from this passage that would help me ask you questions as you read the six chapter who was the star of the story is Daniel well you might think it is. He sure is involved in the story made its various cane presses the liens no those are all supporting actors in the great drama that unfolds in this chapter, the star of the story is God himself. Verse 22.

My God has sent his angel. Verse 23 he believed in his God, and then read verses 26 and 27 King Darius made a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be, even unto the end he deliver that rescue with antiworker signs and wonders in heaven and in earth who have delivered Daniel from the power of the lives of may I say to you, that's a pagan Medo Persian King giving mute testimony to the greatness of our God, so that even the wrath of man.

Praise God, who was the star of the story to God himself. He took the lives then I used it for his own glory and for his own purpose when all said and done and the stories all over. It's been written.

The purpose of these difficulties were to glorify God. If the beginning of the chapter, we have a new regime at the end of the chapter, we got a new religion all by the decree of the king who was touched by the power of Almighty God, I would say to you that the purpose of the difficulties in the sufferings of the problems of the tragedies in your life if you just look for is that God might be glorified through your lion's den experience. I don't how he's going to do it. I don't have any idea what he's doing in your life, but the consistent testimony, the word of God is this whatever God asks one of his people to go through difficult times is always and never for the purpose of glorifying himself not only in the experience, but in the response to that experienced by these people. The glory of God was the first purpose, but I want you to notice. Secondly, this not encourage all of our hearts that the prosperity of Daniel was the second one for it says in verse 28 so this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, even in the reign of Cyrus the Persian Daniel prospered God is asking us to live our lives. Honestly, before a watching world and to be unashamed to give testimony to our faith in Jesus Christ. Wonder if you're willing to do that when the highest price you will probably pay is just a little bit of ridicule from some folks may not understand who you are. We hope you enjoyed today's tuning point, weekend edition with Dr. David Jeremiah. You can hear this and other programs and get more information about how ministry by downloading the free tuning point mobile and feel smart phone or tablet will why visiting our website at David Jeremiah.will/writing David Jeremiah.G/waiting. You can also view tuning points television on printing HL-7 to Sunday mornings and hide the clock I CCTV Sundays at six in the IM and Fridays at 1 PM. We invite you to join us again next weekend as Dr. David Jeremiah. She is another powerful message from God's word right here on tuning point, weekend edition thanks for taking time to listen to my friend. He's in question