Daniel in the Lions’ Den - Part 2

Going tonight in times of trial.

You might wonder why God doesn't do something to relieve Joe suffering 180 allows you like Daniel to be thrown to the lions today on Turning Point. Dr. David Jeremiah returns to this well-known episode from Daniel's life to remind us that God might not keep the sounds of what he does keep us listen as David concludes Daniel in the line with thank you for joining us today. We are in one of the most famous passages in the book of Daniel and sitting there with a smile on my face because when we produce the television version of this particular episode I came to work the day we were going to produce it and the guys and creativity department told me that we actually had some lions here.

They had rented them from Hollywood and brought them down here and we videotaped the Daniel and the lion's den episode with actual lions in our studio.

I have video to prove that it was it was some kind of so much excitement around here. Nobody was ever in the danger they had great trainers with them and all that but it was quite an experience to be in the same room in the same area with a huge lioness who probably was very much like the lions in the lines in that they were talking about. That's from Daniel chapter 6 verses 14 to 28 finish up our discussion about Daniel and the lines Spurgeon once said he was preaching on this that it was a good thing that the lines didn't try to eat Daniel they never would've enjoyed him because he was 50% grit and 50% backbone.

He would've been very much fun to eat. Notice that Daniel responded and he said my God has sent his angel and shut the lion smiles that they have not heard not reminded of what Paul said over in 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.

But 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 that opening Daniel hung on and they pulled them up out of their 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 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 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 is not mentioned by name.

Hebrews 1132 and 33 says, stopped 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 lions in one of the girl answered because one of the lions 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 proved by his God. Daniel proved by his God. Verse 24 is a sorry story of the paganism of the Medo Persian Empire says and 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 lions 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 lions work very hungry that day or Daniel hit in the corner of the lions den and they didn't find. I want to tell you something. Those were hungry, ravenous, ferocious, terrible lions of the real variety. Scripture says all of those who persecuted Daniel were themselves persecuted is an interesting that the lions finally got their reward instead of one tough old you. 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 Cayman 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 that's something the wicked made up. And they did 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 hearing, 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 this 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 I've seen 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 the lion's den. The probability of the lions den the nature of the Christian faith marks all of us for the lions. We are out of step with the world around us. And that's why were always in jeopardy of the lions 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 to notice.

He delivered Shadrach me shack and Abednego through the fiery furnace, and he delivered Daniel through the lions dad 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 lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire have any lions in your life any ravenous beast 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 lions 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 lions.

A Christian businessman, it 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 lions. 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 lions den the promise of the lives then Daniel was not From the lions 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 delivered 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 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 go out to preach in conferences and administering other places.

Sometimes going away the very traveling to Galway was torture. 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 until 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 I'm all right. I can trust him with my family 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 lions den. Sometimes the lions mouths their shot. Sometimes God bids us fight or flight. Sometimes he feeds us by the brook.

Sometimes the flowing stream runs dry. The danger that his love allows is safer than our fears may no the peril that his care permits is our defense wherever we go and I want you to notice the third lesson for all of us.

And that's the purpose of the lions 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 lions well I think we can learn something from this passage that would help me ask you question 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 breakfast. The lioness now 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 deliver that rescue with antiworker signs and wonders in heaven and in earth who have delivered Daniel from the power of the lives and 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 is 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 at 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 of the sufferings of the problems of the tragedies in your life if you just look for is that God might be glorified through your lions then 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 of the word of God is this whatever God asks one of his people to go through difficult times is always and ever, for the purpose of glorifying himself not only in the experience, but in the response to that experienced by people the glory of God was the first purpose, but I want you to notice. Secondly, this art 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. I was reminded of the passage in the book of Job, chapter 23 in verse 10 it says this but you know if the way that I take and when he is tried me, I shall come forth as gold or James 112 Blessed is the man that endures temptation for when he is tested, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. The purpose of testing is to glorify God. But it's also to purify us in whatever where purified. We always prosper whenever God puts us in the furnace and he drains all the draws off we come out as pure gold.

And then it's time for a promotion in the plan of God. I read the story again of imprisonment of John Bunyan, the great offer writer of classic which we have all read during the close of his life.

The author of Pilgrim's progress.

John Bunyan was imprisoned under Charles II. If Bunyan had been willing to sign a statement saying that he would not preach in public. He could've escaped prison the most amazing thing about his imprisonment as this, that if at any time during his 12 years imprisonment, he would have been willing to say that he would not preach in public they would release them on the day that he said so every day of his imprisonment. He had a partner in his hands if he just refused preach during those 12 years, men and women. Bunyan had a dependent wife and little children. I did not know this but one of his daughters little girl by the name of Mary was blind in the dungeon. Bunyan often thought of his poor little Mary in his heart would almost break on one occasion he was heard to say all my poor blind one. He would say to himself what sorrow thou art likely to have in this life all married almost go naked and hungry and beg on the streets and be beaten and starved and I cannot so much as even think that the winds should blow on the John Bunyan remained in the dungeon and he gave over his concerns blind Mary and all, to the keeping of God was toward the end of this imprisonment that he wrote that glorious passage which some of you have read. I'm sure where he said unless I am willing to pluck out my eyes and let the blind lead me then God Almighty being my witness and my defense if it shall please him to let frail life last that long. Allison, the moss shall grow on my eyebrows before I surrender my principles or violate my conscience were are the Bunyan where are the Daniels where are the men who recognize that life is not important if the only thing important about it is physical safety and well-being, our faith was built upon the likes of Daniel and Bunyan and Peter and others who saw the principles of obedience to God as the highest commitment man could ever make in his life, 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 in the plan of God will Daniel gives us a great model to follow, doesn't hang along with three Hebrew children stand out in this narrative of a pagan culture and they remind us that we don't have to be like everybody around us we can stand up and stand out, and God will be with us as he was with Daniel.

He will be with us tomorrow we get into some of the imagery of the book of Daniel, the lesson tomorrow is called God's animal parade and here we have a God using animals well known to the people in those days ended hours to illustrate segments of prophetic truth and the animal training is here tomorrow. Turning Point. Don't forget to join us. Then as we get into the prophetic section of the book of Daniel will be back to help you with that tomorrow. I hear today's message originated from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr. David Jeremiah now has God been using Turning Points to minister to you like to let us know a Turning Point. Three.

I San Diego, CA 92163 visit our website at David Jeremiah Dalton/Khalil David helpful and encouraging you questions about living in the last will and how to live with Susan. Susan and the amount you can also download the free Turning Point mobile device and exits out programs and resources with just a 10 amp store for the keywords point ministries go to David Jeremiah don't/radio for the tiles. Join us tomorrow as we continue the handwriting on the wrong thing with David Jeremiah taking time to listen to my friend he's in Christian