Daniel in the Lions’ Den - Part 1

Going tonight. Then you was in the literal lines that you might be facing the Dean of lines as well at your school anyway. You will be punished because of your today on tuning point. Dr. David Jeremiah offer some insights from Daniel's story that could help you survive the lines in your from the handwriting on the right to introduce today's message Daniel in the minds what if there's one story I'm pretty sure you're all familiar with. This is the one story from the book of Daniel. Daniel in the lion's den, and there were to talk about it today and on Monday right now. Let's go to the Bible and the six chapter of Daniel verses 14 through 28 and let's begin our discussion Daniel in the lion's. Some of you have read in your studies. The immortal police romance quo vadis how one of the fearful persecution of Nero. The Christians at Rome went through fiery trials, multitudes of them were burned at the stake. Some of them were soaked in oil and securely tethered in the Roman square the very streets at night were ghastly sight to behold. For they lit up the streets with human torches made out of the Christians who were being burned alive. It is reported that immortal police romance quo vadis that Peter himself with a little band of fugitive Christians was fleeing from persecution and he came face-to-face with the master.

The Lord Jesus walking toward the city, the Lord accosted Peter and said to him, where are you going Peter said to the Lord Lord with her ghost and the Lord said Peter I'm going back to Rome to be crucified again because my servant Peter has turned his back on the cross and Peter answered. Not so, Lord, I will go back again and gladly die for the and so, as tradition tells us, with his head down, lest he be compared to his Lord. He let them nail him to the cross, trusting that his blood would be the seed of the church and that his sacrifice would send the message of truth farther than his living speech would carry it. I do not know the truth of the first part of that story though I have read the history of Peter's death and I do believe that he was crucified upside down because he felt himself unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as was his Lord.

But as I read that story I was reminded that the heritage of your faith, and of mine is founded upon the sacrifice of the courage of men like Peter and men like Daniel. Daniel was wonderfully delivered from death.

Peter paid for his faith with his life. Sometimes when we read a story like the story of Daniel and especially the record of the sixth chapter, we got the idea that though it is often God's purpose to deliver his children in a miraculous way that sometimes he chooses not to do that.

The same Bible that records Daniel's deliverance also reminds us that Isaiah believed God, and he was sawn in half and that Paul believed God, and he was decapitated that Peter believed God and was crucified upside down, believing God does not necessarily guarantee you that you will not be eaten by the lions. But in Daniel's case deliverance was part of God's plan. What a wonderful story. It is as we examine it and review it in our minds. I we begin with the first three verses of the six chapter by being reminded that Daniel was preferred by Darius the Scripture records that when King Darius came into the Medo Persian rule that he chose out of all of the men of his kingdom.

A man by the name of Daniel, and he selected him as Prime Minister.

He was one of three presidents, but he was above the three presidents and under him or all of the 120 princes of government throughout the satrap is that great area.

He was preferred according to the Scripture because of his wisdom and his excellent spirit. The fact that he had God within him.

Daniel had no sooner taken responsibility that was his, then we learn in verses four through nine that he was persecuted by his enemies. They determined to get Daniel. They were jealous and envious of him. He was a foreigner who had been elevated above them and they hated him.

Not only that, but he was an honest man and he kept them from getting the graft and the corruption that they have trafficked in until he came to the throne. And they all set out to get Daniel out of leadership because he was in the way he lived in like. First of all, they tried to indict him for some fault or error in his life. As they searched and studied his life they could find nothing wrong with him in his professional life he was clean in his personal life.

He was absolutely spotless and so they determined that the only way they could ever get Daniel in trouble was to accuse him in the matter of his own fanatical religion. They observed that Daniel was very regular in his prayer life and so they determined to set out and by subterfuge to catch Daniel in a habit which they knew he would never break that brings us to the 10th of the 13th verse where we learned that Daniel was persistent in his testimony when they had the law of the Medes and Persians passed that King Darius was to be gone for a month and anybody who refused to bow down before him would be thrown into the den of lions.

Daniel was caught in the trap or should I say the king was caught in the trap, for he did not know that Daniel was the one who would be condemned. It's interesting to watch that when this all happened. Daniel never changed at all.

He just kept right on doing what it always done, he persisted in the text it says over and over again that Daniel was a persistent man of God dear in the passage were going to study twice the king said to him, Daniel.

You're the guy who continually serves your God. That was his testimony, he persisted in his faith. We left the story at the end of the 13th verse when Daniel is about to be thrown into the lives that he is been caught. He's about to be sentenced and executed in his judgment, we come out to verses 14 to 23 and 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 that 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 not shaved against him so that he will kill Daniel. The Scripture says the king was displeased with himself, he has been tricked and deceived and 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. You see, 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 to carried it out and they did it on the same day and so the time. 14. Darius to do anything about this, and when the sun sets at night and his trouble was rewarded with no success. One of the historians who 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 Jade or 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 six chapter we are reminded that that which the Medo Persian monarch would say, could not be Jade verse eight says which altar is not.

Verse 12 says which altar is not. Verse 15 says cannot be changed cannot be changed.

The Medo Persian law could not be Jade I just pause for a moment, jump ahead in the story nobody could change it. Would God and as we learned way back in the beginning of this study the book of Daniel is a picture and a treatment of the sovereign God, and it may look like on the face of the morning paper that what's going on cannot be changed but we need to be reminded that there's one in heaven who is not affected by the laws of the Medes and Persians. Amen, amen. 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 quiet contemplation with his hands behind his back two or three lions 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 learned 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. I 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 sewer up to about three or 400 you know how many lines and take to eat three or 400 people before they can hit the floor.

The lion's 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 short as a speed drained out by a powerful hand on the bright. The initial rollers 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 he 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 this direction not stealthily or crouching, as though to make an attack, but an obvious friendliness and one blade on each side of Daniel is know 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 palace in the past at 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 what's going on. I just read you what I think was going on but that's not in the Bible you come up universe. 17 and it says stone was brought laid on the mouth of the damaging symbol of his own segment with the segment 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 back to 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 is 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 didn't do any good. They 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 lives remember now.

Daniel had been in charge of the whole empire. The king had given himself to Daniel and he given 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 to 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 into 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 okaying 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 manner 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 not 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 what you 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 concerning the Daniel by God whom thou service continually, he will deliver 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 dam that morning and what did he do. He asked Daniel if what he said was true was really true.

I like to been Daniel 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 Spurgeon once said when 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 when the been very much fun to eat. Notice that Daniel responded and he said my God has sent his angel and shut the liens mouths that they have not hurt 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 rope down through that opening Daniel hung on and they pulled them up out of their L verse 23 the last phrase is the most important phrase in the whole tech support gives us the reason no manner 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, and that's a pretty big difference is because his faith was tested under fire. He was perfected under pressure and we see the reality of his life why he is so honored in the Bible. Why you do not find a record of anything that he did that was wrong. He surely made mistakes and did things that are wrong but none of it made it into the record of the Old Testament and he is one of the great examples we have of living for God and difficult times will come back to this on Monday and finish up Daniel in the lion's den. I hope you'll join us. Then the meantime, don't forget to watch Turning Point on television over the weekend. We are now available in so many places. There's hardly a place in this country where you cannot find us on the weekend network of Turning Point television. I hope you'll find it if it's during church DVR don't use it as an excuse to stay home, but be blessed and encouraged by the teaching of the Word of God and once again, be sure to get the church so important that you do that and then once again, don't forget to join us on Monday as we returned to the sixth chapter of the book of Daniel and part two of Daniel in the lion's until then, I'm David Jeremiah. Thank you for joining us and have a wonderful weekend God bless you.

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 live this note Turning Point PO Box 3-3 San Diego, CA 92163 visit our website and David Jeremiah.fool/when you'll call me if they were helpful and encouraging questions about living in the last things learned how to live with Susan. Susan forgive. You can also download the free Turning Point mobile and smart device exits out programs and resources. With just 10 apps duplicate with point ministries go to David Jeremiah don't/radio for the tiles. Join us on Monday.

As we continue the handwriting on the long Turning Point with Jeremiah taking time to listen to my friend.

He's in question