What should we learn from the account of Daniel in the lion's den?

It was thus still true that the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. It should be noticed, however, Daniel claimed that "innocency" was found in him before God. The lesson is, that we could not be consciously under God's protection, nor could we claim, or rather expect, His succour, if we had not a good conscience in His sight. Before the king Daniel was as clear as before God; like the apostle, he had a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men; and God, later on, stepped in and, vindicating His servant, delivered him, like Paul (2 Tim. 4:17), from the mouth of the lion.

The decree having been executed, for the penalty of its infraction *as that the offender should be cast into the lions' den, not that he should be killed by the lions, the king was freed from the meshes of his lords. The law had been vindicated, and Daniel had suffered its punishment. Darius could therefore, no one forbidding on the ground of the unchangeable laws of the Medes and Persians, exercise his prerogative, and command that Daniel should be taken up out of the den; and being taken up, "no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God" (v. 23). The whole secret of his protection and deliverance is here revealed. Faith, divinely produced in his soul, brought in God, who shielded His servant from the malice of his enemies by subduing and restraining the natural and ravenous instincts of the lions. The apostle, with Daniel in mind, speaking of the prophets, says, "Who through faith … stopped the mouths of lions" (Hebrews 11:33). It was one of the victories of faith that should encourage the people of God to trust in, and to count upon, Him at all times, remembering that while all things are possible with God, all things are also possible to him that believeth; and it is of this wondrous truth that Daniel is here the exemplification.

It was thus still true that the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. It should be noticed, however, Daniel claimed that "innocency" was found in him before God. The lesson is, that we could not be consciously under God's protection, nor could we claim, or rather expect, His succour, if we had not a good conscience in His sight. Before the king Daniel was as clear as before God; like the apostle, he had a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men; and God, later on, stepped in and, vindicating His servant, delivered him, like Paul (2 Tim. 4:17), from the mouth of the lion.

The decree having been executed, for the penalty of its infraction *as that the offender should be cast into the lions' den, not that he should be killed by the lions, the king was freed from the meshes of his lords. The law had been vindicated, and Daniel had suffered its punishment. Darius could therefore, no one forbidding on the ground of the unchangeable laws of the Medes and Persians, exercise his prerogative, and command that Daniel should be taken up out of the den; and being taken up, "no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God" (v. 23). The whole secret of his protection and deliverance is here revealed. Faith, divinely produced in his soul, brought in God, who shielded His servant from the malice of his enemies by subduing and restraining the natural and ravenous instincts of the lions. The apostle, with Daniel in mind, speaking of the prophets, says, "Who through faith … stopped the mouths of lions" (Hebrews 11:33). It was one of the victories of faith that should encourage the people of God to trust in, and to count upon, Him at all times, remembering that while all things are possible with God, all things are also possible to him that believeth; and it is of this wondrous truth that Daniel is here the exemplification.

The eyes of the nation were upon him. The accusers were doggedly determined. What could he do? Each side was weighed with due deliberation, till unbending justice carried the day. Daniel must go to the den!

Now we read that the accusers brought their charge twice before the king (see Daniel 6). By way of illustration let us suppose that, between their first appearing and their second, and all unknown to the accusers themselves, Daniel had actually been cast into the den, that the lions' mouths had been stopped, and that he had been taken out again by the very king who put him in.

But Daniel’s faithful testimony to God was not respected by all, and envious rivals by flattering deception of the king caused him to make a decree for the destruction of Daniel. After realising that he had been deceived, but having to consign Daniel to the den of lions, the king rose early in the morning and came to the lion’s den, and spoke to Daniel, saying, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, whom thou servest continually, is thy God able to deliver thee from the lions?” (Dan. 6:20). In delivering Daniel, God proved to the king that He was indeed the living God, as had been borne out in Daniel’s life of witness to Him; and this testimony is acknowledged in the decree of the king, who wrote, “the God of Daniel…He is the living God” (Dan. 6:26).

Daniel's faith brings God's deliverance, and he is taken up out of the lions' den unhurt. Then we find that judgment falls upon his foes (ver. 24), and the final result of Daniel's devotion to God is beautiful. Darius sends out a remarkable edict. It is a proclamation of wonderful import. Darius had gained a certain definite knowledge of God from Daniel's faithfulness. Up to this time he had no real knowledge of Him. It is amazing what the effect of faithfulness is. There is always a charming effect where the soul witnesses for the Lord — where it stands boldly, and openly confesses the Lord. Confession is an immense thing, and I am certain that there are many souls today, some perhaps in this hall tonight, who, while converted to the truth of the gospel, have never taken their stand for the Lord. They have not openly and markedly taken up their position on the Lord's side. They are afraid — afraid of the consequences. But look at the consequences of this man's boldness, simple faith, and fidelity to God. Not only did God deliver him, but Darius through him learned the knowledge of God, and sent out an edict which I wish you would read: "Unto all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel." Have you obeyed that decree? Ah! you say, I am not living in Darius' day. I know it. Darius has long since gone to his account, but I will tell you this, if you have never trembled and feared before the God of Daniel, you will be in that condition one day, and it will be too late then to learn what Darius adds: "He is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even to the end. He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions" (vers. 25-27). Ah! there is God's title, He saves and rescues. What kind of God is my God? A saviour God. What kind of God was Daniel's God. A saviour God.

That is the title God takes now in the gospel. I quite admit that Darius meant the rescuing and delivering of the body, but it is equally, yea, more true, in regard to the soul. God is the saviour of His people. He is the living God. Have you turned to Him? Paul writes to the Thessalonians reminding them thus, "Ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God" (1 Thess. 1:9). "The living and true God" is a charming expression. That is His title, and His character. What an immense thing it is in a world of sin, sorrow, death, and unreality, to know the living and true God. Well might Darius say, I will make this 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 for ever." He never changes. He saves sinners. He upholds His saints. He comforts, strengthens, and blesses them, and the result of their testimony is this that His glory is spread abroad. "He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions." Overnight Darius said, God will deliver. In the morning he asks, Did He do it? God did it. And then Darius sends out a decree, I want everybody to know Daniel's God, who has done it.

(Vv. 19-24). Early in the morning the king hurries to the den of lions, and, to his relief, finds that God has indeed intervened. In calling to Daniel he addresses him as "the servant of the living God," and again he recognises that Daniel has served God continually. In their charge the wicked men had made everything of the king and nothing of God; the king makes everything of God and nothing of himself.

Daniel informs the king that God has intervened on his behalf through angelic power, and stopped the mouths of the lions, for he had a good conscience toward God and toward the king.

The men who drew up the decree left God out of their calculations. They had not counted upon any power being able to restrain the ferocity of the lions. They had made no provision in their decree that anyone thrown to the lions must be killed by the lions. Thus the law was fulfilled and Daniel was saved, and these malicious men, having been thoroughly exposed, were themselves with their families cast into the den of lions, and thus caught in the snare they had laid for the man of God.

(Vv. 25-27). Darius now sends forth a second decree to all that dwell upon the earth, that all men are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. This surpasses the decree of Nebuchadnezzar, recorded in Daniel 3, which merely commanded that no one was to speak anything amiss against God. This decree commands that due respect and fear be paid to God as a recognition of His sovereignty as the living God. Thus, through the faithfulness of one man, the effort to set up man in the place of God becomes the occasion of a world-wide testimony to the living God.

A profound impression was made upon Darius by the events he had witnessed; and he sent a proclamation throughout the whole of his realm, to the different nations "that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make 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 for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end" (vv. 25, 26). How far he entered into the truth of the words he caused to, be written is not revealed. However this might have been, it was no mean testimony he rendered to God and to His sovereignty. He went much farther than Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 3. This monarch contented himself with forbidding his subjects, under extreme penalties, to speak anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Darius commanded that in all his dominions men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, because He was the living God, and His kingdom was everlasting. In such a marvellous way did God make the wrath of man to praise Him, and the attempt to quench for ever the light of His testimony in Babylon was made the means of kindling it throughout the whole earth.

A profound impression was made upon Darius by the events he had witnessed; and he sent a proclamation throughout the whole of his realm, to the different nations "that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make 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 for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end" (vv. 25, 26). How far he entered into the truth of the words he caused to, be written is not revealed. However this might have been, it was no mean testimony he rendered to God and to His sovereignty. He went much farther than Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 3. This monarch contented himself with forbidding his subjects, under extreme penalties, to speak anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Darius commanded that in all his dominions men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, because He was the living God, and His kingdom was everlasting. In such a marvellous way did God make the wrath of man to praise Him, and the attempt to quench for ever the light of His testimony in Babylon was made the means of kindling it throughout the whole earth.

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God" (Dan. 6:10-11). Daniel's action was based on the Word of God. He had heard God's Word saying that if His people were in captivity they were to pray to Him, and to look toward His house. "Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray to thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; if they return to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest to their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling-place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee" (2 Chr. 6:37-39). Daniel acts on this scripture. He does not shut his windows, nor increase, nor lessen his petitions: he is just that day what he had been every day before. He was a very even saint. It was not the great difficulty that took him to his knees thrice daily. It was his custom, and of course his enemies found him in prayer. What a happy thing for saints to be known as prayerful, and to be found thus upon their knees.

Well then, he is cast into the den of lions. "Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake, and said to Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him; and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" (Dan. 6:16-20).

The point of this chapter is that the devoted man will be the delivered man. I will guarantee that Daniel had the best of it that night. I believe Darius spent a wretched night, fasting, and sleepless. I think if you and I had gone down to the den of lions we should have found Daniel sleeping soundly. Faith in God, and a good conscience are rare bed-fellows, specially in a lion's den! The king spake in the morning with "a lamentable voice," as he said, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" How cheerily Daniel answered here: "O king, live forever! My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of

It was with gladsome voice that Daniel replies to the king, saying, "My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me." What transpired throughout that night Scripture has flung a veil over. We are only told that God's angel was there — no doubt a visible manifestation from God — and that the lions' mouths were shut. Daniel's mouth is opened in praise and thankfulness as he now confesses what God has done. The reason of God's intervention Daniel now adds: "Forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt" (ver. 22). He simply states what his walk before God had been, and what his conduct had been in relation to the king. "Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him." Why? "Because he believed in his God" (ver. 23). Do you believe in God? If you are a believer in God, you are sure to be blessed.