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Lessons For The 21^st Century From OT Saints And Sinners
The Commissioner Who Slept With Lions
Daniel 6

Introduction: Unjustly Accused

“But I didn’t do it!” The words are barely out of the boy’s mouth when his father gives him a verbal slap, “You’re lying!”

“But… I …,” stutters the boy through his tears.

“Go to your room and don’t come out until you’re ready to tell the truth.”

The boy pleads, “Why don’t you believe me?” He searches his father’s face for understanding but finds only unrelenting hardness.

The father speaks no more, just raises his arm and points. Defeated, the boy turns and goes to his room, where he sees a plastic airplane on the floor. Not thinking, he kicks the innocent toy, breaking it into a hundred pieces.

Have you ever been unjustly accused? It makes you feel like this boy—and the toy airplane: Kicked without cause, judged guilty when innocent, cited for a wrong when you did what was right.

In our study for this morning it happened long ago to an honest and noble Jew named Daniel. However, when he suffered for doing right, he wasn’t sent to his room for punishment. He was sent to the den—the Lions’ Den!

Comparing Scriptures
The Story Comes To Life

As a young man, Daniel had been captured and taken to a foreign land to serve a pagan king. In the face of great pressure Daniel stayed faithful to his God. Many years passed, and now, in the twilight of life, he faces his greatest test. Through this ordeal Daniel exhibits a remarkable servant spirit and an amazing endurance of unfair treatment. He gives us a living example of what to do when one suffers wrong for doing right.

Interestingly, Daniel’s story closely follows the principles on unjust suffering written hundreds of years later by the apostle Peter. Look at this comparison of 1 Peter 2 and Daniel 6. We can clearly see God’s principles as put into action by Daniel.

From the beginning, Daniel’s integrity was his strength. In fact, Daniel’s character was so exemplary that his enemies had to create a law against praying to God in order to accuse him of anything. Yet despite this unfair decree, Daniel continued to pray as always, giving thanks to God (Daniel 6:10). He knew that breaking the law would lead him straight to punishment in the lions’ den. He prayed anyway and God was pleased.

We, too, may feel the cold winds of suffering for the sake of right. A boss, coworker or even a friend may plot against us because of our stand for truth. When the dark clouds of persecution gather, it may seem that what James Russell Lowell penned decades ago is true:

Truth forever on the scaffold; Wrong forever on the throne.                                   

(Bartlett’s  Familiar Quotations).

It’s important to remember that showing patience while suffering for Christ finds favor with the Lord. As Lowell further notes, despite the jumbling of right and wrong:

Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,

  Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.

Intriguing Plot

The Story Made Memorable

God does watch His own. When Daniel’s faith was under fire, what God saw pleased Him. Daniel’s faith was consistent with his godly reputation.

Reputation of the Prophet Daniel

Daniel’s reputation as a worshiper of God and as a man of integrity was a rebuke to those with lower standards. His life threatened and embarrassed them, so they retaliated. But when the accusations started flying, God honored Daniel’s consistency and patient endurance.

Accusations Of Daniel’s Antagonists

Daniel’s antagonists stake him out. They wait and they watch for their opportunity. Through his window, they see him praying. As if in a scene from a police drama, they knock down his door and storm the room. “Freeze! Drop your prayer book and put your hands where we can see them!”

With cocky grins, they cuff him and drag him before the king. Snickering, they remind Darius of his edict, especially enjoying the part about the lions’ den.

Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions' den?"

The king answered, "The decree stands—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."                                                                   Daniel 6:11-12 NIV

Then, they make their accusation.

Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day."

                                                                                                Daniel 6:13 NIV

Don’t miss their prejudice against Daniel, the Jew. Rather than call him by his title of commissioner, they describe him as “one of the exiles from Judah.” Notice also how they exaggerate the truth, saying “Daniel pays no attention to you, O king.” They knew the strong bond that existed between Darius and Daniel. They needed to create strain in that relationship with their accusations.

There are some valuable lessons to be learned here for those times when we are accusing others of wrong. First, take care that you aren’t pushed by your prejudices. Prejudice has no place in confrontation. Second, stay with the facts. Don’t exaggerate and paint a picture more bleak than it really is. If you’ll take to heart this negative example, you will learn to value fairness and practice it.

How does the king react to these accusations? He knows the law. He issued it. But, before him stands his beloved friend who has earned his respect so deeply that he has plans to give him a position of authority over the entire kingdom. The king has a choice: kill the law or kill his friend. It’s what we call a dilemma.

Reaction of King Darius

Darius probably wishes he could be anywhere but on his throne having to decide Daniel’s fate. God is working in his heart though, as we see in the different ways he reacts to the situation.

First, as he realizes his mistake, Darius reacts to himself.

When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.                Daniel 6:14 NIV

What caused the king to agonize over this case? Apparently, Darius was an honest man with a conscience. Although he’s not a believer, he wants to do the right thing. He considered Daniel a friend. In spite of their different religious beliefs, the two men shared an uncommon closeness and loyalty to one another. Looking for a way to save Daniel Darius paces—and thinks. He wrestles in his mind for hours. There has to be loophole. There just has to be.

By day’s end, his searching yields nothing. Daniel’s accusers are there to remind him.

Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."Daniel 6:15 NIV

Second, the cornered king reacts to Daniel. With his head hanging low, the king slowly pronounces the orders: Throw him to the lions. But make sure you listen to him as he speaks to his friend before turning away.

So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

                                                                                                Daniel 6:16 NIV

For a non-believer, Darius has a remarkable faith in God! There is no greater testimony to Daniel’s faithfulness than having his friend, the king, realize that Daniel’s God can keep him safe. Daniel had lived his life serving God—and it made a difference for the king. Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den, a stone is placed over the opening and it is sealed with the king’s ring—meaning no one can remove the stone other than by order of the king. All they can do is wait  for morning to see what happens.

Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.

                                                                                                Daniel 6:18 NIV

The king is in turmoil all night. Reason says, “Daniel is a dead man. No one has ever survived.” But a whisper of hope keeps coming in the dead of night, “Daniel’s God can save him!” Torn between the two, the king is tormented wondering, “What’s happening in the pit?”

You know the story, but pretend you don’t. Let yourself become the king that next day.

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."                                                                                                            Daniel 6:19-22 NIV

While Darius tossed and turned in bed, Daniel has slept peacefully with the lions (at least I don’t picture him cowering in the corner). This is amazing! For one night God has stilled the killer instinct of the king of the beasts. Daniel stands in the midst of the disarmed beasts having a morning talk with the king. Daniel says that he is innocent before God and, furthermore, that he has committed no crime against the king. He was loyal to the king when he prayed before the maneuvering that brought the phony law into being and was loyal to the king when he prayed after the law was put into place.

It’s time now for Darius’ third reaction—to Daniel’s accusers. He orders them to be rounded up and, once again with the best of ironic twists, tossed into the lions’ den. Language experts tell us that in Aramaic, along with other early languages, the word for slander meant “eat the pieces of a man.” So, those who have been slandering—eating up—Daniel are sentenced to be eaten up by the lions. Having been hungry before, and now coming off an unexpected night of fasting, the lions are ready for breakfast. Before the evil conspirators reached the bottom of the pit the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Finally, Darius reacts to Daniel’s God. I believe, as do many commentators, that Darius—like King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:34-37) before him—became a believer. Again, like Nebuchadnezzar, he issues an edict that testifies to his faith in God.

I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
       For he is the living God
       and he endures forever;
       his kingdom will not be destroyed,
       his dominion will never end.

 He rescues and he saves;
       he performs signs and wonders
       in the heavens and on the earth.
       He has rescued Daniel
       from the power of the lions."                                          Daniel 6:26-27 NIV

The life of the king—and of a nation—was changed by Daniels’ influential, godly character. So we won’t miss it, let me point out that it all began with Daniel’s quiet prayers as he faithfully met with God in his bedroom Holy of Holies.

Lasting Lessons
The Story Speaks To Us

Through Daniel’s consistent walk with God and faithful endurance of unjust circumstances, Daniel impressed the king and influenced a nation. If we are to have that kind of influence, we need to major on two principles from this amazing story.

1.                  When God Proves Our Faith, He Often Puts Us In Difficult Places From Which We Cannot Escape

This is one of the recurring themes we have seen throughout the summer. You may not have been able to benefit from the amazing scope of accounts we have examined, but one of the great benefits of my job is that I have taken in each and every account. Like Joshua looking up at the walls of Jericho or Naaman dealing with deadly disease, Daniel faces these lethal lions with no defense and no escape.

It’s in these types of situations where we are absolutely at the end of ourselves that we must trust God with total abandon. I don’t like being in those places. I sometimes ask God to protect me from those places. I also know that it has been those times when I have been reduced to God and nothing else that I have benefitted the most. It’s in those situations that God works most spectacularly and the only thing I can do is praise the awesome power of God.

2.      When God Touches Those Without Faith, He Often Uses Our Faithful Reaction Which Others Cannot Ignore

If Daniel had not been between a rock and the hard place of hungry lions Darius may never have had the opportunity to believe. Daniel trusted God in his predicament even as Darius hoped against hope that Daniel’s God would deliver him. While Daniel was delivered from the mouths of physical lions, Darius was rescued from the mouth of the spiritual lion—the devil—who is always on the prowl looking for those he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). Two people were rescued during that long, agonizing night.

In the same way, it is when we suffer unjustly that our faith often makes an indelible mark on unbelievers who are wondering if our God is real. That’s why the church in persecuted countries shines so brightly. They are left with only their faith in God which causes people to marvel and respond.

The two lessons of the morning can be summed up in a single statement.

The Inescapable Platform Of Pain Provides The Undeniable Proof Of Faith

Being unjustly accused and unfairly punished is a painful experience. But, when you confront those hungry lions and hear the back door shut behind you, remember that you are not alone. Two faces are watching in the shadows. One is the face of God who has the power to shut the lions’ mouths. The other is the face of your Darius who desperately wants to know if your beliefs are true. Together, they make two good reasons to endure your suffering with courageous faith.