Word of Salvation – Vol. 37 No. 07 – February 1992

 

In The Lion’s Den

 

Sermon by Rev. D. J. van Garderen on Daniel 6:27

Reading: Psalm 91; Daniel 6:16-28

 

Dear congregation,

For the prophet Daniel there was no greater and more urgent priority in life than regular, three-times-a-day prayer.  He accepted and held to this priority because that is what God calls for in His Word.  This is what is called for in the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the temple (2Chron.6:38,39) and the Psalms of David (5:7, 28:2, 55:17).  God’s children, if they are going to experience the mercy and grace of God, if they would be delivered from bondage and slavery, if they would be set free, MUST CALL ON GOD’S NAME IN PRAYER!

Daniel preached this.  He believed it and, no matter what the cost in human terms, he practiced it.  This even held when a royal decree was written, a decree of the Medes and Persians which could not be repealed.  Anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days shall be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel prayed!  His enemies found him on his knees praying to God and asking for help!

The sentence which followed was inescapable.  Darius knew he had been tricked into having to execute his favourite and best adviser.  But no matter what he might feel, Daniel must be thrown into the lions’ den.

1.  Inside the Lions’ Den

What is particularly striking is that the story concentrates on Darius rather than Daniel during that long night which followed.  Darius was extremely agitated.  His mind was filled with visions of lions gnawing on the bones of Daniel’s body.  He couldn’t eat.  He refused his normal evening entertainment and couldn’t sleep either.  Guilt?  The recognition that his own vanity had allowed him to be tricked by his counsellors?  ‘I’m a fool!’?

And Daniel?  Nothing is said about Daniel’s feelings at all.  He is not heard to object against the unjust sentence.  Whether or not he expected to be overpowered by the lions is not mentioned either.

Miraculously, and that is a very, very necessary word here, miraculously, Daniel survived the night unharmed.  No wound was found on him.  Why?  Said Daniel:

‘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.’ (6:22)

It is likely that Daniel may well have been singing Psalm 91 during that long night!  It is certainly fitting and appropriate under the circumstances!

In Daniel’s deliverance from the power of the lions, God had revealed his mighty arm and sovereign power in no uncertain terms!  Here indeed is an appropriate opportunity for singing:

‘My God is so big, so strong and so mighty.  There’s nothing my God cannot do!”

Daniel had trusted in his God, and God had been strong and mighty to save him!  It’s easy and fitting to say ‘Amen!’ and ‘Hallelujah!’ to the message Darius wrote to all peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land:

‘For he (the Lord God) rescues and saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.  He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.’ (6:27)

2.  The Message for Christ’s Church

Last week, after the service on DANIEL’S PRAYER as highlighted in this chapter, one of the visitors came to me and said, ‘I’ve been in the lions’ den!  I too testify to God’s deliverance!’  The story he told took place in Amsterdam, during the last winter of the Second World War.  He and a friend, members of the Dutch underground resistance movement, were absolutely at the end of their tether.  They had nowhere to go, no one to turn to except one person who had offered help should the worst come to the worst.  It had.

This man took them through the streets of the city right into the building which housed the German Security Forces.  Here were all the offices of the dreaded Nazis.  The young men thought they were lost.  ‘Follow me and keep your mouth closed’ was the order.  Right into the heart of the building.  Finally the guide unlocked a door and let them into a tiny self- contained room.  He explained the situation.  “This building is mine.  The Nazis took it over and I had to agree.  However, we made a deal.  I could keep this one room for myself.  There are German officers above and below you, in front, and behind.  Stay inside!  I’ll bring you food each day.’

He did, for a whole month.  Finally, after a miraculous escape, these two men saw this very building bombed and burned to the ground.  They were delivered.  The testimony was clear.  Here indeed was an experience of being in a lions’ den and being delivered by the mighty saving hand of the LORD!

If we trust and surrender ourselves to God’s power and grace, we will be delivered!  That is surely what the story of Daniel’s deliverance from the den of lions illustrates!  But, is that the message, the lesson of this story?  Is that what the Lord is teaching us here?

Let’s pose a few ‘what if’ questions.  What if the lions had treated Daniel in the same way they did the others thrown into the den?  What if the Nazis had captured the two young men?  What about the fact that thousands of faithful believers, who trusted the Lord their God, who loved Jesus to the point of being willing to die for him, actually did die?  A lack of trust?  A sleeping God?  A God who saves, delivers and rescues some of his favourites but leaves the bulk to suffer and die?  Is prayer answered only if God actually delivers Daniel from the lions?

When you stop to think about it, the deliverance of Daniel is the exception rather than the rule!  The countless Christian martyrs thrown to the lions by the Romans were no less men and women who trusted in God.  At home I have a very critical biography of the life of the best known missionary to Africa, Dr. David Livingstone.  In this work Livingstone’s success as a missionary is held up to virtual ridicule when the author repeatedly reminds his readers that Livingstone was responsible for one only convert during his entire ministry, and that convert later returned to heathenism.  Does that make Livingstone’s life as a missionary, his mission to preach Christ in darkest Africa, a failure?

All of these considerations (and many more!) lead to the conclusion that Daniel’s actual physical deliverance from the lions, being miraculously saved by divine intervention, is not the primary point or message of this story.  It cannot be, for if it were it would contradict the rest of the Bible’s testimony!  We don’t count Paul’s life a failure because he was eventually captured and executed by the Roman authorities!  The same is true of the apostle Peter who ended his life by being crucified…  upside down – according to tradition.  We do not say that the miraculous deliverance but rather that the blood of martyrs has been the seed of the church.

Ultimately, if physical deliverance from the mouths of lions or success is the measure of true faith and of how the Lord deals with his children and servants, then the life, and above all, the death of the Lord Jesus would make no sense.  The physical suffering and agony, the humiliation and death of the Lord Jesus at the hands of his enemies would make his ministry a failure.  God was unable or unwilling to deliver him from the Jewish and Roman authorities.  That line of reasoning is, of course, nonsense!

What’s the point therefore?  It is not that Daniel got out of the lions’ den, but rather that he willingly went into it.  Think about that for a few moments and this will become clear.

1.  For Daniel, obeying the Lord and doing God’s will came before all else.  He would certainly have underlined and agreed with the apostle who Peter stood before the Jewish Supreme Council (Sanhedrin) and said:

‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.  For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’ (Acts 4:20)

In Peter’s case it led to imprisonment, to torture and ultimately execution.

In Daniel’s case it led to a lions’ den.  Obedience to God, even to the point of being persecuted for it, cannot be compromised.  The lions’ den notwithstanding!!!  In fact, such obedience necessarily leads into lions dens!  Paul said as much to Timothy:

‘In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.’ (2Tim.3:12f)

That was true in Paul’s day.  It has always been true.

2.  Daniel went into the den willingly because he desired to give glory to God before and above anything else.  The decree of Darius had meant that, if only for a month, Daniel was being compelled to put the glory of an earthly king before that of the Lord.

In that sense it is exactly the same dilemma which Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had faced in the days of Nebuchadnezzar.  Bow before the statue or be burned to cinders in the fiery furnace!  They could not bow to the statue because they believed that the only one worthy of such adoration and glory is the Lord!

3.  The third and most important consideration in this event is to be found in the fact that Daniel trusted in his God.  This trust amounted to the utter conviction and assurance that God would never desert or abandon him, even inside the den of lions.  God does not abandon his servants.  God does not turn away from his beloved.  He delivers and saves.  He rescues!  The lions may roar, the roaring lion may prowl, but the Lord delivers!

Daniel knew this.  He had trusted in his God as he entered the lions’ den.  Do I mean that Daniel knew he would not be eaten up before he faced those great cats?  Yes and no!

Yes, in the same sense that you and I know it about ourselves.  The roaring lion, Satan, will never be able to make a meal of God’s children.  I know that full well about myself as much as Daniel knew that about himself.  The Lord Jesus is the guarantee and proof of that for all who believe.  When the arch enemy of the Lord thought to be able to shout his victory as he succeeded in having Jesus crucified and killed, it was in fact Jesus who announced victory.  ‘It is finished!  Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’  The proof was seen in a most spectacular fashion on the third day.  An empty grave.  The risen Jesus.  ‘Death no longer is the stronger.  Hell itself is captive led!!’

That same victory is shared by all who believe in Jesus.  Washed in His blood and saved by His sacrifice we are born again to new eternal life as the covenant children of God.  Nothing takes that away… ever!!!  No lions, no amount of persecution.

But the answer is no, in the sense that Daniel had no guarantee or right to expect the mouths of the lions to be closed.  That God could close their mouths, and in this case did, goes without saying.  Very clearly, as becomes obvious at a later point, God still wished to use Daniel for earthly ministry and as a testimony to His glory and greatness.  Until Daniel’s earthly task was ended, until God chose to call home this servant, through whatever means, no lions could claim him.

When you come to think of that, that is as true of you and me as it was of Daniel.  Daniel knew that.  We should be learning it.  That is what trust in God is all about.

Conclusion

Congregation, what is the Lord teaching us in this spectacular story?  Yes, surely and truly God is to be obeyed, glorified and trusted above all else.  To him be the glory.  God delivers, saves and rescues.  He gives the victory and each and every one of his children from the great Daniel to the very least and weakest amongst us may know and rejoice in this.

Know it from this story in Daniel 6…!  God delivers and saves his servants.  As surely as he delivered Daniel, he will deliver us too.  Ultimately know it from the greatest act of salvation and deliverance of which Daniel 6 is a type, a foreshadowing.  Know it from the greatest victory ever, the victory over sin, Satan and death which the Lord Jesus won in his dying on Calvary’s cross and being raised on the third day.

God delivers!  God saves.  God rescues… as Daniel, His beloved Son, Jesus, and in Jesus, YOU who believe in him.

Therefore OBEY, GLORIFY and TRUST in your God now and forever.

AMEN