Daniel 6:1-28 In
the Lion’s Den
Up
to this point in our Study of Daniel the Story has centered around the man and
HIS God
A) Each Chapter – movie in
and of itself – incredible stories – God’s faithfulness
B) After New Year get back
to this study takes a really Different focus – Daniel’s
visions
1)
Very prophetic – Backbone of Bible Prophecy
C) We are going to take
detailed look at these prophecies -
D) Daniel 7&8 are very
intriguing as are the visions of Ch.10-12 -
Tonight
we see another remarkable story in the life of Daniel
A) Daniel Ch.6 picks up
where Ch.5 left off
Aa) You recall in our last
study in
B) There in Daniel 5 we saw
the end of the Babylonian empire –
1)
C) God wrote on the wall –
You have been weighed in the balances found wanting – Kingdom is divided and
given to the Medes and Persians –
D)
V.30 That very night!
31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about
sixty-two years old.
Here
we are introduced to Darius! Bit of a Mystery
A) There is not a lot of
secular history written about Cyrus – the Persian
B) There are 4-5 Darius’ in
history but all of them came after this time.
1) None mentioned this early
C) So at present there are
no archeological records of a Darius who took the city of
However
some Scholars do see a connection in the person Gabaru.
A) Gambaro was one of the
best general in Cyrus’ army –
B) After the initial invasion into
C) Gabaru
was born in 601 BC – and we know that the time of the fall of
D) So some think that Gabaru
is the one being mentioned here and that he was given the title Darius which
simply means – the one who holds the Scepter
E)
King Cyrus set up Gaburu to role over the
1) Now Archeology might
discover a Darius but – until then Gabaru is a good possibility
RD
V.1
-2
Now
as we make our way thru this chapter – 5 captions about Daniel.
Favored, Framed, Faithful,
Fed, Freed!
1st
Favored – Daniel was given the Preeminent spot among the Governors! Top Governor
A) This was a smart move by
Darius –
B) Not uncommon to use
leaders of the conquered pp in GOVT positions
–
1) They knew the pp and
customs and as long as they were watched – it worked fine
C) Daniel would have been a
safe choice to be the leader of this group because although he was very
familiar with all the ways and customs of
1) He had no real allegiance to
D) His heart was still in
1) His allegiance was toward
God
APP
– DUAL CITIZENSHIP!
A) Citizens of the
B)
We make the most of our time here in the
C) It has been said that
some Christians are so heavenly minded they
are no earthly good.
1) In other words there are
some Christians who are content to just sit around and wait for the rapture
D) They live isolated lives
– trying their best to not mingle with the World – hunker down and wait
E)Other go so far as to act
irresponsible – Charge Credit cards and get in debt!
1) Hey it doesn’t matter Jesus
is coming back soon!
Both
positions are an improper view of our Dual Citizenship!
A) Really not any earthly
good until you are heavenly minded.
Aa)
Jesus taught that we are to be in the world but not of it.
B) In other words we are to
integrate into society but not allow societies
morals and concepts to integrate into us.
C) Jesus said that we were
to be doing His business until He comes.
1) In other words the Business of the Kingdom
2) Serving as Ambassadors
and Shinning as lights.
Daniel
is a great example of that! He is living for God in this very pagan place! –
Given Favor in their eyes.
A) He is carrying out his
duties and responsibilities
Flourishing in the work
place impacting pp
B) But at the same time
never compromising his morals his faith his beliefs
1) He is this great witness
for God and the whole time has many great opportunities to be used by God
C) What a great description
of Daniel – Excellent Spirit –
D)
Some people naturally have this by way of their personality – great to be
around
1) The rest of us can pray
that by the grace of God – excellent spirit about us
E) It also has to do with
His Character – Excellent Character!
The
other Leaders were Jealous of Daniel: his position and his Spirit, too happy
for them!
A) They start plotting to
take him down – looking dirt
RD V.4-5
Amazing
nothing could be said about his work ethic his character his integrity, his
loyalty, pp dealings
A) So they are going to
target his religion
B) How wonderful to be that
predictable – they know that there is one sure area where Daniel is not going
to bend
C) The place where he is
always consistent – His relationship with God
D) There is a standard of
holiness that He lives by – that they know is unbending
1) He is not going to
compromise no way –
E) IN their minds they say –
It is the only thing we can use against him
So
they set their trap! 2nd Framed. RD V.6-9
A) In the law of the Medes
and Persians once the King signed something it couldn’t be changed even by him.
B)
C) King’s law could not be altered – Although God was about to alter it!
Now
think about what they are doing here.
A) They are seeking to take
the power that has been given to them to serve the people
B) They want to take that
power and use it to take away the rights of pp to worship freely
1) Imagine
that
C) Guess what there are
those in our GOVT seeking to do the same
Prayer
and the Bible out of Schools – out of GOVT buildings – remove Ten Commandments
A) They take the principles
that our founding fathers wrote to secure the freedom of worship
B)
Twist it like a pretzel to make it say something completely different –
to take from the very pp and principles it was written to protect
C) Today those seeking to
pass legislation to call Homosexuality a Sin – Hate
Speech
D) And if some of them get
their way – it will be against the law to really teach the Bible
1) At least literally
E) So the Decree is made –
Pray to anyone else but Darius – Lions Den
Daniel
hears about the law and what does he do?
A) Protest – picket – I will
just pray to myself – Nope
B) Daniel does what he has
always Done – He prays!
3rd
Faithful
“Now when
Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room,
with his windows open {lit already opened} toward
C)
Daniel was a man who lived with his windows open toward heaven.
1) It says toward
When King Solomon dedicated
the temple – he made this statement!
“When your
people sin against you and You become angry with them and deliver them to the
enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 yet
when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and
repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them
captive, saying, 'We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness';
48 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in
the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward
their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and
the temple which I have built for Your name: 49 then hear in heaven Your
dwelling place their prayer and their supplication.
He knelt down
on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his
God, as was his custom since early days. “
I like that Phrase as was his custom since his
early days.
A) Here we see that Prayer was
a part of His daily routine.
B)
C) M Luther “Prayer is a strong
wall and fortress of the Church: It is a godly Christian’s weapon.”
D) Jesus declared
Daniel
Prayed 3 times a day probably in conjunction with the morning – midday and
evening sacrifices
A) More than a routine –
Lifestyle – Some pp workout
B) Some pp eat a lot –
Daniel based his lifestyle on Prayer {Busy man busy position
No wonder he was so in tune
to God! Daniel was always talking to him – always listening
A)
Prayer is a two way conversation – Prayer walks
B) Pray one way – listen on
the way back!
Notice Daniel’s posture in
Prayer! Knelt down
A) Humbled his heart!
Kneeling: Humble heart = “God resist the proud but gives Grace to the Humble”
“Man
is at his highest & greatest when upon his knees he comes face to face w/
God” Martin Lloyd Jones
A) Having said that God
isn’t hung up on the position of our bodies -
Hard to kneel distraction
B) He is most interested in
the posture of our hearts
C) But every now and then –
I find it very beneficial to Kneel!
1) Express that Humility
physically – Lifting hands
Clapping – standing –
Prostrate
D) Those expressions are
there for a reason.
Notice
one more thing here about Daniel’s prayer – says – He gave thanks!
A) 90 yrs old – stupid law
another King – I would be complaining – Daniel giving thx –
“I’m going to the Lion’s den”
Think
about this 3 times a day Daniel is thanking God for things in his life.
A) Could that be part of the
reason for his excellent spirit?
B) Imagine what your outlook
would be like – if you paused 3 times a day to give thanks
C) I have started a list –
as often as I can each day – pause to just thank the Lord for certain things in
my life.
Godly Parents /
Wife / Kids
Godly Mentors
Pastor Chuck – Brian /
Richard /Jon Courson.
Godly Friends – Howard Eddie
Steve, Joe, Dave Mike Dunn Allen R. Brian N. Sandy A. Rob V.
Jason D
This Church body – Our
School -/ Jess teachers
I started to cry – so much
to be thankful for.
Daniel’s
Faithfulness in Prayer is what gets him in trouble they have their evidence Rd V. 11-15
Is there a place
for Civil Disobedience?
A) Paul & Peter both
wrote – that we were to obey the GOVT
B)
Obey those in authority over us. – And yet both of them were Martyred for not
doing so.
C) There is a lot that goes
on today under the banner of civil disobedience that grieves God
1)
Blowing up abortion clinics or shooting doctors who perform abortions –
not right
D)But when the GOVT says –
you can no longer go to Church or read your Bible or pray or teach your
Children about God –
There is a higher law that
supersedes the laws of man – that is the law of God
Render
unto Caesar ….. to God … God’s!
4th
Daniel is Fed. RD V.16-17
A) Note that Phrase the purpose concerning
Daniel might not be changed.
B) But this is what they
didn’t realize this was God’s purpose.
C) Why does God give us
these stories?
1) Give Children’s ministry
workers …cool talk about?
Listen
God records this story for the same reason he records David and Goliath –
facing some big obstacle
A) Same reason he records
the story of the parting of the red sea – Boxed in see no way out
B)
Same reason he records Elijah getting fed by Ravens –
1) Or the walls of
C) See in each of those TRUE
STORIES God’s desire is not to take us on some archeological dig or
intellectual exercise
D) But in each case God is
seeking to stir up faith in our hearts
SO
that when we find ourselves facing our Giant – we can run at it like David did
toward Goliath Knowing that the
A) When we are boxed in – we
can cry out to God for deliverance –
B)The stories stretched over
time are meant to remind us that God is the same yesterday today and forever –
trust Him
C) When we find ourselves in
the midst of our lions den –We can Know – He is my deliverer!
Interesting that in many of
the Psalms David describes the enemy as a lion
“Be
sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
May meaning he needs permission – he is on a leash.
A) But there are lions –
there are storms God allows us to go through them because he has a purpose.
C) Storms of Correction –
Jonah
Storms of instruction – Disciples
Storms of Glorification- Daniel
5th
Freed! RD V.18-20
A) This becomes the central
question in all of our lives is your God able to deliver you.
B) Depends on who your God
is?
1) Money – Look at
2) Sex Pleasure look at
3) Power – Look at Politics
C) Jesus is your God – He
can and will deliver you
1) From the Lions or thru
the Lions Den
21 Then
Daniel said to the king,"O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel
and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found
innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
I
love this God not only closed the mouth of the lions but – he sent an Angel to
keep Daniel company all night
A) What a cool conversation
that must have been
B)
God is so good – He takes care of everything.
C) Daniel’s testimony is
growing – So is yours
1) Lions den right now – ok
– God is working
Daniel says I was found
innocent – amazing thing
A) Because of the blood of
Jesus applied to our lives – more innocent than Daniel in God’s eyes
B) Critics – they stuffed
the lions – they were too full – really? Watch what happens next
RD V.23-24
Why
Families? – It was the Law of the Medes and the Persians – couldn’t be altered
A) Crime worthy of death –
your whole family was punished – no one seeking revenge
B) Biblical principle whole
family affected – whole family saved
C) Kids and Church – pick up
on your attitudes
Now
there is no mention of Daniels family being thrown into the Lion’s den –
A) No record of him having a
family – remember he was made a Eunuch –
B) 90 yrs old – Serving God
– great example for Single pp.
RD V25-28
God is glorified