Shut Your Mouth?
Daniel Chapter 6
I would like to preach a message today that is so incredibly ENCOURAGING! On a topic that I am so comfortable with – SHUTTING OUR MOUTHS!
We are going to look at an incredible example in the Word of God today – an example that we have looked at in the past – THE PROPHET DANIEL.
Last time we looked at Daniel, he was just a young man – but even then, God was setting him apart for something incredible!
Daniel 1:8 8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Even as a young man, Daniel “purposed in his heart” that he wasn’t going to go along with this world. Instead, he was going to follow God and His incredible plan!
Because of his decision to be faithful, and because of the incredible things that God was able to do in and through him, the Bible tells us: Daniel 1:19-21 19And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. 20And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. 21And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
Daniel and his companions were found to be 10 times better than the best this world had to offer – as young people and through their adult lives! Today we aren’t going to go as far as Cyrus, but we will be looking at his predecessor: King Darius of the Medes and Persians.
Daniel 6:1-5 1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
Just to lay a little foundation here – Darius was king of the Medo-Persian empire: they basically took over after the Babylonians lost control, and this empire encompassed most of the civilized world in that day.
A) DANIEL’S DEDICATION
The king of the known world at that time is seeking to promote Daniel to second in command – head of the leaders of the kingdom.
Remember who we are talking about here – this was a refugee Jew stolen out of his homeland as a boy.
Daniel’s entire life has been spent in positions of power and leadership in a land that is not his home!
HOW CAN THIS BE? WHAT WAS DANIEL’S SECRET?
Daniel 4:8-9 8But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 9O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
Daniel 5:11-12 11There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; 12Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.
Daniel 6:3 3Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit of God would come upon and indwell Daniel, giving him supernatural wisdom, knowledge, and understanding: Daniel was DEDICATED to use his supernatural relationship and abilities to glorify God in every aspect of his life.
POWER and INFLUENCE aren’t bad things – God allowed Daniel to be placed in a position of authority!
Daniel followed the leading of God – OVER 60 YEARS LATER he is still glorifying God as a LEADER!
Daniel was DEDICATED to his GOD – and DEDICATED to perform the TASKS that God placed in his life.
So dedicated, I might add, that when his adversaries put his life under a microscope to find something to tarnish his reputation, they come up empty handed.
HOW ABOUT US?
If our co-workers, neighbors, and peers went “fault-finding” in our lives – what would they find?
Would they come to the same conclusion as these men with Daniel?
They realized that they only way to trip him up was to target his relationship with his God.
(This tactic by the way, has been used throughout history, and is still alive and well today)
Matthew 5:11-12 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
These men set the trap – go to king Darius and deceive him in order to establish their scheme:
Daniel 6:6-7 6Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
B) DANIEL’S DECISION
So here, we go – Daniel has to decide: he can either SHUT HIS MOUTH – stop following what God has told him to do, stop praying to his God and LIVE; or he can continue in obedience to God and face certain DEATH.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? HONESTLY?
{I may start looking for ways to justify becoming a “closet” Christian}
WHAT DOES DANIEL DO?
Daniel 6:10-11 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 11Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Daniel knows full well what the law is – he knows full well what the consequence of the law is – does he SHUT HIS MOUTH? NO WAY! NOT ON YOUR LIFE (or his as it were).
But I do want you to see something in verse 10 – so very important!
Daniel doesn’t seek to break the law and rebel against his authority just for rebellions sake: it is not like when the law came, he started getting “in everyone’s face” with his prayer life!
“as he did aforetime” – he just continued glorifying God the same way that he had for right around 65 years.
Though he wasn’t seeking to be rebellious for rebellions sake, he certainly wasn’t going to conform to edicts that forbade him to have a relationship with his God!
He continued to pray with his window open – three times a day!
Which, of course gets him in a bit of trouble.
C) DANIEL’S DEN
Well, we all know how the story goes: because of his faithfulness, Daniel winds up in a bad place!
Daniel 6:14-17 14Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17And 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.
Try as he may – even the king of the known world was not powerful enough to deliver Daniel from the DEN!
Daniel meets sudden peril, no chance for survival: unless the God “who Daniel served continually” intervened.
Daniel 6:18-23 18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. 19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto 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? 21Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22My God hath sent his angel, and hath 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. 23Then 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, because he believed in his God.
Notice Darius’ question: “servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou servest continually”
WAS HE ABLE TO DO WHAT I WAS UNABLE TO? TO DELIVER YOU?
Yes – He has SHUT THE LION’S MOUTH!
I love the irony here – when Daniel refused to “shut his mouth”; God “shut the mouths” of his adversaries!
LETS GET PRACTICAL: What’s the chance that we will ever be thrown into a lions den?
What would you do if I told you that you were in one right now?
1 Peter 5:8-9 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
We can never forget that this world is Satan’s playground!
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The Bible calls Satan a “roaring lion” and “the god of this world” he is incredibly powerful, and just like Darius, we cannot on our own strength deliver ourselves or anyone else from him!
However, there is a God in heaven, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, who has defeated this lion, crushed his head, and it is through the shed blood and broken body of the Lord Jesus that we can be delivered just as Daniel!
We must understand that the power to shut that lion’s mouth comes solely from the God that we faithfully worship and serve!
If we trust and obey Him, we can be delivered, just like Daniel!
