Living in the Lions Den Without Being Eaten
Daniel 5:1-6:28
Has there been a time in your life you felt you were under attack?
One of the times in my life and family that I experienced attacks from evil happened when I was pastor of the FMC in Taylor, Michigan. (Myrtle Hannah)
We find helpful foundational teachings in Daniel 5 and 6 to help us survive attacks of our enemy. Who is our primary enemy: The Bible says, Satan goes about like a roaring lion."
Daniel chapter 5 teaches that "There are Consequences to Sin."
I. There Are Consequences to (Sin.)
King Nebuchadnezzar died in 562 BC. Nebuchadnezzar’s son in law was made king and then in 553 Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson, Belshazzar was made king of Babylon. Belshazzar knew the story of his grandfather and his years of living like an animal for 7 years. He also knew that Nebuchadnezzar honored God in his later years of his life. Belshazzar rejected his grandfather’s God and worshipped the gods of Babylon.
Daniel 5:4 Belshazzar sponsors a great banquet praising the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone. As Belshazzar was in the banquet hall celebrating the great feast to the Babylon gods, the city of Babylon was under siege by the Medes and Persians. Belshazzar felt safe behind the great mote, 100 bronze gates and walls wide enough to drive four chariots abreast.
The feast was well under way, many were well lubricated with wine and all were praising the Babylonian gods.
We might ask: "What does it take to scare or frighten a proud and pompous king? Belshazzar had an unexpected after dinner surprise. A hand appeared and began to write on the banquet wall. The king noticed the and as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way. The hand writing on the wall drastically changed the mood of the banquet from celebration to dreadful fear.
The king called in all his wise men. They could not interpret the writing. They were all baffled. They didn’t have a clue.
The queen mother, Nebuchachnezzar’s daughter, came to her grandson’s rescue and told him that she knew someone who could interpret the handwriting. She called Daniel by his Hebrew name signifying that she knew Daniel personally and she possible was also a believer in his God over the Babylonian gods.
King Belshazzar called Daniel for help and Daniel appeared before the King and first of all gave his a history lesson. He told the King how his grandfather had defied God and ended up living as a wild animal. It was only when King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged God as creator and Lord that he gained back his sanity.
Daniel spoke directly to the King. "O Belshazzar, you have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. You have been immoral and worshipped foreign gods. You have not honored the God who holds in His hand your life and your ways. God sent the hand to tell you the consequences for your sins."
Daniel, not in his 80’s, stands before the king and tells him that God is judging him because:
1. Belshazzar had Rejected the (Truth) Belshazzar was not ignorant of has God had dealt with his grandfather, yet he chose to reject truth.
2. Belshazzar arrogantly challenged (God) Daniel said that Belshazzar had set himself up against the God of Heaven.
3. Belshazzar worshiped (false gods) of gold, silver, stone, wood and iron.
4. Belshazzar had (wasted) his life. "You did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways."
Galatians 6:7 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."
Daniel said that God sent the hand that wrote on the wall:
(Mene) - God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.
(Tekel) - You have been weighted on the scales and fund wanting.
(Peres) - Your Kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
After Daniel gave the interpretation king Belshazzar commanded Daniel to be clothed in purple, a god chain placed around his neck and proclaimed the 3rd highest ruler in the kingdom.
That very night King Belshazzar was slain and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.
God’s word is true:
John 3:19-21 "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds ere evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the light comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he had done has been done through God."
II. Christian Faith is often (Tested) and (Challenged) Daniel chapter 6
Darius appointed 120 satraps to rule his kingdom with 3 administrators to serve over the 120. Daniel was one of the administrators. He was brought out of retirement ad at age 80 demonstrated such leadership qualities that King Darius planned to set him over the entire kingdom. The other administrators and satraps did all they could to discredit Daniel. They wanted to put Daniel back in mothballs. What did he know about leadership in the 9th century BC.
Their investigative team checked all his accounts and activities. They checked the document shredder, cuneiform crusher. Daniel had not misused the palace post office, wrote any hot checks, sexually harassed his female or male staff, or involved in the Euphrates River Development Scandal. They could find no bribes, no cover-ups, and no scandals.
• They found him to be faithful. He was "trustworthy."
• They found him to be pure. There was no "corruption."
• They found him to be diligent. There was no negligence.
1. Daniel did not waver in his Christian faith during times of testing.
• Daniel did excellent (work) No one could keep up with him even though he was in his 80’s.
• Daniel was a man of (character). He demonstrated kindness, joy, peace, love, long suffering, gentleness and patience.
• Daniel had an incredible (capacity) He was an outstanding manager of personnel and cared for 1/3 of the province.
As soon as Daniel’s peers heard of the king’s plans to promote him they determined to sabotage his success.
Daniel 6:4-5 "As this, the administrators and satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."
The conspirators met with the king and presented their request:
"O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered - in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." Daniel 6:6-8
2. Daniel demonstrated a consistent Christian life even when under attack. Daniel knew the secret to living in the lions’ den without being eaten.
What did Daniel do when he head of the new edict? Daniel 6:10 - "Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."
The conspirators knew the devotional habits of Daniel and went to his home and found him praying to his Lord and God. The King had no choice but to carry out the law he had signed. He had respect for Daniel and appreciated his leadership.
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!" 6:16
King Darius spent a sleepless night in Babylon. Daniel faced lions that were more like small kittens. God sent an angel and gave them instant angel lessons to accept Daniel as a friend. The lions probably snuggled up close to Daniel to keep him warm in the cold cave like dungeon. Two little cubs may have curled up on his lap and Daniel and lions slept peacefully through the night
At the first light of dawn the King raced to the lions den and called out, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
The shout may have awakened Daniel from a deep sleep and he 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."
III. Surviving the attacks of (Lions)
From the life and example of Daniel we can learn how to survive the attacks of Lions in the world.
1. Do (quality) work One sure way to discredit our witness as a Christian is to do mediocre work for our employer. Your attitude or lack of quality work can become a barrier to others that believe you are a Christian.
2. Make (faithfulness) to God your highest priority. I Peter 2:15-16, 20-22 has this advise:
"For it is God’s will that by dong good you may silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God…but how is it to you credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
3. Don’t be surprised when (attacked) Lions just don live in dens, they live in offices, neighborhoods, and walk the streets of our city.
4. Maintain an attitude of (thanksgiving). Daniel 6:10, "Daniel continued to give thanks to God." Giving thanks during times of attack helps you to put your focus on the source of real strength - the Lord God Almighty.
5. Don’t resist the (enemy) alone
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same sufferings." I Peter 5:8
When you endeavor to make a difference in the world, you will encounter personal attacks. If you face the attacks in your own strength you will lose the battle. As a Christian you will be able to rise above the attacks by God’s grace and power.
