The story of Daniel in the lions’ den has to rank, I would imagine, in the top ten of the most familiar and beloved passages of scripture. Daniel, was brought as a teenager-captive, to Babylon. At the setting of this text Daniel is nearly 90 years old. A whole lot of changes have taken places. They have changed his name. They have changed his language. They’ve changed his homeland. However, they could not change his heart. With all of the changes that have taken place, Daniel is the same man at 90 that he was at 19. For when we read the book of Daniel, we read that Daniel honored God. And because he honored God, God exalted Daniel; even in the midst of captivity.
Daniel chapter 6 says that King Darius has placed a 120 princes over the providence of Babylon. He has made three men president over all the princes. And one of the three was the prophet, Daniel. Fact about it, the Bible says that he was preferred over the other two presidents. And the king had given thought to placing Daniel over all of the others. In the midst of that, those other princes and presidents began to look at Daniel with eyes of envy. And they thought to try and find some fault in Daniel as it related to the kingdom. But they could find nothing faultful in Daniel as it related to the kingdom. And they decided that if we’re going to find some fault in Daniel...if there is anything that we’re going to be able to get after him about, it must be concerning the law of his God. Are you praying with me? For as obedient and as loyal as Daniel is to the king and the kingdom of Babylon, we know, that he is even more loyal to the god that he serves!
They conspired together and they come up with this plan and they go to the king and they say to the king, “For the next 30 days, king we want you to sign a decree, that no one shall pray to any other god nor man except you. And if anyone is found praying to any other god or man except you for the next 30 days, let that man be thrown to a den of lions.” The king liked the sound of that, sounded pretty good to him. The decree was written and the king signed it and it was put into effect. And the word says, “Daniel, knowing that the decree had been signed, when into his house, went up into his chamber, opened his window towards Jerusalem kneeled down and prayed three times a day. Business as usual.
Let me say a few things and then I’ll let you go. First let me say something about Daniel’s Difficulties. Daniel, after he had been promoted by King Darius, it was not long afterwards that envy reared it’s ugly head. And envy is a terrible thing. Jealousy is a terrible thing. Someone once said that envy is the tribute that failure pays to success. Most of the times we become envious and jealous of other people because their success has a way exposing our own failure. But have you ever thought about it? Whenever you are jealous about what God has blessed and given to someone else; literally what you are saying is that what you are saying to God is that I am not satisfied with what You have done in my life. But you see, you need to learn how to grow where you have been planted and bloom where you have been placed. That is the marvelous witness and power you posse.
Their plan had been put into motion. Not because there was a flaw in Daniel but rather because there was a flaw in King Darius. And the flaw in the king was his pride. Not only is envy a terrible thing but so is pride. Pride will destroy you. There was a television show back in the 50s called Queen for a Day. What these men were saying to the king is that you need to god for a month. And the king liked the sound of that and he signed the decree. Notice that they are envious and jealous of Daniel because he had been promoted. They could find no fault in Daniel as it relates to his job and his performance on the job. And they decide that if we are going to get at Daniel, we must get after him concerning the law and his god. Notice the method to the madness of these men. There problem with Daniel is a personality conflict. But they camouflage it and make it appear on the surface to be religious. And after all these years, little has changed. Because we have a way of spiritualizing our evil. Amen walls!
You know that when you get to the bottom of all the trouble in the church, 95% of the time it grows out of a personality conflict. Regardless of what we are talking about on the surface, when we get to the root of most the difficulties in the church it comes down to: “I don’t like her.” I can’t stand him.” And “I don’t want to work with them.” Oh, come somebody. You can’t tell me that after 59 years Jerusalem folk have always gotten along! (PAUSE) Their problem was a personality conflict but they spiritualized their evil. And nobody can beat church-folk spiritualizing their evil. That is Daniel’s Difficulties.
But lets look at Daniel’s Decision. Now Daniel is faced with an awful decision. He must decide wether to continue praying to his God; being faithful to his God or bowing down to this god of the month plan. For the word says that he knows that the decree has been signed! Now Daniel could have rationalized it. He could have said, “Well you know it only 30 days. I can go 30 days without praying.” He could have said, “Well I don’t have to pray...publicly.” Now he could have said, “Now there is no reason to loose all of my influence over this 30 day moratorium on pray.” Or he could have said what most church folk would have said, “God...knows...my...heart.” You know that we can dismiss anything we don’t want to do by saying, “God knows my heart.” Staying at home for no reason at all... “You know I couldn’t get there. I wanted to be there. You know God knows my heart.” And the truth is you don’t know how right you are! God does!!! Know your heart!
But Daniel’s Decision is to be true to his God. For the word says that in spite of all the thing s he could have done, v 10 tells us exactly what he did do: “Knowing that the decree had been signed. He goes into his house. He goes into his chamber. Opens his windows towards Jerusalem. Gets down on his knees and prays three times a day as he had done afore time.” Now Daniel’s Decision tells us a few things about his pray-life.
It tells us first of all that Daniel had a place for prayer. He went into his house. And the word said, he went into his chamber. He had a private place for prayer. And I want to suggest that every believer needs that private place for prayer. Every child of God needs an Upper Room experience. That place where you can get away from everything and everybody and be alone with God. For if you are going to do anything for God you must first spend some time alone with God.
Not only did he have a place for prayer but he also had a posture in his prayer. The Bible says that he bowed his knees. As a sign of humility, he bowed. As a sign of reverence, he bowed. As a sign of submission, he bowed. Kneeling, is a begging posture. And when we come before God, we all come before Him as nothing more than a beggar. Now bowing is more than a position is a posture. His bowing was symbolic of him bowing in his heart.
He had a place for prayer, he had posture for prayer, and finally he had a period for prayer. The Bible says that Daniel gets down on his knees and prays three times a day. Have you thought about it, that most us have a set time for everything but prayer. You got a set time that you get up in the morning. The alarm clock is fix on a certain time. You’ve got a certain time of the day that you have that first cup of morning coffee. Set time of the day to even watch a t.v. show. I mean you won’t even answer the telephone when your show is on. And if you do, you hurry the person off and say call me back once my show is over. We got a set time for everything but prayer.
But you see I discovered something. I want you do get this. If you bow before God, you can stand before any man. The Bible said that he knew that the decree had been signed but he went on into his house, went up into his chamber, opened his window and prayed three times a day as he had done afore time. He continued on with business as usual.
Back in the early 80s, in the Columbus Dispatch Newspaper one morning, the headlines read: Woolworths 5 & Dime Going Out Of Business. It was one of downtown Columbus’ historic landmarks. The article began to talk about how long it had been in business and who had been started by, how many people began there careers there, it’s role during the Civil Rights Movement, and now hundreds of people will be losing an icon of the city because the store was going out of business. But the fellow who wrote the article closed it in an unusual way. After he talked about how the closing of this store would impact the city he finished it by saying, “In the morning, business as usual.”
Maybe that’s God word for somebody here this morning. You’re faced with an awful situation. You find yourself in a crisis. But I want you to know this morning that in spite of what your doctor has told you. In spite of what your lawyer is saying. In spite of how it may appear to be in your life right now! Get down on your knees! Tell God all about! Go to bed tonight and get a good night’s sleep! And in the morning! Business! As! Usual! For I’ve discovered that if you pray; something is bound to happen!
Daniel knew about the decree. And yet he goes into his house. Opens his windows. Gets down on his knees and prays to his God. And the word says that all day; from morning to evening the king tried to deliver Daniel. And that is why Daniel didn’t have contemp for the king. Rather, he had commitment to the King of kings. He realized that Darius’ power was limited. But the God whom he served was able to do all things.
So the final thing we need to look at is Daniel’s Deliverance. The king tried all day to deliver Daniel and was unable to deliver him. Finally late in the evening, Daniel was cast into a den of lions. But I want to tell you this morning. That if you put your trust in the Lord. Anything God brings you to. He’s got enough to bring you all the way through. You never have to doubt in the dark what God has promised to you in the light. For Daniel realized. That he was not trusting in the king. But he was trusting in. His God. And the word says that when Darius went back to his room. When he got back to his palace. That he fasted all night long. Sleep passed from him. All night he paced the floor. Worried about Daniel. And early the next morning. He went to the lions den. And said Daniel, is the God whom you serve continually, able to deliver you?
And I’ve discovered the difference between Daniel and most of us is, Daniel served God continually. But most of us serve God when it is comfortable and convenient. We serve God until. Most of us are guilty of having an ‘Until Religion.’ We serve Him until we can’t get our way anymore. We serve Him. As long as. Everything. Is going. Our way. Am I right about it!? But Daniel answers, my God is able. And I wonder if anybody here this morning knows the Lord is able. If you trust and never doubt. The Lord will. Surely. Bring you out. For Daniel said. The Lord. Sent His angels. To watch over me all night long. Well. Daniel said. The angel had. Shut the Lions’ mouth.
And our forefathers knew something about that. That’s why thy sang. All night. And all day. Angels keep. Watching over me. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. For those angels. That watch over us all night long.
And the Bible says. That not only was Daniel delivered. But the king. Took those same men. That conjured up that decree. And had them. And their families. Thrown into the lions’ den. Because. When you stand up. For what is right. You don’t have to worry. About. Fighting. Your own battles. For vengeance. Is mine. Saith the Lord. And I will repay.
Anybody here. Know. He’ll fight your battles. Anybody here. Know. He’ll watch over you. Anybody here. Know. He’ll keeps His arms. All around you. Have I got a witness.
You’ve got to be mindful. Of how you treat the people of God. You’ve got to be mindful. Of how you deal with. The man of God. For the Lord. Watched over Daniel. But those men. Were devoured by the lions. I want you to know. That if you stand up. For what is right. It may get dark. In your life. But the Lord. Will. See you through. It may get rough. But God will. See you through.
That is why. The hymologist says. Be not dismayed. Whatever be tied. God will. Take care of you. Anybody here. Know God will. Won’t He fight your battles. Won’t He lift heavy burdens. Won’t make a way. Out of know way. Won’t He wipe tears. From your eyes. Prop you up. On every leaning side.
I’m so glad. He will. See you through. A little girl in Sunday school. Told her Sunday school teacher. The reason those lions. Didn’t eat Daniel. Is because the Lion. Of the Tribe of Judea. Was in there. With him.
So I want to tell you. You may face a lion’s den. But go on. With Business As Usual. For we serve a Christ. Who’s able. To go in the lion’s den. We serve a Christ. Who’s able to see us through. You’ve got to keep your eyes. On the Lord. And not on the lions.
You may be. In a lion’s den. A lion’s den. Of a broken marriage. A lion’s den. Of a broken family. A lion’s den. Of a loss of health. A lion’s den. Of a loss of wealth. But keep your eyes. On the Lord. And He will. See you through. I’m mighty glad. That my hope is built. On nothing less. Than Jesus blood. And righteousness. I dare not trust. The sweetest frame. But holy lean. On Jesus name. It’s on Christ. The solid rock I stand. All other ground. Is sinking sand
