Daniel and the Lions' Den

                                                                    Daniel 6:1-13

 

March 25, 2024

 

Daniel and the Lions' Den

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account so that the king might suffer no loss.  Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.  Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.  Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!  All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors, and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.  Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  Therefore, King Darius signed the document and injunction.

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house, where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.  Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.  Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”  Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

 

Are you glad we do not use lion’s dens as a form of punishment for people who break the rules?  Many of us in the USA have seen evil people who have schemed to remove a man or woman from office by lies. It happens often, just ask President Donald Trump.  

 

What was the source of this evil act that these men planned against Daniel?  Jealousy, based on fear and hate, he was not one of them; he had values and was honest, and they were sure he would honor his God over the king’s command.

 

We are approaching Easter, a time we celebrate our Lord’s victory over death and the grave.  For He has risen indeed and is sitting at the right hand of our Father, He is the one that Daniel loved and feared, not man.  Evil men were used because of fear and hate to have Jesus nailed to the Cross, so why should we be surprised at the actions of evil men in 2024?  And the jealousy we are seeing today at President Trump stems from the same source, the one that has come to kill, steal, and destroy, found in John 10:10, and the thief is none other than the devil.

 

My prayer is not that God will save President Trump because no fault can be found in him, but that our Nation was not built on jealousy, lies, and hate, but on truth and justice for all.  And if evil can destroy one who has served our nation, our nation has no future.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice