November 29, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

How to Tame Lions

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Truly, Lord God, Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory. All praise to You.

Read Daniel 6:1-28

[1] It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, [2] with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. [3] Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. [4] At this, the administrators and the 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. [5] 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.” [6] So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! [7] 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 human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. [8] Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” [9] So King Darius put the decree in writing. [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. [11] Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. [12] So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands-in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” [13] Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” [14] When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. [15] Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” [16] 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!” [17] A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. [18] Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. [19] At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. [20] When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” [21] Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! [22] 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, Your Majesty.” [23] The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. [24] At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. [25] Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! [26] “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. [27] He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” [28] So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

The real battle was fought and won in Daniel’s bedroom—where he prayed, giving thanks to God—not in the lion’s den.

 

Was it news of Daniel’s prophecy of Belshazzar’s fall that precipitated his return to public life, despite being well past retirement? The new king saw in him an ally, but though he offered the best service he could, as events showed, he was not in anyone’s pocket. It says much for his integrity that close scrutiny of his affairs yielded nothing, so when those who plotted against him failed to find any weaknesses, they had to use his strengths against him. 
How susceptible to flattery are those in power! Lavish praise can blind judgment and make fools of us all. Without thinking of unintended consequences, Darius binds himself in a legal tangle from which there is no escape. Once again a king thinks that he is equal to God and that prayer should only be offered to himself. Daniel has traveled this road before and, having set his course, will not be deviated by any personal considerations of safety. He needs to keep God central if he is going to be God’s man in the city. By turning to Jerusalem, he daily reminded himself where his true allegiance lay.
The king is trapped by his own conceit, made powerless by his own pride. Daniel faces his probable death in faith, but the king had a long disturbed night. Hoping against hope, he calls out in the morning and Daniel’s voice, familiar in tone and content, replies as usual. Daniel’s God has protected him, though the lions were no vegetarians as the plotters soon discovered! Once more a decree goes out asserting, lest there be any doubt, who is Lord of the nations. The correct response of fear and reverence is therefore enjoined. Daniel is secure in his position and all thoughts of early retirement have now been firmly put to rest!

Was it news of Daniel’s prophecy of Belshazzar’s fall that precipitated his return to public life, despite being well past retirement? The new king saw in him an ally, but though he offered the best service he could, as events showed, he was not in anyone’s pocket. It says much for his integrity that close scrutiny of his affairs yielded nothing, so when those who plotted against him failed to find any weaknesses, they had to use his strengths against him. 

How susceptible to flattery are those in power! Lavish praise can blind judgment and make fools of us all. Without thinking of unintended consequences, Darius binds himself in a legal tangle from which there is no escape. Once again a king thinks that he is equal to God and that prayer should only be offered to himself. Daniel has traveled this road before and, having set his course, will not be deviated by any personal considerations of safety. He needs to keep God central if he is going to be God’s man in the city. By turning to Jerusalem, he daily reminded himself where his true allegiance lay.

The king is trapped by his own conceit, made powerless by his own pride. Daniel faces his probable death in faith, but the king had a long disturbed night. Hoping against hope, he calls out in the morning and Daniel’s voice, familiar in tone and content, replies as usual. Daniel’s God has protected him, though the lions were no vegetarians as the plotters soon discovered! Once more a decree goes out asserting, lest there be any doubt, who is Lord of the nations. The correct response of fear and reverence is therefore enjoined. Daniel is secure in his position and all thoughts of early retirement have now been firmly put to rest!

 

Apply

“If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live” (Martin Luther King Jr., 1929–1968). What lessons have you learned from the life if Daniel?

Closing prayer

Dear Lord, what great faith and faithfulness I see in Daniel! He had found something worth dying for. Help me root out my unfaithfulness and address my divided loyalties.

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