Standing Tall on His Knees

January 21, 2024

Series 2: God Is Faithful

lesson 2.3

Standing Tall on His Knees

FOCUS VERSE

Daniel 6:10

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.

TRUTH ABOUT GOD

God’s favor in my life is not dependent on ideal circumstances.

TRUTH FOR MY LIFE

I will trust God to deliver me from my trials.

LESSON TEXT

Daniel 6:1–28 KJV 1900

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3 Then 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. 4 Then 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. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, 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. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 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. 11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14 Then 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. 15 Then 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. 16 Then 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. 17 And 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. 18 Then 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. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20 And 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? 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22 My 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. 23 Then 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. 24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. 25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Welcome Bro Whitman

God’s faithfulness is the purpose of this quarter.

My daddy. Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forever!

I used to sing a song with the choir. Blessed be the name of the lord.

Blessed Be Your Name In the land that is plentiful Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name When I'm found in the desert place Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed Be Your name

Solomon said that a

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,

And loving favour rather than silver and gold.

It is a great life living for the Lord! The benefits are out of this world! Knowing what a friend I have in Jesus is a joy unspeakable and full of glory. But there is also a great benefit in people KNOWING that you live for God. When someone restrains their language, when you are asked to pray at company gatherings, when you walk into a crowd and you feel the atmosphere change… conversations, actions, respect.

Proverbs 16:7 KJV 1900

7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

King James Version Chapter 2

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people

Living for God brings a respect into a person’s life that cant be obtained any other way. We should live in such a way that if something is told on us that the first reaction should be no not possible. Our reputation should be wrapped up in God.

Daniel was such a man. He was known. He was respected. He had a reputation. When Daniel (EF Hutton) speaks, people listen.

Daniel had saved the lives of countless wise men and magicians. Nebuchadnezzer had pronounced death on them all because they couldnt tell him his dream. When they came for Daniel, He had requested one more day. All of the huge kingdom was on hold, a whole status of people was awaiting death the next day, with their only slight hope in Daniel. Daniel stood before the most powerful man in the world and delivered the word from God

King James Version Chapter 2

47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Daniel stood before Nebuchadnezzer and pronounced upon him the judgement that God would cause the king to become as a beast of the field for 7 years. And God did.

Daniel was known. he was respected. He ruled for years under different kings. He was known for serving God!

Ezekiel was a prophet during the governorship of Daniel. They lived at the same time. Ezekiel knew the lay of the land during the time of Daniel.

Ezekiel had this to say about Daniel:

Ezek 14:14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.

Ezek 28:3Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:

Yes, Daniel was known.

Daniel was even brought to a wild party where the unthinkable had happened. Babylon was under siege by the Medes and Persians. The man that had been left in charge of the city of Babylon showed such disdain for the seige that he had thrown a big party honoring his gods of debauchery by pulling out the vessels of the temple that had been brought to Babylon. A hand appeared writing on the wall MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSHIN

Your kingdom has been divided and given to the medes and the persians!

Ezekiel was a prophet during the governorship of Daniel. They lived at the same time. Ezekiel knew the lay of the land during the time of Daniel.

Ezekiel had this to say about Daniel:

Ezek 14:14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God.

Ezek 28:3Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:

Yes, Daniel was known.

King James Version (Chapter 5)

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. 31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

A lot of discussion about who Darius the Mede was. Some say he didnt exist, some say he was actually Cyrus the great. I found a doctrinal paper that addressed this. This paper used two different ancient historians and ancient documents to prove that Darius was the last king of the Medes. Cyrus was king of the Persians and partnered with the Medes. He married Darius’ sister and since Darius had no offspring, the son of Cyrus and Darius’ sister was the next in line and merged the two partner kingdoms under one king.

The night that Medes and Persians diverted the Euphrates and came into Babylon and captured the city was the same night Daniel had been made one of three rulers over the entire kingdom. The same night Belshazzar had promoted him, the Medes and Persians came in found Daniel clothed in scarlet and wearing a gold chain.

After the takeover

King James Version (Chapter 6)

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3 Then 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.

This was the largest kingdom that the world had ever seen and Daniel was going to be placed over it all. 120 provinces which had grown to 127 20 yrs later in Esther.

political rivals got together to take him down. They tried to find some way to find fault in him but they knew him. They knew his reputation. The only thing they could drag him down by was his life for God.

Kings were thought to be the representation of all the gods in the territories over which they ruled. This is why the ruling of the king could not be overturned as stated in Daniel and Esther. The kings were infallible and all knowing. So a reasonable request to the people of the kingdom. they wouldnt stress over 30 days. Since all the princes agreed, Darius saw no wrong.

When Daniel heard it, he did as usual. Just as it was know that he would. You see they knew daniel. They knew his reputation. They knew exactly what he would do.

They rushed to Darius and stated the case and Darius saw that he had been duped. He worked hard at trying to find a way out, until the princes demanded that Darius act on the law. Darius reluctantly gave the order and they captured and brought Daniel and threw this 80 yr old man into the lions den. Darius last words to Daniel were Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. Or he could have said God wont give you more than you can bear. Or he could have said that which God brings you to, he will bring you through. Or he could have said I will pray for you.

Everyone at this event knew Daniel. They knew that he would serve the Lord his God until his last breath. Ezekiel knew Daniel. The people of the kingdom knew Daniel. Ezra would have know Daniel. Nehemiah probably knew Daniel. Zephaniah probably knew Daniel. Mordecai knew Daniel. They all knew Daniel and knew what he would do.

BUT… The bible is silent about something. It does give a hint. This is the hint.

Daniel 6:11 (KJV 1900)

11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

Did you catch it? He was making supplication. Aramaic word behind this is imploring for mercy. We get a hint into the angst of Daniel. He is imploring for mercy. Though he and everyone else knew he was still going to serve the Lord. He did not want to walk the path he was on. He was 80ish years old. Think about being roughed up, physically, and then torn apart by lions. Now imagine having to go through it at 80. He was praying but he was anxiously praying.

King James Version Chapter 22

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45

There was an unknown factor of personal agony. Probably a bit of, God I have served you. I ask for deliverance. I praise you, I love you, but my heart is about to burst from this pressure. How God? How can I stand in these shoes? I am not that strong. I am old. I am feeble. Let me die here just like Elijah asked. I cant stand this pressure. This pressure is going to kill me! God I plead for deliverance. I know you can. I praise you and love you but please help me God!

He would have probably vaguely known that they were there watching as well as when they went away. He would have known what was coming. He just didnt know the time. His agony would have peaked and ebbed with his voice bouncing between Oh God Help me! and God Rock of my Salvation, I praise you. Some minutes the pressure in his stomach would threaten to burst out of his chest. Other times he would be laced with that stone cold pit in his stomach escaping out and flowing into his blood stream sending shivers through him.

The day drew out longer. there was no immediate return for arrest. The waiting makes the pit in the stomach stronger. The agony more acute. But with the extreme emotions comes a bone weariness. A weariness that cant even be described almost to the point of numbness.

The scripture doesnt say how roughly soldiers treated Daniel as they brought this old man that was about to die. Jerking him about possibly bruising and throwing him to the ground. We dont know how much he prayed to himself as he was escorted to his death. We dont know if he was sick to the point of waves of nausea washing over him. We dont know if he was so weak from the stress he had to be dragged. We dont know how pale he was or how many times he called on jehovah. Scripture doesnt say.

He can see the den of lions coming up. This pit which is into the stone. He is about to be cast into the pit that is at least 20 feet deep as some lions can jump 18 ft into the air. Can imagine the emotions and the dread that he is feeling in his 80 ish yr old body as he thinks about being thrown down 20 feet onto rock? The agony of the broken bones? The crunch of big teeth sinking into his skull? the claws raking across his skin ripping open his skin that is so much more delicate than it used to be? He can feel the hands grab him and tense up to throw him in.

Oh god be with me! Maybe into your hands I commit my spirit. And just as he enters the lowest point of his life he hears Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. Or he could have said God wont give you more than you can bear. Or he could have said that which God brings you to, he will bring you through. Or he could have said I will pray for you.

Yes Scripture is silent. Scripture doesnt say. All of the people that know him, that knew how he would react, that knew his actions before he did them doesnt know anything about the agony that Daniel has to face alone. the agony that he has faced alone with a God that is seemingly quiet. Scripture doesnt say that God came to him and said hang in there. I will do this and that. Nope Scripture and God are silent. Just a man facing his agony, his rampant emotions, the fear that tries to cripple and freeze life and blood flow and trying to make God aware of the pain within. But God is Silent.

many of the great men of God that you know have faced or are facing seemingly insurmountable pain and agony. I remember even the late great Billy Cole discussing how he went almost 5 years in a pain that about drove him mad. God had parked him in a little church in WV and here he endured and implored and begged God for deliverance. There are people that you know that have had great struggles with family members that took them through untold agonies. Yes everyone knew and knows them. Yes everyone knows they will be living for God tomorrow, next week, next month, next year but everyone does not know the daily agonies that are facing them.

As Daniel descended into the Lions Den, we dont really know what happened. Did he hit with a thud? Did he land on a lion breaking his fall? Did a lion jump up and catch him as one rabbi says? We dont know. We only know that Daniel WAS thrown into the pit of which he had been praying for deliverance. And we know that one person spent the night fasting for Daniel. It wasnt a brother in christ. It wasnt a fellow jew. It was a heathen that only believed that Daniel was a product of the God that he served day and night.

Daniel had to face the pit from which he implored for Mercy and it was in the pit that he finally experienced God.

One heathen king came running in haste and cried out ! O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me

IT was after this experience that God began to reveal to Daniel prophecies of the future.

Sometimes before God can use us as he wants we have to face the pit from which we have begged for mercy.

2 Timothy 2:13 (KJV 1900)

13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Even when our faith feels like it is wavering, we can learn just how faithful God is even down to the very pit.

King James Version Psalm 139

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Blessed be Your name On the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Thinking about Last Week:

Have students refer to their Daily Devotional Guide to answer the following questions:

1. What most affected you as you read through the Lesson Text and the Biblical Insights?

2. How did it shape your prayers and thoughts throughout the week?

3. Do you feel you grew closer to the Lord this past week? Why or why not?

TEACHING OUTLINE

Icebreaker: When have you had to stand for your faith in the face of persecution or ridicule?

Lesson Connection: Share the Lesson Connection. (i)

I. DANIEL’S SUCCESS

A. Daniel’s Excellent Spirit

» How can you demonstrate an excellent spirit in your daily life?

B. God’s Favor

C. Faithful Obedience Brings God’s Blessings (v)

II. DANIEL’S PERSECUTION

» How could faithfulness lead to persecution or other problems?

A. Darius’s Decree

B. Daniel’s Response

C. Faithful Obedience Brings Worldly Resistance

» How could you develop more consistency in your personal spiritual habits?

III. DANIEL’S DELIVERANCE

A. Darius’s Love for Daniel

» What are some ways God has given you favor with others?

B. God’s Miraculous Intervention and the Aftermath

C. I Will Trust God to Deliver Me from My Trials

» What is something you need to trust the Lord for right now?

Internalizing the Message

Prayer Focus

Lead the group in prayer and consider the following topics of focus:

• Pray we will recognize God’s favor at work in our lives.

• Ask God to help us trust Him during our trials.

LESSON CONNECTION

A supplemental image is available in the Resource Kit. (i)

Throughout history, the Jewish people have faced many trials and tribulations that have threatened to destroy them individually and collectively. From the Babylonian Exile to the destruction of the Second Temple to the loss of life at Masada, ancient events often brought the Jews into conflict with other nations. The Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and deported the people, never allowing them to return. The Babylonians destroyed the First Temple and exiled the people. The Romans razed the Second Temple.

European history also reveals many massacres and uprisings against the Jews. All these events paled in comparison to the Holocaust. Like Daniel, Jews chose to maintain their unique sense of identity. They continued to go to the synagogue and observe rituals and feasts. Under the terrible leadership of Adolf Hitler, the Germans forced the Jews to wear yellow stars of David to identify themselves. The Germans placed the Jews in concentration camps and killed them. Nevertheless, many Jews remained faithful to their God and held onto their heritage.

Other individuals were also defying the wrong kind of authority during this time. A Swedish architect and diplomat named Raoul Wallenberg helped thousands of Jews in Hungary. Serving in Budapest, Hungary, as a special envoy to the German-occupied country, Wallenberg did whatever he could to save the lives of as many Jews as possible by providing them with Swedish passports.

With many Jews sealed in a train and headed to their demise or extremely torturous living conditions, Wallenberg climbed on top of the train and started handing out Swedish passports through the doors. The Germans repeatedly commanded him to disembark, but he courageously refused. A group of soldiers known as the Arrow Cross men added shooting to their shouting. Wallenberg ignored their deadly arrows whizzing by as he handed out more and more passports. Many have wondered how the arrows missed a sitting duck on top of a train.

Wallenberg’s driver speculated that the Arrow Cross men so appreciated Wallenberg’s courage that they purposely missed. Wallenberg, however, hit as many targets as possible by handing out passports. After he handed out the last passport, he called for everyone with a passport to leave the train. He had cars waiting for the lives he had saved. The flabbergasted Arrow Cross men let him get away with it. Wallenberg saved around 4,500 Jews. Courage triumphed over evil.

Daniel also demonstrated tremendous courage as he continued to pray to the Lord despite the penalty of death. Daniel had lived a good life even though he faced difficult circumstances after being exiled to Babylon and then seeing the Persians rise to power. Throughout his life, Daniel stayed true to the Lord. Even when his circumstances improved, he did not turn his back on God.

bible Lesson

I. DANIEL’S SUCCESS

Daniel could have taken the easy path to success in the Babylonian Empire. As one of the first deportees during multiple exiles of Jews to Babylon, the young man faced the very difficult decision of whether he would remain true to godly values or obey all of the new influences around him. Daniel chose wisely to be faithful to God.

An opportunity to demonstrate his faithfulness presented itself when Daniel and his friends refused to drink the king’s wine or eat of the king’s meat. Perhaps enjoying the king's fare portrayed a level of friendly alliance with the king that they found unacceptable, or the Babylonians had made a meat offering to their gods and poured out a drink offering to their false deities. Either way, Daniel and his friends asked to eat vegetables and water. The person in charge of the Hebrew boys feared they would not fare as well as the others under his charge. God blessed Daniel’s commitment to righteousness, and at the end of a ten-day test, Daniel and his friends looked better than the others.

Later, in Daniel chapter 2, they faced the difficult task of being asked to interpret a dream even though King Nebuchadnezzar could not remember the dream. Confronting his own death, the demise of his friends, and the slaughter of the wise men of Babylon, Daniel asked for time to pray. Daniel prayed to the God of wisdom. God answered Daniel.

Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of his dream. As a result, the monarch advanced Daniel and his three friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—in the kingdom. Daniel knew the secret to his success was prayer, but that ace might just turn into a wild card if some of his comrades had their way.

A. Daniel’s Excellent Spirit

Daniel’s life was built upon the success of his prayers. Due to his consistent prayer life, Daniel developed an excellent spirit. The Lord deemed the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart acceptable. As a result, the Lord gave Daniel a wonderful attitude.

An old saying tells us that our attitude determines our altitude. We can always fly higher when we act appropriately. Nothing could be truer in a king’s court. One wrong word could mean demotion or even death. In fact, the Book of Proverbs provides a great deal of advice to young people on how to properly conduct themselves in the palace. Daniel and his three friends needed even more knowledge of decorum and protocol given their status as outsiders.

Daniel’s attitude had determined his altitude as he rose to one of the most prominent positions in the kingdom. Yet he had achieved such a high altitude by humbly bowing down in prayer. Despite his prestige in the kingdom, Daniel knew his success came from the Lord. The excellent spirit that raised him in the ranks was the direct result of a posture of prayer.

How can you demonstrate an excellent spirit in your daily life?

B. God’s Favor

God poured out his favor on Daniel. Most remarkably, God continued to support Daniel throughout changing circumstances. Daniel 5 tells the story of Daniel prophesying that the Babylonian Empire would give way to the Persian Empire. The very night that Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall saw the prophecy fulfilled. Many historians believe that the Persians diverted a river, giving them easy access to defeat the Babylonians.

Daniel not only survived in this situation, but he also thrived. Just as he had risen in power in the Babylonian Empire, even so God raised him above other leaders in the Persian Empire. Although the laws, customs, and rulers were different, Daniel relied on the steadfastness of his relationship with God. Everything else could change, but as long as Daniel’s connection to the Lord remained strong, the favor of God continued to lift up Daniel.

C. Faithful Obedience Brings God’s Blessings

Daniel stands as a strong example of faithful obedience. We too must remain faithful in the midst of changing and sometimes difficult situations. Like Daniel, we might face a corporate takeover at work that brings in new people, policies, and leaders. We might fear losing our job or wonder if we can manage the challenges ahead. Daniel’s life gives us strength to face these situations. Although we cannot see everything in front of us, we have a God who has gone before us.

Let's remember all the great things the Almighty has already done for us. Instead of casting our cares on tomorrow, let us cast our cares on the Lord.

God has proven faithful to us. During difficult times, Daniel remembered all the ways the Lord had walked with him from Judah to Babylon. Perhaps when he prayed, Daniel testified of the goodness of God and thanked the Almighty for salvation and deliverance.

Teacher Option: A supplemental video is available in the Resource Kit. (v)

II. DANIEL’S PERSECUTION

Even in the midst of faithful obedience, we may face persecution. Our human response may be to declare the complete unfairness of our situation. We have no idea why on earth we should be punished, especially when we feel as though we have done everything in our power to do what is good, acceptable, right, and pleasing in the sight of God.

When we consider these issues, an uncomfortable, but important, truth comes to light. Sometimes we face persecution because of our faithfulness. Our trials are not the result of sin; rather, our troubles are the result of righteous living. Like Daniel and Job, we must recognize the source of our trials. We must refuse to give up, despite our difficulties.

A. Darius’s Decree

Sometimes, however, our trials make it seem as though the whole world is against us. In Daniel’s case, it certainly felt like that. Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes in the realm. As a result, they desired to take him down. Because they could find no fault in Daniel, they even went so far as to have the king make a decree they knew Daniel could not obey.

Darius decreed that for the next thirty days, no one could ask a petition of any god or human except the king. Anyone who violated the law would be cast into a den of lions. Daniel would have to contend with a pride of lions due to the pride of the king. While Daniel had remained ethical, his co-workers had played dirty. Since nothing else worked to defeat Daniel, they resorted to a trick play. But would Daniel bite?

How could faithfulness lead to persecution or other problems?

B. Daniel’s Response

Daniel could have chosen not to pray for thirty days. If he could have outlasted the evil scheme of the presidents and princes for a month, then all would have been well once again. Daniel, however, saw the big picture. He knew that faithfulness mattered. He also knew the presidents and princes would not stop until they had won. No matter what they did, Daniel would not stop praying.

C. Faithful Obedience Brings Worldly Resistance

While we may want the Lord to reward us for our faithful obedience, we must be aware of the worldly resistance that may arise from doing the right thing. When we pray, the Lord blesses us with an excellent spirit and the opportunity for advancement. Others may despise our blessings and seek to harm us or destroy us. Like Daniel we must continue praying. Our spirituality is not conditional on our emotions. Our faithfulness is not conditional. Instead, it should be consistent, just like Daniel’s.

III. DANIEL’S DELIVERANCE

How could you become more consistent in your personal spiritual habits?

Doing the right thing led Daniel into one of the most difficult trials of his life. Even King Darius felt sorry for Daniel. Realizing he had been bamboozled, the king hoped Daniel’s God would deliver Daniel. The king could do nothing to help his friend because he had made such a foolish decree.

Daniel’s deliverance depended on God and God alone. For some unknown reason, Daniel’s three friends do not appear in this story. They could not help him. The king could not help him. Many of Daniel’s colleagues would not even want to help him.

God intervened. The Almighty sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions. What should have been a terrible ordeal that ended in horrific death proved to be yet another miracle for Daniel. He had walked through the valley of the shadow of death. He had feared no evil, for God was with him.

A. Darius’s Love for Daniel

Even though the king could not be on Daniel’s side because of his foolish decree, he still loved Daniel. King Darius’s love for Daniel reveals the divine favor of God. Daniel’s excellent spirit cultivated by prayer had caused the king to love him.

In fact, the king had spent the night fasting for Daniel. King Darius had hoped the lions would follow his example. Miraculously, the “kings of beasts” followed the example of the king.

What are some ways God has given you favor with others?

B. God’s Miraculous Intervention and the Aftermath

The lions chose not to partake of the prophet due to the Lord sending an angel to shut their mouths. Daniel’s innocence saved him. Although the court of public opinion and even a foolish law decreed death, the Lord overturned the death sentence because the Almighty rules over birds and beasts—including the mighty lions.

The tables were reversed for those who wished ill will toward Daniel and even courted his destruction. Darius commanded his soldiers to round up the presidents and princes and throw them into the lions’ den. Famished from their night of fasting, the lions enjoyed their main courses.

C. I Will Trust God to Deliver Me from My Trials

Like Daniel, we must trust God to deliver us from our trials. Sometimes we can create bad situations for ourselves, but that is not always the case. Trials may also arise because we are doing what is right.

We live in a world where politicians, bosses, and other leaders can make strange decrees for bad reasons. These situations have the potential to harm us. Yet we can rise above them.

The story of Daniel brings to mind another narrative from the Persian period. Esther and Mordecai also faced a foolish decree made by a king. They trusted in God to deliver them from their trials.

The Bible provides numerous examples of the delivering power of God. Whenever we find ourselves in a difficult situation, we should remember their testimonies and trust God to deliver us. Someday people may read about our testimonies just like they read about the testimonies of Daniel, Esther, and Mordecai.

What is something you need to trust the Lord for right now?

Internalizing the Message

Lieutenant Colonel Stanislav Petrov of the USSR had his orders. As the commander of the Serpukhov-15 bunker that included a satellite-based detection system, Petrov remained ever vigilant due to the threat of nuclear war. At any moment the United States might attack Russia, and Petrov would have to make a quick decision to retaliate.

The Cold War set both countries on edge for decades. So far, most events had played out behind the scenes in a spy versus spy game. Espionage ruled the day, but everything done in the shadows could soon come to light and place the animosity between the two countries on a horrific display of power and madness that could annihilate everyone and everything on the planet.

While some might have lived on pins and needles, Petrov remained resolute. He needed a cool head and a discerning heart. But then the unthinkable happened. On September 26, 1983, the Cold War almost turned into all-out nuclear war. Just past midnight, much like a doomsday clock signaling the end of the world in fiery apocalypse, an alarm screamed that the United States had shot five Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) toward Russia. The warning turned out to be false. One of the satellites had caught the sunlight gleaming off of clouds near Montana and interpreted it as a launch of five missiles.

Duty required Petrov to communicate the potential missile launch to his superiors. Petrov, however, believed the warning to be a mistake and avoided contacting Soviet high command. He could not imagine the United States choosing to send only five missiles if the Americans really meant to harm the Soviet Union. As sweat beaded down the faces of his colleagues and everyone’s blood ran cold with fear, Petrov chose to ignore the warning and claimed the potential launch to be a false alarm in his report. Millions of people across the world went about their day, without knowing it had almost been their last.

After the Cold War ended, the shocking story came to light. The declassification of records revealed Petrov’s wisdom and desire for peace. Petrov won many awards. The United Nations honored him for making the right decision.

Like Petrov and Daniel, sometimes we will be faced with extremely difficult situations. During these times we must maintain our poise and seek the best possible outcome. Petrov chose to carefully analyze the situation. Although some of his superiors might have viewed his decision as anarchy or treason, Petrov made the right call. Daniel also chose wisely. He ignored warning signs around him that screamed conformity. Instead, he chose to behave righteously and continue praying to the one true God. Daniel trusted in this same God to deliver him from all his trials.