Daniel 6 Pt. 3: Jesus and the Lion’s Den

Introduction

Opening Hook

In the early centuries of the church, faithful men and women

were sometimes sentenced to die in the Roman arenas.

Not for murder. Not for theft.

Not for plotting against the empire.

They were condemned because they would not bow to Caesar as lord.

And so the authorities threw them to the lions.

The crowds filled the stands. The trumpets sounded. The iron gates lifted.

And as the beasts charged into the arena,

these believers often did not curse their accusers or beg for mercy.

They prayed. They sang hymns.

They lifted their faces to heaven and commended their spirits

to the God who had already delivered them from the fear of death.

They were innocent. They were condemned. They faced real lions like Daniel.

But there is one who faced something far more terrifying than any lion Rome could release.

There is one who was thrown—not into an arena of beasts—

but into the hands of wicked men who schemed in the dark.

There is one who was truly innocent,

truly blameless,

and yet condemned to be beaten and tortured and hung on a Roman Cross…

who took on the wrath of God for all of our sins.

His name is Jesus.

And this morning He is going to show us why Daniel’s story is really His story.

Main Point

The main idea is that Daniel is a living picture of the Ultimate Servant of Yahweh—

our Sovereign King Who Saves.

And I want to draw three main connections

Transition

Let’s begin where the shadow is darkest—number one:

The Faithful Servant was unjustly accused and condemned to die.

I. The Ultimate Servant Suffered Unjustly

A. Enemies Schemed

Daniel’s enemies hated him.

They were jealous of his position.

They were jealous of his favor with the king.

So they did what jealous men have always done —

they looked for a way to destroy him.

Daniel 6:4 says they “began seeking to find a ground of accusation against Daniel.”

They searched his record. They examined his life.

They watched his steps. They wanted dirt. They found none.

And that is exactly what happened to Jesus.

Matthew 26:3–4 tells us that the chief priests and the elders of the people “plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.”

They did not want justice. They wanted Him dead.

They met in secret. They bribed a traitor.

They twisted His words. They manufactured charges.

B. Found Blamelessness

And the reason his enemies had to scheme is that Daniel was found blameless

There was no evidence of corruption and no negligence in him.

He was blameless before the law.

He was blameless before the throne.

He was a faithful servant.

But Daniel was still a sinner.

He still had a flesh that warred against the Spirit.

He still had to die to self every single day.

His enemies could not find sin in his record, but God could have found it in his heart.

Jesus was different.

Jesus was not merely blameless in the eyes of men.

Jesus was sinless in the eyes of God.

Hebrews 4:15 says He “has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 7:26 calls Him “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”

First Peter 2:22 says, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.”

Daniel served his God constantly. Jesus did more.

He said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34).

He came down from heaven not to do His own will but the will of the One who sent Him (John 6:38).

And He remained obedient all the way to death — even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8).

Daniel was blameless but not perfectly sinless.

Jesus was both.

Gospel Connection — The importance of His Innocence

This is why the innocence of Jesus matters so much.

If Jesus had been guilty of even one sin, He could not have died for ours.

If there had been any corruption in Him,

He could not have been our substitute.

The cross would have been the execution of a sinner,

not the sacrifice of a Savior.

But listen to how Paul describes it in

2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

The innocent Servant was made sin for us so that we might become righteous in Him.

And because that work is finished, Romans 8:1 declares “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

The innocent Servant was condemned so that guilty sinners like you and I

could be declared righteous.

C. Praying In Light of the Plan

Daniel’s prayed three times a day with his windows open toward Jerusalem, just as he had always done.

He did not change his practice when facing the punishment of death.

Jesus did the same.

In the garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours, be done.”

He prayed according to the Father’s purpose.

He did not turn aside from the cup.

He did not compromise or run from the cross

He drank it to the dregs because it was the will of the One who sent Him.

Both servants prayed in the face of death. One was delivered from the den. The other was delivered up to die.

And both point us to the truth that the faithful Servant submits to the Father’s will even when it leads through suffering.

D. Unjustly Accused and Tried

Daniel was brought before the king. The charges were read.

The law he had broken was the very law the king had signed.

There was no real trial — only the appearance of justice.

He was condemned because the law demanded it, not because he had done wrong.

Jesus was brought before multiple courts.

He was accused before Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod.

False witnesses were brought. Charges were twisted.

The religious leaders cried out for His blood.

Pilate washed his hands. And yet the innocent One was condemned.

In both cases the servant was unjustly accused and tried and condemned.

With Daniel, there is no record of him defending himself, or speaking out against his accusers.

So too did Jesus remain silent, a willing sacrifice. As the prophet Isaiah described,

Isaiah 53:7 LSB

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

The Ultimate Servant was unjustly accused and condemned to die — so that we might live.

II. The Ultimate Servant Went In and Out of his Tomb

From the shadow of unjust suffering, let’s follow the Servant into the shadow of the tomb itself—where we see our second connection to Christ:

The Ultimate Servant went in and out of His tomb.

A. Sealed by the Stone

Daniel was cast into the pit in verse 16, and in verse 17 we see that,

Daniel 6:17 “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 signet rings of his nobles so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.”

The stone was rolled into place.

The seal was set.

The den was closed

Matthew records that Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus,

Matthew 27:60 “and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.”

and that the Romans, Matthew 27:66 “went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.”

The stone was rolled into place. The seal was set. The tomb was closed.

In both cases the servant was shut in by a stone that was meant to keep him there.

In both cases human authority did everything it could to make sure the story would end in that pit and in that grave.

B. Delivered from Death

But did Daniel die in the den? No.

The Sovereign King saved him with His angel, and Daniel was lifted up out of the pit.

Daniel only faced the possibility of death. Jesus actually died. He was buried for three days.

Darius came to the den at the break of dawn and had to remove the stone.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women came to Jesus’ tomb bringing the spices they had prepared —

and they found the stone already rolled away.

The tomb was empty. He is Risen!

Just as Daniel trusted in his God, Jesus entrusted Himself to His Father,

who raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death,

since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

Just as Daniel was elevated to a position of power after being raised from the den,

the Father raised the Son from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion.

Daniel rose from the den only to die at a later date.

But Jesus rose and lives forever.

As Jesus Himself declared to John,

Revelation 1:17–18 “...I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

Gospel Connection — His Deliverance and Ours

God’s deliverance of Daniel is not an isolated miracle.

It is another page in the long story of God’s plan to deliver His people from sin and death.

From the very beginning, God promised that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent.

That promise ran through Joseph, who was betrayed and thrown into a pit, only to be lifted up and used by God to preserve life.

It ran through Moses, was delivered from death in the Nile in a basket and later used by God to bring His people out of slavery with signs and wonders.

And even when God’s people found themselves cast out of the promised land a second time, He still delivered them.

He saved his people through the courage of Queen Esther.

He delivered Daniel from the certain death of the lions.

And He worked a miracle in the heart of King Darius, who is also called Cyrus the Great, to send his people back home.

But all of those deliverances were pointing forward to the greater deliverance that would come in the fullness of time.

When Jesus came, He did not merely deliver people from earthly tyrants or temporary dangers.

He came to deliver us from sin and death itself.

He performed signs and wonders, healed the sick, opened blind eyes, and set captives free.

And then He went into the cross and then the tomb —

not as one who might die, but as the One who would die and rise again.

His death became our death to sin.

His resurrection became the guarantee that we will also rise.

Jesus Himself said, John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,”

And when He returns, He will deliver us once and for all from this broken world and the sin that still clings to us.

John saw a glimpse of that day in Revelation 21:3–5 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain.

The first things passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Dear saints, if you are in Christ, Daniel’s victory in the den

is a preview of the victory that is already yours and will one day be fully realized.

Death has been swallowed up in victory.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law —

but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

To which all the saints say, Amen!

III. The Ultimate Servant Causes Worldwide Worship

So then we’ve seen the Ultimate Servant Suffer Unjustly

We’ve seen the Ultimate servant Go in and Out of His tomb

And Now we see one more connection:

The Ultimate Servant Cause Worldwide Worship

A. Darius and Daniel 7

Look down with me at verse 25,

Daniel 6:25 “Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue who were inhabiting all the land: “May your peace abound!”

Did you catch the groups of people Darius addressed? All the peoples. The nations. Men of every tongue.

Do you want to know something amazing about this decree?

Darius is echoing the words and the thoughts of heaven as they declare the dominion of the Son of Man.

Turn with me to Daniel 7 and start reading with me beginning at verse 13,

Daniel 7:13–14 ““I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming,

And He came up to the Ancient of Days And came near before Him.

“And to Him was given dominion, Glory, and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue Might serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not be taken away;

And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.”

Did you catch that?

All the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue will serve the Son of Man. They will fear Him.

The Son of Man’s dominion is an everlasting dominion. It will be unto the end.

And the Son of Man’s kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.

Do you know who called Himself the Son of Man over 60 times in the gospels?

Jesus — He is the Son of Man.

B. Every Knee will Bow

And here is something even more glorious Darius could only issue a decree.

There was no power to enforce it, and no record that the empire ever truly bowed.

But what do we know about the worship of the Son of Man

when He returns to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven

Philippians 2:9–10 “Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,”

Every knee. Everywhere.

King Darius could only command knees to bow.

King Jesus will one day overwhelm the world with His power, His dominion, and His glory —

so that every living creature will know He is Lord and will bow.

C. John’s Vision

We see this same vision of worship in the book of Revelation.

In Daniel 7, Daniel saw one like a Son of Man approaching the Ancient of Days.

In Revelation 5, John sees the same scene — but with greater clarity.

John hears an elder say:

“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered…”

But when he looks, he sees not a Lion, but a Lamb — standing, as though it had been slain.

The Lion who conquers is the Lamb who was slain.

John sees the Lamb of God who took away our sins.

He sees the Lamb of God who was crushed for our inequities.

He sees the Lamb of God who was pierced through his hands and feet and side for our transgressions.

But that Lamb was standing. He is alive.

And when He receives the scroll, the title deed to all Creation from His Father what happens?

Revelation 5:8–10 “And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals,

because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

“And You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”

We were purchased to be His people.

You and I will be a part of that people from every tribe and tongue and nation,

bought by His blood that He lovingly shed for us.

So that we might join the people of God that John sees in Revelation 7,

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

9 …behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Gospel Connection — Bow the knee today

Some of you have been coming to church for years, have been hearing this gospel message from before you could learn to read

but have never truly bowed the knee to Jesus as Lord.

You respect Him. You may even believe many things about Him.

But have you truly surrendered to Him as your Master and King.

Dear friend, One day you will surrender

Every knee will bow — in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

Will you bow today in faith and love, or will you one day be forced to bow as a conquered enemy?

Jesus is not only the King who will receive universal worship.

He is also the Servant who was slain for you.

He came not to be served but to serve — to heal you, to restore you, to lift you up, and to set you free.

So why not bow today? Why not here? Why not now?

Why not turn from following your ways, your desires, your wants

Bow the knee to Him.

Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth and believe in Him with your heart.

Follow after His lead, Listen to His voice, walk in His straight paths

He is not just the sovereign King who Saves you

He is the Good Shepherd who will provide for your every need.

He will be with you to protect you. And He will guide you home.

Do you hear his voice calling you by name?

Follow Him.

Conclusion

Synopsis

Today, in Daniel, we saw a picture of the Lamb who was slain — the Ultimate Servant who suffered unjustly for you and for me.

He is the risen Servant who conquered death and came out of the tomb alive.

And He is the Sovereign King who is coming again to receive the worship of every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Closing Illustration

There is an old story about a proud and powerful man who refused to recognize the authority of the king.

The king had shown him mercy again and again, but the man continued to refuse.

He stood tall, arms crossed, and declared he would never submit.

The king looked at him for a long moment and then gave a single command. The man was taken outside the city gates and executed for his rebellion.

As he was led away, he reportedly said, “I would have bowed… if I had known it would cost me everything.

That story is a picture of something far more serious.

The question is not whether you will bow.

The question is whether you will bow today — while there is still mercy — or wait until it is too late.

Final Charge

He is the Suffering Servant who was slain for you.

He is the Risen Lord who conquered death for you.

And He is the Sovereign King who is coming again to save you.

Do not wait until you are forced to your knees.

Bow to Him today. Trust Him today. Follow Him today.

Let’s Pray.