As He Had Done Previously
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Welcome
Good Morning!
As we’ve been going through our Summer School series, we’ve been looking at some of the most classic Bible stories with a fresh perspective; a part of the story that perhaps we never noticed before.
Today, we’re going to take a look at one of the most recognizable stories in all of scripture: Daniel and the Lions’ Den.
When most of us think about the book of Daniel, this is immediately where our minds go.
It’s a story that church and non-church folks are likely familiar with.
In fact, Daniel in the Lions’ Den has been adapted into numerous children’s TV shows, animations, and live-action movies.
One of the most memorable adaptations for me is the Veggietales adaptation of the story.
If you had small kids back in the 90s, do you remember that? All the singing asparagus?
“Oh no what we gonna do? The king likes Daniel more than me and you. We gotta get him out of here.”
This story really is a great testament to God and faith.
But there’s a lot more to the story than the Lions’ Den.
If you’re not familiar with the story of Daniel, I’m glad you’re here! Because we’re going to read it.
So let’s go to Daniel Chapter 6.
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.”
6 Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!
7 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.
8 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.”
9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.
10 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.
11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.
12 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.”
13 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.”
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.
15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.
20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for he is the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Let’s pray.
Daniel will always be synonymous with the lions den. This story has everything.
It’s got conspiracy…
Heroes…
Villains…
Betrayals…
Killing people…
Why do we even bother with Netflix, right? We have this stuff all right here in the BIble.
Great story. The end of the story how God rescued Daniel is truly miraculous…
Here’s what I also noticed.
The entire book of Daniel is only 12 chapters. And the story of Daniel is dead center in Chapter 6.
Then even when I looked into Chapter 6, the main part we focus on, the lions, don’t even come into play until the second half of that chapter.
So there’s about 5 1/2 chapters before we even get into the doors of the Lions’ Den. Chapters that describe Daniel more in detail.
Who is this Daniel?
What did he believe?
How did he get to the palace?
What brought him to the place where his life was on the line by the time he reached the lions’ den?
To find out we will need to go back about 70 years earlier into Chapter 1.
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility,
4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.
6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
We see here that Daniel, along with his friends, were either members of the royal family, or they were nobles from Jerusalem.
Scripture doesn’t indicate which but it can be understood that these were men of importance to Jerusalem.
After the King besieged Jerusalem, Daniel was one of a number of hostages who was taken back to Babylon as an exile.
It’s estimated that Daniel was maybe around 15 years old.
He was stripped of everything.
The Babylonians assimilated him into their way of life, and even changed his name.
Throughout the book of Daniel, you’ll even see his interactions with the king’s staff and even the kings themselves.
There’s a number of profound things we get to witness in the book of Daniel.
In particular, there’s an interesting sign of Daniel’s faithfulness actually found in verse 8 of Chapter 1.
8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.
This is the first stance we see of Daniel’s public faith here. Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank.
Daniel decides he’d rather starve himself than to compromise himself with the forbidden foods of the Babylonians.
Daniel was a slave - he isn’t given a freedom of choice.
That’s not how kingdoms work.
He could face severe consequences or even death for refusing the king’s command.
Still, Daniel refuses.
Sending a message that any earthly authority over him will always be superseded by God’s authority.
It was a dangerous position in a foreign court where Daniel was a captive and dependent on the king’s goodwill.
Daniel - 15 years old
Already committed to honoring God.
How many here remember being invincible as a youth? Remember all the crazy things you did as kids while throwing caution to the wind? Rope swings, zip lines, diving into bodies of water from a bridge.
I remember. Now all my decisions are based on how my back feels.
Anyway….
So Daniel doesn’t want to defile himself. As you read through Chapter 1, you will see that Daniel does more than simply say “Please don’t make me eat this.”
First, he simply asked if he could avoid defiling himself.
The chief eunuch explained why that put him in an impossible position—his own life was on the line if Daniel appeared unhealthy.
Daniel understood that.
He wasn’t trying to be difficult.
So instead of demanding his way, he wisely proposed a ten-day test.
He trusted God while showing humility and respect for the authority over him.
At the end of ten days, he and his friends all appeared better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food.
We can read this and assume the defining moment was the result after the ten-day test.
The defining moment was in the decision Daniel already made to remain faithful to God’s standard and not defile himself with forbidden foods.
That decision, though. It sounds like a small, uneventful thing when you first read it.
But it was one of the first bricks we see Daniel lay as the foundation of his faithfulness.
Faithfulness is built with one simple decision at a time.
So let’s fast forward and get back to Chapter 6.
When we get to Chapter 6, about 70 years have passed. Daniel is about 85 years of age.
Daniel has lived a lifetime of faithfulness at this point.
As we read in verses 1-3:
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom;
2 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. 3 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.
About 70 years have passed since Daniel’s first decision in Babylon.
Notice verse 3 said he was being promoted because an excellent spirit was in him.
It didn’t arrive once he got promoted.
God used Daniel’s consistent faithfulness in those small decisions to elevate him to a place of influence.
Daniel saw some things over 70 years.
Most of us see the government acting crazy on the news, but Daniel had a front row seat.
He served under several kings, different governments, regime changes.
He witnessed a king completely lose his mind.
Then he witnessed the same king instantly restored to his right mind again.
He witnessed another king literally lose everything in one night!
He witnessed the fall of Babylon (which besieged Jerusalem) to Persia, and shifted over to a new government.
And through it all, Daniel remained steady.
Reliable.
Consistent.
Unwavering.
How?
Daniel didn’t waver because his faith in God never wavered.
And now King Darius, who’s excited to establish his rule in newly conquered land, looks to promote this same Daniel because he sees a proven, and excellent spirit in him.
4 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.
These men are taken over with envy and jealousy.
They don’t want to report to Daniel.
So they investigate his job performance with the hopes of finding any red flags.
They check to see if he shows up to work on time: Never late
They study how he treats his team: He’s fair and impartial
They watch how he manages his projects: He’s on time and under budget
We’re half way to the Lions Den at this point.
You know what’s interesting?
We still haven’t heard a word from Daniel in the entire chapter.
He’s not getting wrapped up in water cooler gossip.
He’s continuing to be excellent in his work.
Daniel isn’t creating drama.
He’s being faithful to where God has him.
And it’s not his first rodeo. He’s in his 80s!
He’s had a front row seat all those years, remember?
I’m sure he recognized his peers were trying to sabotage him.
He could have complained. “Lord! Why are they doing this? ”
But Daniel doesn’t say a thing.
He continues to live a life of humility.
He keeps his head down.
He doesn’t seem to even be troubling himself with what they’re doing.
Daniel understands that…
Faithful character needs no defense.
Continuing in verse 5:
5 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.”
So now his enemies are conspiring again. Daniel remains silent.
But they make one…critical … assumption.
What these men believed would be Daniel’s greatest weakness was actually his greatest strength.
They’re saying “We looked everywhere!
And we can’t find a single area where he has fallen short in his responsibilities. What do we do?”
“I know.
We can get him where it hurts.
Let’s create a narrative - something that will force him to either renounce his God, or renounce his king.”
Daniel didn’t have a surface level belief that says “I believe that God exists”.
God’s Word had become the foundation on which he built his life.
He delighted in God’s laws.
He trusted God’s Word.
He lived by God’s commands.
Listen to how Psalm 119 describes someone whose life is governed by God’s Word.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
This is Daniel!
Princes plotting against him!
God’s Word is Daniel’s counselor.
A Life of Faithfulness Delights in God’s Word.
10 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.
Look at those last 5 words.
As he had done previously.
This is what the whole chapter centers on.
Daniel didn’t suddenly become faithful when the decree was signed.
The faithfulness Daniel built his entire life prepared him for this very moment.
Daniel didn’t find out about the decree and prayed because something suddenly went wrong.
And then said “Thanks God. See you next time.”
He didn’t get serious about God until he got what he wanted and then forgot about Him.
Daniel didn’t treat God as an accessory and invite him along with what he already made up his mind to do.
No.
Those 5 words “As he had done previously” is a testament to his commitment to following God.
He continued doing what he had always done.
Praying three times a day.
Windows open.
Daniel didn’t change because his world changed.
He stayed consistent.
He stayed faithful.
That is exactly why Darius trusted him to oversee the kingdom.
Look at how Darius speaks to Daniel.
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
Darius knew Daniel’s character.
Darius watched him long enough to know that his response before and during the lions’ den isn’t unusual.
Darius knew of God and watched how Daniel worshipped Him.
Even someone who didn’t know God couldn’t deny Daniel’s consistency.
His commitment.
When your faith is public, the world watches.
They will watch for either the consistency in your actions, or the hypocrisy of your words.
Your Faithfulness in Crisis Reveals Your Faithfulness In Private
The decision to follow God instead of the edict was made long before Daniel ever set foot in the lions’ den.
As wonderful as it is to see the outcome of the Lions’ Den being in Daniel’s favor, what really matters here is the posture of his heart.
God’s deliverance is not uncommon in Scripture. He is a supernatural, miracle-working, faithful, loving God.
And we can often become so immersed in the blessings of God that we fail to understand the lessons of God.
Do you want to know the most humbling thing to me in this whole chapter?
Daniel was pulled out of the lions’ den, and other than telling the king what God had done in the den, you don’t really hear from him again.
Look at the last verse in Chapter 6:
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
From that day forward, he continues committed to God, as He had done previously.
Who Daniel was before the lions’ den was exactly who he was after the lions’ den.
His deliverance from the lions just revealed the faithfulness that had always been there.
Closing
For us, what does that type of faithfulness look like?
When you wake up tomorrow morning, we don’t need to face lions for our faith.
But we will face a thousand little decisions.
Will we read our Bibles?
Will we be truthful or tell little white lies?
Will we forgive those who offended us?
Will we pray for others or just say that we will?
Will we obey God even if it compromises our comfort?
Think about these questions as you head into your week.
Because those little decisions will build the person you’re called to be when you do face your own lions.
Let’s pray.
