The Lions' Mouths were Shut!

Introduction

A decree had been signed saying that no one could make a prayer or petition of any god or man for the next 30 days except for King Darius. The plot against Daniel was secured! Yet as Erwin Lutzer in his book The Church in Babylon writes of this situation, “Daniel refused to be intimidated.” As I have been saying for the past couple of weeks. Daniel had a consistent faith and he had an integrity in his talk and in his walk. His faith had guided him for over 70 years and his faith in the One True God was not going to wavier in his later years.

The conspiracy against him was rock solid in the mind of those who plotted against him. Let us pick up in the few verses where we ended last week.

Daniel 6:13–17 NKJV

So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.” So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.

After getting confirmation from the king that the law was true they level their charges against Daniel.

Daniel had been entrapped and the King had been duped. He was greatly displeased / distressed over what he had done!

The King was going to try any means necessary to deliver Daniel.

New Living Translation Chapter 6

He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.

Yet, there was nothing the king could do, but the King had faith too.

“Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.”

Daniel was then sealed in the den with the same signet ring that had signed the decree that put him here.

We don’t see Daniel arguing or pleading. He is cast or thrown into the den of lions. Being in his 80s it is no wonder he doesn’t break something falling down into this den.

A Restless Night (Daniel 6:18-19)

Daniel 6:18–19 NKJV

Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions.

The King cannot sleep.

He is fasting and maybe praying too.

He doesn’t want entertainment from musicians. He cannot sleep.

Think about nights when you cannot sleep, when you don’t want to read, watch TV, or anything. Just pray. That was the King.

He leaves his palace very early in the morning. Break of dawn he runs “went with haste” he ran to the den of lions where Daniel had been cast.

Salvation from the Lions (Daniel 6:20-22)

Daniel 6:20–22 NKJV

And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”

Darius gets there thinking the worse, but hoping for the best! He is lamenting and in anguish. Is his most trusted advisor still alive or has he been torn to shreds and eaten by the lions. Remember these lions have not ate in a while. They are hungry.

New Living Translation Chapter 6

Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?

Daniel is still alive in the den of hungry lions. That whole night he has been in the midst of starving lions, but the God who created the lions was able to control them.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

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.

The Lions’ Mouths were SHUT!

Their claws had not come upon him. He had not broken any bones falling into the den. Daniel was blameless, he was innocent in the sight of God and in the sight of the King.

Daniel most likely got more sleep that night than King Darius. Sleeping in the midst of a trial. Asleep in the midst of the storm.

Mark 4:36–40 NKJV

Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

Pulled from the Den of Lions (Daniel 6:23)

Daniel 6:23 NKJV

Now the king was exceedingly 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 injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

Daniel had been thrown into the pit, the decree had been fulfilled. Nothing said he had to die. He was rescued from the pit.

Psalm 40:1–3 NKJV

I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.

No injury whatever was found on him. No bruises, cuts, bite marks! God had protected from even the fall and He had shut the mouths of the lions.

Similar to what happened with Daniel’s friends.

Daniel 3:26–27 NKJV

Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them.

Doom of those who had conspired (Daniel 6:24)

Daniel 6:24 NKJV

And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.

Those who had plotted against Daniel and had duped the King, were not let off the hook, nor were their families (children and wives). Sin has consequences. When we look at the beginning of this account, we might think that evil is winning. It appears that way, but it is only for a season.

Psalm 33:10–11 NKJV

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.

Psalm 1 NKJV

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

These people were thrown into the very hungry lions’ den and no angel was there to stop the mouths or claws of the lions this time. In fact the people didn’t even reach the bottom of the den before they were dead. Their bodies were shattered by the power of the lions!

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 6

Lest anyone deny the miraculous power of Daniel’s God, the narrator is quick to show the ferocity and tenacious appetite of the lions on the same day Daniel was removed from the den. He was not spared on account of the lions’ lack of hunger; he was spared because of God’s intervention.

Praise of the LORD God by the King

Daniel 6:25–27 NKJV

Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

Very similar to the praise of King Nebuchadnezzar’s praise of God after he was humbled in Daniel 4.

Darius did not need to be made to eat grass like King Nebuchadnezzar, but he still had a change of heart! He had faith in the One True God!

John 9:1–7 NKJV

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

Hebrews 11:30–34 NKJV

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Daniel 6:28 (Daniel’s Last years)

Daniel 6:28 NKJV

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Application / Conclusion