Lessons From The Lions Den

• How you choose to live your life will determine the blessings you experience throughout your life.

2 Peter 2:9, . . . the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

1) Jealous people create dissonance.

Daniel 6:1-2 (ESV), 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.

Daniel 6:3 (ESV), 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.

• Jealous people create dissonance because they want the favor someone else has.

Daniel 6:4-7, 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.

James 3:16 (ESV), For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

• God is jealous for us, not jealous of us.

2) Character matters in every circumstance.

Daniel 6:10, 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.

Daniel 6:14-16, 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!

• Integrity is doing right when no one else is looking.

Proverbs 10:9 (NKJV), He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.

Proverbs 11:3 (NKJV), The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.

Proverbs 20:7 (NKJV), The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.

Daniel 6:14-16 (NLT), ¹⁴ Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.¹⁵ In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.” ¹⁶ So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

Daniel in 6:16 (ESV), . . . The king declared to Daniel, May your God whom you serve continually, deliver you.

Psalm 15:1-2 (NLT), ¹ Who may worship in your sanctuary Lord?  Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?  ² Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from a sincere heart.

3) God has the final say.

Daniel 6:25-28 (NLT), ²⁵ Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you! ²⁶ “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.  For he is the living God, and he will endure forever.  His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. ²⁷ He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on 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.