Turn with me if you would to
Daniel chapter 6. Daniel chapter 6. This is such a wonderful book,
this book of Daniel, full of wonderful stories and well-known
accounts in the scripture. We've looked at Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, and the burning fiery furnace. We've looked at Nebuchadnezzar's
humbling conversion. The Lord dealt with him. Last Sunday we looked at the
handwriting on the wall and God's judgment on a man named Belshazzar
who represents this entire world outside of Christ. Today we're going to look at
the story of Daniel in the lion's den. Daniel in the lion's den. I'm sure most everybody has heard
this story or heard of this story. And I want us to read it. This
is what we're going to do. We're going to read the story. And I want us to see just what
the story says. And come the end of this, we'll
see if we can see the reason this story was written, what
the picture is in this story. Our Lord recorded this for a
very, very good reason. And I pray our Lord will open
our eyes to see it. If you look back at chapter 5
verse 30, Daniel 5 verse 30 says, In that night was Belshazzar
the king of the Chaldeans slain, and Darius the Median took the
kingdom being about three score and two years old. So this man,
Darius, is now the king of Babylon. It was Nebuchadnezzar, and then
I don't know if there was anybody between him and his grandson.
I don't know if his son took over, it doesn't say, but then
it mentions his grandson, Belshazzar, and now this man, Darius, is
king of Babylon. Chapter six, verse one says,
it pleased Darius to set over the kingdom, and 120 princes,
which should be over the whole kingdom, 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."
King Darius set up this order of protection for himself. He
set up 120 men who he named princes over the whole kingdom. And then
he set up three men who he called presidents over the 120. And he made Daniel to be number
one of those three presidents. So Daniel was the man that the
king trusted the most. He was the king's closest confidant. This king loved Daniel and he
favored Daniel. Darius very much loved and favored
Daniel. Verse three says, 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. Then the presidents and princes
sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom,
but they could find none occasion nor fault, for as much as he
was faithful Neither was there any error or fault found in him. Because the king favored Daniel
so much, these other two presidents and the 120 princes, they all
got jealous and they decided that they were going to find
a fault in him to bring him down. And they examined him closely,
very closely, but they couldn't find any fault. He was faithful
to the king. They couldn't find any error.
They were forced to say, I find no fault in this man. Does that
sound familiar? You can go ahead and put the
familiar cap on if you want to, but I'll just keep telling the
story. Verse five. 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. They said the only
way that we're going to be able to convict him of anything, we
can't find any fault in him. So the only way we can convict
him of anything is if we bring him on trial for his strict obedience
to his God. We're going to have to accuse
his faithful obedience to God as blasphemy. We're going to have to make it
so that we can say, what further need have we of any witnesses?
His faithfulness to God is blasphemy against our law. We have a law. We have a law here and he has
broken our law. and he's worthy of death. We're
gonna have to make it so that we have no choice but to cry,
kill him, kill him. Verse six. Then these presidents
and princes assembled together to the king and said thus unto
him, King Darius, live forever. All the presidents of the kingdom,
the governors and the princes, the counselors, 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 30 days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into
the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree
and signed the writing that it be not changed according to the
law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore
King Darius signed the writing and the decree." They got together
and they said, this is what we're going to do. We're going to make
a law. It was a law of idolatry, but
they said, we're going to make a law. It was a law of sin. But
they said, we're going to make our own law here that says all
the kingdom, all of this kingdom cannot do anything other than
sin against God. Now they didn't word it this
way, but this is what they were doing. We're gonna make a law
that makes it so that every soul here cannot do anything but sin
against God. You cannot worship and serve
the Creator who is blessed forever. You have no choice but to worship
and serve man. They said, what do you think
of that, Darius? Everybody worships you. What do you think? 30 days, nobody can worship or
serve any other God or anything else besides you. Verse 10, now when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed and Darius said, yeah, that sounds good
to me, I'll sign that. 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. That's what God commanded his
people to do, and that's what he did. Daniel was in his house
three times a day, kneeling, bowing, worshiping his God. Daniel
was in this kingdom of sin, yet without the sin of the kingdom.
All right, I'll say that again. Daniel was in this whole kingdom
of sin, yet without the sin of the whole kingdom. He knew not
the sin that the whole kingdom had fallen into. Verse 11. Then these men assembled and
found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
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 30 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. They said, didn't you sign a
law that everybody has to serve you and worship you? And he said,
yes, the law has been signed and it cannot be undone. Verse
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. Then the king,
when he heard these words, was sore 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." Now, we're about
to see this king in two lights, okay? We're gonna see two different
men in this king, two completely, totally different men on either
side of Daniel, connected to Daniel on two totally opposite
sides. Right now, this is what we see.
Here is a man who is crying. What have I done? What have I done? I have sinned against Daniel. I am the cause. They said, didn't
you sign this? And didn't you say that whoever
broke this man-made law that we came up with was going to
have to go into the lion's den? Yes, I signed it. Wasn't it signed
according to the law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be undone?
Yes, it was. They said, Daniel is still worshiping
God Almighty. And as soon as Darius heard that,
he said, what have I done? I have sinned against Daniel.
I'm the cause of everything that is about to come upon Daniel. Oh, wretched man that I am. Why have I done this? Why have
I sinned against Daniel? Against Daniel and Daniel only
have I sinned and done this evil in his sight. They said, Darius, you signed
the decree. Thou art the man. Didn't you?
Isn't that your handwriting right there? Yes, it is. Thou art the man. You're the
cause of this. Verse 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 labored till the
going down of the sun to deliver him, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't do it. What was done
was done. He couldn't undo it. He said,
Oh, if I could just go back and undo that, but he couldn't do
it. What was done was done. Verse 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. They said, you've
done it and it can't be undone. Verse 16, then the king commanded
and they brought Daniel. Now we're going to see this king
and this is This story is such a blessing to me and I prayed
about doing it like this and I believe the Lord really blessed
this to my heart and I pray he'll cause us to see this. There's a, as we look at men
in the scriptures and we see types and pictures, no man is
a perfect type. There's only one perfect type
and that's Christ himself. But these things are written
to show us the story, show us the purpose and the will of God.
And in this, we're going to see a glorious truth concerning our
eternal souls. Here is this other man that this
king represents. Verse 16, then the king commanded,
and they brought Daniel. and cast him into the den of
lions, the king commanded, and cast him into the den of lions.
Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, thy God, whom thou serviced
continually, he will deliver thee. He will. He will. What a word, what a promise,
what a command. Cast him in. Yes, the law has
been signed. Yes, what's done is done. Yes,
he cannot undo it. Cast him in. Cast him in. And as he went in, he said, you're
God who you serve continually. He will deliver you. You're God,
Daniel. will not suffer you to see corruption
and he will not leave you in there. Set your face like a flint
and trust your God. Verse 17, read this slowly with
me. And a stone was brought and laid
upon the mouth of the dam. They rolled a stone in the way,
the way of the mouth of it, and they covered it up. And the king sealed it. Who sealed it? The king sealed
it. Who did this? The king did this. He sealed it with his own signet
and with the signet of his Lord's, that the purpose might not be
changed concerning Daniel. Amen. Amen. That the purpose, the king did
this, he sealed it. That the purpose might not be
changed concerning Daniel. Now, flipping back to this other
man that this king represents, flipping back to that first man, Verse 18 says, then the king,
this wretched, miserable sinner against Daniel, he went to his
palace and he passed the night fasting. He emptied himself. Oh, he said, I'm an empty vessel.
I'm an empty, weak vessel. It says, neither were instruments
of music brought before him. There was no comfort. And his
sleep went from him, there was no rest. Verse 19 says, Then the king
arose very early in the morning. I kind of wonder if it was the
first day of the week. Then the king arose very early
in the morning. and went in haste unto the den
of lions." He might have been thinking, who's going to roll
away the stone for me so I can see him? Then the king arose very early
in the morning and went in haste unto the den of lions. 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, God's servant,
is thy God whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee
from the lions? Is thy God whom you serve continually
able to deliver you from the lions? Did God do as he promised
to do? Did salvation come? Is your God
whom you serve continually able? Was he able? Did deliverance
come? Verse 24. Pay attention to this
one. Then said Daniel unto the king,
O king, Live forever. Live forever. Live forever. Darius said, what do you have
to say to me? He came with a lamentable voice
saying, what do you have to say to me? This sinner against you,
after everything that I've caused you to endure, what do you have
to say to me? After you endured the pit of the roaring lions
because of me, it was all because of me. After I did this to you,
what's your word to me? What is your word to me? Daniel
said, live forever. That's my word to you. Live forever. That's my response to the punishment
for sin that you committed against me. That's the result to my enduring
the repercussions of your sin. That's the result. Live forever.
Verse 22, my God hath sent his angel and hath shut the lion's
mouths that they have not hurt me. For as much as before him,
innocency was found in me and also before thee, O king, Have
I done no hurt? He said salvation was of the
Lord. God, God did this. Salvation was of the Lord. He
said in what I just endured, judgment was met. The law was
satisfied. Your sin was removed. God is
well-placed. He said God was satisfied in
this. Now switching back to the great
authority of the king. Verse 23, then was the king exceeding
glad for him. He was well pleased in him. And in his sovereign authority,
he commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. Take him up, lift him up, highly
lift him up. 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. He believed in God for Darius.
Darius said, yeah, that sounds good. Don't worship God, worship
me. He believed in God. And the king
commanded, verse 24, 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 break all their bones in pieces, or ever they came
at the bottom of the den. Then King Darius wrote unto all
people, Nations and languages that dwell in all the earth. Peace be multiplied unto you. That's good, isn't it? Because of Daniel, this is what
he wrote, because of Daniel, we'll just go ahead and acknowledge
represents Jesus Christ. The high sovereign said, because
of Christ, peace be unto you. Peace be multiplied unto you.
Verse 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 steadfast forever. And his kingdom, that which shall
not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 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." Sounds like he
was taught the same thing Nebuchadnezzar was taught, exact same thing.
Verse 28, so this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in
the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Now, you know, honestly, we just
read the story at face value. I understand I made some comments
along the way, but we just read the story at face value. And
we don't need to go back over those verses and see the spiritual
picture. That was plain as day, wasn't
it? That's Christ. That's Christ. With that being said, I will
just say, okay, I'm, I'm, I'm going to wrap this up, but I
will just say for anyone who did not see the true story in
those lines, because many people don't, this is not a story of
Daniel's resolve. This is not a story of Daniel's
courage. This was not written for the
purpose of glorifying man in any way, shape, or form. There's
a terrible song in our hymnal. We have a song in our hymnal.
Terrible. It's called, Dare to be a Daniel. It's terrible. Dare to be a Daniel. This was not written to incite
man's works for God. Oh, if we could all just be more
like Daniel. Well, I want to be like Daniel.
Daniel. And I'm not going to be like
Daniel till I'm rid of this flesh. This was written to show us the
substitution of Jesus Christ for the sin of his people. Our
sin laid on Him. This was written to show us what
Christ had to endure because of our sin against Him, and He
endured it to the end. And because of that, God is satisfied
with the punishment of our sin. If I could get one thing across
to us today, it would be this. Rest in this. Find comfort in
this. God is satisfied with the punishment
for our sin. Yeah, but I'm such a sinner,
and I know I ought to be punished for my sin. You were in Him,
and God's satisfied. God is satisfied in him. And through the condemning death
of Christ, we get to live forever. We get to live forever, eternal
life, eternal life through the condemnation of Christ for his
people. That's what this story is about.
That's what this story is about. That's what every story in the
scripture is about. All scripture is concerning Jesus
Christ. The saving, redeeming work of
Christ for His sinful people. He was made to be sin and made
to be under the law that He might redeem His people who all their
lifetime were subject to bondage. The rulers and the princes. Isn't
this what happened 2,000 years ago? The rulers and the princes. Who did this to Him? The rulers
of the Jews, the princes of the Jews. They lied on Him. They didn't lie on me in Him. Everything they accused Him of,
I'm guilty of it. And thank God He opened not His
mouth for us. But they lied on Him. And they
blasphemed Him and they condemned Him. But He was obedient unto
death. He went in. He went in to death. He endured the roaring lions
of hell and judgment and justice and He conquered all of them. And he arose victoriously from
that pit. Oh, the father cried, deliver
him from the pit because I found a ransom. I found a payment. He arose victoriously from that
pit and he is now seated high in the heavens. He's honored.
He is glorified. And in the end, all of his enemies
are going to perish in the very condemnation they sent him to. Even so, amen. And thank God every soul he endured
that condemnation for, every soul he went into that lion's
den for is going to live and reign forever with him. Let's bow to that. Let's just
bow to that. Now what happens at this point
in the message? Do I turn it and say, what are
you going to do with that? And are you going to accept that?
Are you going to? No. We're going to bow to that. We're going to believe that.
We're going to cling to that. My Lord and Savior endured it
all, paid it all. Thank God for Jesus Christ. We're going to bow, believe,
and cling. To Daniel's God, to our God,
to everybody's God, Jesus Christ. To him be all the glory forever. Amen.