Would you turn back to Daniel
chapter 6? Now, before us is one of the
most well-known stories in the Bible. Daniel in the lion's den. Most every Sunday school class,
it's taught. It is an idiom in our language
like we saw last week. I've seen the writing on the
wall that came from Daniel 5 and I'm going into the lion's den
into a difficult situation that comes from here in Daniel chapter
6. And what we see in looking at this man is Daniel's courage
and faithfulness shining so brightly. You know, we even have a hymn
in our hymn book entitled, Dare to be a Daniel. I don't recommend
it. But let's look at the last two
verses of Daniel chapter five. And 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. Now Darius
means Lord. It's the same title as Pharaoh
or King. There were five or six Darius's
during the Mede and Persians rule. And in all likelihood,
this is Cyrus, the man who turned and had the Jews leave Babylon
and go back to Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, there's
a prophecy regarding this man in Isaiah chapter 45, if you'll
turn with me there. This was written 200 years before
the birth of Cyrus. This is Isaiah, 200 years before
the birth of Cyrus. We're given a prophecy concerning
this man. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed
to Cyrus. Now, I dare say when the people
read this, they didn't know what he's talking about. They didn't
know this was pointing to a man that was going to be born in
200 years. whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations before
him, and I will loose the loins of kings to open before him the
two-leaved gates, and the gates shall not be shut. I'm gonna
make him king of the world. I'll go before thee and make
the crooked places straight. I'll break in pieces the gates
of brass and cut asunder the bars of iron, and I'll give thee
the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places,
that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by
thy name, and the God of Israel. For Jacob, my servant's sake,
and Israel mine elect, I've called thee by thy name, I've surnamed
thee, though thou has not known me. Now this is a prophecy regarding
this man given 200 years before his birth. I turn back to Daniel
chapter six. It pleased Darius, to set over
the kingdom. Remember, he has been made king. It's gone from the Chaldeans
to the Medes and the Persians. It pleased Arius to set over
the kingdom 120 princes, which should be over the whole kingdom.
And over these three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. Daniel was the second in command
behind all of these over all these other presidents and people
he'd set in authority, only under Darius. That the princes might give accounts
unto them, and that the king should have no damage. Now, one
thing I'd like to say is, whoever you're working for, they ought
not receive any damage from you. They ought to benefit by you
being their employee. That was certainly the case with
Daniel. And the king, Darius, knew that. Then this Daniel was preferred,
verse three, 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 all the kingdom. What a character he
possessed. Verse four, then the presidents
and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the
kingdom. They were jealous. They didn't
want him reigning over them, so they started looking for something
that they could find against him, but they could find none
occasion or fault for as much as he was faithful. Neither was
there any error or fault in him. What a man. These men were looking
for something. Look at the political things
that take place in our day when people start looking for corruption
with politicians. Easy to find, isn't it? Well,
they couldn't find any with Daniel. There was no fault or error in
him. 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. Now they knew about his devotion
to God. They watched him pray three times
a day from his window toward Jerusalem. They knew he would
refuse to worship their false gods and give them any credence. So they thought, we're going
to do something about this. This is what we're going to work
with. Now let's go and read. Then these presidents and princes
assembled together to the king and said thus unto the king,
King Darius, live forever. All the presidents of the kingdom,
now wait a minute, that's a lie right off the bat. Daniel wasn't
included in this. He's telling a lie. All the presidents
of the kingdom, the governors and the princes, the counselors,
the captains, the big shots, 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 a Veo king,
he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, what we're wanting
to do is make you a God for at least 30 days. Your will is going
to determine everything. Nothing will take place without
you giving your okay and your will being exerted. Nobody's
allowed to ask any man or God anything for 30 days, but you. Now King verse eight, establish
the decree and sign the writing that it be not changed according
to the Medes and Persians, the law of the Medes and Persians,
which alter not. Now that's very important. That's
in there. three or four times in this story, how the law of
the Medes and the Persians cannot be changed. Once it's made law,
it stays law. It can't be altered. It can't
be amended. Wherefore, verse nine, King Berias
signed the writing and the decree. He was so vain. This sounds good
to me. I think I want to do this. I
like the idea of me being in absolute control and my will
being done. He said, okay, I'll sign it.
He signed that document. Verse 10. Now, when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed, he knew what the law was, he
knew what was going to happen to him. He went into his house
and his windows being open in his chamber, he didn't close
them. And they were open toward Jerusalem.
You see, he would pray toward Jerusalem. Remember God's promise
when you're in captivity, pray toward this place. This is talking
about the temple. He would pray toward the temple.
And this represents the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now,
when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his
house and his windows were being opened in the chamber toward
Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day right
in front of that open window where everybody could see and
prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did before time. He didn't change anything, knowing
what was going to take place. Verse 11, then these men assembled
and found Daniel praying. You can bet this is what they
wanted to do. They knew he prayed every day and they were looking
for this opportunity. They were looking in his window
because they wanted to report him to the king. 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? King answered and said, the thing
is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which
altereth not. Whenever a law was made, it could not be altered. It could not be amended. It was
there for good. 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. Within the
king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself.
I can't believe I gave myself up to that kind of vanity. Now
look what I've done to Daniel. You see, he loved Daniel. He
highly esteemed Daniel. And he'd made him the head over
everything so he wouldn't suffer any damage. Daniel would protect
his best interests. And he was sore displeased with
himself that he had been tricked by these men because of his own
silly vanity and pride. He was sore displeased with himself
and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored to
the going down of the sun to deliver him. He was looking for
a loophole in the law. How can I deliver this man whom
I have really destroyed by this stupid document that I've signed?
And he set his heart on him to deliver him. Verse 15, then these
men assembled unto the king and said unto the king, Know, O king,
that the law of the Medes and the Persians is that no decree
nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. King knew this. Then the king,
verse 16, commanded. Nothing he could do. Then the
king commanded and they brought Daniel and cast him into the
den of lions. Now these were hungry lions,
and there were a lot of them, and Daniel was thrown into that
den. How much of a chance, humanly
speaking, did he have of surviving this? None. None. But the king commanded, You see,
the law of the Medes and Persians couldn't be changed. So the king
commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of
lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, you see, he
knew Daniel, and he knew that Daniel worshiped the living God. I don't have any doubt that Daniel
had told the king about God. And look what he says, thy God,
whom thou service continually, he will deliver thee. And the
stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, And the
king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords
that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. The
law could not be altered. He had to be thrown into the
lion's den. Then the king went to his palace
and passed the night fasting. Neither were instruments of music
brought before him, and his sleep went from him. He was so upset.
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, is
thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions.' Then said Daniel unto the king, from that den of lions,
from behind that rock, O king, Live forever. My God has sent
his angel, and has shut the lion's mouth. And they've not hurt me,
for as much as before him, innocence he was found in me. And also
before thee, O king, I've done no hurt. Then the king was 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. And the
king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel,
and they cast them into the den of lions, them with their children
and their wives, and the lions had the mastery of them, and
break all their bones in pieces, wherever 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. I make a decree that in every
dominion of my kingdom, men tremble in 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 He
worketh signs and wonders in heaven and earth who had delivered
Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered
in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. What courage, what faithfulness,
what faith. How we admire Daniel. Question. Up to this point, have I preached
the gospel? Could a sinner be saved by hearing
what I just said? Everything I said was true. It
was according to the scripture. But could a sinner be saved by
this? The answer is no. I have not preached the gospel. Am I disagreeing with anything
I said? Not at all. Not at all. Everything I've said is true
about Daniel. Everything comes from the scripture
that I've said. But if this is all I have seen
in this story, I've not seen anything. Now, in this story, this historical
event that literally and miraculously took place Darius is a type of
God the Father, and Daniel is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And as God will enable me, I
want to briefly bring a gospel message from the reading of this
word. It says in verse one, it pleased
Darius. That's where we begin. It pleased
the Lord. Whatever the Lord pleased, that
did he in earth and sea and all deep places. We begin with what
pleases the Lord, the will of the Lord, the pleasure of the
Lord, his purpose. I thought of several scriptures
that please God to make you his people. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. Speaking of the death of Christ
on the cross. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. It pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe. We're starting with
God's pleasure. 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, the Lord Jesus Christ, that the princes might give account
unto them and that the king should have no damage. And God is not
going to receive any damage. He's not going to save at the
expense of any of his attributes. He will not show mercy at the
expense of his justice. He will not show love at the
expense of his sovereignty. He will not show grace at the
expense of his broken law. You see, he's not gonna receive
damage in anything. Any gospel that does not magnify
and line up with every attribute of God is a false gospel. Now let me repeat that. Any message
you hear that does not line up with every attribute of God,
His holiness, His justice, His sovereignty, His power, His immutability
that he never changes. Go on and on, whatever attribute
we're talking about. God is not going to save at the
expense of any of his attributes. He's going to receive damage
in nothing. That is the living God, the God
of the Bible. Then this Daniel, verse three,
was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent
spirit was in him. And the king thought to set him
over his whole realm. Now, who is this but Christ?
It pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell,
that in all things he might have the preeminence. I love what
John the Baptist said concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He said,
he is preferred before me because he was, he eternally was before
me. In the beginning was the Word,
the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in
the beginning with God. Then the president, verse four,
sent to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom.
You see the issue Then and now was, we will not have this man
reign over us. They did not like the fact that
Daniel was in control, that they were answering to him and they
wanted to depose him of his kingship. And they started looking for
a way to do it. Then the presidents and the 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. Now who is that
but the Lord Jesus Christ? He said, which of you can convince
me of sin? Then said these men, We shall
not find any occasion against Daniel, except we find it against
him concerning the law of his God. Then these presidents and
princes assembled together to the king and said, thus unto
the king, King Darius, live forever. What suck ups. The way they talk
to him and they don't mean any of it. All they're trying to
do is destroy Daniel. All the presidents of the kingdom The
governors and the princes, 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, here's what we're going to do. We're going to make a
law that your will is the final thing. That's man's religion. Your will
is the determining factor as to whether or not you will be
saved. Now, O King, establish the decree,
verse 8, sign the writing that it be not changed according to
the law of the Medes and the Persians. That's very important
to understand this story. The law cannot be altered. It cannot be changed. It cannot
be done away with. The law cannot be altered. Wherefore, King Darius signed
the writing and the decree in his vanity. Now, Daniel knew
what the result would be. Now, when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed, he went into his house and his window's being
opened in the chamber toward Jerusalem. And this is so important. Daniel was praying toward Jerusalem. That's where the temple was.
That's where the sacrifice was. That's where the high priest
came in behind the veil and sprinkled the blood seven times that people
were accepted. All this is talking about is
the gospel. That's what it meant to look to that temple, to look
to Jerusalem. It wasn't saying that there's
any particular good luck in looking for Jerusalem. It was the gospel. It's looking to Christ. And Daniel
continued to do it. He knew the writing was signed.
He went into his house and his windows being opened in the chamber
toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three
times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did
aforetime. 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. that law that cannot be changed. Hath 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 the Persians,
then answered they before the king, that Daniel, which is of
the children of the captive Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor
the decree that thou hast signed, but makes his petition three
times a day to his God. 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, I want to say this as carefully
as I can. The Lord God is bound by his
nature. He cannot do anything contrary
to his nature. The law says the soul that sinneth
shall surely die. God's law. And that law cannot
be altered. And I don't claim to understand
this. I'm talking about things I really
believe but have no understanding of. When God saw sin on his son,
and he had to say, smite the shepherd, he loved his son. What pain? Do I understand that? No. When Christ said, Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. He knew he was
getting ready to drink sin. You see, me and you don't really
understand how bad sin is. As a matter of fact, we don't
understand it at all. He did. He does. And the thought of drinking
that cup and being made sin, he said, if there's any other
way, may it be done. And that's what we see in this
picture of Darius setting on his heart to deliver Daniel if
there's any way that it could be done. But it can't. The law
cannot be. Altered. Verse 15, then these men assembled
under the king and said to the king, no king, that the law of
the Medes and the Persians is that no decree nor statute which
the king establishes may be changed. God's law can't be changed. God's
character can't be changed. He said, I'll by no means clear
the guilty. The soul that sinneth shall surely
die. That cannot be changed. That's the character of God. Verse 16, then the king commanded
and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. a
situation that was, humanly speaking, impossible for him to be delivered,
a den of hungry lions. Now the king spake and said unto
Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he'll deliver thee.
I have no doubt that Daniel had told him about this God. And
a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and
the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of
his Lord's, that the purpose might not be changed concerning
Daniel. He has to go in the lion's den.
He broke that law, that could not be altered. The Lord Jesus Christ took upon
him the sins of his people, and he was guilty of the commission
of those sins. He didn't commit them, but when
he was made sin, he became guilty of the commission of those sins. Now, I want you to remember,
God doesn't put sins in hell, does he? He puts the people who
committed those sins in hell. And Christ Jesus became guilty
before God, and the law cannot be changed. It demanded his death. Daniel is thrown into the lion's
den, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Then the king went to his palace and passed the night fasting.
Neither was there instruments or music. He was so upset. His
sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early
in the morning and went in haste under 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, is thy God whom
thou service continually able to deliver thee from the lions? Now, Christ went into the den
of the lions, hell, suffering God's wrath. And then verse 21
said, Daniel unto the king, he came out, O king, live forever. My God has sent his angel and
has 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." Now, where's
the gospel there? Christ was made sin, was made
guilty, suffered under the wrath of God, and satisfied all the
demands of God's law and God's justice and God's wrath. And
he can now say regarding himself and everybody he died for, innocency
is found in me. I'm not guilty. It's what the
Bible calls justification. That's what Christ accomplished
on the cross. When he died, was buried, and
was raised again, the scripture says he was delivered for our
offenses and raised again for our justification. I am innocent before God. I have done no sin. That's how completely Christ
put away sin. by what offering? He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. This is what we call substitution
and satisfaction. Verse 23, Then was the king exceeding
glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out
of the den. I love to think of this happening.
The Lord, whatever it was, among those lions, and Daniel was brought
up without a scratch on him. The resurrection. Christ walking
out of the tomb. So Daniel was taken up out of
the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he
believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they
brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into
the den of lions. Their children, their wives,
and the lions had the master of them and break all their bones
and pieces, ever they came to the bottom of the den. What happened
to Daniel's accusers? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? Then King Darius wrote unto all
nations, peoples, languages that dwell in all the earth, peace
be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, this is very
much like Nebuchadnezzar did, that in every dominion of my
kingdom, men tremble in fear before the God of Daniel, for
he is the living God. All other gods are false idols. He's steadfast forever, immutable,
eternally. And his kingdom, that which shall
not be destroyed. He understood his would be one
day, but not the Lord Jesus Christ kingdom. His dominion, his sovereignty
shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth and
worketh signs and wonders in heaven and earth, who has delivered
Daniel from the power of the lions. Five questions to end. Darius said, O Daniel, is thy
God whom thou servest able to deliver thee from the lions? You've got a God. Somebody said,
I'm an atheist. Well, that's your God then. Everybody's
got a God, some kind of God that they worship. Is your God able
to deliver you? Can your God deliver you from
the lion's den of an unalterable law? Now God's law cannot be altered. The soul that sins shall surely
die. You've sinned. Amen. You've sinned. Can your God deliver
you from a law that cannot be altered? My God can. He's made a way to
be just and honor his law and punish sin and yet justify everybody
that Christ died for. Can your God deliver you from
this den of lions, an evil nature, dead in trespasses and sins. Where you can't believe, you
can't repent, you can't love, you're dead in trespasses and
sins. Can you, God, deliver you from
that lion's den? Mein gan. Lazarus, Come forth! He that was dead came forth. This is the call of irresistible,
invincible grace. And by His command, you're caused
to believe. Rise from the dead. Repent. Third question. Can your God
deliver you from this den of lions Perseverance. Now, what do I mean by that?
You still have an evil nature that is just as sinful as it
ever was. Somebody denies that, well, you've
lost all credibility. Nobody can believe somebody that
would deny something like that because you're not even being
honest. Can your God deliver you and cause you to persevere
all the way to the end even when you have this evil nature? Mine can. Now unto him that is
able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before his presence with exceeding joy. My God can. Fourth question. You're going to die. and you're
going to be turned into a pile of dirt. Is your God able to
deliver you from that? You're certainly not. My God
is able. The trumpet shall sound and the
dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible. You're going to stand before
a holy God in judgment. Me too. You're going to stand before
a holy God in judgment and you sinned. Is your God able to deliver you
at that time? My God can. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? God justified them. Who is he
that condemns? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather
is risen. who's even at the right hand
of God. Is your God able to deliver you? Now, like I said, I read that
story, and it's funny watching it all. I was reading it, the
first part of that message, I was getting all these blank stares.
I understand. I wasn't preaching the gospel.
I was giving the truth of the story, but I wasn't preaching
the gospel. That's the way most people handle Daniel in the Lion's
Den. You dare to be a Daniel. But
oh, how clearly the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is made
known in this story. Let's pray. Lord, how thankful we are for
our Savior. Who took our sin and our sorrow? And made them his very own. And
He stood before your law and paid all the debts and satisfied
you and came out with innocency of Himself and everyone He died
for by putting away their sins. Lord, how we thank You for Your
ability to deliver. Bless this message for Your glory
and our good. In Christ's name we pray, amen.