Give Thanks: Daniel & the Lions Part 2! | Daniel 6:19-28

You’re right in the middle of a series called Give Thanks. Daniel and the Lions Den is the story that we’re gonna dive into today, part two. We’re gonna pick it up right here in the middle of your Bible, Daniel Chapter six, beginning in verse 19. Daniel has now spent the night with the lions in the den.

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Transcription:

Hi, it’s Erica. Welcome to The Bible for Busy People. I’m so glad you’re here. You’re right in the middle of a series called Give Thanks. Daniel and the Lions Den is the story that we’re gonna dive into today, part two. Here’s what happened last time in case you missed it. Daniel was a faithful, responsible, trustworthy man. He was one of the officials in King Darius’s Kingdom, and everybody was jealous of him, all of his coworkers, because they knew that King Darius wanted to put Daniel in charge of the entire kingdom. So they found a way to set him up. They knew that he was faithful, and they knew he wouldn’t go against his God. So they came up with a plan, they hatched a plot. They went to King Darius and said, we think you should make a law that anybody who worships anybody but you king, whether human or divine, for the next 30 days shall be thrown into a den of lions. And they figured, oh this is how they’re gonna get Daniel in trouble, they’ll get him thrown to the lions. But Daniel went home and did as he always did. He knelt in front of the window and opened up the window and praised God and gave him thanks and prayed to his God because he was faithful. I respect Daniel so much. So you know what happened? The king was so grieved because he loved Daniel, but he had to follow the law. And so Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. 

We’re gonna pick it up right here in the middle of your Bible, Daniel Chapter six, beginning in verse 19. Daniel has now spent the night with the lions in the den. “Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions den.” He had fasted the whole night before, he was so concerned for Daniel’s life. “When he got there, he called out an anguish, ‘Daniel servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?’ Daniel answered, ‘Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lion’s mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight and I have not wronged you, your majesty.’ The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.” I have the good goosebumps going. Daniel trusted God and God was faithful to rescue him. This is the sad part of the story. “Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions den along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.” That’s heartbreaking. “Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: ‘Peace and prosperity to you! 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.'” Verse 27 is our takeaway verse. “‘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.’ So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”

We had an opportunity to see into a window of Daniel’s life that we never would’ve seen had he not trusted God. We get to peer into that lion’s den and imagine what it would’ve been like to be thrust in there. Can you imagine how your heart would be pounding and how hard you would be praying? I believe with all my heart that Daniel wasn’t alone. He said himself that the angel came and shut the mouths of the lions. Now what that looked like, I cannot tell. But this story began last time where Daniel knelt and prayed in front of his window, as he always did, trusting God despite the law. He knew that breaking that law would get him sent to the lions den, but he trusted God anyway. I hope that Daniel’s story inspires you. I hope that peeking into the window of the lions den inspires you because in the scariest moments, God is there. God sends the angel. I don’t know what that looks like or what it’s gonna look like for you in your scary situation. Probably we’re not gonna get thrown into a den of lions, but how often do we find ourselves inside a den of fear, inside an impossible situation? I’ll never forget one day I was really sad and afraid. I was leaving a job that I loved with all my heart to go to a new job that I would love with all my heart, and I stood there and I just felt like I was about to crumble. I had so many emotions going on, and my dear friend and mentor Beth texted me, ‘God is with You.’ And those four words changed the atmosphere in that room. God was with Daniel in the lions den and he will be with you. And let us not forget, because this series that we’re in the middle of is called, Give Thanks. He gave thanks in front of that window when he prayed the prayer that got him sent to the lions den. He gave thanks to God, and you and I can give thanks in the middle of whatever we’re in the middle of today. We don’t have to give thanks for the thing that’s hard, but we can give thanks inside of the circumstances. That is biblical. It’s what we’re instructed to do, give thanks. Not for all things, but IN all things. I don’t know about you, but I’m super grateful for the life of Daniel. This man really lived. He was really thrown to the lions den and he gave thanks in the midst of it, you and I can too. All right. Until next time remember, you, yes, you, are really loved!

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