Faith in the Face of Death - Daniel 6:16-28

 

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him.
19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.
20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “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.”
23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.

27 He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.  Daniel 6:16-28

Every believer in God will face attacks from God’s enemy, Satan, and Daniel was not an exception. Those who wanted the influence with the king that Daniel had, found a way to use Darius’ pride to get rid of Daniel. But God is never caught off guard! He can make even hungry lions wait for a meal! 

Ephesians 6:16 tells us that our faith in God is our shield against danger. This does not mean we will never be hurt or sick or even killed. Our faith in God is that He can keep, for eternity, our soul and life which we have given into His care (2 Timothy 1:12). We must live with the full awareness that this world is not our home: we are only here for a short moment when compared to eternity.

*Memorize 2 Timothy 1:12 – “…But I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what I have entrusted to Him.”