Jenaministries – Daniel and the Lions’ Den
Daniel Appointed Administrator:
Daniel was an Israelite who was exiled to Babylon. He was very smart and honest. God gave Daniel the ability to interpret dreams and he made favor with the kings of Babylon. Darius appointed three administrators to be over 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom. Daniel was one of the administrators (Scriptures 1. Daniel Appointed Administrator by Darius Daniel 6:1-2).
The Plot Against Daniel:
Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. This made the administrators and satraps very jealous and angry. So they tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel (Scriptures 2. The Plot Against Daniel Daniel 6:3-9), but they could not find any fault in him. They knew Daniel was very devoted to his God, so they needed to do something against his God.
They managed to talk the king into writing a decree that if anyone prays to any god or human being other than the King in the next thirty days, they shall be thrown into the lions’ den. The decree was put in writing and published so it couldn’t be altered or repealed.
Daniel Prayed to God for Help:
When Daniel heard of this decree, 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 (Scriptures 3. Daniel Prayed to God for Help Daniel 6:10-11), praising God asking God for help.
Daniel Thrown in the Lions’ Den:
The men saw him praying and they went right to the king to turn him in. The king was very distressed when he heard this for he loved Daniel. It took the men all day to convince the king that Daniel must be thrown in the lions’ den (Scriptures 4. Daniel Thrown into the Lions’ Den Daniel 6:12-18). The king had to finally agree and ordered Daniel to be thrown in the lion’s den. He was so upset by this that he didn’t have any entertainment or eat or sleep that entire evening.
God Shut Lions’ Mouths:
So Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den early that evening. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. He called to Daniel, and Daniel answered saying that his God sent an angel, and shut the mouths of the lions (Scriptures 5 God Shut Lions’ Mouths Daniel 6:19-22). The lions had not hurt him, because he was found innocent in his sight.
The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. He ordered the men who had falsely accused Daniel to be thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
The New Decree:
Then the king issued a decree (Scriptures 6 New Decree to Fear and Reverence the God of Daniel Daniel 6:23-28) that in every part of his kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.
Conclusion – Daniel and the Lions Den:
So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. God used Daniel to spread the news about his power and dominion. Through this decree, many people heard about Daniel’s God and his saving grace. And many people feared and reverenced God.
Worksheet: Daniel and the Lions Den Bible Study Worksheet
See: Part 3 #14 A Prayer for Strength
See: Part 1 #15 Why Does God Allow Bad Things?
Also See: Free Bible Study Worksheets
Also See: Part 3 – List of Prayers
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