Daniel and the Lion's Den

Daniel is one of my favorite books in the Bible, because it is not only filled with gripping narrative, but with prophetic foresight looking forward to Jesus the King of kings.  I don't feel that I fully understand everything in the book (especially between chapters 8 and 11), but I'm growing.  And I've preached and taught chapters 1-6 (the narrative section, written mostly in Aramaic) many many times.  Recently my personal reading had me go through Daniel again.

Sunday school lesson

If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with the story of Daniel being in the Lion's Den.  King Darius, king of the the Medo-Persians, has just received the kingdom of Babylon and he likes Daniel because Daniel is useful to him and clearly devout in his faith.  But Darius gets tricked at the hands of political people-pleasing (6:10-13) into putting forth a decree that lands Daniel in trouble, because Daniel is still committed after all these years to Adonai, his God.  Everyone's jealous of Daniel (6:4)  Though it pains Darius (6:14), Daniel must be cast into a lion's den.  And you probably know the story: the lions don't attack Daniel in the least, and Daniel appears to remain calm in the den (while the king is sleepless over the whole scenario, 6:18).   When morning comes, Daniel is brought out, and he's survived without a scratch.  And those who accused Daniel are thrown into the den, and are eaten before they even get to the ground (6:24)!

Growing up in church, the lesson here was clear:  Have faith like Daniel, and you can stand fast when you're in the lion's den.  Not a terrible message, as it puts the emphasis on God's staying power.

Adjusting our lens 

Or does it?  Maybe, but maybe not - I would argue that it puts the emphasis on your faithfulness.  And since most of us can't even begin to fathom being in that kind of situation (the vast majority of western Christians will never have to defend our faith before a den of people, let alone lions), the story ends up just floating up in the sky somewhere, out of our reach.  In other words, the passage doesn't mean anything to us personally, because how can I have that kind of faith, and when will I ever need to?  So, like the religious elite of Jesus' day, we end up more hardened by the story than softened by it (Mk. 4:10-12).  It remains a Biblical sort of fairy tale, forever lost on us and filed away as an idealistic but impossible Bible lesson from our childhood.  It's the same thing with David and Goliath, the three in the furnace, Joshua and Jericho, on and on, etc. etc.

But what if we think about these passages all wrong, and that the lesson therein is not that we are to be strong like these people, but instead that God is strong?  And that, as we journey with him like Daniel, Joshua, Deborah, etc., he'll give us the power and faith needed to endure through whatever is thrown our way?

Incidentally (not really), God's strength is exalted all throughout Daniel:

• "to him belongs wisdom & might ... he gives wisdom to the wise, & knowledge..." 2:20-21
• "he does according to his will among the host of heaven ... those who walk in pride he is able to humble" 4:35, 37
• "he delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders ... " 6:26-27
• "to you oh Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open shame" 9:7

The emphasis through the whole book is God's power to rule sovereignly, and to sustain those who know him.  Since he rules history, he knows the trials that his people will face, and he will sustain them to the end and stand them up when they need to stand up (1 Cor. 1:8, Jude 24).

Captivated by glory 

I recently received perhaps the best compliment a church leader can receive: a frequent church visitor told me that she loves our church because we seem to be more concerned with praising and thanking God for who He is and what He's doing than we are with complaining about all that's wrong with the world.  I was stunned.  We have many cultural, governmental, personal problems, etc.  But the Christian is the one who follows the One who has overcome the world (Jn. 16:33), and in Him, they're crucified in this world and living here as members of the New Creation (Gal. 6:14-15).  Thus they give their lives to glorifying and praising Him because they've been captivated by His good news and power, and they know He's at work in their midst.  They take seriously "Do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).  They're miserable failures in and of themselves; but they're more than conquerors as He lives in them and they enjoy His love.  The best part: whenever they're faithless, He's faithful (2 Tim. 2:13), and this gives them confidence that though they fail him time and time again, He still loves them, and will shepherd them through it.  Thus they don't really fail Him - He's in control.  And this gives them freedom.

And that's what Daniel knew.  Perhaps we could restate that last sentence.  That's what Daniel learned, as he followed the Lord through Babylon.  As you follow Him today, are you learning this too?