We have learned thus far in the book of Daniel that God is our Judge, our Revealer, and our Igniter, Gracious King and that His word weighs us in the balance. In Daniel chapter 6 we will see in the account of Daniel in the lion’s den that God is our Deliverer.

Daniel 6:1-15 – "It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.5 Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God." 6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever!7 "All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.8 "Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter."9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.12 And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: "Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, 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 Persians, which does not alter."13 So they answered and said before the king, "That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day."14 And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly 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.15 Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed."

The identity of Darius is foggy due to the lack of any historical evidence related to him outside of what we have in the Bible. Some say that "Darius" is simply another name for Cyrus based on translating Daniel 6:28 as, "So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, even the reign of Cyrus the Persian." (1) Rulers sometimes had different names for themselves in different parts of their realms. Another possibility is that Darius was an appointee of Cyrus. This is based on Daniel 9:1, which refers to Darius being "made king over the realm of the Chaldeans." Still others say that Darius should possibly be "identified with Cambyses, Cyrus’ son, who ruled Persia 530-522 B.C." (2)  The important point here is that Daniel had been appointed to a high position in this Empire.

In the opening verses of chapter six we are given a picture of the government put in place by the Medo-Persian Empire. 120 "satraps" or "princes" (KJV) were set over the kingdom with three "governors" or "administrators" (NIV) who oversaw them. Daniel was one of these three governors/administrators. These governors oversaw and held the satraps accountable in order to guard against government corruption and stealing which is implied by the phrase, "so the king would suffer no loss" (6:2). The Medo-Persian Empire was different from its Babylonian predecessor in that the king of Babylon held an absolute autocratic position whereas the Medo-Persians, it appears from this chapter had a more shared leadership model.

Then the passage states, "Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps," (6:3). Daniel had served in a high administrative position in the Babylonian Empire and now in the Mode-Persian Empire for approximately 65 years altogether. He had distinguished himself throughout his service. Daniel was honest and true; he was a man of integrity and faithful to God which made him faithful to his earthly king-employer as well (6:4). This didn’t sit well with those who were likely less than faithful to Darius. Daniel probably shined the light on those who were inclined to be corrupt preventing them from profiting from their government positions. When you shine a light in the darkness of a barn the rodents run for the cover of darkness. That’s what was happening here; Daniel was costing the satraps and the other governors the excesses of corruption they craved. With Daniel out of the way, they would be free to pilfer and profit from their positions.

In verses 4-5 it states of Daniel:

• Daniel 6:4-5 – "So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.5 Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God." (Emphasis added.)

The enemies of Daniel started to dig and call in their markers in an effort to discredit Daniel and hopefully for them, get him removed from his position. But search as they may, Daniel was clean of offense. Daniel lived in the spotlight in a position of influence and visibility. It’s not easy to remain spotless in such a position with all the temptations that undoubtedly surrounded this man of God. Yet, because the Spirit of God was in him, (as repeatedly mentioned in this book in Daniel 1:8; 4:8,9,18; 5:11,14) Daniel remained, "faithful" and his enemies could "find no charge or fault" in him. If your employer or your enemies started digging into your employment record and started to watch you what would they find? Would you be as squeaky-clean as Daniel?

The Bible states that those who live godly lives will be persecuted and attacked. Hear what God says through Paul:

• 2 Timothy 3:12 – "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

In Daniel we see an example of the truth of this verse. Why is this true in the case of Daniel? It is true because, faithfulness to God should make you faithful to people as well. In other words, because Daniel was faithful to God, he was faithful to his earthly authority, Darius. You cannot be faithful to God and not faithful in earthly relationships. If you claim to be faithful to God and are unfaithful in earthly relationships your faith is shallow and fallow and not what God desires it to be.

The faithfulness, integrity and honesty of Daniel rubbed those of lesser virtue the wrong way so they decided Daniel must be eliminated. The only way the corrupt satraps and governors could eliminate Daniel was to attack him in his spiritual life (6:5). There was one area where the enemies of Daniel knew he would not compromise and therefore this made him vulnerable to their deceptive scheming trap. That area of no compromise was Daniel’s devotional life. It was here that the satraps and governors choose to attack and they did so by concocting a law that they hoped would do in Daniel.

The enemies of Daniel met behind his back and devised a "royal statute" aimed at undermining Daniel by using his devotional life against him. The law stated that, "whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions" (6:7). This was a devilish plot since Daniel seemed to be given to prayer by the minute let alone not pray for a month! And such a statute played on the pride of the king who would likely accept any such decree that brought the focus of his population onto him exclusively for three months. And with a penalty of being thrown into the lion’s den as well as the impossibility of overturning such a law, Daniel appeared to be doomed because of his devotion to His God (6:12-15).

More and more in our country Christians are being discriminated against on the basis of their beliefs. Christianity is singled out and discriminated against in the public square. One such example was reported in World magazine in its June 17^th, 2000 issue. In an article entitled, "Did Teacher Trash Students’ Bibles? Dispute Over Facts To Be Resolved In Courtroom" it reports the following:

Houston-area Willis school district officials denied that any of their teachers confiscated and threw away Bibles, ordered students to remove religious book covers, or told students to leave their Bibles at home. The district has no policy that prohibits the reading of Bibles during free-reading time, and no policy calling for seizure of Bibles from students, the officials told the Houston Chronicle last month.

A lawsuit against the district alleges that middle-school teacher Sara Flottman in 1999 marched Angela Harbison, 15, and her sister Amber, 13, to the principal’s office for bringing Bibles to school. It asserts the teacher seized the Bibles and threw them in the principal’s waste can, calling them "trash." It also claims the principal told the girls’ mother that Bibles indeed were not welcome on school property. Also, the suit alleges, another teacher ordered a student to remove a book cover the girls had given him; it had the Ten Commandments printed on it.

School officials said they investigated the charges but found no truth in them. (3) .

Another example is seen in the actions of major corporations, which are withdrawing their support for the Boy Scouts of America because the Boy Scouts refused to allow homosexual scout leader James Dale to oversee a troop in the Scouts. The Supreme Court judged that the Scouts are within their rights to do this, but these major corporations are trying to circumvent the law by removing their support. The following article conveys this when it states:

Corporations Abandon Boys Scouts in Name of 'Diversity'
By Susan Jones, CNS Morning Editor, August 25, 2000

(CNSNews.com) - More of the nation's big companies are withdrawing their financial support from the Boy Scouts of America because of the group's insistence on traditional values - particularly, its rejection of homosexuals as Scout leaders.

The Washington Times reports that companies such as Levi Strauss, Wells Fargo, and Textron have decided not to give any more money to the Scouts.

Chase Manhattan says some of the Boy Scouts' tenets may conflict with the company's commitment to diversity.

Merrill Lynch is also reconsidering its annual contribution to the Scouts, and Knight Ridder has asked that funds it gives to the United Way not be directed to the Scouts.

An editorial in Friday's Washington Times says tolerance is a virtue touted, but not practiced, by homosexual rights advocates who are campaigning against the Scouts.

It says, "Homosexual rights activists are willing to do all they can to ostracize or even destroy the Boy Scouts unless the almost century-old organization both nullifies its pledge to be 'morally straight' and abandons its central mission to teach young boys...'true manliness' - a man's responsibility in marriage and fatherhood.

"Such principles may sound uproariously quaint and beyond corny to society's moral relativists, but they remain even now an anchor against civilization's drift into unfettered decadence," the editorial says. (4)

The Southern Baptist Convention was excluded from a United Nations Assembly of world religions recently because of the Biblical beliefs held by the Baptists, which are viewed as intolerant by the U.N. At this assembly millionaire Ted Turner lambasted Christianity in a speech as reported in the following article:

Any pretense that the "World Peace Summit" is anything other than a cover for a left-leaning agenda was stripped away as American media mogul Ted Turner addressed nearly 1,000 hooting delegates Tuesday in the U.N. General Assembly Hall.

New Age billionaire Maurice Strong introduced Turner by saying he had done more for peace, the environment and the United Nations than any other person. Turner bounded toward the podium as the cheering crowd seemed to welcome a conquering hero.

Immediately Turner denounced his own childhood Christian faith. The crowd’s laughter turned to approving whoops as Turner explained he turned away from Christianity when he discovered "it was intolerant because it taught we were the only ones going to heaven. That confused the devil out of me since that would have left heaven a very empty place."

Turner’s meandering, off-the-cuff speech praised "indigenous" religious faiths and then wandered through a paean to the things all humans have in common – "culture, language, love of birds, butterflies, wives and flowers." In his spiritual search Turner realized that there was one God and multiple ways he manifests himself and that it makes little difference, which one is chosen. This approach is precisely what evangelical Christians fear about the World Peace Summit.

Among a small group of conservative Christians monitoring the event, Darren Logan, foreign policy analyst for the Washington-based Family Research Council, called Turner’s speech "the most blasphemous thing I have ever heard in my life."

Logan said Turner advanced the notion of "reductionism," which suggests that all religions are essentially the same. "Turner believes true tolerance means doing away with the uniqueness of all faiths and marginalizing all faiths that profess an exclusive component, like Christianity and Islam," said Logan.

Contrasted with the enthusiastic reception for Turner’s left-leaning remarks, the delegates gave an icy reception to the Patriarch of Ethiopia, who urged protection for unborn children. The same reaction greeted the assistant secretary general of the Muslim World Congress when he urged delegates to recognize only marriage between "a man and a woman" and denounced all "abnormal sexual activities."

Minutes later a Buddhist "master" received a standing ovation when he condemned all attempts at religious conversion, something at the heart of Islam and Christianity.

As it is, the summit is taking place under a cloud for excluding the Dalai Lama under pressure from the government of China; and evangelical Christians have pointed out that only one representative from their ranks, the Rev. Billy Graham’s daughter, has appeared at the podium.

The reaction of the delegates fuels the growing suspicion that the permanent advisory to be established here will simply rubberstamp the agenda of Ted Turner, Maurice Strong and other powerful leftists working within the U.N. system. (5) 

Live a godly life and you will be persecuted. A time will come when standing up and voicing your beliefs will be a crime. Which might cause us to think, if you were brought before a court accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Daniel was put in such a situation and the evidence to convict him of his devotion to God was overwhelming and undeniable, Even his enemies could not deny this and that is why they used it against him (6:4-9).

Things haven’t changed much and throughout history we have seen that those who choose to let God live in and through them are persecuted by those who reject God and His word. The only way Daniel’s enemies could work against him was by devising laws that would discriminate against his faith and devotion in God. But this plan would ultimately fail because of Daniel’s devotion to the God who was his Deliverer. What characterized Daniel’s devotion to God? Let’s see.

At this stage in the account of the book of Daniel, Daniel is likely in his late 80s in terms of his age. Daniel’s devotion to God permeated every aspect of his life; it was not something that he hid from others. Jesus spoke of this kind of life when he addressed His disciples in His Sermon on the Mount saying:

• Matthew 5:13-16 - "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Daniel was God’s disciple if ever there was one. He was not one to hide his faith in order to preserve the "peace." Daniel put God first even if it meant possibly costing him the comfort of a high position. Nothing was more important to Daniel than his devotion to God. Daniel simply lived the life of a devoted disciple of God and let the chips fall where they may. He trusted God to take care of him. In this chapter we see four features of Daniel’s devotion:

1. Daniel’s Devotion To God Was Practical - It Was Lived (6:3-4)
2. Daniel’s Devotion To God Was Undeniable – It Was Courageous (6:5)
3. Daniel’s Devotion To God Was Prayerful – It Depended On God (6:10-11)
4. Daniel’s Devotion To God Was Continual – It Was Regular (6:7,20)
5. Daniel’s Devotion To God Was Absolute – It Was Unconditional (6:10)

Let’s examine these aspects of Daniel’s devotion more closely.

• Daniel 6:3-4 – "Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him."

As we mentioned earlier, Daniel’s faithfulness to God caused him to be faithful in his human relationships. His devotion was not merely abstract but it was concrete. There was not only observations and analysis in his life with God, but there was also application. His was not an ivory tower belief that had no impact on his life or the lives of those around him; his devotion to God was visible in his employment and life in general.

Too often Christians are great saints on Sundays in church and maybe even at midweek services or home Bible studies, but otherwise they behave more like children of Satan! Faith and devotion to God is something that should be sincere and as much a part of our lives as the nose on our faces. You can’t walk out of the house, go to work or do anything without taking that nose with you, (as much as some of us wish we could!) Just as that nose follows us and is a part of us everywhere we go, so should our devotion to God be. In the New Testament the apostle Paul was inspired to write concerning the "excellent spirit" or right attitude such as that in the life of Daniel. Paul wrote:

• 1 Corinthians 10:31 – "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
• Philippians 2:14-16 – "Do all things without complaining and disputing,15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain."
• Colossians 3:22-25 – "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality."

It should be noted that the above verses from Philippians come from the context of a call to the Christ-likeness God desires to work in us (Philippians 2:1-13). The verses from Colossians point out that our true and ultimate Employer is God, "you serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:24). When we have that in mind it creates an "excellent spirit" in us, a right attitude that will shine to the lost world around us. Daniel’s devotion to God was practical, he lived it, it was a part of him he couldn’t live without and never entertained the thought of leaving home without it. Is your devotion to God practical, lived, is it visible? Does anyone know about it?

• Daniel 6:5 – "Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

Even the enemies of Daniel had to recognize and admit that He was devoted to God and they could, "not find any charge against this Daniel." They looked at the personal life of Daniel and could see no area where he could be smeared or questioned in his integrity and devotion to God. That’s the way a devoted disciple of God is supposed to be viewed. Daniel’s devotion was undeniable and it shone forth brightly. And this was the case even in the face of his enemies.

Daniel did not shrink back or alter his beliefs in the face of opposition. He did not "compromise" in order to fit into any mode of toleration of sin. When Peter stood before the accusers of Christ on the day of Pentecost, he did not waffle or water down what he knew to be true but he rather spoke courageously and with great boldness the truth about Jesus (Acts 3:12-26). On one occasion in Acts Peter courageously stands before the opposing Sanhedrin and states courageously his devotion to God no matter what. We find this in Acts 5, which states:

• Acts 5:27-29,40-42 – "And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!"29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men. . . . 40 And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."

The apostle Paul was also such a person who was courageously devoted to God. In the book of Acts when Paul is brought before the Roman governor Felix, (who had the power of life and death magistratively) Paul spoke of his blamelessness and devotion to God and he did so courageously and uncompromisingly. Hear his words:

• Acts 24:13-16,20,21 - "Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.14 "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.15 "I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.16 "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.20 "Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council,21 "unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’ "

And supremely this is modeled for us by Jesus who courageously stood His ground and suffered as a substitutionary atoning sacrifice for all mankind (Matthew 26-27; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21). The apostle Peter was simply following the example of Christ of Whom he writes:

• 1 Peter 2:21-23 – "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;"

It was Jesus who stated:

• Matthew 10:28-33 - "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31 "Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

How’s your devotion to God? Is it undeniable? Is it courageous?

• Daniel 6:10-11 – "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God."

If you are glorying in this man Daniel and his devotion you are completely missing the point of the Bible. This man Daniel was old and a sinner just like you and me (Romans 3:23). Daniel was not devoted and honest and great because of any inherent ability or self-discipline. He was not able to rise to the occasion victoriously because of anything he was able to do within himself, in his own strength. No, not at all, Daniel was devoted and great because his devotion to God was prayerful. Prayer is a declaration of dependence on God and Daniel depended on God in all situations and for all things. We have seen that throughout this book when he was tempted to compromise his faith by eating meat offered to idols (1:8); when faced with a question of deciphering a king’s dream (2:20-23, 27-28); when witnessing to a king (4:8-9); and even when in the presence of the judgment of God on a corrupt king (5:17-24). Daniel was able to remain true and devoted to God in all of this, because he was devoted to God in prayer.

Now notice that Daniel knew what plot was devised against him and the consequences in store for him if he didn’t compromise. But none of this stopped him, he purposely opened the windows "toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God" (6:10). He actually praised God for this opportunity to shine God’s light to the lost. He trusted completely in God, come what may. He was confident and courageous and his devotion was practical and powerful, because he depended on God in prayer. God is the one who enables us to be devoted to Him. This is confirmed by the scripture, which states:

• Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13 – "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; . . .12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
• Jude 24 – "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."

Prayer is indispensable for the believer because it brings them into the presence of God. We will see just how important this is later in the study.

• Daniel 6:7,10,20 - "All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. . . .10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. . . 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?" (Emphasis added.)

Daniel’s devotion to God was continual and regular. Daniel was able to exhibit a courageous devotion in the presence of his enemies to a great extent because God regularly nourished him. Daniel was not like many of us who go not only 30 days, but also months and even years without devotional regularity. We let our devotion to God slip and slide until a problem arises. When the problem arises we then have to run to and fro like a nervous Woody Allen character trying to get our spiritual lives in order to face the problem. That’s not the picture we have of Daniel. His enemies knew that thirty days was more than enough to catch this man of prayer praying to his God. Daniel’s devotion to God "was his custom since early days’ and he had never departed from it. Even Darius acknowledged Daniel’s devotional life when he commented about, "your God, whom you serve continually." Because Daniel’s devotion to God was regular, he was ready for any attack from any direction at any time. God watched over him. Isaiah put it this way:

• Isaiah 52:12 – "For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard."
• Isaiah 58:8 – "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard."

Daniel knew that God would take care of him. He knew that God would be his "rear guard" and watch his back so to speak. That gave Him confidence and courageous faith.

• Daniel 6:10 – "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days."

Daniel did not put conditions on his devotion to God. He did not say, "God, I’ll be devoted to You as long as You . . . protect me . . . provide for me . . . as long as You do what I want You to do." Daniel’s devotion was unconditional and uncompromising. Daniel lived by a higher law than that of human government. He submitted to and worked within human government as long as that government did not trespass on what God’s code or word instructed. For Daniel, God’s word was absolute, supreme and no law or penalty could sway him from God’s supreme place in his life. This is something we ought to take to heart. Governments are in place under the sovereign will of God. This is what the Bible teaches in such passages as that which follows:

• John 19:10-11 – "Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?"11 Jesus answered, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."
• Romans 13:1-2 – "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."

Yet when earthly governments conflict with the Kingdom of God and His word, the believer is to obey God rather than men. The King James Bible Commentary states the following in this regard:

"The Christian always lives in a tension between the two competing claims of obedience to the state and obedience to God. The state has a right to demand our respect and conformity. Thus, we are to be in subjection to those in authority over us, not only out of fear and respect, but also out of a good conscience before God. However, the believer dare not blindly bow to the state if his conscience is offended by the wickedness of the state. There may be times when "we ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29; cf. 4:19). Since the state and its magistrate are not infallible, the believer may at times have to conscientiously object to what the state requires that is in direct contradiction to the law of God." (6)

A statute had been put in place, which prohibited Daniel from praying to God, and ordered he pray only to a man. No man made law can prohibit a person from praying and force a person to pray to a man, and Daniel was making a statement to this end when he prayed openly in his upper room.

This situation in Daniel’s life speaks to believers throughout history and even up to today. The book of Acts is filled with examples of believers obeying God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Subsequent history reveals countless numbers of believers who gave their lives in order to follow God’s higher law. Many were thrown to the lions and were not delivered by God, but like the three Hebrews of Daniel 3, no matter what, they would not compromise their relationship with God for any reason (Daniel 3:17-18). When the organized church deviated from God’s word and became corrupted and heretical, men like John Huss, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Luther Zwingli stood firm to God’s word and in some cases gave their lives for their faith. Today government is trying to tighten an ever-narrowing noose around the necks of Christians in particular. A time will come when believers will have to follow God’s higher absolute word and be faced with the world’s opposition. What would you do if the government put padlocks on your church doors because in that church the Bible’s truths regarding homosexuality were deemed as deviant, intolerant and intolerable by the authorities of the land? What would you do if the government enacted laws that were diametrically opposed to God’s absolute word? Would you stand like Daniel and trust in the Lord? Or would you run and hide and isolate yourself from the situation? Where are the Daniels of today?! We need Daniels (and Danielles) to stand up for God’s absolute word in a wishy-washy, anything goes, society that flatly contradicts and blasphemes God and His word on a regular basis. The world preaches toleration unless you believe in absolute truth, and then they become very intolerant.

Daniel had a confident assurance and stood firm in his faith because his devotional contact with God was practical, undeniable, prayerful, continual, and based on God’s absolutes. How’s your devotional life? Is it your life? Is it visible? Is it dependent on God in prayer? It is rooted on the absolute authority and supremacy of God and His word? Is it constant or nonexistent? If it is the later you are putting yourself in great danger of being caught off guard. Be regular in your devotions and God will strengthen you to be courageous no matter what comes your way. And rest assured, everyone will face a den of lions at some point in life, (maybe more than once!)

Daniel 6:16-19 – "So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions."

Even though Darius didn’t want to carry out the sentence required by the scheming statute (6:14), he was bound by his own words. Daniel was cast into the lion’s den. Notice, so vivid and effecting had Daniel’s devotion to God been, that even king Darius now evokes the hopeful statement that, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you." The den was sealed making it dark. Darkness can be frightening, especially if that darkness is shared with a host of starved, hungry, vicious, intimidating lions. Think of it, Daniel was put helplessly in a life-threatening situation where there was no visible means of escape. There was no way out for him, none whatsoever. Or was there?

The world is filled with seemingly hopeless situations. Situations just like the one Daniel found himself in, where there appeared to be no way out and no way to avoid a confrontation with wild beasts or their like. But I don’t see Daniel panicking do you? He doesn’t fret. He doesn’t express any fear. Indeed, we are not given any information about what Daniel felt during that night in the lion’s den. Interestingly, we are told it was Darius who fretted and feared for the life of Daniel and made his way to the den first thing in the morning (6:18-19). But we know what Daniel did don’t we? Daniel must have prayed. And that prayer must have comforted him. He must have prayed for the mouths of the lions to be shut by God. The key is that he prayed. Perhaps some of the psalms came to his mind and he might have prayed:

• Psalm 31:14-16 – "But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake."
• Psalm 34:7 – "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them."

While some have misused the words of Psalm 91, and Satan himself used them to try to tempt Jesus (Matthew 4:10-12), they bear repeating here for possibly Daniel had them in mind when he prayed.

• Psalm 91:11-13 – "For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.12 In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot."

In the New Testament we are told:

• Philippians 4:6-7 – "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
• 1 Peter 5:6-7 – "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Those who sought to eliminate Daniel may have thought he was out to lunch in that den of lions, but Daniel was in good hands, He was in the hands of God his Deliverer. He prayed in that den and that prayer of faith brought him into the presence of His Deliverer.

Daniel 6:20-23 – "And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "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, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."23 Then the king was exceedingly 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 injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God."

When the morning light broke, Darius rushed to the den and called out to Daniel. Darius wasn’t sure if Daniel’s God could deliver. But when Daniel was beckoned he answered revealing the deliverance of His God. As we look at this what might we say Daniel was delivered from?

Daniel showed no sign of resentment or bitterness the morning after his trial. When the king called out to Daniel he said, "O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lion’s mouths" (6:21). Daniel might have responded, "I’m okay king, no thanks to you! You put me in here because of that stupid statute you stupidly signed, but God delivered me, now get me out this minute!" But Daniel did not respond in that way. Why wasn’t Daniel resentful or bitter against the king? Because Daniel had complete trust in God and he figured in faith that whatever trial came upon him, God was in control and God was able to deliver him. Daniel had a complete trust in God that led to his deliverance. His confidence and devotion are seen in the words of the psalmist who wrote:

• Psalm 22:4-5 – "Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed."
• Psalm 40:17 – "But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God."
• Psalm 97:10 – "You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked."

Notice first that the psalmist says that God will and does deliver and so they are not "ashamed." Most bitterness is closely connected to shame. We become angry because we have been shamed and embarrassed, hurt because out integrity has been tarnished. But when we trust in God we need not become bitter because He will deliver and we will not be ashamed.

Notice secondly in these excerpts from psalms, that the psalmist has a sense of his poverty and need and there is a total reliance upon the Lord here. Daniel didn’t have time to be bitter, he was too busy calling out to the Lord and trusting in Him for all things. Don’t let bitterness slow you down in your walk with God. Instead trust Him and see how He will use your trial to glorify Himself.

No mention is ever made of any fear on the part of Daniel during his trial in the lion’s den. He is steadfast in his faith and confidence in God. His accounts are settled and in order with God and whatever His God ordains for him is fine with him. He has lived a good life and fought the good fight, he is in his 80s and if it is time to go home with the Lord, so be it. Perhaps he was recollecting some of the words from the psalms, which state:

• Psalm 18:1-6,17-19,27 – "I will love You, O Lord, my strength.2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.4 The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me.18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support.19 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.27 For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks."

Or perhaps Daniel was remembering the words of Isaiah his prophetic predecessor who wrote:

• Isaiah 43:1-3 – "But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, 1 And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place."

Are you intimidated by the world and fearful of standing boldly for Christ in this dark and dying world? God can and will deliver you from worldly enemies of His gospel. You don’t have to fear witnessing or living righteously out in the open for God. God will deliver you from such fears. But there is another "fear" present in the world today.

There is another kind of "fear of God" in our world today, but it is not a healthy reverential fear of a holy God, it is a mean-spirited, exclusionary fear, revulsion to the name of Jesus. Homosexuals accuse those who stand on God’s Biblical rejection of their lifestyle as homophobic. But those in the world are Christophobic! The world runs scared from the name of Jesus. Mention Jesus and conversations go cold and silent and people are often repulsed. The enemy has worked a fear of even the name of Jesus into the fabric of the world. This fear is sinful and separates humankind from God. Only God can deliver from this type of fear.

God’s deliverance is not only from trials or enemies, but He delivers us from sin and saves us. The psalmist writes:

• Psalm 37:39-40 – "But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.40 And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him."

Later in the New Testament when Jesus instructs the disciples on how to pray, He says in the Lord’s Prayer:

• Matthew 6:13 – "And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Emphasis added.)

Satan’s aim is to separate humankind from God by way of sin and to keep humankind separated from God by sin. God’s desire is to deliver us from such an evil plan. Jesus came to overcome the separation from God caused by sin and to deliver us from this evil world’s grip. In the book of Romans, Jesus is referred to as our Deliverer. In the book of Romans it states:

• Romans 11:26 – "And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;"

Later in Paul’s letter to the Galatians he writes:

• Galatians 1:3-5 – "Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

This is so important for us to see; Jesus is our Deliverer in the sense that He delivers us from the den of sin. When we live in sin we live in darkness like the lion’s den Daniel was in, (which is not to say Daniel was sinful, or that he was thrown in the den of lions because of sin in his life; far from it!). And living in sin exposes us to vicious beastly sinful instruments that only Jesus can deliver us from. Only Jesus can deliver us from such ferocious sinful entities. Satan and sin is at the root of all the lion’s dens in life, but God delivers us through Christ. This is the crux of what is said in the following passages:

• Romans 6:4-7,11-14 – "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. . . .11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
• Ephesians 2:1-9 – "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,9 not of works, lest anyone should boast."

God delivers us from bitterness, fear of our circumstances, fear of Himself. But how does God deliver us from these things?

As we learned in Daniel 3 from the words of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego, God is able to deliver from trials but He also sometimes chooses to deliver us through trials (Daniel 3:17-18). Daniel, like his three friends, did not fear the trial set before them because they had faith in God and believed he was in control. These four did not fear because their life was hid with God (Colossians 3:3). When they stepped into their faith relationship with God, they gave God their lives and as far as they were concerned, God could do with their lives, whatever He wished. But how did God give these four such assurance? Where did they get that confidence? How did He deliver them through the trial He permitted to come into their lives?

Daniel did not fear because he knew God was with him. God delivers us with His presence. He sent His angel to shut the lion’s mouths in the den. He was there with Daniel. God delivers us by coming alongside of us and seeing us through the trial. This is clearly stated numerous times in the Bible. One well known reference to God’s delivering presence is found in psalms which states:

• Psalm 46:1-2 – "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;"

In the New Testament we see references to God as Deliverer, One who accompanies the believer through hard times and trials. When Paul was ministering in the city of Corinth the Lord stood with him to assure him as Paul testified when he said:

• Acts 18:9-10 – "Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent;10 "for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city."

This happened again in the life of Paul when he was attacked in Jerusalem and another time when he was aboard a ship to Rome. God comforted and delivered Paul in and through both these situations as he testifies:

• Acts 23:10-11 – "Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks. 11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
• Acts 27:23-24 - "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,24 "saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’"

Even at the end of his life Paul wrote of this when he said:

• 2 Timothy 4:17 – "But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."

God delivers us from bitterness, fears, and sin, by making His presence known to us. He comes along side of us and strengthens us in the time of need. The Bible tells us that the presence of God dissolves fear. We see this in the following verses which states:

• Hebrews 13:5-6 – "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."6 So we may boldly say: 1 "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

The presence of God in us comes by way of the Holy Spirit who indwells us when we are saved and regenerated from our lostness in sin. The Holy Spirit is referred to by Jesus as our "Helper," "Advocate," or "Comforter." We see this in the following verses:

• John 14:16 - "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever"
• John 14:26 - "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
• John 15:26 - "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me."
• John 16:7 - "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."

The term "Helper," "Advocate," and "Comforter" are translations of the Greek term PARAKLETOS, which literally means, "One called alongside to help." (Strong’s # 3875. paravklhto" parakleµtoás, par-ak´-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler:— advocate, comforter. [7]) The Holy Spirit makes Jesus presence known to us and so, correspondingly we see that Jesus too is referred to as our "Advocate" by the apostle John who states:

• 1 John 2:1 – "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

God comes alongside of us to deliver us from whatever we need to be delivered from. And that is how Daniel was delivered.

In verse 22 of Daniel 6 it states:

• Daniel 6:22 - "My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you." (Emphasis added.)

"His angel," is an interesting response and it ties in with God delivering with His presence. This may refer to merely one of God’s many angelic beings sent to accomplish His task. Or this may refer to what is called a Theophany (a manifestation of God) or Christophany (a likely manifestation of Christ), which is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament. Many times in the Old Testament we see such manifestations of is believed to have been Jesus. The reason we believe that these Old Testament manifestations are Jesus is because the Bible states that no one has seen God at any time (John 1:18). No one has seen God in His fullness as the Father, Son And Holy Spirit. But Jesus is the second Person of the Triune God-head and before He was manifest in the flesh in the New Testament apparently He manifested Himself in Old Testament times on occasion as well. Jesus is eternal as is the Father and therefore we should not think it strange to see hints of Him in the Old Testament before He becomes fully known and revealed in the New Testament. This ties in with what we have said above in that perhaps it was the pre-incarnate Jesus who came alongside Daniel in that lion’s den to deliver Daniel with His presence.

A few instances in the Old Testament of such Theophanies and Christophanies are: To Abraham by Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20); To Hagar by the Angel of the LORD (Genesis 16:7-8); To Jacob in the night (Genesis 32); To Moses (Exodus 24:9ff; 33); To Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15; Judges 2:1); To Isaiah (Isaiah 6); Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-10); To Meshach Shadrach and Abednego (Daniel 3:18,25); and Daniel here in chapter 6.

Did Jesus come alongside Daniel in Daniel 6 and his three Hebrew friends in Daniel 3? I believe and it is my opinion, that it was Jesus who came alongside these exiled believers. And Jesus will come alongside of you to deliver you in whatever trial you are encountering. Only God can fully deliver us. Even a pagan king like Darius could see that.

Daniel 6:24-28 – "And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.25 Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.26 I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. 1 For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end.27 He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian."

This vicious conclusion confirms that those lions were hungry and that the only way Daniel was not eaten was because God had shut their mouths. It also shows that while Darius was impressed with Daniel’s God, he remained in the clutches of paganism, which often punished children for the offenses of their parents (Deuteronomy 24:16). Furthermore, this demonstrates the tremendous impact that Daniel’s devotion to God as his Deliverer had upon unbelievers. Darius came to recognize that the God of Daniel was "living," dominant and everlasting, that Daniel’s God delivered when tested and was "steadfast forever." An added benefit was that Daniel continued to prosper under Darius who had seen this miraculous deliverance. Lastly, notice that Darius view of religion was much the same as Islam in that free will was not incorporated into his belief system. In Islam government and religion is combined and to convert from Islam to another religion is seen as a capitol offense. Pastor Chuck Smith makes the following comment on free will in his teaching on this chapter in Daniel:

"That is quite a decree. You better fear and tremble before Daniel’s God. The problem is righteousness cannot be legislated. You know there are always those today because we object to the filth that they are seeking to dump on us. They say, "O, those right wing Christian fundamentalist. They are trying to force us to live according to their convictions." No, you cannot legislate righteousness. You cannot create laws and force people to be righteous. God did not intend that people be forced to be righteous now.

This is a testing time. God has given a person a free will. And, God wants not a legal relationship with you, but a loving relationship with you . . . . This is the problem with the Muslims in that they have the laws that people are forced to remain in that faith or they can be put to death. It is a capital crime to leave the Muslim faith. It is also a capital crime to convert a Muslim from his faith to another religion. So how do you know that they really love Allah or maybe they are just afraid of the sword? Poor Allah, he really doesn’t know whether they love him or not. He just really doesn’t know period.

But God has given you that free will and he wants you to exercise that free will by choosing to live a righteous life, choosing to live a life of purity, choosing to deny your flesh, to deny yourself, choosing to take up your cross to follow him. I don’t have to love God. I don’t have to serve God. I could live after the flesh. I could pursue the things of the flesh. I could live for pleasure or whatever. I have that choice, but I choose to serve God. I choose to deny myself, to take up the cross and follow Jesus. And, thus my relationship with Him is a loving relationship. And, I am held by the bonds of love, not by the laws, and that is exactly the way God wants it, not a legal relationship, just a loving relationship. I don’t want laws that would force them to live righteously, but I don’t want laws either that forces me to take their filth, for that is not freedom either." (8)

One last point to make here is that if God had delivered Daniel from this trial in the lion’s den completely, king Darius would never have been impacted the way he was and this tremendous decree that witnesses to the glory of God would never have occurred. When we encounter a trial is our first impulse to escape it, or do we prayerfully say, "God’s will be done. LORD glorify Yourself with me"? It is true that God is our Deliverer, but sometimes He chooses to deliver us through the trial rather than from the trial. In all of this, either way, whatever God decides our response should be humble, prayerful, surrendered devotion to God, like Daniel. That is what will make an impact on a lost and dying world. That is the will of God for you, for me.

"John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present--but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station." (9) 

Daniel not only was delivered from the mouths of the ravenous lions in the dark den, but God used this incident to shine the light of who He is into the heart of pagan Darius. Daniel knew god was His Deliverer because he was devoted to God. Daniel was current in his devotion, prayerful and distinctive in his devotion to God and so God used him to impact the world around him. How is your devotion to God? If you were thrown into a lion’s den right now, would you be ready? Such incidents come without warning and the adversary likes nothing better than to strike without notice so as to take us off guard. Can you say with devotion and confidence right now that God is my Deliverer? Could you trust Him to be your Deliverer right now? Daniel knew God was his Deliverer, do you?

(3) Plowman, Edward E., Religion Section - World Magazine, June 17^th, 2000, Volume 15, Number 24, page 61,63.

(4) Corporations Abandon Boys Scouts in Name of 'Diversity', By Susan Jones, CNS Morning Editor, August 25, 2000, (CNSNews.com)

(5) NewsMax.com - Turner Attacks Christianity at U.N. 'Peace Summit' Austin Ruse - Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000

(6) Jerry Falwell, executive editor; Edward E. Hinson and Michael Kroll Woodrow, general editors, KJV Bible Commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1994.

(7) James Strong, New Strong’s Dictionary Of Hebrew And Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1996.

(8) Chuck Smith, Word For Today, Audiotape # 7342 (P.O. Box 8000, Costa Mesa, CA 92628)

(9) Today in the Word, MBI, October, 1991, p. 18