Daniel in the lions' den

King Darius the Mede, in order to better organize his kingdom, decided to set 120 governors to be over his whole kingdom. These governors, in turn, were to answer to three princes; so that King Darius might have no trouble. Among the three princes was an Israelite named Daniel, who was a man who feared God and kept His Commandments. And since Daniel was God’s friend, keeping His Law and praying to God often, he excelled all the princes, and governors. Realizing that Daniel was much better than all his other princes and governors, King Darius decided to set Daniel over all of his kingdom. This, however, made the princes and governors jealous, so they sought to find some reason to get Daniel in trouble. But they found that Daniel was an honest man who kept the law, for those who love God do that. So, they said to each other, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:5) So very craftily they came to the king and said, “King Darius, all the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and governors, the senators, and judges have consulted together, that an imperial decree be published. It is that whosoever shall ask any petition of any god, or man, for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into the lions’ den. Now, therefore, O king, sign the decree, that what is decreed by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor any man be allowed to disobey it.” So king Darius signed the decree and set it forth.

And then King Darius sent out an order to all the people of his kingdom, saying “It is decreed by me, that in all my empire and my kingdom all men shall respect and honor the God of Daniel. For He is the living and eternal God for ever; and His kingdom shall not be destroyed, and His power shall be forever. He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders in heaven, and in earth; He who has delivered Daniel out of the lions’ den.” And Daniel continued serving the king unto the reign of Darius, and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

It is important to see that Daniel, throughout all of this incident, did not fear his enemies at all. He trusted in God completely, knowing that if he did God’s will he need not fear his enemies. Even when he had heard about the law forbidding anyone to pray, he went to his house and opened the windows facing Jerusalem, as he had always done. He did not leave the windows closed out of fear, nor did he pray out in public either. He did what he usually did and trusted in God. And even when he was thrown to the lions, he did not fear, for he knew that he was innocent in the sight of God and the king. And God rewarded his trust, courage, and obedience by preserving him in the lions’ den.

The king then went back to his palace and retired to his bed without eating his dinner. And all that night he couldn’t sleep, for fear that Daniel would not survive the lions. Finally, early in the morning the king arose and went to the lions’ den. And when the king had gotten to the entrance he cried out to Daniel in a lamentable voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve always, been able to deliver you from the lions?” And then the king heard Daniel say to him, “My God has sent his angel, and has shut up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me. For before Him innocence has been found in me; and before you, O king, I have committed no offence.” Upon hearing this, King Darius was overjoyed, and he commanded that Daniel should be taken out of the den. Daniel was then released from the den, and no injury was found on him, because he had trusted in God. After this, Darius was angry with those princes and governors who had tricked him into condemning Daniel to the lions’ den. He then commanded that they be thrown into the lions’ den, along with their children, and their wives. And before they had even reached the bottom of the den, the lions had leapt up and killed them.

Now when Daniel heard that the law was passed he went into his house and opened the windows in his upper chamber towards Jerusalem. And he knelt down three times a day, adoring and giving thanks to God, as he had always done. Then those men, who were carefully watching him, found Daniel praying and making supplication to his God. They then went to the king and told him that Daniel had violated the law by praying to his God three times a day. When King Darius heard this he became very sad, and on behalf of Daniel he did everything that he could to save him from being thrown into the lion’s den. But the princes and governors reminded the king that,“ the law of the Medes and Persians says that no decree which the king has made may be altered.” So King Darius reluctantly commanded that Daniel be brought and thrown into the den of lions. As this was being carried out, the king said to Daniel, “Thy God, who you always serve, will protect thee in the lions’ den.” Then a big stone was rolled in front of the entrance to the lions’ den. The stone was then sealed by King Darius with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, so that no one could go into the den or come out of it.