A Study in Daniel: Trust God in the Lion's Den

How to Thrive in Babylon

Daniel 6:26–27 "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom, people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. 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."            

"In the Bible, wisdom is often associated with trust in and fear of God (Deut 4:6; Prov 1:7)." [1]

Trust God in the Lion's Den

 Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. God often does not deliver us from the pit but meets us in the pit—he joins us in the lion's den and protects us there. No matter what pit you are in, God is with you. If you are in the pit right now and hear roaring lions, know that God is with you in the pit. You are not alone. God may not deliver you from the pit, but he will deliver you from the pit.

Amazingly, King Darius called Daniel "the servant of the living God" (20b). The word "living" contrasts God with the dead idols of Babylon. Darius knew that Daniel continually served the living God. Do people know that about you? Would they say that you continually serve God? 

Daniel was lifted from the den with no wounds. I love the last line of 6:23: "Because he had trusted in his God." Here is the third character trait that we should emulate. Daniel confidently trusted in the God who is bigger than hungry lions. No matter what hungry lions threaten to eat you, trust God to shut their mouths.

In the final scene, Darius commanded everyone to fear and revere the true God. Our living eternal God deserves worship because he rescues his people. God endures forever. His kingdom will never end. He rescues, and he saves.

We can faithfully live for God in Babylon by working with exceptional quality, even in the face of political pressure because God is bigger than political enemies; by regularly praying to God even against legal pressure, because God is bigger than unjust laws; and by confidently trusting God with quiet confidence, even when facing lions, because God is bigger than hungry lions. We can live faithfully in Babylon because we worship the living, eternal God who rescues his people.

Read more in "Big God in a Chaotic World: A Study in Daniel".

[1] Shields, Martin A. "Wisdom." Ed. John D. Barry et al. The Lexham Bible Dictionary 2016: n. page. Print.