Daniel and the Lion's Den

Daniel 6 contains one of the best known and most loved children’s stories in the Bible. It is the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. This story may be so well liked because its message is so simple that a child can understand it. In fact, there are two easy lessons to take from this passage – one that is often taught in Sunday school and one that is more applicable to adults.

Daniel 5 encountered the writing on the wall and closed with the fall of the Babylonian empire. This didn’t leave a void in leadership but rather it was immediately filled by the Medes and Persians who had conquered all of Babylon. Daniel continues to serve in a position of high authority just as he had under Nebuchadnezzar even though he is an old man by this point.

Daniel is so diligent in his work that King Darius is about to appoint him over all of the land. This arouses jealousy among the others close to the king and they conspire against him. They quickly discover that his ethics are unassailable. They will not be able to trap him because of negligence or malfeasance. Instead they realize that they only way that they will be able to trap him is by using his worship of God against him.

These men go to King Darius and advise him to issue a decree that to have all men pray to him for the next 30 days. Darius falls for the trap and issues the decree. Unlike in the Babylonian Empire where Nebuchadnezzar could change his mind of a whim, once something was written into law it was unchangeable. This was one of the ways in which the Medo-Persian Empire was inferior to the Babylonian Empire and a fulfillment to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Daniel is not deterred by this new law however and continues to pray to God just as he always has. It is not long before the trap is sprung and Daniel is caught in it. According to the law that could not be changed, he must be cast into the lion’s den. Darius realizes that he has been tricked but not even he could do anything to save Daniel and issues the order to throw Daniel in. But he also offers up a pray and hope that God would save Daniel.

The next morning Darius arrives at the lion’s den at dawn and calls out to Daniel. This is the response of a man who expected that Daniel’s God would save him, not of a man who expected to wake up to discover that his most trusted official had been ripped to shreds. Darius has placed his faith in God!

Daniel is most certainly safe and has not been harmed in any way. Not even the fall into the lion’s den has hurt the 80 year old man. The lesson that children often learn from this story is to trust God for safety and that God is powerful enough to save someone like Daniel.

The lesson that adults should learn is to stick to righteous principles no matter what the cost. Daniel knew the decree and the punishment for not following it but he didn’t compromise his morals. Daniel was willing to sacrifice his life to do what was right. We too must be willing to stand up for what is right no matter what the cost.