Daniel 6:16-24

A Testimony from a Lions’ Den

Introduction: One definition of a testimony is a public declaration regarding a religious experience; evidence in support of a fact or assertion; one old church mother said it was what you had after God brought you through a test.  The first 6 chapters of Daniel has been considered as the strictly historical section of the book of Daniel.  The purpose of this sermon is to encourage the saints to look for a testimony in each of your tests.  In this familiar and well-known story of the bible I must give some background.  Daniel has lived to see three kings in power: Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and Darius.  Daniel had an unmovable allegience to God.  Daniel had position under Darius the Mede.  Under Darius, Daniel had seniority and superiority because of the Spirit that was in Daniel.  In fact, he was next to Darius in position.  J. Vernon Magee said, “One thing is for sure:  when you find yourself the number one man in any position—whether it be in church, politics, in school, or even in the home—you are the one who will be watched by those who have a jealous spirit.”  And so it was with Daniel.  (vv.4-9) In these verses his colleagues are turning against him.  They cannot find any dirt on him so they flatter the king in to signing a decree that for the next 30 days if anyone asks a petition of any God or man shall be cast into the den of lions.  And the king signed it.  After Daniel heard it…he went to his same routine of opening his windows toward Jerusalem and getting on his knees and continued to talk to God.  The entourage saw him and virtually said, “We got him.”  They had Darius in a corner and even with his looking for loopholes in his decree he could find none and had to follow through.  In this den there were lions and they were fierce and not toothless.  They king has a sleepless night and he goes to the den where Daniel had been thrown in.  And it is at this point that we get the testimony from the lions’ den.

I.  Testimony of the Power of God (v.20-21, cp. v.16)

·         This experienced power was preceded by prayer

·         To speak of the power of God is to speak of the omnipotence of God.  To have power is to have ability to do things.  By Daniel’s response while in the lions’ den is testimony to that fact that God has power. 

·         Daniel trusted in this powerful God before the test.

·         The same God who demonstrated his power with Moses and the others at the Red Sea.

II.  Testimony of the Presence of God (v.22a)

·         Note that with his power comes His presence.

·         God sent his angel (his messenger); Ps. 91:1,11,12 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…for he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.  They shall bear thee up…lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

·         Illustr.: The Hebrew Boys and the fiery furnace experience…an angel was there.

·         The song writer said, “ All night, all day…the angels keep watching over me…my Lord…”

·         I would rather be in a den of lions with the presence of God than outside the den of lions without God’s presence.

III.  Testimony of the Protection of God (v. 22b-23)

·         Further note, with his presence comes His protection

The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves. On the night of a boy's thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test. He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone. Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and the tribe. But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away. When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of thick woods and he was terrified! Every time a twig snapped, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce. After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest. Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of the path. Then, to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow. It was his father. He had been there all night long.