Recap from last week: The Babylonian Empire conquered Judah and started deporting Jews to Babylon. Daniel and his friends were among the bright young Jews King Nebuchadnezzar brought to live in his palace. They were pampered and educated in the Babylonian ways, then given leadership positions in their government in hopes that they would influence their people to submit to Babylonian rule. They were very tempted to compromise on what they knew was right and conform to this new world’s way of living, but Daniel and his friends stayed faithful to God and what they knew was right.
Daniel actually served three different kings. First Nebuchadnezzar, then his successor King Belshazzar. After that the Persian empire came in and conquered the Babylonians, and Daniel served their ruler Darius.
There are some incredible stories in the first half of the book of Daniel - I highly recommend you read them this week. But we’re going to focus on Daniel’s most famous triumph in the Lion’s Den, which takes place near the end of his life when he was serving Darius.
If you read Daniel 6:1-9 you see that the king’s advisors were jealous of Daniel because he was so successful and had put in control of the entire kingdom. They wanted to get rid of him but could find no fault because he was so faithful. However, they knew his first allegiance was to God and that he would only break the law of the land if it interfered with God’s law. (Remember what happened when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were commanded to bow to the image? They refused.) So they tricked Darius into issuing a decree that, once put into law, could not be revoked, even by the king himself. The decree said that if anyone worshipped a man or god other than the king for 30 days they would be thrown into the lion’s den.
Someone who didn’t know anything about Daniel might be surprised that he went home after hearing the edict, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and continued openly praying three times a day as was his custom. But we know that Daniel has consistently put God first in his life. He has strong integrity - a strong moral center, and the way he acts, especially in regard to his faith, is always consistent. Daniel is obedient in every circumstance and crisis. His obedience is an expression of God’s lordship in His life. God was always number one in his life and he made that clear by his actions. That is what we strive for in our relationship with God - to have good integrity and always be consistent in our commitment and obedience to the Lord. As we discussed last week, doing what God asks us to is the greatest way we can show Him that we truly love Him.
The king was distressed when he realized he had been tricked and must throw his faithful servant to the lions. But he trusted that the God Daniel served would save him. Sure enough, and angel was sent to shut the mouths of the lions so he was not harmed.
His faith got him into trouble, but then it saved him in the end. Daniel was spared because he was innocent before both God and man. The fact is that our life will be difficult if we’re genuinely trying to follow in Christ’s footsteps. People won’t understand and will try to tear us down in any way they can. But God promises that if we’re faithful, He will be with us and bring us through the trial for His Glory. That’s exactly what happened here. Not only was Daniel miraculously saved from the mouths of the lions, but a pagan King witnessed the power of the One true God and praised Him before the entire kingdom!
Key Verse: “Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world.” ~ 1 Peter 2:12
I think the story of Daniel really speaks to people because we can relate to the challenges he faced. Regardless of how sheltered our upbringing is or how often we go to church, there comes a time when we will be thrust out into an unbelieving world. You’ll be faced with many difficult choices. Will you obey God regardless of the consequences, or will you become part of the surrounding culture?
I like what Douglas Connelly wrote in his Bible Study guide on Daniel: “Daniel was a man who rose to a position of great influence and prestige in the world system, but who never compromised essential Biblical principles. He shows us how to live a life of integrity in the crush of a secular world. Anyone who has been tempted to give in to the world’s pressures can learn a lot from him.”
Discussion Questions to Ponder:
Do you understand what we mean by integrity?
Dictionary definition: Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.
When we talk about someone having integrity, it means that they are both morally upright, and honest. They always act the same, no matter what happens or who they are with, because they have nothing to hide. In Daniel’s case, he always put God first and honored His commands, no matter the consequences.
Have you ever acted differently depending on who you’re around, or known someone who does? What do you think about those types of people? Why is it important to have integrity?
We saw in this story that Daniel did the right thing and honored God in a tough situation. But that’s when he was 80 years old and had walked with God for a very long time. Let’s take a look at what happened when he was tested as a teenager.
Quickly read through Daniel 1:3-15.
What was Daniel being asked to do this time that was contrary to God’s law?
Eating food that was forbidden to the Jews and defiling his body.
How did he handle this initial test?
(Note the fact that he not only stuck to his guns and did the right thing, but that he was respectful in his refusal. He didn’t yell and make a scene, calling the Babylonians heathens for the things they eat. He simply asked to be able to honor his God and prove with his actions why this was the best thing for him. God is love and cares about all people, and we need to represent Him well, even when sticking up for ourselves.)
Compare Daniel’s actions in this chapter to what happened with the lion’s den. What do you think it took for Daniel to live such a consistent life of obedience to God for more than 70 years in the corrupt society of Babylon?
What are some of the ways you’ve been tempted to compromise and conform to the ways of the world? What are the consequences of giving in to this pressure?
If you were being watched as Daniel was, what changes (if any) would you want to make in your present lifestyle?
How has Daniel encouraged you to be a more Christlike example to those around you?
What can you learn from Daniel’s experience that will help you trust God even in the face of the threat of punishment for your obedience to God?
PRAY: Ask God to show you areas where your personal integrity needs to be strengthened. Encourage them to follow up with an obedient response this week.
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