DANIEL IN THE LION’S DEN
The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is a famous biblical account found in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible. Daniel was a Jewish captive in Babylon during the reign of King Darius.
King Darius appointed Daniel as one of the three administrators who oversaw the kingdom. However, the other administrators became jealous of Daniel’s success and plotted to find a way to bring him down.
They knew that Daniel was a man of great faith and devotion to God, so they convinced King Darius to pass a law that prohibited anyone from praying to any god or human except for the king himself. The punishment for breaking this law was to be thrown into a den of lions.
Despite the threat of punishment, Daniel continued to pray to God three times a day, just as he had always done. The other administrators caught him breaking the law and brought him before King Darius.
The king was deeply troubled because he liked Daniel and did not want to see him punished. But he could not revoke his own law, so he ordered that Daniel be thrown into the lion’s den.
Before being thrown into the den, Daniel told King Darius, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” The king was filled with hope that Daniel’s God would indeed save him.
The next morning, King Darius rushed to the den of lions and called out to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
To the king’s great relief, Daniel replied, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
King Darius was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted out of the den. The other administrators who had plotted against Daniel were then thrown into the lion’s den and were immediately devoured.
The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is a testament to Daniel’s faith in God and God’s faithfulness in protecting his people even in the face of danger. It serves as a reminder to trust in God, even in the most difficult circumstances.
