Daniel in the Lion's Den
Introduction
Daniel’s story takes place between 605 and 540
B.C. As a teenager, he was captured in Jerusalem and taken to Babylon. He was a slave in the court of
King Nebuchadnezzar In his lifetime, he would serve three kings and
become a trusted adviser to all of them.
Daniel was considered a prophet because the book
he wrote contains detailed prophecy about the times following him and the
coming of the Messiah and the end times described in the Book of Revelation.
Step I: Go to
Bible Gateway and read The Message version (see link below) or use your own
Bible to read the story of Daniel in the Lion's Dean.
This story is about the prophet Daniel who has been taken captive
to Babylon. As he grows older, he
has found favor with the king, but he still has enemies. You'll find this story
in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 6.
Go here to read it in The
Message version at Bible
Gateway. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=dan%206;&version=65;
Step 2: After you read the story, answer these questions:
1. Why are some people plotting against Daniel?
2. Describe the character of Daniel. What kind of a person is he? (Write several sentences.)
3. What does Daniel get into trouble for doing?
Have you ever gotten into trouble for doing
the RIGHT thing? If so, explain.
4. A colloquialism is an expression that is used by a
particular culture to express an idea in a colorful way. For example, if I said,
"You are pulling my leg," I really mean you are teasing me. Find 2 colloquialisms in The Message version of this story and write them
down.
a.
b.
5. Look at the famous painting of Daniel in the Lion's Den by Rubens. Describe the facial
expression of Daniel in this painting. What seems unusual about the den itself?
You can view the painting here. http://www.abcgallery.com/R/rubens/rubens1.html
6.
What did Daniel, Ruth, and Esther have in common besides their ethnic
background? In other words, what was similar about their character?
Explain.
Daniel 6
Daniel in the Lions' Den
1-3
Darius reorganized his kingdom. He appointed one hundred twenty governors to
administer all the parts of his realm. Over them were three vice-regents, one
of whom was Daniel. The governors reported to the vice-regents, who made sure
that everything was in order for the king. But Daniel, brimming with spirit and
intelligence, so completely outclassed the other vice-regents and governors
that the king decided to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.
4-5 The
vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal or skeleton in
Daniel's life that they could use against him, but they couldn't dig up
anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy. They could find no evidence
of negligence or misconduct. So they finally gave up and said, "We're
never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up
something religious." 6-7 The vice-regents and governors conspired together and then went to the king and said, "King Darius, live forever! We've convened your vice-regents, governors, and all your leading officials, and have agreed that the king should issue the following decree:
For the next thirty days no one is to pray to any god or mortal except you, O king. Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into the lions' den.
8 "Issue this decree, O king, and make it unconditional, as if written in stone like all the laws of the Medes and the Persians."
9 King Darius signed the decree.
10 When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward
11-12 The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help. They went straight to the king and reminded him of the royal decree that he had signed. "Did you not," they said, "sign a decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god or man except you for the next thirty days? And anyone caught doing it would be thrown into the lions' den?"
"Absolutely," said the king. "Written in stone, like all the laws of the Medes and Persians."
13 Then they said, "Daniel, one of the Jewish exiles, ignores you, O king, and defies your decree. Three times a day he prays."
14 At this, the king was very upset and tried his best to get Daniel out of the fix he'd put him in. He worked at it the whole day long.
15 But then the conspirators were back: "Remember, O king, it's the law of the Medes and Persians that the king's decree can never be changed."
16 The king caved in and ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions' den. But he said to Daniel, "Your God, to whom you are so loyal, is going to get you out of this."
17 A stone slab was placed over the opening of the den. The king sealed the cover with his signet ring and the signet rings of all his nobles, fixing Daniel's fate.
18 The king then went back to his palace. He refused supper. He couldn't sleep. He spent the night fasting.
19-20 At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?"
21-22 "O king, live forever!" said Daniel. "My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of the lions so that they would not hurt me. I've been found innocent before God and also before you, O king. I've done nothing to harm you."
23 When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn't a scratch on him. He had trusted his God.
24 Then the king commanded that the conspirators who had informed on Daniel be thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. Before they hit the floor, the lions had them in their jaws, tearing them to pieces.
25-27 King Darius published this proclamation to every race, color, and creed on earth:
Peace to you! Abundant peace!
I decree that Daniel's God shall be worshiped and feared
in all parts of my kingdom.
He is the living God, world without end. His kingdom
never falls.
His rule continues eternally.
He is a savior and rescuer.
He performs astonishing miracles in heaven and on earth.
He saved Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 From then on, Daniel was treated well during the reign of Darius, and also in the following reign of Cyrus the Persian.
