Daniel in the Lion

Daniel in the Lion's Den
Daniel 6

After Darius took the kingdom from Belshazzar, he made Daniel a president, and he was preferred above everyone else because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king wanted to put him in charge of the whole kingdom. But the other presidents and princes wanted to find something against Daniel, but they could find no error or fault in Daniel. And they knew that if they were going to find anything wrong with Daniel, it would have to do with the law of God.

And so the men got together and went to the king, and asked for a royal law that if anyone asked a petition of God or man, except the king, for 30 days, he would be thrown into a den of lions. And so the King signed the new law.

But when Daniel knew that the law was signed, he went into his house, and kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he always had done. And the men found Daniel praying to his God.

So they came to the king and said "Haven't you signed a law that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within 30 days should be cast into the den of lions?" And when the king said yes, they answered "That Daniel, does not regard you O king, or your decree. But he prays three times a day."

Then the king, when he heard those words was very unhappy and wanted to spare Daniel and he tried all day to save him. But the men told the king that no law which the king signed could be changed. And so the king commanded that Daniel be thrown into the den of lions, but first he said "Your God who you serve continually, will deliver you."

And a stone was brought and put over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own seal, so that it could not be moved. And the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and could not sleep. And very early the next morning he hurried to the den of lions. And when he got there he cried with a very sad voice "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, who you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?" And Daniel answered "O king, live for ever. My God has sent his angel, and has shut the mouths of the lions, so that they have not hurt me. For before Him I was found innocent, and also before you O king, I have done no wrong."

And the king was very, very happy for Daniel, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den, and there was no harm done to him because he believed in his God. And the king commanded and they brought the men which had accused Daniel, and they were thrown into the den of lions, and they all were killed by the lions.

Then king Darius wrote to all people "Peace be multiplied to you. I make a rule, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast forever, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivers and rescues, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Memory Verse: Daniel 6:10 "Daniel....kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had always done."

Questions:
1 Why did the men want to find something wrong with Daniel?
2 What did Daniel do when he found out about the rule not to pray?
3 What did the king say when Daniel was thrown into the lion's den?
4 How was Daniel protected from the lions?

Answers:
1 Because the king wanted to put Daniel in charge over the whole kingdom
2 He got down on his knees and prayed to God three times a day as he had always done
3 He said that God would deliver him because he served God continually
4 God sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths.

Vicki C. Gross/Feb'03