It looked like it was over for Daniel. Lights out. He was going to die this time. All from a malicious trap.
Daniel was made a leader and it was a bittersweet place to be. It was good because he could influence the nation he was held captive in with righteous dealings. And it was bad because his co-workers despised and hated that a foreigner, a conquered enemy, would rule over them. I get it. Who wouldn’t?
So his co-workers set a trap for him. They asked the king to make a 30 day decree: Make it so that no one is allowed to pray to any god or man except to the king in the next 30 days. Secured by the Law of the Medes and Persians that was irrevocable.
They did so and in it they trapped Daniel. He had prayed 3x per day on his knees every day of his life, and this decree wasn’t going to change a thing. Even if it cost his life.
His accusers then caught him and dragged him before the king. King Darius lamented having to do anything but couldn’t find a way around it. The law was the law. And Daniel was thrown into the pit with the lions.
The next morning Darius went to the lion pit and lo and behold, Daniel had survived the night. The Lord had delivered him. And Darius praised the God of Daniel and decreed that all people fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
There’s so much richness here.
- Daniel had rhythms of the soul that kept him through good times, bad times, and life-threatening times. This was the rhythm of prayer. And so I ask, do I have such rhythms in place?
- Daniel was maliciously accused. That’s the nature of persecution. But God redeemed the situation for his great glory.
- On the other side of severe hardship oftentimes is glory. Whether we die, or whether we live and God redeems the situation.
- Daniel was never in the place he wanted to be. But he served God well. And God was with him in the hardship, even though he didn’t deliver him from the hardship. Sometimes, we/I need to hear this. His answer is not always deliverance, but that He will always be with us.