DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN
DANIEL 6: 16 - 28
(16) So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"
(17) A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed. (18) Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
( 19) At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. (20) When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
(21) Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! (22) 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, O king."
(23) The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
(24) At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
(25) Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land:
"May you prosper greatly!
(26) I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
"For He is The Living God
and He endures forever;
His kingdom will not be destroyed,
His dominion will never end.
(27) He rescues and He saves;
He performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions."
(28) So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (NIV)
LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY
Even unbelievers witnessed Daniel's consistency. By his continual service, Daniel had demonstrated his faithful devotion to God. What can unbelievers determine about your life?
The man or woman who trusts in God and obeys His will is untouchable until God takes him or her. To trust God is to have immeasurable peace. God, who delivered Daniel, will deliver you. Do you trust him with your life?
Be faithful to God so He can use you to make an impact on others.
H.A. IRONSIDE COMMENTARY
Dr. Ironside teaches us that this chapter of Daniel points to another event that is drawing near, when we will have one who will magnify himself above all that is called God and is worshiped, so that he shall sit in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. He will make a decree that prayer and worship shall be addressed to him alone. Details will be revealed in chapter 11.
He stresses that God's word has distinctly foretold the re-gathering of the Jews to Palestine, though at first in unbelief, and that out of the whole company a remnant will be taken up in grace and turned to the Lord. The mass will own the claims of the wilful one, who will pose as their Messiah, while the remnant will be distinguished by their unyielding opposition to his decrees, and therefore, as in the case of Daniel in this chapter, will be called upon to pass through a period of severe testing, designated in both Testaments as the tribulation. But out of it all they shall eventually emerge in triumph, through the power of God, and they shall see visited upon their enemies the desolation and destruction which they had thought to visit upon this faithful remnant.
Dr. Ironside speaks of the return of the Jews to Israel referenced in Isaiah chapter 11. This chapter tells of the return of the Jew the second time. The first time was when they came up from the dominions of Cyrus and Artaxerxes, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. He further references chapter 8 of Isaiah for the "how" they will be returned. The 13th chapter of Jeremiah corroborates the word of Isaiah.
Chapter 24 of Isaiah reveals a fuller description of the "time of Jacob's trouble", the great tribulation, when the remnant Jews will be tried and tested as Daniel in the lions' den. The first thirteen verses picture the land of Palestine as it will be in those days of distress. Then, notice verse 13: "when thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea." Here is the remnant distinguished from the mass; instead of being overwhelmed with despair because of their sorrows when cast, as it were, into the lions' den, they lift up their voices in song, like Daniel glorifying the God of heaven.
Dr. Ironside points to the destruction of Jerusalem in Luke 21 "...and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled". (verse 20, 24) Jerusalem's rehabilitation awaits, then, the falling of the Stone upon the feet of the Gentile image; for that will conclude the Gentile Times. As long as the Jew is not master in Palestine the Times of the Gentiles are running on. But the fullness of the Gentiles, as the context in this chapter makes clear, is an expression referring to spiritual blessing, not national nor temporal. This fullness will have come in when the message of the gospel has accomplished the purpose for which it was given, and God has completed His present work of taking out from among the Gentiles a people for His name. In other words, the fullness of the Gentiles and the rapture of the Church are coincidental.
At the fullness of the Gentiles and the close of the Times of the Gentiles there will be a time period, in which the great bulk of prophecy will have its fulfilment. This is the period designated in Daniel "the Time of the End." The chart below will make clear its proper position. The line running across the chart beneath the parenthetic portion, which represents the present age, sets forth the fullness of the Gentiles. The line below, immediately above the inscription concerning the kingdom, represents the close of the Times of the Gentiles. Between these two lines we have the Time of the End; and it is then that the conversion and testing of the Remnant will take place.
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Dr. Ironside speaks of the return of the Jews to Israel referenced in Isaiah chapter 11. This chapter tells of the return of the Jew the second time. The first time was when they came up from the dominions of Cyrus and Artaxerxes, in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. He further references chapter 8 of Isaiah for the "how" they will be returned. The 13th chapter of Jeremiah corroborates the word of Isaiah.
Chapter 24 of Isaiah reveals a fuller description of the "time of Jacob's trouble", the great tribulation, when the remnant Jews will be tried and tested as Daniel in the lions' den. The first thirteen verses picture the land of Palestine as it will be in those days of distress. Then, notice verse 13: "when thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea." Here is the remnant distinguished from the mass; instead of being overwhelmed with despair because of their sorrows when cast, as it were, into the lions' den, they lift up their voices in song, like Daniel glorifying the God of heaven.
Dr. Ironside points to the destruction of Jerusalem in Luke 21 "...and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled". (verse 20, 24) Jerusalem's rehabilitation awaits, then, the falling of the Stone upon the feet of the Gentile image; for that will conclude the Gentile Times. As long as the Jew is not master in Palestine the Times of the Gentiles are running on. But the fullness of the Gentiles, as the context in this chapter makes clear, is an expression referring to spiritual blessing, not national nor temporal. This fullness will have come in when the message of the gospel has accomplished the purpose for which it was given, and God has completed His present work of taking out from among the Gentiles a people for His name. In other words, the fullness of the Gentiles and the rapture of the Church are coincidental.
At the fullness of the Gentiles and the close of the Times of the Gentiles there will be a time period, in which the great bulk of prophecy will have its fulfilment. This is the period designated in Daniel "the Time of the End." The chart below will make clear its proper position. The line running across the chart beneath the parenthetic portion, which represents the present age, sets forth the fullness of the Gentiles. The line below, immediately above the inscription concerning the kingdom, represents the close of the Times of the Gentiles. Between these two lines we have the Time of the End; and it is then that the conversion and testing of the Remnant will take place.
MY THOUGHTS
It looks like King Darius was fasting when he discovered that he had targeted God's representative for death. He may not have labeled his time of despondency as fasting, but when we have a troubling issue that we take before God, sometimes we don't eat or seek entertainment. I wonder if the king might have prayed to Daniel's God.
What about you? Do you trust God as your Heavenly Father Who loves you and cares for you as a cherished child? You can. To learn how, click here: https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html.
What about you? Do you trust God as your Heavenly Father Who loves you and cares for you as a cherished child? You can. To learn how, click here: https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html.
You are also invited to visit Oma at http://omaspolitics.blogspot.com and http://omaslife.blogspot.com.
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