"Just As He Had Done Before"

Joshua's Illustration

I love the story of Daniel! I just read chapter 6 of the book of Daniel to the kids in our school time. The faithfulness of Daniel is an incredible testimony to the hearts and minds of our children, and to me again. Here he was, a captive carried into a foreign land, hated by his "competition", faced with a horrible death because of an unjust decree by the king, and yet verse 10 says this:

          Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

For Daniel, nothing had changed!! It didn't matter what any man did, what rules or laws were made, where he lived, who was in charge. What matters is his God is Sovereign. Our God is Sovereign. No matter who holds office or what law governs this land, we still serve the Ruler of the Universe and that never changes. Not one iota. Daniel was so focused on honoring God that he was like a tree 

. . . planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (Psalm 1:3)

Elizabeth's Illustration

 (That's an angel in the background)

Because of Daniel's unwavering faith, King Darius, as he was having Daniel thrown into the den of lions declared: "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!" This is from the man who had just declared himself the only object of an entire kingdom's worship and adoration. He recognized the difference between what he had just demanded of his subjects and what Daniel offered to his God.

After the king's sleepless, restless night it says: "At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den." Can you imagine what was going through his mind? I like this guy! He recognized the extraordinary nature of the events he had set in motion. This king, who possessed the power of life and death over his subjects, was running to see if Daniel's God was Worthy. Was this unseen God truly deserving of the complete devotion offered him by Daniel, a man the king already held in the highest possible honor?

Rebekah's Illustration

 (That's a cave behind the rock Daniel is sitting on praying. There are lots of eyes peering out of the cave.)

"Anguished" is the adjective used to describe the cry that escaped the king's lips as he arrived at the mouth of the den: "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" Living God? He was already convinced that Daniel's God was bigger than anything he knew. Imagine that split second as he awaited the answer. Could it really be true? Could there be a God THAT powerful? The foundations on which he had built his entire life were crumbling. Everything he thought he knew was about to be forever changed!

Daniel 6:21: Daniel answered, "O King, live forever! 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."

It goes on to say the king was overjoyed! Overjoyed? Do you realize what that means? He humbled himself as king of a nation before the God of a man from a nation he had conquered and carried into captivity as a slave. This king had found something so profound that it changed everything and he was overjoyed!! Not only did he throw Daniel's accusers into the lions' den, he threw their wives and children in as well. It says "before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones." But the king didn't stop there!

Daniel 6:25-27 says this: Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land:  "May you prosper greatly! 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. 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."

Powerful testimony from a new believer! I like this guy!!

Ben's Illustration 
(Darius is running to the den yelling, "Daniel, Daniel, Daniel!" 
Daniel answers, "Yes, yes!")