Delivered From the Lions
DELIVERED FROM THE LION’S DEN
(Text version)
In the Bible days there was an honorable man named Daniel. God made Daniel very smart and he had wonderful abilities in the way he thought and the way he talked. He worked for king Darius because Daniel was so trustworthy and smart. The king made Daniel a boss over 120 governors that were putting the kingdom in order. The king was also thinking about promoting him over his whole kingdom!
Because Daniel was so favored by God and by the king, this made the governors jealous. They conspired against Daniel but couldn’t find anything wrong with Daniel! Daniel was very faithful, trustworthy and performed his job without fault. So they came up with a plan to use Daniel’s faithfulness against him.
The governors went to king Darius and suggested that he should make a law that for 30 days, if anyone who asks something from any god outside of asking the king should be cast into the den of lions! The king thought that was a good idea and signed it as a law.
When Daniel heard of the law, he continued to pray and give thanks to God 3 times a day. The governors saw Daniel do this through his opened window. They immediately went to the king with this news.
When the king heard, he was upset with himself, realizing a trap had been set against his most favored servant! All day long he worked on ideas of how to deliver Daniel from this terrible trick. He had no ideas because the law was that if kings make a decree it cannot be undone!
He called Daniel and told him of this and said, “Your God that you faithfully serve shall deliver you from the lion’s den!” Daniel was taken to the den and a stone was put at the cave opening. The king sealed the stone with melted wax and put his ring symbol into the hot wax proving that the law must not be changed.
Oh the king was miserable! He did not eat, no soothing music was brought to him, and he did not sleep all night long!
Very early in the morning he ran quickly to the lion’s den.
The king cried out, “Oh Daniel, Daniel! You are a servant of the living God! Has He whom you faithfully serve delivered you from the lions?”
Daniel responded, “Oh king live forever. My God sent His angel! The angel shut the lion’s mouths and they did not hurt me at all. This is because I was innocent and did no wrong.”
The king was so happy! King Darius commanded that Daniel be taken out of the den and instead, all those who had accused Daniel (and their families) were cast into the lion’s den and were no more.
The king wrote a new law that all in his kingdom would tremble and fear before Daniel’s God, for He is the living God and not just a statue. God’s kingdom would not be destroyed and He would reign forever! The king declared that Daniel’s God delivers and rescues, works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth! He has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions!
Daniel was promoted over king Darius’s whole kingdom and Daniel prospered for he was proved to be trusted and faithful.
