The story found in Daniel 6 is one of my favorites, and probably one that most people have heard at some time or another. It is the story of Daniel being thrown into the lions' den. King Darius was influenced to make an official decree that no one was to pray to anyone or anything other than King Darius for thirty days; egos can make us do some really stupid things.
Well, ol' Darius passed the decree and, of course, Daniel did not stop praying to and worshiping the One, True GOD. The administrators who convinced Darius to pass the decree immediately went and told on Daniel, and reminded the King that the punishment for not following the decree was to be thrown into the lions' den. As much as Darius hated to do it, he had to follow his own decree; he had Daniel thrown into the lions' den.
Today's word is Daniel 6:22, NIV, which is the morning after Daniel spent the night in the lions' den, and reads, "My GOD sent His angel, and he shut the mouth of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight..."
Darius hadn't slept well the night before, if he slept at all. The story tells us that he spent the evening fasting. Early the next morning, Darius went to the lions' den to see if Daniel had made it. Don't you know he expected to find nothing left of Daniel. In verse 20 of Daniel 6, Darius asks if Daniel, servant of the living GOD, had been rescued. And, he had.
Daniel's faithfulness was rewarded by GOD'S protection. Yet, that isn't the end of the story. GOD protecting Daniel had such a profound effect on ol' King Darius that he issued a new decree that all his kingdom was to worship the GOD of Daniel, the GOD that Daniel worshiped. GOD'S protection of Daniel in the lions' den ended up protecting countless others from an eternity in hell. GOD is truly the Great Protector.
Be Blessed,
Mickey T
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