A NAP WITH LIONS (Daniel 6)

The Need for Conviction

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   We have all heard the story since we were children.

Some of us sang a VBS song reminding us of this event.

 

B.   The event happened because some individuals were jealous, yea, envious of one man, a Hebrew named Daniel.

 

C.   The title of the lesson reveals the event, “A Nap with Lions.” 

1.    Most of the time, the story is known by the name “Daniel in the Lion’s Den.”

2.    The account is found in Daniel 6.

 

D.   Again, we are going to focus our attention on one quality that his young man of God possessed and demonstrated while living in Babylonian captivity.

 

I.             THE BACKGROUND OF THE EVENT

 

A.   Daniel was taken into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchadnezzar. 

 

B.   He was made part of the royal court and lived to see many kings come and go.

 

C.   In Daniel 6, Babylon had fallen and Darius the Median was the ruler and divided the kingdom into regions.

1.    He set over the kingdom 120 princes (Dan. 6:1).

2.    Over the princes were three presidents (Dan. 6:2).

3.    Daniel was the first and the preferred of the three presidents (Dan. 6:2-3).

4.    “…and the king thought to set him over the whole realm” (Dan. 6:3).

 

D.   This did not set well with the 2 presidents and the princes.

1.    They sought to find occasion against Daniel (Dan. 6:4).

2.    “…but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful…” (Dan. 6:4).

3.    These men came to realize the only way they could find fault with Daniel was to “find it against him concerning the law of his God” (Dan. 6:5).

a.    They knew Daniel was a Jew.

b.    They knew that he was a monotheist, that is, he believed and worship only one God.

c.    They also knew about Daniel’s spiritual habits, especially with regard to his regular prayer life.

d.    Thus, they went to the king and asked him to make a decree “that whosever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions” (Dan. 6:7).

e.    Daniel 6:9 tells us:  “Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

 

E.   The trap was set.  Either Daniel would deny his God and honor the king.  Or, Daniel would worship his God and defy the king.  If he defied the king, his end would be death.

 

 

 

II.           THE CONVICTION OF DANIEL MANIFESTED

 

A.   Daniel 6:10 reveals a wonderful trait possessed by the prophet and wise man, Daniel.

 

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

 

1.    The opening words of this verse are interesting.  “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed.”

a.    Daniel was not operating out of ignorance.

b.    Daniel knew exactly what the decree of the king was.

1)    He was only to offer a petition through the king for the next 30 days.

2)    If he defied the order, he would face the den of lions.

2.    Daniel did as he had always done.

His spiritual habit was to pray three times a day.

When he prayed, he did not try to hide what he was doing. 

 

B.   Daniel displayed the quality of CONVICTION.

1.    Conviction defined:

a.    Dictionary.com

1)    A fixed or firm belief

2)    The state of being convinced

b.    The opposite of conviction is doubt or uncertainty

2.    Daniel was convinced about many things.

a.    There is a God.

b.    This God had made a covenant with His people.

c.    This God was to be served above all gods.

d.    This God was to be obeyed even when man threatens one’s life.

e.    This God is faithful to His promises to them that obey Him.

3.    This was not the first time Daniel had displayed his convictions.

a.    When Daniel was being put through the process of becoming one of the king’s wise men, he refused to defile himself “with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank” (Dan. 1:8).

b.    When no wise man could interpret the king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, it was DanieL who said:  “But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets…” (Dan. 2:28).

c.    When the writing appeared on the wall of the king’s palace, during a feast, it was Daniel who interpreted the writing.  “…yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation” (Dan. 5:17).

 

III.         CHRISTIANS MUST DEVELOP THEIR CONVICTIONS

 

A.   We must develop the conviction that there is a God who exists.

1.    Hebrews 11:6

 

But without faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

 

2.    It is not difficult to reason that there is a God.

a.    Life does not come from non-life.

b.    Order does not come from chaos.

c.    The conscience cannot come from inanimate objects.

d.    There cannot be counterfeits unless there is an original.

e.    The cause of that which exists has to be equal to or greater than the result of the cause:  life, intelligence, love, etc.

 

B.   We must develop the conviction that there are only two genders that exist in the world.

1.    Genesis 1:27

 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 

2.    Anything beyond the two genders is

a.    A lie being pawned off on society.

b.    False science.

c.    A political play.

d.    A disorder suffered by an individual claiming to be something he/she is not.

3.    Gender is established deep within the DNA of an individual.  A person can be dead for many, many years, and we can still establish the gender of the person, either male or female.

4.    LESSON:  Just because a person thinks, feels, or believes something to be true does not mean that it is.

 

C.   We must develop the conviction that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only Savior of lost mankind.

1.    Two verses:

a.    John 8:24

 

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins:  for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

 

b.    Acts 4:12

 

Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby they must be saved.

 

2.    The proofs that Jesus is the Son of God are many.  The two most potent proofs are:

a.    Jesus’ fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (John 5:39).

 

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:  and they are they which testify of me.

 

b.    The resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Rom. 1:4).

 

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Daniel’s convictions led to several positive results.

1.    He maintained the practice of his Jewish heritage.

2.    He was saved from the mouth of the lions (Dan. 6:22).

 

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me…

3.    The enemies of Daniel were fed to the lions (Dan. 6:24).

 

…and the lions had mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

 

4.    The king believed in Daniel’s God.

5.    He sent forth a decree “that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:  for he is the living God…” (Dan. 6:26).

 

B.   Christians, let’s seek to develop strong convictions that will stand just like the convictions of Daniel (Prov. 3:5-6).

 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.