Courage in the Lion’s Den

In this talk, Ben Stuart explains what it means to have a Biblical response when the laws of the land conflict with deeply held religious beliefs. You will exercise allegiance; the question is to whom.

It's good to seek a peaceful life, but there are certain things we'll risk our lives for. Will you face animosity for something you believe?

In Daniel 6, we see Daniel in the same city but in an entirely new empire. The Medo-Persians had taken over. The King absorbed Daniel as a leader, and because of his "excellent spirit," Daniel got promoted to a top position. As Christians, we are meant to cultivate a structure that allows life to flourish. We don't see work as bad; we recognize that it was in place before the fall of man, and we work as it is working for God.

Soon, the other leaders began looking for things to hold against Daniel, but they couldn't find anything corrupt. Daniel was not just excellent; he had integrity and consistency. He lived an integrated life. Integrity gives you a moral authority. Our lives are meant to match the message we're delivering. Still, the leaders kept looking for a way to destroy him.

The only area they could find for a complaint was his allegiance to God rather than his boss. Daniel has only benefited everyone around him, but Jesus warned us in John 15:20 about being persecuted on His behalf, and these men are after Daniel. The leaders use emotional energy to mob King Darius and get him to join them. The plan is to get Daniel to prove where his loyalties lie. The irony is that they are proposing a loyalty test to the king, but they are disloyal because they want to kill the best guy the king has.

The law was that no one could petition any god or person but the king for 30 days. The person would be cast into the lion's den if this were violated. The law was binding and could not be undone. The king's concern was unity, so he signed it. The king liked Daniel, but Daniel was still under threat.

So, Daniel was faced with a question: what does he do when the laws of the land are suddenly against his deeply held religious beliefs? What do you do when the cultural norms defy your allegiance to God? Daniel knows that participating in their show is to say something he doesn't believe.

As soon as the law was signed, Daniel peacefully went home. He wasn't contentious, but he also wasn't a coward. He opened his windows, got on his knees, and prayed to God three times a day. He's not attacking, but he's not hiding either. Behold his conviction: he will pray. With civility, he rebelled. It's a grateful conviction as he gives thanks to God. It's a dependent conviction as he gets down on his knees. It's consistent as he had always prayed this way.

Daniel's dependency on God and consistency in practice kept him from going wild during political instability. He was determined to live by his convictions with such sincerity that if it cost his life, so be it.

The leaders see Daniel praying to run to tell the king. They transposed Daniel's religious convictions, making him a threat to the government. The king realized something could be legally correct and morally wrong. He set out to rescue Daniel, but the law has been passed and cannot be revoked. Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. God will let you go this far; He'll let you go into the pit. As he enters, the king encourages Daniel and says the God he constantly serves can deliver him.

Daniel was in the lion's den all night while his convictions challenged the king. The king loses sleep and rushes back to the den in the morning. Do you live in a way that forces people to take your God seriously? He yells down to Daniel and asks if God has saved him. Daniel answers respectfully and calls the king to do more, proving that he honors God and is not a threat to the king.

Is God going to save you from death every time? No, but even if he doesn't, we won't give our allegiance to one another. That's the Christian mentality.

Hebrews 11:33-40 tells us that people lived by faith, from shutting the mouths of lions to getting sawed in two. We don't get to decide which the Lord has for us, but a life lived by faith is celebrated. Our finish line isn't death. Our life goes beyond the grave because of Jesus. Death wasn't the end for Jesus, so it's not the end for us. We don't know the outcome of our obedience, but we know vindication is coming. So, we join the decree of King Darius—God is living, He endures forever, Her will never be destroyed, and His rule will not end. He delivers and rescues; He works signs and wonders. Because of this, we trust our lives to be in the hands of a holy God.