LION MUZZLING FAITH (Daniel. 6:16-28)

Faith ruins your enemy's appetite and shuts his mouth.

Transcript

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The time is seven in the morning. September 26th, 1982. True story. Conrado Moynace. His body was lying inside of a 600 square foot cage, partly in a pool of water, as a 1,200-pound polar bear watches nearby. The day before, the guards at New York Central Park Zoo noticed Monase getting too close to the animals. They repeatedly told him to step back. But after the zoo closed, Monas scaled a 10-foot spiked fence along the perimeter of the zoo, and then an additional five-foot fence surrounding the cage, and finally navigates a twelve-foot high set of bars that curves inward. And once inside, Mones stood no chance. It was impossible for him to climb out. Can you imagine that scene? Kind of similar to what occurs in Daniel chapter 6. Daniel is headed for the lion's jaws. His co-workers conspire to destroy him. They manipulate King Darius to sign an irrevocable decree, a decree that said, If anyone prays to any other god or man beside Darius for a month, they are to be fed to the lions. And of course, Daniel is caught praying to Yahweh, and Darius is forced to hold to his word. The king is trapped. If he sends Daniel into the lion's den, he loses a valuable colleague and quite frankly a close friend. But if he spares Daniel, he breaks his own law and penalties will fall on him. So what does he do? Daniel 6.16 says, Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. These are real lions. Real lions purposefully starved in order to kill. The word den here is related to the Hebrew word which means dig or a pit. It is literally an underground pit in the side of a hill with a lower side entrance. And there is where lions would enter and exit, obviously controlled by those who guard the pit. On the top of the pit is a hole with a grate over it where the food would be dropped. This food would include any of those who would be executed. This cave had two rooms, likely separated by a wall, furnished with a door, that the keeper would open and close from above the pit. He would throw food in one chamber and shut the door to leave the other empty for cleaning. The cave's top opening was surrounded by a wall over which one could look down into the den. This is where Daniel is. And all Darius can do once Daniel is there is hope for the impossible. Daniel 6 16 says the king declared to Daniel, May your God whom you serve continually deliver you. This is amazing. Why would the king say this? Well, he has come to know Daniel's God is a saving God. He saved his servants in impossible situations before. He knows the stories. He knows how he spared Daniel and the wise men from Nebuchadnezzar's rage by revealing to Daniel the king's dream and its meaning many years ago. He knows Daniel's God saved his three friends from Nebuchadnezzar's furnace as well. He knows that while when Daniel tells the king his dreams, it all happens just as Daniel says. When the handwriting appeared on the wall in Belshazzar's day, the handwriting came true that night. The king knows that Daniel's God is a truthful God. He also knows that he is a loving and saving God. Unlike the pagan gods, which were not holy, not truthful, certainly not loving, and they definitely were not saviors by nature. But Daniel is in the lion's den. Now I want you to feel this scene for the moment. Feel its finality. Daniel 6.17 says, and a stone was brought and laid at the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Sealing is a formal royal act, making a situation officially irrevocable. A signet was usually a ring or the end of a scepter. It had a royal symbol that was used to stamp wax or some other moldable substance for the purpose of authentication or identification. This has a royal imprint on it. The text does not spend time telling us what Daniel experiences in the lion's den, and we're left to imagine that ourselves. We probably would be wise to do so. As the stone is sealed with the moist clay, you could kind of understand if you were standing on the outside that noises from the inside would become dull. If you were on the inside, imagine the smell, the stench of animal waste. Feel the darkness. You know lions see in the dark? They hunt at night. This is their time. And you are there all night. You feel the brush of a tail, or a lion sniffing you. His hot breath, odor, all of that assaults your senses. Their fur is coarse, you hear their snorts, their growls, and an occasional roar. You are alone with the lions. It's interesting that the text does not take us there. Instead, the text takes us to the palace, the king's palace. In verse 18 of Daniel 6, it says, Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. In other words, the king skips dinner. He doesn't feel like eating, no diversions. We would say he doesn't watch TV, he doesn't listen to music or play scrabble or yachtsee. He simply does not sleep. Now he sympathizes with Daniel, but he cannot intervene. And he is bothered. He is annoyed. He is anxious on the inside. The situation is unchangeable and even for him seemingly hopeless. But the story is not over. Daybreak is coming. It had to be the longest night of Daniel's life. How does he pass the time? And again, we're left to wonder. Does he pray? Does he recite scripture? Does he sing? Does he accidentally let down his guard and doze off? We don't know. All we know is that finally it's daybreak. And verse 19 says, then at break of day the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. In other words, Darius the king runs to the lion's pit. Verse 20 says, as he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. Here is the king. He's at the end of his rope, and yet he has a tinge of faith. Otherwise, we would not be able to explain why he would have run to the tomb, why he would have wondered, why he would have spoken into, talked into a tomb. The rest of verse 20 says, the king declared to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions? Can you hear his hope? The hope in his voice? You see, people, before we believe God will act, we need to believe that God can act. It's one thing to say that God doesn't do whatever it is today, though don't ever say God can't do that. God can do anything he wants with anyone in any way at any time. God can still shut lions' mouths. And this pagan king believes Daniel's God can act. The question is, has he acted? Well, Darius' limited faith is rewarded. Verse 21 says, Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever. My God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him, and also before you, O king, I have done no harm. It's like that fourth man in the fire, remember? Back in Daniel chapter 3. An angel stays with Daniel. One angel against several prides of lions, all it took. Daniel is unharmed because he was found blameless before God, and he's done no wrong to the king. And what happens now is a great reversal. I mean, what do we do with this? It's dangerous to think that Daniel equals me. The lion's den equals my trials, and God will rescue me from all my trials right now. That's what we tend to do with this passage. And do not get me wrong. Because the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials. We're told that in 2 Peter chapter 2. But my friends, that does not mean that God will always rescue us from every trial in the same way He does Daniel in this life. We tend to say, hey, it worked, it worked like this for Daniel, it's going to work like this for me. But this is a unique story with a miraculous outcome that glorifies God. And God's unique ways do not equal a pattern, but they do give a principle. Because God worked that way then does not mean that he's going to work that way now. God is not obligated to work the same way every time for every person. I need to say that before we move forward. Isaiah believed God, but he got sawn in half. Paul took an axe to the neck. Peter was crucified upside down. Thousands have died for their faith in Christ. So what's the principle from this? The principle is this that God can and does deliver us from trials, but even if we end up going through it, God is with us in it. That's the principle. And in the end, God will always vindicate those who suffer for doing right and who hold to their faith in Him. Daybreak is coming. Whatever you may be facing, daybreak is coming. And daybreak is going to lead to a great reversal. Daniel is a taste, a whiff, you see, of a greater deliverance and a greater reversal. Because Daniel foreshadows Jesus' suffering. Daniel is thrown into a den surrounded by lions. In Psalm 22, it foretells the suffering of the Messiah with these words. They open wide their mouths at me like a ravening and roaring lion. Save me from the mouth of the lion. This is Psalm 22. It's interesting that Darius rolls the stone over the mouth of the pit and seals it with his ring, according to Daniel chapter 6 and verse 17. Joseph rolls a stone over the mouth of Jesus' tomb, and Pilate seals it, according to Matthew 27. Both Daniel and Jesus emerge from the pit. A great reversal occurs where everything is turned upside down afterwards. What's involved in this great reversal? Well, let me finish reading what's in Daniel chapter 6, and then we'll look at it. In verse 23 it says, Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions, they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell on all the earth. Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, enduring forever, his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. Wow. Verse 28 continues, so this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Did you notice the great reversal? I want to mention four things. First, Daniel is lifted out of death. Anyone else? This would have been their forever tomb. And shutting the lion's mouth and lifting him out, God vindicates Daniel. Now, to vindicate means to clear of blame. Daniel's survival proofs his innocence in God's eyes. And this is the same with Jesus. Jesus is spared and lifted out of the tomb. And his raising is the Father, simply boldly shouting that he's cleared of any blame. Daniel's lifted out of death. Jesus is too. Second, Daniel's enemies take his place. Things are reversed. He who digs the pit will fall into it. He who rolls a stone, it will roll back on him. Proverbs 26 says, The powerful are now weak. The top is the bottom. The first are last. All Daniel's accusers, along with their wives and kids, did you see that? They're all thrown into the lion's den. The Medo-Persian law said, on account of the guilt of one, all his kindred must perish. It was consisted with what they held to be true. And all of them are eaten up before they hit the ground. And takes a lot of ferocious, powerful, hungry lions. And when Jesus is raised from the grave, he breaks the power of sin and death. Satan is bound, his demons are disarmed and shamed, and then thrown into the pit. The hell of fire. Daniel's enemies take his place. Jesus' enemies take his place too. Third, God is praised by those who do not know him. Pagan Emperor orders Yahweh to be praised and explains why. He says Yahweh is above all gods. Now he's not yet the only God, okay? But this is a step in the right direction. You can just imagine the White House telling everyone, back off of the Christian's God. We will honor him. You see, when Jesus is raised from the pit of death, all nations are going to bow before him as well, according to Philippians chapter 2. Even those who don't know him. People will acknowledge Jesus is the Christ either by choice now or by force later. And the fourth thing of this great reversal is Daniel prospers. He's rewarded with riches, power, and honor. And when Jesus Christ is raised, the Bible says God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. And God will reward with riches, power, and honor anyone who identifies with the saving power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, in other words, Daniel coming up out of the lion's den prefigures Christ's crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Jesus' faith shut Satan's mouth for good. Just like Daniel's faith muzzled the lions. Now, how about us? Hebrews chapter 11 says through faith, Daniel stopped the mouths of lions. Daniel has lion muzzling faith. Do we? You know, we often want God to work in our lives, but not at our expense. We want God to teach pagans how great he is, but don't put us in the lion's den. Can I ask you? Who are your lions? And how do you shut their mouths? How do you keep them from devouring you? I'll tell you how. Through faith. When you are persecuted falsely, trust God for deliverance. When you're treated unjustly, wait for God to vindicate you. Remind yourself that God will not leave you in the pit forever. It is only for a night. And dawn is coming. The time is coming when you are coming up. You will not claw your way out, you will be lifted out. And those who have tried to destroy you will themselves be destroyed. It is as David said in Psalm 23: God will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. I love Psalm 44. Through you, David says, You being God, we push down our foes, and through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. What a great promise! All trials will end, all suffering will stop, all losses will be recovered, all enemies will be triumphed over, and God will make everything good. You will have a position of honor and you will prosper. You say when? How long? And my friend, listen. I say this with the greatest respect and the greatest compassion. How long is not the issue? The issue is not how long this is going to take place. The issue is if you will be holding on by the time God does deliver you. Something is more important than a healthy self-esteem. Something is more important than your own prosperity, holding to your title, to your dignity, or even your physical well-being and safety. What's more important is you holding on to God no matter what. James says it right. When he said in chapter 1 and verse 12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. One day you will say what Paul did in 2 Timothy 4. The Lord stood by me and strengthened me. Listen to this, so that I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The great preacher of the past. Charles Spurgeon said the lions did not eat Daniel because he was 50% grit and 50% backbone. Well, maybe so. Or maybe he was a hundred percent faith. And faith tastes awful to Satan. Satan is a lion that wants to devour you. 1 Peter 5 says that. Be distasteful to him. That's your best offense. Fill yourself with what he hates. What is not appetizing to him, what he won't eat, and he won't eat you either. Now here's where Daniel and Jesus differ. Daniel was never even bitten. But Jesus, he got swallowed. But the good news is he came out. He resurrected. He got, and this is vivid, he got thrown up. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the grave vomiting out what death hates. Jesus Christ is the only thing that makes it so. Even when death bites you, it will spit you out. So, my friend, be distasteful to Satan, to death, to evil, to the grave. And the only way to be distasteful is to have a lion muslin faith.