Honoring God brings Deliverance

Daniel 6:18-28 

18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."

23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

24 And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.

25 Then King Darius wrote:

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.

26 I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.

27 He delivers and rescues,
And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel was delivered from the lions because he honored God and His holy name, refusing to bow to worship any other.  His salvation was God’s work to stop the roaring lion from killing him when imprisoned with a death sentence as part of the unjust punishment.  We also are saved from the roaring lion (Psalm 22:13, 1 Peter 5:8) who prowls about with a mindset to devour the children of God in Christ for our testimony to the grace of His deliverance through the gospel (Revelation 12:17).  We are kept by the Lord from the eternal destruction reserved for the adversary who targets us because we are in Christ and hold firm to that testimony of grace against all evil haters of Him who would see us bow to their idols to smear God’s name and dishonor Him with lies and accusations and unjust laws passed solely to this end.  When Daniel was thrown to the lions, he trusted God as did the ruler Darius who was tricked into passing such an unbreakable and blasphemous law.  He reassured Daniel that (Daniel 6:16) He would deliver him from the ravenous mouth of the lion because the man was of God and served Him rather than man.  How great the joy of Darius the king after a sleepless night when he found Daniel still alive and completely unharmed!  With a lament in his voice he cried out for an answer and heard how the LORD had kept the man of continuous faith from death.  He heard of Daniel’s innocence and that he had done no wrong to the king by refusing to worship anyone other than the living God.  Darius set things straight according to the law to hold the slanderers and workers of iniquity accountable by throwing them and their entire families to the lions for destruction as a picture of His vengeance on those who attack His children who are in Christ and cry out for justice (Revelation 6:10).  They also will be held eternally responsible and accountable.  King Darius therefore made a public proclamation equivalent to law that all should fear God and tremble before His righteous power to save or punish.  He acknowledged that God alone is living and eternal, firmly enduring forever as sovereign and whose kingdom cannot be taken or shaken from Him or His children.  He alone saves from the roaring lion and works wondrous things (Psalm 72:18, 86:10, Job 5:8-9) for those who worship Him alone by faith.  After these things, faithful Daniel prospered under 5e rule of this king and the one following.  We also prosper in faith until we abide forever under the King of kings in the kingdom to come, even as we face the roaring lion and perilous times for the gospel’s sake.  We remember that honoring God brings deliverance.