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When you think of the
great biblical prophet Daniel, you probably
think of the story of his victory over injustice
when he was delivered from the lion’s den!
Remember it was his reliance on prayer that put
Daniel in that pit in the first place, and it
was his faithful prayers to our mighty God that
pulled him out of that pit! That’s right, when
the jealous leaders of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom
plotted to get Daniel in trouble with the king,
Daniel didn’t panic, he just went to his room
and prayed, giving thanks to
God!Is that what you do when
you pray?
Do you hesitate to offer a
prayer of thanks when you eat in a public place?
We set a god example for others when we do have
the courage to pray in public.
Daniel 6
The Plot Against Daniel
1 It pleased Darius to
set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty
satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over
these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one,
that the satraps might give account to them, so
that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this
Daniel distinguished himself above the governors
and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in
him; and the king gave thought to setting him
over the whole realm. 4 So the governors and
satraps sought to find some charge against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could
find no charge or fault, because he was
faithful; nor was there any error or fault found
in him. 5 Then these men said,
“We shall not find any charge against this
Daniel unless we find it against him concerning
the law of his God.”
6 So these governors and
satraps thronged before the king, and said thus
to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7 All the
governors of the kingdom, the administrators and
satraps, the counselors and advisors, have
consulted together to establish a royal statute
and to make a firm decree, that whoever
petitions any god or man for thirty days, except
you, O king, shall be cast into the den of
lions. 8
Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the
writing, so that it cannot be changed, according
to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does
not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius
signed the written decree.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
10 Now
when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he
went home. And in his upper room, with his
windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on
his knees three times that day, and prayed and
gave thanks before his God, as was his custom
since early days.
11 Then these men
assembled and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God. 12 And they went before
the king, and spoke concerning the king’s
decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every
man who petitions any god or man within thirty
days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the
den of lions?”
The king answered and said,
“The thing is true, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
13 So
they answered and said before the king, “That
Daniel, who is one of the captives[a]
from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O
king, or for the decree that you have signed,
but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 And
the king, when he heard these words, was greatly
displeased with himself, and set his heart on
Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the
going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these
men approached the king, and said to the king,
“Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes
and Persians that no decree or statute which the
king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king
gave the command, and they brought Daniel and
cast him into the den of lions. But the king
spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you
serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a
stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the
den, and the king sealed it with his own signet
ring and with the signets of his lords, that the
purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Daniel Saved from the Lions
18 Now
the king went to his palace and spent the night
fasting; and no musicians[b]
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.
Darius Honors 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.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says,
"Pray without ceasing." This literally means,
"continually pray" or "continually bring
yourself to prayer". "Without ceasing" is
emphatic. The command is not a call for
uninterrupted prayer but for a life that is
pervaded with prayer.Colossians 4:2 says,
"Devote yourselves to prayer." This statement
literally means"continually devote".
Devote meanings : to
adhere to; to hold fast to; to persist in; to
busy oneself with; to busily engage in; to
persevere; to give attention to; to be faithful
to.
Colossians 4:2 is saying
be faithful to God in prayer.
Philippians 4:6 says, "Be
anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving,
let your
requests be made known to
God." This verse lets us know
that we should not worry about anything, but we
should still take everything to prayer. The
phrase "let be made known" is a command with the
emphasis on always letting your requests be made
known to God. 1 Timothy 2:1
says, "First of all, then, I urge that
entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men."
The words, "First of all" emphasize for us the
primacy of the importance to pray. "I urge" sets
before us Paul’s ever present and continuing
exhortation to us to pray. Who is to pray? Paul
does does not urge a few people to pray, but
"all men". So again, who is to pray? Everyone!
Luke 18:1 says, "Now He
was telling them a parable illustrating that at
all times they ought to pray and not lose
heart." "They ought" emphasizes a necessity to
pray that is not optional. This verse also
stresses when to pray. The verse states, "at all
times they ought to pray." Example
Prayer found in the
Bible.
All of these scriptures
illustrates our responsibility to pray and the
importance of prayer in our daily lives even
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