Hello
Friends!
Welcome
back
to our Encouraging Concepts Bible
study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book
of Daniel painted as a panoramic
landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in
ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago…
“The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT
& FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST,
PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 6: Verses 16-24)
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him
into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom
thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth
of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of
his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the
night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his
sleep went from him. 19 Then the king
arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with
a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O
Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually,
able to deliver thee from the lions. 21 Then said Daniel unto
the king, O king, live forever. 22 My
God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not
hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before
thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 23 Then
was the king 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 manner
of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and they brought those
men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them,
their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and
brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den – Daniel 6:16-24
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: Perhaps the “king”
attempted to find a loophole in the “law” laid AGAINST the man “Daniel” or maybe he TRIED to dig up something
in the manifested “Medo-Persian”
legal process that could possibly UNDO this dire “thing” of doom. However, technically
from a HUMAN standpoint, there was NO way
out! And throughout ALL this “time”
of trite TRIAL amidst this kangaroo-court
covertly set in session, “Daniel”
had NEVER said a word nor does he take
up his OWN cause to defend himself. And
much LIKE our “Lord Jesus
Christ” he is diligently “dumb”
before his “shearers” and thus
“opened not His mouth” in
kind:
He was
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth – Isaiah 53:7
And
Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias (Isaiah), and
said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he
desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The
place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall
declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom
speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus… – Acts 8:30-35
“Daniel” had such CONFIDENCE in
his great “God in heaven”
through ALL these many “years”
that he would COMMIT himself to Divine
Intervention in full. There was
no LEGAL defense available and there was
NOTHING else to say here. However, he
powerfully “prayed” and simply
– KEPT on
PRAYING!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: In ancient “times” during the reigning “Babylonian” Empire, fierce “lions” were purposely
starved of food to be USED as wild executioners of legally
CONDEMNED human beings. Archeology has discovered
and uncovered underground
natural CAVES containing chambered partition walls with sliding
doors that were maneuverable of which could be officially
“sealed”
from above. These super-structures appear to have acted as
dooming “dens” to allow
keepers of looming “lions” to
bring them in and out as appropriate. A top opening of the “lion’s den” was also constructed at ground
level, surrounded by a four to five foot wall of which
would provide a perfect VIEWING platform for the monarch’s ordered executions – The Lion’s LUNCH!
As
our previous “study” subsided,
the “king” had languished
greatly as he “laboured till
the going down of the sun” in an extreme
effort to exhaust every LEGAL means whether by “decree” or a certain “statute” to
adamantly ACQUIT his
premier Prime Minister elect. WHY?
Because the EXECUTION via the “den of lions” had been SET for
the doomed “Daniel” as according
to the customary “law”
of the “Medes and Persians”
that was to come BEFORE nightfall. However, his eager EFFORTS were to be of NO
avail…
Then the
king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions.
Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually,
he will deliver thee – Daniel
6:16
”Then” this
concerned “king”
had NO other choice but to “command”
that his TRUSTED officer be crassly “cast into” the deadly “den of lions”
as dire DOOM dictated. And
notice WHAT he had “said” directly to “Daniel” upon
sentencing: “Thy God”
of Whom you “servest
continually” indeed WILL completely “deliver thee” in full. WHY? Because “King
Darius” had NO doubt heard testimony
after testimony concerning the mighty MIRACLES powerfully performed BY the grand “God in
heaven” above. Not to mention the long
history of what “Daniel” and his “three” faithful
“companions” had each experienced. Coupled with
what all the OTHER pagan people had seen
this great “God in heaven” do in the past would also be WELL known. Perhaps that IS the main REASON the new “king” had re-appointed
the aged “Daniel” to this HIGH place of authority
as such – Blessed BY God!
”And” then a
large “stone”
had been “brought”
to be “laid”
over the DOOR of the “den” to be “sealed” by the concerned
coy “king”
himself:
And a
stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it
with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might
not be changed concerning Daniel – Daniel
6:17
Thus,
by “his own signet”
along WITH the sordid “signet of his lords” combined, the
pompous “purpose”
prevailing could NOT at all be “changed” on “Daniel’s” account – A DOOMED Dictate!
”Then” this NOW distraught
“king”
rankly returned to his personal “palace” and had “passed the night” alone without
fulfilling FOOD or fanciful FUN of any kind:
Then the
king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments
of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him – Daniel
6:18
The
Aramaic expression for “instruments of musick” is one of deep DIVERSIONS in which could also refer to women
or dancers as such. Everything that was offered
to directly DIVERT the “king’s”
thoughts HERE was no doubt carefully
considered. However, absolutely NOTHING
had helped. Rather, “Darius”
purposelessly paced around his “palace” as his somber – Sleep LEFT Him!
DELIVERED from the Den!
But,
WHAT had
happened in the “lions’
den” itself? WHO cares! ”Then” this AGED agonized
“king”
had aptly “arose very early
in the morning” at the crack of DAWN in a
hurried “haste”
to chiefly check in on his BELOVED faithful
friend:
Then the
king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto
Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living
God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions – Daniel 6:19-20
The
“king”
had hurriedly HUSTLED down to the dire “den
of lions” to see WHAT had happened. This incredible
incident seems to indicate that the monarch had some
sort of FAITH in the great “God” of the devoted “Daniel” in
kind. WHY? Because he had LEARNED it
directly from “Daniel” through MANY mighty
personal lessons! Therefore, “when” he hurriedly “came to the den”
he had “cried”
out LOUD with a “lamentable voice” of sorrowful anguish
and anxiety of heart. He soulfully “spake” in angst
by wholly hoping for the BEST but perhaps believing the
woeful WORST had happened.
“O Daniel”
the FAITHFUL stewarding “servant of the living God” as
Creator in “heaven” set over ALL things
of “whom thou servest
continually” throughout EACH and EVERY day, YEAR after YEAR…
But, IS He aptly “able” to directly “deliver” you
FROM the looming “lions” lair? Quite frankly, it’s a
little too – LATE for THAT question!
Now,
“we” arrive at the absolute crux
of the magnificent MATTER at hand – IS God ABLE?
Then said
Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that
they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and
also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt – Daniel
6:21-22
”Then” with
the RESPECTABLE rite of “O king, live forever” amenities out
of the way, “Daniel”
powerfully proceeds to purposefully PACIFY his
professional potentate with his glorious “God’s” great DIVINE INTERVENTION at hand! He had Sovereignly so “sent
his angel” to surely “shut the lions' mouths” as to NOT physically
“hurt”
this godly man in ANY
way as he likewise had humbly “done no hurt” to the “king” or his
royal subjects at hand. Whether he LIVED or DIED this
diligent “Daniel”
had placed his full TRUST and very LIFE in the Divine Hands of his great “God”
and was BLESSED as a righteous result. Thus,
the “beloved Daniel” he was
indeed INNOCENT before – God AND
Men!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The real REASON for
his Divine DELIVERANCE was not based upon his “innocency”
in and of itself. WHY? Because as
“we” are told
by the “Apostle Paul” himself,
it was “through faith”
that the great “God in heaven”
had stoutly “stopped the
mouths of lions” in full:
Who through
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the
mouths of lions – Hebrews 11:33
Incidentally,
“angels” are VERY powerful
indeed! In fact, as PROPHESIED by the prophet “Isaiah” unto “King Hezekiah” in kind, it took only ONE heaven-sent
“angel of the Lord” to completely DESTROY all
of “Sennacherib king of
Assyria’s” evil anti-Semitic army of 185,000 assaulting Assyrians single-handedly…
Then Isaiah the
son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me
against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard… And it came to pass that
night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred
fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold,
they were all dead corpses – 2 Kings 19:20 &
35
Therefore,
“saith” the “Lord God of Israel” Himself – ONE Angel is ENOUGH!
The angel of
the Lord encampeth
round about them that fear him, and delivereth them – Psalm
34:7
Then
Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in
him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they
might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God – Daniel
3:28
”Then” the “king” was
indeed “exceedingly glad”
that “Daniel”
his aged Prime Minister was actually NOT at all “hurt” in body:
Then was
the king 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 manner of hurt
was found upon him, because he believed in his God – Daniel
6:23
Here
“Daniel” is providing a VINDICATION of
his great “faith” in the “God of heaven” above. He boldly BELIEVED in
his “God” and his full “faith” was honored. However, it does NOT always
happen that way, does it? NO! In fact,
the mighty prophet “Isaiah”
had BELIEVED in “God”
as well and he was SAWN in two. The great “Apostle
Paul” also BELIEVED in “God” too
as he laid his aged head on a CHOPPING block
to be SEVERED from his body. Likewise, the “Apostle Peter” had boldly BELIEVED in
the great “God of heaven” and
as tradition tells us, he was CRUCIFIED as
such – Upside DOWN!
Beloved,
BELIEVING in our great “God”
does NOT always guarantee that the “lions” aren’t going to DEVOUR you. In
fact, there have been mighty MARTYRS throughout the HISTORY of the “church”
body in which our glorious “God’s”
dealing with “them” of whom BELIEVED in
Him and have physically DIED in kind. The REAL issue here is that “they”
had all ACCEPTED our glorious “God’s”
Sovereign WILL in full. If it is to LIVE, they live and
if it is to DIE, they die
and are thus “present with
the Lord” Himself…
We are
confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord – 2 Corinthians
5:8
Therefore,
“we” too are “confident” that in EITHER case,
“we” can NOT at
all loose and are – NEVER Defeated!
PROPHETIC PROMISE: The Old
Testament Prophet “Isaiah” had powerfully PROPHESIED the
birth and life of this SAME man named
“Cyrus” over 100 years PRIOR to its
final fulfillment:
That saith of
Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to
Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid – Isaiah 44:28
Thus saith the Lord to
his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations
before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two
leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make
the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut
in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and
hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am
the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have
even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known
me – Isaiah 45:1-4
This
is a remarkable righteous PROMISE of the “Jewish” remnant RETURNING to
their beloved homeland “Jerusalem”
in the nigh nation of “Israel” under the leadership
of this “Cyrus” himself. Here “God” refers to “Cyrus” as “my shepherd” and “my anointed” one. WHY?
Because he is a PROPHETIC picture and type of our “Lord Jesus Christ” of Whom will one “day” come to GATHER the
“Jewish” remaining “remnant” of the “lost sheep” from the “house of Israel” unto Himself as He ESTABLISHES His
earthly “Kingdom” upon the
planet – Sweet Sovereign Savior!
The Lion’s LUNCH!
”And” quite THANKFULLY absolutely
all of this WICKEDNESS that was promoted by these
menacing “men”
was practically PUNISHED as appropriate:
And the
king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they
cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the
lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they
came at the bottom of the den – Daniel
6:24
These “lions”
were NOT at all old and toothless
as some unbelieving LIBERAL commentators have said. Nonsense! On the contrary.
They were horribly HUNGRY and fiercely FEROCIOUS
in that they absolutely shredded those “men” along with their “children” and “wives” even BEFORE they
ever hit the ground! Our grandiose “God”
performed a miraculous MIRACLE management mandate. It was a HORRIFYING scene
and was a proper PROPHETIC picture of the righteous RETRIBUTION and
vindicated VENGEANCE to one “day”
come by the Holy hand of our great “God” Almighty – Divine DESTRUCTION!
There
is an interesting glimpse of this purposed
applicable “law” of corporate Capital Punishment in its full
ordered MANDATE by the “Medes and the Persians” practically proclaimed as
such:
“On account of the guilt of ONE man, ALL
his kindred must perish”
Therefore,
these GUILTY maniacal “men” and
their forsaken FAMILIES were corporately “commanded” to be boldly “brought” to
a justified justice in kind – Properly PUNISHED!
More to
follow… STAY tuned!
In
closing:
REAL REFLECTIONS: The twelve chapters of “Daniel” are powerfully PROMISED prophecies depicting the unfolding
of the HISTORIC events of which will take place leading up to
the literal “time” of the SECOND awaited
physical “coming” of our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” back to the earth:
And in the days
of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall
break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever – Daniel 2:44
And
our SERIOUS study of these PROPHECIES will
rightly REVEAL to each student of God's wonderful “Word” that the events FORETOLD
some 2,600 years ago could
possibly be FULFILLED in the seemingly near future…
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
