Daniel and the Lions’ Den

Daniel 6:1-28

Main Idea: Though following God faithfully may be costly, he is Lord over all and is able to deliver his people. His final victory is accomplished in Jesus.

1. Honor God and Let Him Exalt You (6:1-4).
   1. Walk in the Spirit (6:1-3).
   2. Serve faithfully (6:4).
2. Be True to God Even When It May Cost You (6:5-15).
   1. Evil men will try to entrap a godly man (6:5-9).
   2. Godly men will remain faithful to God no matter what (6:10-15).
3. Trust that God Is Able to Deliver You (6:16-24).
   1. We can rest in God’s plan (6:16-18).
   2. We can be certain of God’s power (6:19-24).
4. Recognize God Will Use You to Make His Name Famous among the Nations (6:25-28).
   1. God can cause unbelievers to acknowledge his greatness (6:25-26).
   2. God can even use unbelievers to proclaim his glory (6:26-28).

Of all the exciting stories in the book of Daniel, none is more famous than the one found in chapter 6. It provokes our imagination. It causes our hearts to skip a beat. We immediately sense similarities with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace of chapter 3. And the thought of a faithful eighty-year-old man being thrown into a pit with ravenous lions simply for praying grabs us in an almost inexplicable manner. It seems completely unfair because it is.

It is disappointing, but not surprising, to find liberal scholars questioning the authenticity and historicity of the story. Some call it a folk tale or fable, a made-up, make-believe story.^[3] They, of course, did the same thing with the fiery furnace story. They attacked, pointing out that Darius the Mede is never mentioned outside the Bible, and suggesting that the author of Daniel, someone writing much later, got confused and used Darius the Persian (521–486 BC; see Neh 12:22) in this fictitious narrative. However, it is possible that Darius functioned as a title and not a proper name. Darius the Mede may be referring to a man named Gubaru, who served as governor of Babylon under Cyrus the Great. Or it could be, as I think, another designation for Cyrus himself, king over the Medo-Persian Empire. If this is so, we would understand Daniel 6:28 to say, “So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus the Persian”—a perfectly legitimate interpretation. Sinclair Ferguson provides a helpful perspective on all of this when he writes,

It is a sad reflection on the biblical scholarship of the last century that in matters such as these the Bible has been treated as guilty until proved innocent. This attitude stands in marked contrast to the credibility given to other nonbiblical texts of the same period. We need constantly to remind ourselves that no one comes to Scripture with a mind free from a faith commitment; one will either have faith in Scripture as God’s Word or one’s attitude will be one of unbelief, rejecting Scripture’s testimony to its own reliability. God’s Word, like God’s kingdom, will remain when all the theories that propose its inaccuracy have crumbled into dust. One is reminded of how a nineteenth-century book that attacked the reliability of Scripture was later pulped and the recycled paper used to print Bibles. (Daniel, 116–17)

We gladly and confidently, therefore, approach this passage as a real story about a real man who by supernatural protection escaped the claws and teeth of real lions so that the nations would know that the God of Daniel “is the living God, and he endures forever; his kingdom will never be destroyed, and his dominion has no end” (6:26). A missionary method unfolds in the evil madness of this text that God uses for good (cf. Gen 50:20).

Our God, in this passage, will glorify himself among the nations by rescuing one of his children who trusted him no matter what. He will also show us there are times and ways to exercise civil disobedience because, as Peter said in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than man.” For the devoted follower of King Jesus, Caesar will always lose to Christ when it comes to loyalty, obedience, and worship. Always.

Honor God, and Let Him Exalt You

Daniel 6:1-4

Joel Belz has well said,

Daniel . . . set the standard for Christians who would hold public office. He was serious about the work of statecraft, but he was even more serious about being known as a servant of God, determined to follow God’s precepts no matter the cost. . . . Our society could use a few more political leaders like Daniel. (“Dare to Be a Daniel”)

Daniel had ruled with “insight, intelligence, and wisdom” under Nebuchadnezzar (5:11). He had a reputation as a man with “an extraordinary spirit” (5:12), as one who had within him “a spirit of the gods” (or “Spirit of God”; 5:14). “Insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom” (5:14) were words associated with him, continuing into the reign of Belshazzar, the last Babylonian king. It appears Darius shared their opinion and appointed Daniel to a position of significant leadership. It was a good call and wise decision.

Walk in the Spirit (6:1-3)

Darius quickly set up his government with “120 satraps” or administrative districts covering the whole kingdom (v. 1). Over these smaller regions he appointed “three administrators,” three superior rulers to whom “these satraps would be accountable . . . so that the king would not be defrauded” (v. 2). Government corruption, it seems, is not a modern invention!

Daniel was one of the three administrators, and to no one’s surprise, he “distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps” so that “the king planned to set him over the whole realm” (v. 3). Daniel was a cut above the rest. He stood head and shoulders above the others. What was the key to Daniel’s success? It was “because he had an extraordinary spirit.” This had become the consistent witness and testimony of Daniel for some time now. In Daniel 4:8, Nebuchadnezzar saw in Daniel “a spirit of the holy gods” (or “the Spirit of the Holy God”). He notes this again in 4:18. The queen will reaffirm it in 5:12, and Belshazzar will join the chorus in 5:14. Daniel’s rise in power is not to be attributed so much, if at all, to his natural ability or exceptional giftedness. It is to be attributed to his walk with God and the work of God in his life. Daniel was a James 3:17 man who possessed spiritual wisdom that comes from above. He was the man God had made him to be (cf. Ps 92:12-15).

Serve Faithfully (6:4)

It can get lonely at the top. Success can multiply your enemies. The blessings of the righteous can stir up the jealousy of the wicked. All three of these proverbial sayings apply directly to Daniel. Those who are blessed and honored by the Lord can expect the same trio to come their way as well.

Daniel not only possessed “an extraordinary Spirit” (v. 3), but “he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him” (v. 4). He reminds us of faithful Joseph in Egypt in the book of Genesis (Gen 37–50). However, the envy and jealousy of the other two administrators and the satraps moved them to take Daniel down, “trying to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom.” They had only one problem: “They could find no charge or corruption, for . . . no negligence or corruption was found in him.” Daniel always did what he should, and he never did what he should not. As all who follow Messiah Jesus should be, he was a model worker and employee. Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many a person proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy person?” Well, Darius had found such a person in Daniel. By God’s grace and for his glory, may it be true of you and me as well.

Be True to God Even When It May Cost You

Daniel 6:5-15

In Ezekiel 14:14 and 20 the prophet puts Daniel in the same company as Noah and Job in terms of their righteous lives. What is about to unfold leaves no question concerning the correctness of Ezekiel’s assessment of his contemporary. “Daniel’s relationship with the Lord was not crisis-oriented” (Swindoll, Daniel, 53). It was a consistent walk with God that people saw daily. And when emergencies or crises presented themselves, Daniel was already prepared to meet them and handle them. His daily communion with God had so shaped his character that he was ready no matter what. The decision to go to the lion’s den had been settled many years earlier. The cost had already been counted. To be untrue to his God was never an option!

Evil Men Will Try to Entrap a Godly Man (6:5-9)

We should expect the world and the evil one to target us as God’s people. Genesis 3:15 predicted there would be continuous hostility between God’s people and Satan’s. We see this play out all through the Old Testament. We are seeing it play out right here in Daniel. Satan and his worldly kingdoms are in conflict with God and will remain so until the end of the age (Rev 17–19).

Jesus warned his disciples about persecution. Before he went to the cross—where the ultimate persecution took place, where the serpent struck the heel of the Seed—Jesus said the world will hate his followers and persecute us. This is because it hated him. He says in John 16:33, “You will have suffering in this world.” Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:12, “All who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Peter, addressing Christian exiles in 1 Peter 4:12-14, writes (with a possible allusion to the book of Daniel),

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Daniel’s enemies were frustrated at being unable to find any act of corruption or negligence in his service to the king. He was a man of absolute integrity (cf. 1 Tim 3:1-2). His track record was spotless. However, there might be one area of his life where they could trap him: his faith and devotion to his God (v. 5). If it comes down to honoring the law of his God or the “law of the Medes and Persians” (v. 8), we know what he will choose!

So these political rivals laid aside their own differences, closed ranks, hatched a plan, and went for the jugular of the man of God. They planned to set him up. (The foreshadowing of Herod and Pilate in executing our Savior is too obvious to miss.) The conspirators came to Darius and presented a united front, beginning with the usual words of royal exaggeration, “May King Darius live forever.” Of course, only one King will live forever, and his name is not Darius.

They then share their idea to honor the king, lying shamelessly in the process:

All the administrators of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an edict that for thirty days, anyone who petitions any god or man except you, the king, will be thrown into the lions’ den. (v. 7)

Not all were in agreement to basically make Darius god for a month! Daniel certainly wasn’t, but his enemies were not going to let the truth get in the way of their wicked agenda. Their goal was not to see Daniel demoted. Their goal was to see Daniel dead.

They persuaded the king to sign their declaration into law “so that, as a law of the Medes and Persians, it is irrevocable and cannot be changed” (v. 8). Playing on the arrogance and pride of Darius worked, as it so often does with sinful men and women. Vanity is a vice that will make you act like a fool, and Darius played the fool. Verse 9 is simple and straightforward: “So King Darius signed the written edict.” Flattering the king and stroking his ego worked. The trap was set.

Godly Men Will Remain Faithful to God No Matter What (6:10-15)

Christian character is not forged in the moment of adversity. Christian character is revealed in the moment of adversity. Daniel becomes aware that the document honoring Darius as the exclusive deity of the empire has been signed. His response is to do what he has always done. He obeys God rather than man and continues a pattern of spiritual devotion that has marked his life for years, a pattern his enemies knew well. He went to his home and went upstairs to the place of prayer, where his windows were open toward Jerusalem. He then got down on his knees and prayed three times that day and the following days, giving thanks to God, “just as he had done before” (v. 10). John Piper calls this “daring, defiant, disciplined prayer,” noting that Daniel’s public praying was not for prideful show but for public testimony. It was “a public statement about the glory of God over the glory of Darius” (“Daniel’s Defiance”). Daniel did not take a month off. Daniel did not retire to a private room to pray. He had honored God in this manner all of his life in Babylon, and he would not stop now—not for a month, not for a moment. Like Paul in Philippians 3:20 and Peter in 1 Peter 2:11-12, he knew he was an exile in a world, a city, that was not his home.

We do not know the content of Daniel’s prayer. I wonder if perhaps he prayed Psalm 57, a psalm of David about when he fled from Saul and hid in a cave. It was an appropriate psalm for David. It is also an appropriate psalm for Daniel. In fact, the words fit Daniel’s situation perfectly! There we read,

Be gracious to me, God, be gracious to me,

for I take refuge in you.

I will seek refuge in the shadow of your wings

until danger passes.

I call to God Most High,

to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

He reaches down from heaven and saves me,

challenging the one who tramples me. Selah

God sends his faithful love and truth.

I am surrounded by lions;

I lie down among devouring lions—

people whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

God, be exalted above the heavens;

let your glory be over the whole earth.

They prepared a net for my steps;

I was despondent.

They dug a pit ahead of me,

but they fell into it! Selah

My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident.

I will sing; I will sing praises.

Wake up, my soul!

Wake up, harp and lyre!

I will wake up the dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

For your faithful love is as high as the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches the clouds.

God, be exalted above the heavens;

let your glory be over the whole earth.

Daniel’s enemies were ready and waiting. They saw what Daniel did (Dan 6:11), and they immediately brought it to the king’s attention (v. 12). They even threw in a little anti-Semitism when they made their accusation (“Daniel, one of the Judean exiles”). Darius “was very displeased” at the situation and tried to find a way to deliver a man he obviously admired, appreciated, and respected (v. 14). Unfortunately, he had stepped into his own trap and was caught. His evil administrators reminded him once more (the decree is mentioned four times for emphasis and effect) of the binding nature of the law of the Medes and Persians (v. 15). When the king makes a law, even he is bound by his words. More importantly, these evil men had counted on Daniel to be true to his God, and he had been. Daniel knew that past faithfulness would be no substitute for present faithfulness. Indeed, the past had simply prepared him for the present and the future. What a witness! What a testimony to know that you can count on the man of God to be a man of God!

Trust That God Is Able to Deliver You

Daniel 6:16-24

We have no reason to doubt that Daniel knew about Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and their experience with the fiery furnace of chapter 3. We now have no doubt that Daniel is of the same constitution and conviction as they when they said,

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace [for Daniel, from the lion’s den], and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship [what] you have set up. (Dan 3:17-18 ESV)

The three Hebrews told Nebuchadnezzar that their allegiance to God always trumped government or any other idol. Daniel tells Darius the same thing. Fidelity to God is not subject to debate or vote (cf. Acts 4:19-20). For all four Hebrew men, this issue was settled in their hearts long before they faced their challenge.

We Can Rest in God’s Plan (6:16-18)

Much to his regret Darius commanded that Daniel be thrown “into the lions’ den” (v. 16). The den was probably a pit with an opening at the top. As Daniel was about to be thrown into the pit, his friend, the king, spoke to Daniel: “May your God, whom you continually serve, rescue you!” Stephen Miller notes, “Darius’ concern for his friend is touching. . . . The words express the king’s hope” (Daniel, 185). Daniel, however, was not resting in the king’s concern or his hope. He was resting in the providence and sovereignty of his God.

Daniel was cast into the lion’s den, and “a stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den” (v. 17). I guess this was to be sure the eighty-year-old man would not jump out! The king also sealed Daniel’s tomb “with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed.” We can only imagine the joy of these lords attending this “Rose Garden” ceremony and signing.

Darius did not share in their delight. Verse 18 informs us, “Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No diversions [NIV, “entertainment”] were brought to him, and he could not sleep.” No doubt Darius’s lords were out partying. Not so for the king. No food. No partying. No music. He knew he had been played, and it had cost him the life of his loyal friend. Ligon Duncan points out,

Of course, this passage bears an uncanny resemblance to Matthew 26:65-66, where we read, “Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard, go, make it as secure as you know how,’ and they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard, they set a seal on the stone.” Just as Daniel was sealed in the lion’s den, so also Christ was sealed in the tomb, and this was the petty human ruler’s way to seal the fate of both of these great servants of the Lord. And in both cases, that human sealing led to greater glory for God, when He brought Daniel up out of the pit and He raised Christ up out of the tomb.

It’s not surprising that the early Church saw in Daniel in the lion’s den, a prefiguring of the resurrection of the Lord, for as Daniel was brought out of a den that had been sealed by the official rings of those in power, so was the Lord Jesus Christ raised from a tomb which had been sealed by those officials with their rings of power. (“Daniel in the Lion’s Den”)

We Can Be Certain of God’s Power (6:19-24)

Like Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in Matthew 28:1, Darius went “at the first light of dawn” (v. 19) to the tomb holding what might remain of Daniel’s body. As he approached the den of lions, “he cried out in anguish, . . . ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, . . . has your God, whom you continually serve, been able to rescue you from the lions?’” (v. 20). The doubt in his voice is unmistakable. He did not expect to hear a thing other than the satisfied purring of lions following their supper.

Suddenly, and no doubt to his joyful surprise, Daniel speaks (vv. 21-22)! This is the only time Daniel’s words are recorded in the entire chapter. We might playfully paraphrase Daniel like this:

Good morning, my king. I hope things are going well with you and that you enjoyed a good night’s sleep. I did! I slept like a little lamb with your lions as my guests. Their quiet purring put me right to sleep, and their warm bodies and fur kept me from being cold all night. Such sweet, cute cats! Oh, I also had a very special guest show up. “My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths” (v. 22). Why I did not even get a lick from their tongue—not one. “They haven’t harmed me.” They did not touch one gray hair on my head. Of course, you should know the reason. I honored my God, and I never did anything wrong to you. I put the whole situation in the hands of my King, and this is what he did. I trusted him either way, and I will continue to do so as long as I live. Now, would you like to come down and join me?

Once again I appreciate the insight and perspective of Ligon Duncan at this point:

Daniel is not claiming to be sinless, Daniel is not claiming to never have done anything wrong, but Daniel is saying, in the heat of the moment, I chose God, and I’m innocent before Him. I didn’t do anything wrong in this circumstance before God. And furthermore, O King, I didn’t do anything wrong to you. Your henchmen, these beauracrats, have accused me of not having respect for you. That couldn’t be further from the truth, but no one has precedent or priority over my God, and therefore I have done nothing wrong to you and I’ve done nothing wrong to Him. (“Daniel in the Lion’s Den”)

Well, Darius did not join Daniel in the lions’ den, but some others took his place (v. 24). Those who “maliciously accused Daniel,” along with their families, were thrown into the lions’ den and killed even before they “reached the bottom of the den.” Sinclair Ferguson once more provides a helpful word at this point:

In a fallen and sinful world there is a somber side to the salvation of God’s people. The deliverance of Eve’s seed is always accompanied by the bruising of the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). Christ delivers those who were subject to a lifelong fear of death by destroying the one who had the power of death (Heb. 2:14-15). The dark side to Daniel’s deliverance is the judgment that falls on those who had sought to destroy the kingdom of God. They and their entire families, even wives and children, were cast into the den of lions and immediately attacked and devoured. Herodotus informs us that such punishment of entire families was meted out according to Persian Law. It was a terrible end. Their gods were unable to deliver them from the lions, whereas Daniel’s God had delivered him. The One who was in Daniel was stronger than the one who was in the world (cf. 1 John 4:4).

The closing verses of this chapter provide an appropriate climax to the first section of the book as well as to the miracle of Daniel’s deliverance. Darius, whatever his ultimate spiritual condition, confessed the supreme authority of “the God of Daniel” (v. 26). (Daniel, 130)

Recognize God Will Use You to Make His Name Famous among the Nations

Daniel 6:25-28

Bob Fyall makes a number of helpful observations about how these verses fit into the book as a whole when he writes,

In Chapters 2, 3 and 4, Nebuchadnezzar had praised Daniel’s God in an increasingly reverent way. In Chapter 5 there had been no such praise from Belshazzar who had already passed the point of no return. Here Darius virtually encapsulates the theology of the whole book in a song of praise which summarizes what God has done in the last chapters and points forward to the theology of history about to be unfolded in the second part of the book. (Daniel, 91)

God Can Cause Unbelievers to Acknowledge His Greatness (6:25-26)

Darius has clearly been impacted by God’s miraculous deliverance of Daniel. In words reminiscent of the Psalms, and in particular Psalm 2, this unbelieving ruler writes “to those of every people, nation, and language who live on the whole earth” (v. 25). Once more the language of Daniel anticipates the glorious eschatological missionary promise of Revelation 5 and 7. The decree or letter begins with words of blessing, “May your prosperity abound.” The king then quickly follows with a command or warning, “that in all [his] royal dominion, people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel” (v. 26). The declaration accomplishes at least two important purposes. First, it recognizes the greatness, even the superiority, of Israel’s God over all would-be rivals. And second, it cancels out the irrevocable edict of 6:6-9 (Hill, “Daniel,” 127). Once again we see the truth of Proverbs 21:1: “A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses.”

God Can Even Use Unbelievers to Proclaim His Glory (6:26-28)

The content of the decree is in verses 26-27. It is a theological doxology that takes note of God’s greatness universally (v. 26) and personally (v. 27). As to his nature, he is the living and eternal God. As to his sovereignty, his kingdom will not be destroyed or brought to an end (v. 26). He is universally unparalleled and without rival.

On the personal level he is a delivering and rescuing God. He is not limited spatially, for he works his signs and wonders, his mighty and supernatural acts, “in the heavens and on the earth.” In the most immediate context, just look to Daniel, whom he has rescued “from the power of the lions” (v. 27).

Once again God honors his faithful servant. Just as he blessed and honored Daniel under the Babylonians, Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, he does so again under the Medo-Persians and Darius (that is, Cyrus the Persian; v. 28). The truth of James 4:10 rings forth again, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” The New Living Translation says, “He will lift you up in honor.”

Conclusion: How Does the Text Point to Christ?

Throughout the Bible, especially the Old Testament, God uses typology to point us to a coming deliverer, a rescuer, in fulfillment of the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15. Sometimes our Lord uses events like the Passover in Exodus 12. Other times he uses institutions like the temple and the sacrificial system. And still other times he uses individuals like Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, and Daniel. In the messianic Psalm 22, the righteous sufferer proclaims in verse 21, “Save me from the lion’s mouth.” God indeed saved Messiah Jesus from the mouth of the lion of death by his glorious resurrection. In like manner he saved Daniel from a lion’s attack when early in the morning, “at the first light of dawn” (6:19), Darius arrived at what could be described as Daniel’s tomb, only to discover he was not dead; he was alive!

Lest you think I am guilty of overreading the text, let me point you to Tim Keller’s encouragement for us all to develop an instinct for seeing Jesus in all of Scripture. If it is true that the Bible is not about me but about Jesus, “the source and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2), then we are justified to see him here in Daniel. He illustrates this instinct beautifully:

Jesus is the true and better Adam, who passed the test in the garden, His garden—a much tougher garden—and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel, who though innocently slain, has blood that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for our acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham, who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go into the void not knowing whither He went.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac, who was not just offered up by His Father on the mount, but was truly sacrificed for us all while God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love Me because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from Me.” Now we at the foot of the cross can say to God, “Now we know that You love me because You did not withhold Your Son, Your only Son whom You love, from me.”

Jesus is the true and better Jacob, who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserve so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace that wake us up and discipline us.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph, who is at the right hand of the king and forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses, who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job —He’s the truly innocent sufferer who then intercedes for and saves His stupid friends. . . .

Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes His people’s victory though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace, but lost the ultimate heavenly one, who didn’t just risk His life, but gave His life, who didn’t say, “If I perish, I perish,” but said, “When I perish, I will perish for them to save My people.”

Jesus is the true and better Jonah, who was cast out into the storm so we could be brought in.

He’s the real Passover Lamb. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread. (“What Is Gospel-Centered Ministry?”)

Indeed Jesus is all of these things. And to them we may rightly add, Jesus is the true and better Daniel, who having been lowered into a lion’s den of death, emerges early the next morning alive and vindicated by his God.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Why do you think this story connects so much with the hearts and imaginations of those who hear or read it? Why do you think it is so hard for some to believe?
2. What can we learn from Daniel about how to live faithfully in the midst of a culture that does not honor God?
3. What characteristics make Daniel stand out and allow him to ascend to high leadership positions in the kingdom?
4. Why should Christians who are serving God faithfully expect opposition? How does Daniel handle this opposition?
5. What does it mean for one’s faith to be crisis oriented, and how does it contrast with Daniel’s faith?
6. How can you prepare now for when opposition will come? What instruction does Jesus give about persecution?
7. Daniel’s faithfulness to God led him to disobey the earthly king. In what kinds of issues should we be prepared to serve God rather than man?
8. God’s power is put on display in this passage. Who and what are shown ultimately to be under the authority of Daniel’s God?
9. In what sense is this a missionary text? How does it point us to the nations?
10. How do Daniel’s situation and character remind you of Jesus?