Everyone knows the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. King Darius was duped into issuing an irrevocable decree to worship a sixty-foot tall idol. When Daniel refused, his political enemies hauled him before the king. Realizing the deceit of his own officials, Darius waited until the last possible moment to send Daniel into the den (Dan 6:14) saying, “may your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you” (Dan 6:16). Then at the earliest possible moment, Darius went to the den (Dan 6:19) to inquire, “has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” (Dan 6:20). Daniel responded: “they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him” (Dan 6:22).
Earlier today, two men threatened to murder me without cause. Shortly after that, a Bible fell open to Psalm 57:1, “in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge.” Many hours later I found this passage in Daniel and it hit me: “they have not harmed me because I was found blameless before him.”
Daniel in the lion’s den is not narrowly applicable only to actual lions. Scripture says that our spiritual enemy operates like a lion: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV). Young’s literal translation reads: “Be sober, vigilant, because your opponent the devil, as a roaring lion, doth walk about, seeking whom he may swallow up.” The New Living Translation reads: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
There are lions all around us and every peril is a lion: disease, assassins, burglars, swindlers, robbers, drunkards. When we narrowly miss disaster—reckless drivers, gangbangers, vicious dogs—we may rightly claim that God shut the mouth of those lions. And when disaster does reach us, we may rightly allow God to shut our mouths lest we malign God’s sovereign hand (as in Job 1:21, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” and also in Job 2:10, “‘shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips”).
As it has been said, sometimes he calms the raging sea, and sometimes he calms his child. Maybe God sometimes does both. As a thought experiment, what would have happened if Daniel had entered the den shaking with fear and anxiety? Would the lions not have sensed it and advanced? I wonder if and to what degree Daniel’s demeanor changed the den’s atmosphere. While the king spent a sleepless night of hand-wringing (Dan 6:18), I imagine Daniel being calm, confident, and unconcerned. Perhaps even nonchalant. To my former post “Can anything happen without the Lord’s permission?” I would now add, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalm 118:6-7 NIV). And what’s more, right before Peter described our spiritual opponent as a lion, he prefaced it with “cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour..” (1 Peter 5:7-8 ESV)
So, yes, I think that our attitude has much to do with defeating the lions all around us. Walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8), trusting confidently in God’s plan (Psalm 27:1), waiting patiently for God’s deliverance (Psalm 40:1), casting our worries upon God (Psalm 55:22), letting tomorrow worry about tomorrow’s lions (Matt 6:34). But for today, and for each day, let us trust in the Lord, our shepherd, that he may lead us to tranquil pastures and peaceful waters (Psalm 23:1). There is no danger in that sacred environment. (Psalm 91).
Obviously, those two men did me no harm. There are always lions around us. There will always be lions all around us. That will never change in this life. Neither will God’s nature. Let our opponents fret over the consequences of their schemes (Psalm 54:5) but for us, “Peace, be still.” (Mark 4:39).
Beautifully written.