When Darius was made king in Babylon, he gave DANIEL a promotion.  DANIEL was very capable at carrying out his duties and the King had plans to promote him to the top position over the entire Babylonian empire!  The other administrators and officers were jealous. They searched for a reason to disqualify DANIEL from being promoted but they could not find an area where he did not do excellently. They began to plan and scheme against him and finally came up with an idea. DANIEL was committed to following GOD and practicing his faith. They observed that DANIEL was a man of prayer and went to King Darius and said: “We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” So King Darius signed the law.“ (Daniel 6:7-9 NLT)

DANIEL heard that the law had been signed but it did not change his devotion to God. He continued to pray to the Lord three times a day. The officials went to DANIEL’S home and found that he was praying. They next went to the king and reminded him of the law he had signed and of the consequences if anyone was caught praying to anyone other than King Darius. The officials reported that DANIEL was found praying to his God.

King Darius liked DANIEL very much and did not want to place him in the lions’ den. However, the law was the law, and he had DANIEL arrested and placed into the den of lions. A stone was placed over the mouth of the lions’ den. This would assure Daniel could not escape.

 

The next morning the king got up early and went to the lions’ den. He called out to DANIEL and found that indeed DANIEL’S God had not allowed him to be harmed by the lions. King Darius had DANIEL removed and had his accusers thrown into the den.  They were eaten alive along with their families!

That very day, King Darius made this decree:  

“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.

For he is the living God,
    and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
    and his rule will never end.
27 He rescues and saves his people;
    he performs miraculous signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:26-27 (NLT)

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Like Daniel, we may face what seem to be impossible circumstances. When we remain true to our faith, God will deliver us!

 

“ Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.”  Psalm  34:19 (NKJV)