DANIEL’S EXAMPLE FOR US TODAY
I think everybody has heard of the prophet Daniel. Specifically, Daniel and the lion’s den. But, there is a
lot more regarding Daniel and what he had to stand for and against in his day. Enough so that it should
speak volumes to our ears.
Before we go to the Book of Daniel I want to explain why I am writing this article at this time. There are
many many people that are looking at this period of time as the End Times. They are concerned with
what this government might do or this or that country is going to do as well as what a group of people
might be planning. Most of us can’t do anything about what some evil doer might do. We can put extra
food or supplies away or make plans to leave the large population areas for safer climes. But, as
changing anything that someone might do we don’t have control. Daniel was like this and Daniel’s
example rings clear as to what to do.
You see, Daniel was a stranger in a strange land. As a young lad he was chosen to be trained up and to
stand in the house of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon.
Daniel 1:1-6 (KJV)
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house
of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the
vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of
the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in
knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s
palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he
drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
Now Daniel stood with the God of Israel. That meant he had certain rules that he lived by, one of
these being what he ate. Now the food in the Kings palace was excellent, but, it was outside of
what God dictated that the Children of Israel should eat. So, Daniel chose to eat vegetable soup
rather than the sumptuous food of the Kings table and God blessed him and his friends for their
stand.
Daniel 1:8-16 (KJV)
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s
meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that
he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed
your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which
are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to
drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children
that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the
children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and
gave them pulse.
Daniel didn’t get involved in the politics and whims of others. Even though he was in a strange
land he chose to do what God instructed the Children of Israel to do. What about us? Are we OF
this world or just in it. We are NOT of this World. Our home is in Heaven! We are just passing
through. This doesn’t mean that we hide or remove ourselves from society. No, not at all. We are
to be shining beacons of God’s love and grace. Daniel didn’t hide, but, he stood for and with
God.
Daniel 1:17-21 (KJV)
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom:
and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of
the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found
them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.
While Daniel was alive he had three changes of administration, kingdoms, first was
Nebuchadnezzar, second was Cyrus and then there was Darius. In all of these Daniel and his
friends stood with and for God. These men stood steady in giving the best advise they could to
the king, but, at the same time not compromising on their commitment to God.
Now Daniels friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s stand for God got them in to trouble
with King Nebuchadnezzar. We will have to make the same kind of decisions from time to time
in lives. Do we do what people want us to do? Do we do what society dictates or do we stand for
God because He stands for you.
Daniel 3:1-30 (KJV)
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the
breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the
captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the
sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the
image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and
all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up:
6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and
worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship
the golden image:
11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not
thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have
made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery
furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we
are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he
will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat
the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the
flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of
the burning fiery furnace.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto
his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and
said unto the king, True, O king.
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have
no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and
said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and
come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together,
saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed,
neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28 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.
29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their
houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
Now you will notice that in verse eight that people “accused the Jews” of whom was Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego. People will always find fault with those who endeavor to walk with
and for God. But, is up to the believer as to the outcome.
The same accusers were around for Daniel, also. Always trying to find fault always trying to get
Daniel in trouble, but, they never could find a fault in Daniel. Why? Because Daniel walked with
and for God.
So now we get to the record of Daniel and the lion’s den.
All through his life Daniel never lashed out, never tried to find fault with others. He always stood
faithful to God, always gave good advice and service to the King. But, because of his stand for
God he wasn’t liked by a lot of people.
Daniel 6:1-28 (KJV)
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over
the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give
accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit
was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the
kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was
there any error or fault found in him.5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it
against him concerning the law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King
Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the
captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that
whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall
be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to
the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows
being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and
prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his
God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not
signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days,
save of thee, 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 altereth not.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the
captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh
his petition three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart
on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of
the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be
changed.
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 for ever.
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 exceeding 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 uponhim, 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.
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth;
Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God
of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be
destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who
hath 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.
To Daniel did it matter what the evil doers of that time were plotting? To Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego did it matter what the King was doing or that people were waiting to accuse them,
the people knowing that it was a matter of adhering to the commandments of God or of men?
The answer is simple “No” it didn’t matter to Daniel nor to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
how bad things got. They made a commitment to God and they stood.
It is up to us. Do we look around at the circumstances or do we STAND with and for the One
True God?
The God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is the same God then that He is today.
However, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were servants of God you and I are sons of
God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We have much more potential, much more power and
much more authority than they did. We too can stand with and for God in this day and time.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn’t bow to the whims of man and God saw to it that they
didn’t burn. Daniel didn’t buckle in his commitment to God and because of his stand with and
for God, because of his BELIEVING he was delivered.
Let me leave you with Psalm 2. According to Psalm 2 God has everything in hand even if we
don’t know how. “Blessed are all they that put their trust in God.”
Psalm 2:1-12 (KJV)
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD,
and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I
begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.