Saturday 14 April 2018

Deliverance of Daniel (BD17)

Dan 6:16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."
   What a friend Daniel was to King Darius, who was trying to find ways of delivering Daniel from the lion's den. But the enemies of Daniel reminded King Darius that according to the law of the Mede-Persians, all decrees and statutes established by the king cannot be changed, thereby forcing King Darius to send Daniel to the lions.
   King Darius must have   advising and helping him to administrate his great Mede-Persian Empire. He must have seen his complete loyalty and faithfulness in serving him and his continuous labour towards the prosperity and peace of the Empire. His love and faithfulness to his God had earned him the ability to display miracles reserved for God's anointed servants only.
   Though King Darius could not save his loyal subject and friend, Daniel; he knew that Yahweh, the Almighty God of the Jews would deliver him from the lions.

Dan 6:18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.
   King Darius humbled himself to be like a Jew or servant by fasting for Daniel. This was unprecedented for all heathen kings considered themselves as gods and demanded their people to worship them or their images - idolatry. His love and concern for the safety of Daniel, who was cast into the lion's den, caused him to lose his sleep. As soon as it was daylight, he went immediately to the lion's den and cried out to Daniel to ascertain his condition.

Dan 6:19-20 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"

Dan 6:21-22 Then Daniel said to the king, "O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you."
   Daniel answered the king that he was not harmed by the lions for the Almighty God had sent His angel to protect and delivered Him because *he had not sinned against God nor His mission to him* (i.e. to faithfully serve the conquerors for seventy years and to live in peace).

Brethren, to ensure that we live under His protection, we must keep His words. We must not sin against God's mission for us, that we live in peace with all, to preach the everlasting gospel, to love one another as Jesus had loved us, to make disciples, to be like Him, and finally to be perfect just as the Father is perfect.

Psalms 91:1-6 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.