Rabbits. Cute and cuddly animals that often become the pets of children.
Lions. Ferocious and terrifying animals. If a lion was walking down your
street, growling and licking its chops, it’s doubtful that you would invite the
lion into your home.
A den of lions. The most cited event of Daniel’s life was his being cast
into a den of lions for his faithfulness to God. As Daniel 6:16-27 details:
“Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den
of lions….Then said Daniel unto the king….. My God hath sent his angel, and
hath shut the lions’ mouth, that they have not hurt me.”
It is an account where the ending (Daniel being saved) is readily apparent to
the reader. There are no suspenseful pauses, no “to be continued”
advertisements, and no waiting until the next chapter. Everyone that has either heard
or read the account, knows that Daniel was saved. However, this element of
salvation was not known by Daniel, at the time of his being tossed into the den
of lions.
There is no annotation recording what the angel spoke unto Daniel, but it is
unlikely that the angel assured Daniel (prior to his being cast into the den):
“Okay, listen, tomorrow, they’re going to throw you into this den filled with
these really hungry and vicious lions. But, don’t worry, because, this is
what’s going to happen. I’ll let them toss you into the den, they’ll shove a
stone over the mouth of the den. Then, when we’re alone, I’ll shut the lions’
mouths. It’ll be spectacular, when they open the den and find you not only
alive, but without even a scratch.”
No, when Daniel was tossed into the den of lions and saw the skeletal remains
of prior occupants, he did not know that he would be saved. He only had the
faith that God’s perfect will would be done, whether this meant that the lions
devoured or spared him; it was all in God’s hands.
A den of lions. Today, it is unlikely that a person would be cast into a
literal den of lions for their faithfulness to God. However, as Christians,
we daily face varying forms of dens:
Ø The business den, where the Christian faces ethical decisions.
Ø The classroom den, where the Christian student faces peer pressure.
Ø The societal den, where the Christian faces changing social values.
When we are tossed into a den, there is the uncertainty of the outcome; will
we overcome or be “devoured”? This uncertainty is the very substance of our
faith, believing that the perfect will of God will be done.
When we overcome, the strength of the foe gives testimony to the greatness of
God. Daniel’s example of remaining faithful to God, even when facing
hungry lions, would not have been so great an example, if the lions had been
rabbits.
