Daniel's unwavering faithfulness to God under extreme pressure is highlighted through his experience in the den of lions. Despite a decree forbidding prayer to any god or man, Daniel continued his consistent practice of praying three times a day toward Jerusalem, demonstrating an excellent spirit and integrity that his enemies could not fault. This commitment to worship, even when facing death, reveals that true strength and deliverance come from an unshakeable trust in God, not from political maneuvering or human flattery. The sermon concludes by emphasizing that consistent worship and submission to God, rather than outward circumstances, are the keys to enduring pressure and glorifying Him, drawing parallels between Daniel's experience and that of Christ.
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We are studying the epistle to the Hebrews in the morning. Some of you are not able to come. There have been a little over fifty I was told. And I trust that you who come will not be discouraged because of my taking a little extra time. You know, when one has the gift of tongues, It doesn't know when to stop. But I was presenting that blessed work of our Lord Jesus Christ, the High Priest. But I am sure, I'm convinced, that should you come tomorrow morning, will confine the whole study within the hour.
Will you turn with me to Daniel chapter six? Daniel chapter six, where we read, beginning with verse one, it pleased Darius to said over the kingdom and hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom, and over these three presidents of whom Daniel was first, that the princes might give account unto them and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king sought to set him over the whole realm.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. but they could not, they could find none occasion nor false. For as much as he was faithful, neither was there any error or false in him. Then said these men, We shall not find an occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. then these three presidents and princes assembled together to the king and said thus unto him, King Darius, live forever.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors and the princes, the counselors and the captains have consulted together to establish a royal statue, to make a firm decree that whosoever shall ask the petition of any God or man for thirty days save of thee, O King, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 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.
Wherefore King Darius signed the writing of and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into the 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. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near and spake before the king concerning the king's decree.
Has 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, A thing that's true, according to the law of the Median Persians, which also is not. 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 make it a petition three times a day. Then the king, When he heard these words, was so displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him.
And he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 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 establishes may be changed. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lion. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God, who thou service continually, He will deliver thee. 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 lord, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Then the king went to his palace, and past the night's fasting, neither were instruments of music brought before him, and the sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste unto the dark den of lions. 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 service continually able to deliver thee from the lion?
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angels, and hath shut the lion's mouths, that they have not hurt me. for as much as before him innocency was found in me, and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 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 matter of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
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 over them, and break all their bones and pieces, or ever they came, at the bottom of the den. Then King Darius rode unto all the people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth. He's been multiplied unto you. 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 steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
He delivereth and rescueeth, he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Goliath, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Last night, no Sunday night, I started a series on pressure or concerning pressure, and it was a young man who was under pressure, and he grew in apprehension while under pressure. Now it's not a young man, it's an old man who we find under pressure.
The Second World Empire was inferior to the first, for in the vision that Daniel had It was of a man's head of gold, arms and breastplate of silver, then thighs of brass, then legs of iron and toes of clay. And seeing that vision, we see that each succeeding world kingdom is inferior or goes down. They're inferior. So here, We notice it is not seen only in the symbolic metal where it went under Nebuchadnezzar gold.
He was the head thereof, but now under Darius there was a silver, an inferior metal. But also we see in the administration of the second kingdom, that some power was lost. Nebuchadnezzar did whatsoever please him, and no one would suit him. But here, Darius was in subjection to those who were round about him. We saw it in verses five through nine, and we saw that these men wanted to find an occasion against Daniel.
Why against him? First of all, he was the king's favorite. Secondly, he was a Jew. And therefore Kissinger, now this is not factual, but I personally believe in all the things that are taking place, being Jewish. he will try to play both ends toward the middle. And somehow or other, because of the world's situation where Israel being the nerve center and affecting all the arteries of the world, he, Kissinger, will have to make a stand as to whether he's a Jew who believes in this God or whether he will deny his Judaism.
Here they were going to concoct a scheme because they could find no error or fault in him except concerning the law of his God. So in verses fourteen and fifteen, we notice that the king, when he heard these words, was so displeased, but he had to give way to these who forced him by deception to sign that decree. And in the midst of that inferior kingdom, God had a shining light.
And beloved, there are some of you here who are a longing year. But unless in your Christian life, the Spirit of God was able to conform you to His, to the image of the Son of God. And if you walk consistently, whatever the pressures that are yet to come upon us, you, and also the sisters who are along in years. If it has been a consistent light, there will be light in the midst of darkness while under pressure. Youth has no monopoly on God.
Neither has old age a monopoly on God. The only ones who have a monopoly on him, so to speak, are those who are yielded to a spirit by obeying his mind and walking in his way. being consistent therein, they will not have that weakness that when the nitty-gritty comes to pass and they are attacked along the lines of their faith, they not having done it in the past by God's grace will be so used to walking in constant fellowship with Him that when the time comes, that individual will not go under.
The prophet is now over eighty years of age. He's long in years, and he is envied by the president and the princes. And as they envy him, they did so because they loved darkness rather than light. The light shone in the darkness and the darkness would not apprehend it or take hold of the light as we read in John. Why? Because their deeds are evil. And here they had a demonstration of a consistent light. He was not, he did not come short in his administration or in faithfulness to the king.
Nothing could be found against him except the fact that he was consistent in his worship of God. And that is what Satan does if he cannot keep an individual from coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior. He will attack that individual who reaches out to take hold of him, to follow him, to be like him, even unto death. And we see it here. They knew the high regard that Darius had for Daniel. They knew that the king loved him.
And because of jealousy, they concocted a scheme that was both false and very flattering. That is why, beloved, you and I should not, should not lean on the arm of flesh. Even the arm of another believer, as I've said on previous occasions, thank God when they are a help, a comfort, a strength. But we are to lean only on the everlasting arm. The reason for it is each of us has a sin nature that is subject to flattery.
And so it was with Darius. The falseness of their scheme, they said, all the presidents. It does not go into detail that all the presidents gave their view. It may have been a large majority, but perhaps some of them were not with the majority. Secondly, it was very flattering. No one should appeal to God or to man, but only to thyself. Therefore, what they were doing, they were lifting them up on a level, so to speak, with God and the highest of men in the fact that He is being catapulted into a high position where He is to be looked to, and no one else.
So it was very... bladdering the deed And it flatters the king. That's why he listens to it. And in the midst of the flattery, he forgot all about Daniel. He forgot the love that he had taught him. He forgot the faithfulness of this administrator who was given the highest position. He forgot, for flattery is mental suicide. And that's exactly what happened in the Garden of Eden. Why did Eve listen? Because she was being flattered. She was being flattered.
Why didn't she draw away in horror? Because he, the serpent in whom Satan entered, was so sympathetic with her viewpoint. that she began to see the logic of what was being conveyed. She was flattered. And might I say amongst the Lord's people, you and I have not yet escaped because we are still in this body. Therefore, we are to love one another. We are to encourage one another. We are to be of health to one another.
We are to bear one another's burden, but we are not to lean on one another because we are subject to flattery. I don't know about you, but there were cases in my Christian life where I was spoiled and I fell because I believed in what was told me. She listened to the serpent. Why did she listen? Why didn't she say to herself, Adam speaks? I speak and we communicate. God speaks and he communicates with us and we communicate with him.
But this serpent, how can he speak? Therefore, as soon as she was flattered, as soon as someone sympathized with her, as soon as someone was on her side, she was ready to listen. That is why in the time of tribulation, this image that will be set up, the image will speak, and the peoples of the world will not question as to how an image can speak, because what that image would say would be flattering and sympathetic to the nature of those people who are living at that time.
So we notice here, they were prejudiced against Daniel. And we know, beloved, prejudice produces its own logic. And whenever you are prejudiced in some aspect of the word or something in or about the speaker or about one another immediately, immediately in your very being a logic will arise that will justify that prejudice. And so we noticed they were prejudiced and they said to themselves that the ego is vulnerable.
and the eagle went flattered, will yield and will fall, and their flattery found a nest in place. Where did it nest? Right in the eagle, right in the affection of the king. It happened, as I said, in the Garden of Eden. It happened also in the time of Daniel, and it also was used in the wilderness where Satan flattered him when he said, All the kingdoms and the power and the glory will I give unto thee if thou will fall down and worship me.
And in this model prayer that our Lord gave to the disciples when they said, teach us to pray, He edited the prayer with, Did Satan say all the kingdoms and the power and the glory it is? I say unto you that when you pray, say, For thine is the kingdom, thine is the power, thine is the glory. He was able to overcome flattery. Our Lord Jesus Christ was temptable. not temptable within, for there was no sin in him, but he was temptable from without thought.
Immediately he cut down the thing that stood in the way, that is the temptation. Most likely, Darius heard what happened at Belshazzar's seat. He heard and had the accountants how the enemy came in underground. The river was dried up and they were able to come underground, come in and overthrow the head of gold, that first worldwide kingdom. And although he knew that, he forgot it when he was gladdened. It didn't prevail for long, and we also noticed this, that the same propensity of pride that was in both Nebuchadnezzar and in Belshazzar, he didn't realize that that same propensity of pride was in him.
One of the reasons why I believe the Lord does not take us immediately into his presence after he saved us is that we might see who and what we are, and in the light of that being exposed, we say to ourselves, why should God have saved me? Why should Christ have died for me? And we realize the fact that it's by the grace of God that we are what we are. And before he takes us home, he takes us through a process that when he's through with us, we acknowledge the fact and we bow the knee and we confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father, that we have nothing to stand on but His pure grace.
Then I want you to notice, when you turn with me to First Corinthians, hold your place here, and I want you to notice First Corinthians the tenth chapter and verse twelve. And in First Corinthians chapter ten and verse twelve we read, There hath no temptation taken you, but that which is coming to man. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted, above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that he may be able to bear it.
It does not mean he will take you out of the cauldron, but if he allows you to remain in the cauldron of affliction, he will make a way of escape where you do not fall under the pressure. But within the cauldron, within the pot, you will be bubbling with joy as the heat is increased constantly. And so with regard to the warning in the sin nature that is dwelling in earth. This is seen in the evolution of human rebellion as pictured by the various monarchs.
First of all, there was Nebuchadnezzar. What about him? Nebuchadnezzar associated God with idols. And where do we see that? Look at chapter three of Daniel in verse five. And in Daniel three in verse five, Here is what we read in verse five, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackfoot, salfrey, dulcimer, and all kind of music ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar, the king, have set up. So here in the evolution of the revolution of the revolution of these various kings, we notice Nebuchadnezzar associates idols with God.
Then in Belshazzar, he substituted idols for God. And where do we see that in the fifth chapter and verse four? And in the fifth chapter, verse four, It says they drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and stone. Then when it comes to Darius, he did not oppose them, setting him up as God, and we have already read the scriptures. But how different... from Daniel, from the genesis of his life into the captivity and during the captivity and finally the exodus, exodus of his life, nothing and no one was able to corrupt Daniel.
They could not do it. How different. from these kings. Then we also noticed there was no loose strands in the tapestry of his life. And the reason why I and you in the time of pressure seem to falter, and then we wonder where money will come from. We wonder where openings will come from. We wonder how the doctor's bill would be, and we wonder who would take care of us in our old age. All of these are loose strands, and they are due to the fact of a faltering faith in the process of our Christian walk.
Well, are we perfect? No, we are not perfect. But the thing is, when God deals with us in our inconsistencies, once he brings us out and blesses us, we forget the process to which we were put. And then we go on in the same way as before. We find that in Psalm one hundred and seven. And it's the Psalm of Christ. They cried. The Lord delivered them. They soon forgot his works. Down they weren't. Then they cried again. The Lord delivered them. They went down again. And they cried unto the Lord.
And again he delivered them. It seems they could not learn that particular lesson once for all. And all the blessedness. of a consistent life. Daniel was not tested as a prophet. Daniel was not tested as a statesman. He was tested as a worshiper of Jehovah. And so in our country, I don't know what may come to pass. It may be that in the presence of God, there may be a pressure and persecution of God's people. And it will not be because you have not been a good citizen.
You have not been consistent with your neighbor or paid your taxes. It will be in the manner of the worshiping of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we notice it right here. His circumstances never, never did his circumstances alter his worship. Never. I am sure, and I don't mean to be funny, when I am here it's a matter of light and death, but I am sure that he must have had aches and pains in his body. He must have had pressure, but it never, never entered in or altered his worship.
He worshiped in favorable circumstances, and when the circumstances were unfavorable, what did he do? He worshiped. He worshiped. And that's what we noted. He worshiped his God. For we read in verse ten. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his windows being opened in his chamber, told Jerusalem, He kneeled upon his knees. He could have been very quiet. He could have stood there. He could have prayed in his heart. He need not have opened his windows, and they would not have been the wiser for it.
But as soon as he opened the windows, as soon as he kneeled, bringing himself into subjection, as soon as that was done immediately, That's what happened. They took hold of him. They had him, and they wanted to do away with him. Not only was he upon his knees in verse ten, but it was three times a day. Daniel, could you not have circumvented? Could you not have acted like a politician? Daniel, you had the highest place in the kingdom. And one can only hold that position unless he's a good politician.
But no, says Daniel, I was taught from Solomon's time on that if anyone would open their windows, facing toward the east and praying toward the temple, God would hear their petition. So he opened the windows, but of what good would the windows be if the windows of his heart were shut? And he got down on his knees. Of what good would his spending be if there was not truly a humility there? Of what good would it be? Perhaps Daniel had fear as to the consequences.
That would come to pass. But no, the Word says he knelt three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did a fourth time. For years after I was saved, I was afraid of death. I was afraid of it. But as the years went on, I began to think of the worst things that could happen to me. are read concerning our people and is well documented, as in Josephus as well as other writers of Jewish history, when they slaughtered the Jewish people and they ripped the women open.
Then I began to realize that perfect love cast without fear, and I knew my love was not perfect toward him. I also knew then that it was his love that was perfect toward me, and I knew that I would be able to do all things to Christ with strengthness and love. No one can put you to death if you have already died with God. Don't get that child of God. And so we notice it. His circumstances were the favorable or unfavorable. The first ten tells us they thanked before his God as he did a fourth time.
How beautiful. He knew his circumstances could change. That what gave him the audacity of faith? to act the way he did. And although he knew that his circumstances would change, he knew that Deloius would change, he also knew that his God was unchangeable. How marvelous that is. Then we notice he clung to reality, and he did not trust the transitory. He did not lean heavily on his position. He was not flattered by it. And as you sit here, and I'm standing here, what we think we are at this very moment, what we think we are, we only are through testing.
Don't forget. We never know ourselves until we are tested. And I thank God for every testing that has come to pass. For it has depleted me. And the only way to succeed is self-confidence to be broken. That is, succeed with Him. And that's what testing does. And we never know what we are until we are tested. And he was tested. A man in captivity, when highly favored and honored, will soon be engrossed in his good fortune.
But not Daniel. He did not forget God or his purpose. I want you to turn to first Kings. First Kings the eighth chapter. And in First Kings chapter eight, I want you to notice something very significant there. First Kings chapter eight, verses forty-seven through fifty. And in verse forty-seven, yet if they shall besink themselves in the land whither they will carry captives, And Solomon is praying here, dedicating himself and the temple. And he says, when they shall besink themselves in a place where they will carry captive and repent and make supplication unto thee, in the land of them that carry them captive, saying, We have sinned and have done perversely.
We have committed wickedness, and so return unto thee with sin. all their heart, and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name, then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven. thy dwelling place and maintain their cause. And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee. And give them compassion before them who carry them captive, that they may have compassion on them.
Therefore, therefore what he was doing there was not forgetting God and His purpose. He knew by Jeremiah's scrolls that the seventy years of captivity was coming to an end. He showed the scrolls to Cyrus. He even showed them where Cyrus' name is mentioned. And Cyrus was used of God to cause the Jewish people to go back to their land. Well, Daniel was not concerned as to what would happen to him, as much as what was going to happen to his people. And he knew that if he would pray unto his God, that the Lord God would listen because there was a representative for the whole nation in captivity, and the Lord answered that prayer.
And so we notice in Daniel, six, ten, what did he do there? He turned toward Jerusalem, kneeled down, prayed, gave thanks, as he did all time. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. If you would turn at your leisure, to Philippians the fourth chapter of verses four through six. You will see there in Philippians four, four through six, all the ingredients in Daniel's prayer that are mentioned in Philippians the fourth chapter of verses four through six.
Power does not corrupt. I don't believe that power corrupts at all. And I heard it say that power corrupts and great power brings forth greater corruption. But what it does really is not corrupt, but it merely brings out the corruption that is already there. That's what power does. But with Daniel's power lost its power to corrupt. The man was not corruptible. He could not be corrupted there.
Daniel did not worship diplomatically. And what is a diplomat? Who was a diplomat? Kissinger is a diplomat. Why do I say he's a diplomat? For a diplomat is one who can manage the securing of advantages without causing hostility. And so as a diplomat, he goes both to Egypt and goes to Israel. And as a diplomat, he tries to manage the securing of advantages without causing hostility. King Daniel was not a diplomat in that sense of the word.
In Colossians four two, we find that it was true of Daniel. And in Colossians the fourth chapter and verse two, we read this verse of Scripture. Colossians four two tells us, right here, continuing prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. Continue in prayer. Why continue in prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving? Because the world has many opiates.
And even in prayer, if we allow our minds to wander and rest on these opiates, we can be drugged and fall asleep and go in the way of all fleshed. even though it is believing flesh. And so we notice with him, it was true of him. For we read in Daniel verse ten of chapter six, as I just read it, he was consistent as he prayed before time, he prayed now. And also on verses twenty-one and twenty-two, we read here, Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever.
My God hath sent his angel, shut the lion's mouth, that they have not hurt me. For as much as before him innocency was found in me, and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. You know, in the matter of prayer, a consistent prayer life, we often read, resist the devil and he will flee from you. And Daniel could have resisted and resisted and resisted and resisted, and the devil would not have fled from him and he could have fallen.
And the same thing is true in your life and in my life. Why? Because we forget another part of Scripture. where it says, Submit yourself unto God. For in submitting yourself unto God, you have already resisted the devil, and he will flee from you. And if there is no submission to God consistently, the devil will not flee, but we will find him going along like a roaring lion whom he may devour. So we see right here, while under pressure, because of a consistent life, a man over eighty years of age, worship even to the point of being thrown into the lion's den.
And we notice that God was Daniel's alpha and omega and his in-between. what the law of the king did to Daniel and what the love of the king could not do for Daniel. Christ did for us. And not only that, it was another love and it was another law. It was the law of grace. It was the law of love. And the king could not do anything for Daniel, either to save him or enter in to such an extent that this should not have happened to him.
Was Daniel cast in the lion's den? So was he. for in Psalms at twenty-two we read about the lion being before him and gnashing at him. Although it was a figure of speed, we find the parallel there. Was the tomb sealed with a great stone so was his. Daniel was also to be honored by royal decree, and we notice that at the end of the chapter. As it happened to Daniel, so it happened to the Lord Jesus Christ.
he was honored by divine decree wherefore god has highly lifted him and raised him from the dead and giving him a name above every other name that at the name of jesus every knee should bow whether in heaven earth or under the earth so we see as he was cast daniel in the lion's den so is christ as a tomb was sealed with a stone so was his as the stone was rolled away so was his as he was honored by royal decree. That is Daniel, so was he, and beloved. One of these days, even though under pressure you may be eighty or reach in there or past eighty, might I say, if the Lord Jesus Christ is your all-in-all, under pressure you will rise and glorify him, and all the forces of darkness will see how they could not have kept a soul under whose only aim, whose only object whose only being is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And may the Lord help us in these days in which we are living. Shall we pray? Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for thy word, and what thy servant was not able to convey. May thy blessed, faithful spirit show Whether the times were well or whether the times were at birth, it never altered Daniel's worship. Daniel's God is our God to a higher degree because the Spirit dwells within us. and enable us, and may thy grace, may thy mercy envelop thy people here, and give them courage to realize that as a young man stood under pressure and glorified the Lord Jesus So in old age we can stand under pressure and still glorify him.
We ask it, our Father, in the name and for the sake of thy dear Son, our Savior. Amen.