Teaching Tuesday: Bible Stories - Daniel and the Lions' Den

Series: Bible Stories
Sermon: Daniel and the Lions' Den (8.24.25)
Watch the messages HERE. 

The story of Daniel and the lions’ den often draws our focus to Daniel’s faith and God’s miraculous deliverance. But tucked inside the passage is another useful and powerful perspective—that of King Darius. He had been manipulated by jealous officials into signing a law that should have sealed Daniel’s fate. He loved Daniel, and when he realized what he had done, he regretted it immediately. Though he was the most powerful man in the empire, he found himself powerless to undo what he had done. He spent a sleepless night, restless with regret and worry.

When dawn broke, Darius rushed to the lions’ den and cried out with hope: “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20). What a revealing moment! The king who had thrown Daniel to his presumed death now also confessed faith that Daniel’s God was “living” and able to deliver.

God’s rescue of Daniel was also a rescue for Darius. He discovered that no earthly power, not even his own royal decree, compares to the authority of the God who rules heaven and earth. In fact, Darius responded by issuing a new decree: that every nation under his rule must revere the God of Daniel, for “He is the living God and he endures forever” (Daniel 6:26).

What did Darius learn? He learned the limits of human strength, the danger of pride, and the supremacy of God’s kingdom. He experienced both the guilt of his own decision and the joy of seeing God’s salvation. And in the process, his heart turned from restless anxiety to reverent worship.

We may not sit on thrones, but we all know what it feels like to face situations we’ve created that have grown out of our control. Like Darius, we sometimes reap the consequences of our own poor choices. Yet this story reminds us that God is merciful. He is able not only to rescue His faithful servants, but also to teach kings and common people alike that he alone is the living God.

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel powerless, like Darius? For what do you feel guilty? What do you regret? Bring these to God today. Remember—our failures and anxieties are opportunities for him to reveal his strength and remind us that his kingdom endures forever.

TO KNOW GOD AND MAKE HIM KNOWN! 

- Pastor Brady