Dare I Pet The Lions?

 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Daniel 6:16-17 ESV

Daniel was set up by a group of men jealous of his position and power. Perhaps he held them to a higher standard than they were willing to live. In any case, seeking to discredit him before the king, but finding no fault with his character or work, they crafted a law that would punish Daniel for his devotion to God and prayer.  The punishment was rather gruesome, too; revealing the depth of jealousy and hatred these evil men had for Daniel.

We know by reading the whole chapter that God delivered Daniel from a violent death in the lions’ den. Daniel gives the method in verse twenty-two.

My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Daniel 6:22 ESV

But, we also know that the lions were indeed very hungry due to the fate that eventually befell Daniel’s enemies (6:24).  So keeping a number of hungry lions disinterested in Daniel while he sat among them (all night) was quite a miracle.

The big questions for me in this circumstance might be:

·         Is this an anomaly or truly a miracle? Have I caught these lions at a time when they are not hungry, or are very lethargic? How long might this last?

·         Do the lions not see me? Or is there something I’m wearing that is making them wary?

·         Dare I move? Would movement jumpstart their predator instincts inciting them to kill me even though they do not appear to be interested in me at the moment?

·         What am I doing (unconsciously) that I need to keep doing to keep these lions away?

·         Dare I rest?

·         And, if God truly is at work, dare I pet the lions?

Though there is much we do not know about Daniel’s thoughts while in the lions’ den, I am fairly confident that he did not have these kinds of questions. Why? Because those questions reveal a serious lack of understanding about God’s methods, character, and power. Daniel did not seem to be plagued by these kinds of doubts.

When informed of the new law forbidding prayer to anyone other than king Darius, Daniel’s first act was to shrug, and pray anyway.  He immediately knew the reason for the law, that people would be watching, and that a visit to the zoo was around the corner. Daniel’s apparent lack of concern was not due to his confidence that God would rescue him, either. Recall the response of his three friends in the early years of Daniel’s exile:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18 ESV

Daniel prayed after the new law went into effect, because that was his practice. It was his habit, custom, and means by which he both communicated with and honored God. Though second in the kingdom in terms of authority, Daniel was a man who sought to serve and please God first. He was known for his commitment to God (6:5, 16, 20, 26).

In addition, Daniel trusted God completely, and without reservation. His trust was not based on the hope that he would never encounter harm. Daniel’s trust was based upon the character of God and what God’s Word revealed about Him. From his familiarity with the books of Moses, the Psalms, and perhaps some of the prophets, Daniel knew that God loved His people; he knew that God provided for His people; he knew that God disciplined His people, and He also delivered them. But Daniel also knew that God was just, righteous, and sovereign—raising up some leaders and nations and casting some down, in His own time and for His own glory.

Daniel was a servant of God; yielded to God’s plans and purposes. So he went willingly to prayer before his enemies and went willingly to the lions’ den, too. Once there, Daniel was abandoned to God’s will in that moment: whether it be death, life, or any stop in-between.

So was Daniel surprised to survive his first minute in the lions’ den? I think he was. But once he gathered himself, Daniel embraced the miracle around him. Daniel knew immediately that there was nothing he was doing to keep the lions at bay. Perhaps he even saw the angel waiting there for his arrival. In any case, Daniel did not worry all night about the miracle wearing off. He didn’t consume himself with thoughts about how he could stay away from the lions. He didn’t worry about what he could do to sustain the miracle. You see, only God does miracles. And if God is doing a miracle, the work is complete without our help.

I like to think that after picking himself up off the floor of the lions’ den, Daniel praised God, introduced himself to each of the lions, petted them, and then went to sleep. You see, God is good all the time--and He is at work all the time. Even if you find yourself cast defenseless into a den full of hungry lions, God is at work; and if He is at work, you have nothing more to do than rest in Him.