Dan 6:22-23 | KingComments | STEP | When early in the morning, Darius goes to the den, the grave of Daniel, it turns out that Daniel is still alive. Early in the morning it also appears that the Lord Jesus lives. Daniel is here a picture of the Lord Jesus in His resurrection. When the nations become aware of this, they will acknowledge that He has the rule. With Darius we see that in . That Darius goes to the den and speaks to Daniel is quite special. Normally there is no reason to believe that Daniel would be alive. The punishment was not without reason to be thrown into the lions’ den. It was impossible to imagine a more certain death. Yet Darius must have felt something of the power of the God of Daniel. He can only have this feeling through his contact with Daniel and what he may have learned about Him from other sources. He addresses Daniel several times as a worshiper and servant of God. He has seen in the life of Daniel Who God is and of what He is capable. Then it is inevitable that this God is also able to redeem Daniel from the lions. At the king’s request Daniel testifies that his God has sent His angel who has shut the lions’ mouth (cf. ). We read more about the lion’s mouth in Scripture. David rescued his sheep from the lions’ mouth ( ). This is a picture of the Lord Jesus Who rescues his sheep from the lion’s mouth, that is to say from the power of the devil, for he “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” ( ). He cares about them (cf. ). The Lord Jesus experienced the lion’s mouth when He hangs on the cross and evil people slander Him: “They open wide their mouth at me, as a ravening and a roaring lion” ( ). He asked His God to be saved from this: “Save me from the lion’s mouth” ( ) and was answered: “You answer me” ( ). “He was heard because of His piety” ( ). God has heard Him by raising Him from the dead. This is evident in the very rest of Psalm 22. The fact that the Lord Jesus experienced the lion’s mouth means that He entered into the circumstances of His own. What His own experience, He also experienced and therefore He can sympathize with them. His attitude in it is our example, for while He experienced the lion’s mouth He relied upon the LORD, as is also said here of Daniel ( ). Paul also speaks about being “rescued out of the lion’s mouth” ( ). He stands before the world ruler Nero, but is aware that the Lord stands with him. We are also dealing with world rulers who increasingly show the character of roaring and destructive lions. There is another aspect to the deliverance of Daniel from the lions. That other aspect is his faith. For we read of a faith by which believers “shut the mouths of lions” ( ). In the midst of the lions, he had rest in his trust in God. In Psalm 57 we read how David sings of his experiences and talks about lying down “among lions” ( ). Daniel had that faith and God responded to it by sending His angel. But Daniel does not boast of his faith towards Darius. Before Darius he honors God Who delivered him from the lions’ mouths. Daniel says that his innocence is the reason that the lions did not harm him. This is also found when he is taken out of the den. This is the same as what has been found with the three friends when they come out of the furnace of blazing fire ( ). He has done nothing against the LORD, nor against the king. This testimony of innocence and his being delivered from any injury will also be given by the faithful remnant of Israel. They can give that testimony because Christ, the true Innocent, has borne the guilt of the remnant. Because Daniel was in the lion’s den, the requirement of the law has been met. Now he can be delivered from it again, taken up out of it. As said, that is a picture of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He is risen because everything that the law demands of man is fulfilled in Him and through Him in His death. Therefore He could be raised up by God.

‏ Daniel 6:22-23

Taken up Out of the Lions’ Den

When early in the morning, Darius goes to the den, the grave of Daniel, it turns out that Daniel is still alive. Early in the morning it also appears that the Lord Jesus lives. Daniel is here a picture of the Lord Jesus in His resurrection. When the nations become aware of this, they will acknowledge that He has the rule. With Darius we see that in Dan 6:25-27.

That Darius goes to the den and speaks to Daniel is quite special. Normally there is no reason to believe that Daniel would be alive. The punishment was not without reason to be thrown into the lions’ den. It was impossible to imagine a more certain death. Yet Darius must have felt something of the power of the God of Daniel. He can only have this feeling through his contact with Daniel and what he may have learned about Him from other sources. He addresses Daniel several times as a worshiper and servant of God. He has seen in the life of Daniel Who God is and of what He is capable. Then it is inevitable that this God is also able to redeem Daniel from the lions.

At the king’s request Daniel testifies that his God has sent His angel who has shut the lions’ mouth (cf. Acts 12:11). We read more about the lion’s mouth in Scripture. David rescued his sheep from the lions’ mouth (1Sam 17:34-35). This is a picture of the Lord Jesus Who rescues his sheep from the lion’s mouth, that is to say from the power of the devil, for he “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Pet 5:8). He cares about them (cf. Amos 3:12).

The Lord Jesus experienced the lion’s mouth when He hangs on the cross and evil people slander Him: “They open wide their mouth at me, as a ravening and a roaring lion” (Psa 22:13). He asked His God to be saved from this: “Save me from the lion’s mouth” (Psa 22:21a) and was answered: “You answer me” (Psa 22:21c). “He was heard because of His piety” (Heb 5:7). God has heard Him by raising Him from the dead. This is evident in the very rest of Psalm 22.

The fact that the Lord Jesus experienced the lion’s mouth means that He entered into the circumstances of His own. What His own experience, He also experienced and therefore He can sympathize with them. His attitude in it is our example, for while He experienced the lion’s mouth He relied upon the LORD, as is also said here of Daniel (Dan 6:24). Paul also speaks about being “rescued out of the lion’s mouth” (2Tim 4:17). He stands before the world ruler Nero, but is aware that the Lord stands with him. We are also dealing with world rulers who increasingly show the character of roaring and destructive lions.

There is another aspect to the deliverance of Daniel from the lions. That other aspect is his faith. For we read of a faith by which believers “shut the mouths of lions” (Heb 11:33). In the midst of the lions, he had rest in his trust in God. In Psalm 57 we read how David sings of his experiences and talks about lying down “among lions” (Psa 57:4). Daniel had that faith and God responded to it by sending His angel. But Daniel does not boast of his faith towards Darius. Before Darius he honors God Who delivered him from the lions’ mouths.

Daniel says that his innocence is the reason that the lions did not harm him. This is also found when he is taken out of the den. This is the same as what has been found with the three friends when they come out of the furnace of blazing fire (Dan 3:27). He has done nothing against the LORD, nor against the king. This testimony of innocence and his being delivered from any injury will also be given by the faithful remnant of Israel. They can give that testimony because Christ, the true Innocent, has borne the guilt of the remnant.

Because Daniel was in the lion’s den, the requirement of the law has been met. Now he can be delivered from it again, taken up out of it. As said, that is a picture of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He is risen because everything that the law demands of man is fulfilled in Him and through Him in His death. Therefore He could be raised up by God.