Lion's Den

     We've been studying Daniel with Beth Moore on Sunday nights. She told a gruesome story of a turn of the century outdoorsman that got caught by surprise by a pair of lions. One attacked his horse and when he was bucked off, the other chomped onto his shoulder and started dragging him away. She read the details of the story and I wondered where she was heading with this awful tale. The man remembered his knife in his sheath which usually fell out when he was jostled. He reached behind his back and the knife was there. He pictured the placement of the lion's heart and took two quick stabs behind him at the wild animal. He pierced the lion's heart and was freed from his jaws.
     She made the point that we have "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17) to use as our weapon in times of trouble. That Daniel's story was not just a children's bedtime story, but a miracle of God containing real danger for Daniel, but God brought him through it. What I thought was interesting about the story was that the author noted the horrible smell of the beast, wild and dirty. That's what Satan is too, wild and dirty, ready and waiting to carrying us away, his teeth sunk into our bodies. We need to be prepared BEFORE he pounces with God Word tucked securely into our hearts, minds, bodies and souls. KT

Ancient Roman stones in the Colosseum.

Daniel 6: ¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”

 ¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.

 ¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”

 ²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! ²² My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

 ²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.