Scripture Reading : Daniel 6
Theme : Lion’s Den
Plot to Destroy Daniel (1-15). When Darius the Persian king conquered Babylon he put Daniel in charge of his government and Daniel excelled above all. So other leaders were jealous and wanted to kill Daniel. In order to kill Daniel, they must make a law that is against the law of God so that Daniel must obey God by disobeying the law. Through trickery, they were able to put Daniel in a lion’s den even though the king did not want to kill Daniel.
Plot Turns on Conspirators (16-28) God miraculously delivered Daniel from the lions by shutting their mouths. The king was amazed and then was angry at the conspirators so that he commanded the conspirators and their families be thrown into the lion’s den. Ironically, the conspirators were destroyed by their own plot. At the end, God was glorified. The king praised God and commanded other people to praise God as well. This is analogous of the end times, when nations will attack Israel, but Jesus will come back and miraculously deliver Israel and then at the end all the nations will praise God.
Praying the Scripture
- God is faithful and will defend the nation of Israel and His people. He will glorify Himself through the nation of Israel. Whoever tries to destroy the nation of Israel will be destroyed in the end (Zech. 12:3), just as He also destroyed Haman for trying to destroy the Jews in Esther. The miraculous survival of the nation of Israel and the miraculous survival of Daniel demonstrate the faithfulness of God to His people. We can completely rely on Him and cast all our troubles before Him (1 Pet. 5:7). When the world plots against us we can rely on God.
经文：但以理书6
主题：狮子坑
毁灭但以理的计划（1-15）。当波斯王大流士占领了巴比伦后，他立但以理治理自己的政府，而但以理在这方面超乎他人。因此，其他首领开始产生妒忌，想杀害但以理。为要杀他，他们必须设与神律法违背的例，叫但以理因要遵从神违背律法。借着诡计，他们最后还是将但以理扔在狮子坑中，即便王不愿杀他。
策划阴谋的反被杀害（16-28）。神封住了狮子的口，奇迹般地搭救了但以理。王甚感惊奇，接着向控告但以理的人发怒，命令将他们连他们的妻子、儿女都扔进狮子坑里。这些策划阴谋的反被自己的诡计遭杀害。最后，神得了荣耀。王赞美神，并吩咐他人要一同赞美祂。这与末世相同，即列国攻击以色列时，耶稣将归来，奇迹般地搭救以色列，而万国万民最终会赞美神。
用经文祷告
- 神是信实的，必要保守以色列国及属祂的子民。祂会藉着以色列国荣耀自己。凡尝试消灭以色列的最终会被消灭（撒12:3），如同神毁灭哈曼一样，因为他在以斯帖记里想灭绝犹太人。以色列与但以理奇迹般的生存都彰显了神对祂子民的信实。我们能完全依靠祂，将所有的忧虑卸给祂（彼前5:7）。当世界策谋伤害我们时，我们能依靠神。
