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Into the Lion’s Den
Presenter: Larry Kirkpatrick
Location: Bonners Ferry Seventh-day Adventist Church, ID, USA
Delivery: 2010-10-30
Publication: GreatControversy.org 2010-12-04 05:26Z
Type: Sermon
URL: http://www.greatcontroversy.org/gco/ser/kirl-lionsden.php
The reason that there is a word “remember” is because we have damaged brains; we excel at forgetting. We look round and hear talk we have never heard before. These are extraordinary times. The spiraling economy, strange wars in distant lands, the emptiness of political answers, leave us reeling.
What do we do? Not infrequently, rumor comes that (whoever the current president is) he will, in just a few months’ time, bring in Sunday-law legislation.
Some are sure that this must be true. They spread the word. Soon they, and sometimes the church, are discredited. In this situation it is wise for us to review our basic understanding of the train of end-time events. We need not be swept along by imaginary concerns when we can easily discover the divinely-revealed track of end-time events through help already given.
Today we outline that series of events as understood and predicted by Seventh-day Adventists for more than a century. But first. . .
In the Bible, God has given divinely-selected stories to help us anticipate what is coming on the world. The premium source for stories helping us understand events foretold in the book of Revelation, is the book of Daniel. We direct our attention today to chapter six, review what happens there, and then consider what we have been told to expect in terms of specifics for the closing train of events. Let’s pick up, as we go, a lesson, not of fear but thanksgiving.
Daniel and a Religious Law
Chapter six contains the last in a series of stories directly referring to Daniel and his three friends in the first half of Daniel. The pattern seen in all the stories is showdown between those who insist on following the principles of God and those who bow to Satan under threat from the state.
Daniel is now well known in Babylon. Through long years he has stood for principle. At this point he is chief subpresident of three, directly under Darius. His Babylonian colleagues want him out. They hold a meeting. Listen:
Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him (Daniel 6:4).
They are looking for dirt. There isn't any. No grounds for complaints, no faults, no errors; he is absolutely clean. Could something be found, they would find. But nothing.
These are not stupid men. They do, however, know the one thing, the one deep flaw, the one catastrophic weakness in him: his religion.
Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God’ (Daniel 6:5).
How did they know this? Read the previous five chapters. Always Daniel was faithful. He never sought power over others. But they did seek it; two irreconcilable principles were at war. Those who seek power over others cannot bear the existence of even one who is content not to seek after it.
And so, they hatch a plot. The basis of the plot is not speculation or crazy pieces fit together just so. It is simple to a fault: If we create a law, they say, which is in conflict with the laws of Daniel’s God, he will disregard our law and instead follow his own religious practice&mdssh;then we have him.
There was something about Daniel that needs to be something about us, too. Do you know what it is? Daniel’s character had many positive traits, and one of these was his spirit of thankfulness. Here is a man taken captive, hauled out of his homeland, sent to University Babylon, surrounded by idols, false gods and their worshipers. And yet, his was a spirit of thankfulness to God.
We see it before this in chapter two, when God reveals king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to Daniel. Before he goes in to tell the king, or even to tell his three friends, immediately he gives thanks to God (Daniel 2:23).
There is something basic, primitive, and positive about this. Were we in Daniel’s position in chapter six, doubtless our first inclination would be to moan and complain and cry out to God. And I’m sure that Daniel did do some crying out to God. But he kept a certain clarity about himself. He knew who he was. He knew who God was. And he was thankful that he was in God’s grip. And how will you or I fair in these times of accelerating intensity if we do not now develop a similar spirit of thankfulness? Daniel could look back. Surely he knew to anticipate some such plot.
And so, back to chapter six. You already know what happens next. The presidents and satraps come to the king all smarmy and pious and suggest that he make an unalterable law—that no one can make request of any god nor ask petition of any leader other than Darius for the next 30 days. He signs the law. This was no small plot. All the satraps and all the presidents, except Daniel, agreed.
When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously (Daniel 6:10).
Remember, these sorry fellows had been spying on Daniel. They were fully aware that three times a day he retired to his residence and opened his windows and prayed toward Jerusalem. What's more, a plot involving so many must have been known to Daniel; you do not become the first among the presidents without knowing at least a few persons who will pass on knowledge of back-room murmurings.
He knew they were watching him. What’s more, by this time he was no longer a young man. What did he have to prove? Nothing for himself. But in terms of God&rssquo;s honor, it was different. And so, knowing himself was under surveillance, knowing what the law involved—certain death via sentencing to the lion’s den—what did he do?
He went home. He opened his windows toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees. And prayed to the God of heaven with a thankful spirit. He was not being defiant; he was being Daniel.
Three times that day he opened the windows, three times he prayed. Each time he was watched; multiple witnesses observed, copious notes were taken, smiles were exchanged in the shadows. “We’ve got him!” Evidence in hand, the satraps file triumphantly into the palace. They accuse Daniel before Darius. Darius now sees their plot, but although he tries, even he cannot deliver Daniel. (Some help praying to Darius is—neither can he deliver.) At last, Daniel is sent to the lion’s den. The king encourages Daniel. The den opening is sealed with signets of king and governors. The king leaves, fasting. Daniel is in the dark with the lions. Fade scene. . .
It is the next morning. The king comes early; he had not slept. But Daniel has not been eaten. He’s in quite the cheerful mood.
Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever! 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 6:21, 22).
Darius orders the enemies of Daniel thrown to the lions. Their bodies are immediately consumed. At the end, all is well with Daniel. Darius issues a decree in favor of Daniel and his God (but that is not our main concern today).
In Daniel what we see is a man completely faithful to God. He is consistent. The plot of his enemies counted on that fact. And look at this, a law was passed regarding religious worship. The decree affected everybody, but it was all about Daniel. In the end of time, there is another decree that will also impact everyone, but its real purpose will be all about a small remnant: it will be about those who are faithful in following Jesus.
Closing Sequence and Sabbath
Daniel provides us an encouragement. Consider the plottings that will come our way. When we are faithful in following Jesus, true to God and His Sabbath, we will fall under the beady eyeballs of God’s enemies. Events will happen in sequence that will lead us to our own “lion’s den” experience. Do you know the sequence?
For maximum detail, we gather the basic order of events from a book called The Great Controversy. Seventh-day Adventists believe that the writings of its author, Ellen White, while they do not replace the Bible nor are equal to it, are a continuing and authoritative source of truth. We understand this guidance to be inspired. That is, that the Holy Spirit revealed to the author by means of prophesy, details that would be of special benefit for we who live at this end of time.
As Daniel could see things developing around him, and went straight on faithfully, we, in some respects, can see events shaping around us as well. And we must go on, faithfully.
The idea is to follow Jesus wherever He goes. Daniel followed Jesus right into the lion’s den, and we are to follow Jesus right into the lion’s den. As an aid then, to those who would follow closely, God reveals things before they come to pass. And now, a dozen way marks on our pathway to the lion’s den. Just one proviso: Although there is a rough sequence, there is at several places considerable overlap in what follows.
- Long struggle concerning God, His character, His government, His law (Begins in Genesis, ends in Revelation). “The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God” (The Great Controversy, p. 582).
- The theory of the removal of God’s law leads to sharp decline in morals, fast-spreading corruption. “The doctrine that men are released from obedience to God’s requirements has weakened the force of moral obligation and opened the floodgates of iniquity upon the world” (p. 585).
- Removal of respect for His law means His removal of His blessings and protection. (Removal of this protection also leaves Protestants open to the deception of joining with Rome, which they soon embark upon.) “The Lord. . . will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same” (p. 589).
- “Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power, and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world” (pp. 588, 589).
[[[[ We are today more or less here, at step 3 and 4, and approaching 5 ]]]]
- Further societal consequences of removal of blessing and protection:
a. “Populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation” (p. 589).
b. Natural disasters increase (pp. 589, 590).
c. Food shortages (p. 590). - General claim made: “The fast-spreading corruption is largely attributable to the desecration of the so-called ‘Christian sabbath’. . . the enforcement of Sunday observance would greatly improve the morals of society” (p. 587).
- Specific claim made: “The class that have provoked the displeasure of heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God’s commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be declared that men are offendng God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity” (p. 590).
- A full blend of church-state union now demands “that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of God” (p. 591).
- Seventh-day Adventists who are faithful sabbath-keepers “will be denounced as enemies of law and order” (p. 592).
- “Rulers and legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance” (p. 592).
- Rights of conscience not respected, laws passed. “All who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties. . .” (p. 604).
- Death decree. “It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the state ought not to be tolerated. . . a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death” (pp. 615, 616).
There are references to Satan appearing in the period leading up to the end, but it is only as “the crowning act” that He actually comes fully out into the open and appears claiming to be Christ (p. 624). Statements about Satan’s appearing in the pages leading up to “the crowning act” are always more general (pp. 588, 589). References to the subtle work of influence by evil spirits at pp. 591 and 604 make little sense if he is already present actually impersonating Christ, but much sense if the 588, 589 statements are speaking broadly of general demonic activity.
Do you notice something? I want to kill all these rumors once and for all that have the pope conspiring with the American president. Look at what inspiration says in this sequence: The crisis develops from bottom to top, not top to bottom. It does not come down directly from world leaders and popes, it comes up from popular demand and political seeking of public favor. The demand for Sunday laws—the influence that actually makes the difference—comes from your next door neighbor.
The loose sequence we have here marked out offers cause for thankfulness. God has shown us before it comes to pass, that we might prepare. The road into the lion’s den for us is paved with the example of thankful Daniel. We need not be mistaken by fables that circulate (1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:4). Our watchword is not fear but thankfulness. The eye of Jesus is on His children.
Conclusion
That’s just the way it should be, isn't it? That our God would provide for us the encouragement of understanding the experience of other of His followers who have gone before us. Three times a day, Daniel gave thanks to God. Even in Babylon; even with his life endangered; even in the face of ugly religious laws.
We need to be careful. Some who do not understand the Bible might look at what we believe and say that all that God’s church has to offer is a religion of fear. They would be wrong though—at least if we are trusting in God as did Daniel. I am convinced that we can trust Jesus, we can be thankful for whatever He permits to come our way, no matter how unfairly or painfully we are impacted.
Ours is a religion of hope. We believe that our God will bring sin to a conclusion. We believe that all suffering will be ended, all love will ultimately prevail. We do not believe this out of an empty hope, but out of one that is very full.
Ours is a caring God who did not abandon Daniel and will not abandon us. He will walk through with us. We must watch and pray, but we have no business offering unfounded fear-mongering stories that cause some to see the religion of God’s people as foolish. If we receive the Spirit of God, we will have the Spirit of Jesus, we will have the help of our Father.
Into the lion's den? Yes. Without Jesus? Never. He will be with us as He was with Daniel. For this we can be thankful. GCO
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