Daniel 6:21-24 – Be true to God, self and others.

King Darius’ question in Daniel 6:20 hinted at his hope for God to save Daniel from the lions. As it turned out, God did indeed come to Daniel's rescue. He remained unharmed despite being cast into the lions’ den because God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths.

In response to the king, Daniel said, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel to shut the lions’ mouths. They did not harm me because I was found innocent before Him. Moreover, I have committed no crime towards you, O king.” (verses 21-22).

While Daniel attests to God’s faithfulness, he also maintains his innocence. He denies any malicious intent toward Darius and did not defy the latter in any way. The king immediately ordered Daniel to be released from the den.

The last sentence of verse 23 reveals the reason for Daniel’s rescue: his unwavering trust in God. This serves as a promise to us who have also put our faith in God that He will always respond and never abandon us. No matter our challenges, we can be assured that God will guide us through it all.

Meanwhile, for the conspirators’ wicked intent, the king ordered them and their families to be thrown into the lions' den. Hardly had they all reached the bottom of the pit; the hungry lions mauled them and crushed their bones.

This is a timely reminder of Proverbs 26:27: “He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.” What happened to the conspirators proves God's word to be true. They dug a pit to destroy the prophet but were themselves thrown into it.

Two takeaways:

Firstly, be sure to trust God fully. He will never let us down. In 2 Chronicles 16:9, we are assured that “the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

Secondly, don’t lay a trap for others. The law of reciprocity always takes place. What we sow, we shall also reap.