Daniel And The Lion’s Den: Faith In Times Of Great Trouble

📕Daniel & the Lion’s Den – Faith in Times of Great Trouble (Daniel 6)

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Discover the timeless story of Daniel in the lion’s den, told from King Darius’s perspective for children ages 3 and up. Learn about faith, and courage in times of great trouble.

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📕Daniel And The Lion’s Den Scriptures - Daniel 6: 10-27 

10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room 🏠, with its windows open toward Jerusalem 🌅. He prayed three times a day 🙏🙏🙏, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying 🙏 and asking for God’s help.

12 So they went straight to the king 👑 and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions? 🦁” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day 🙏.”

14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled 😟, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.

15 In the evening 🌙 the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

16 In the evening 🌙 the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”

17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den 🪨🦁. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal 👑 and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.

18 Then the king returned to his palace 🏰 and spent the night fasting 🌙. He refused his usual entertainment 🎶 and couldn’t sleep at all that night 😔.

19 Very early the next morning 🌄, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den 🦁.

20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions? 🦁”

21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 👑

22 My God sent his angel 😇 to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”

23 The king was overjoyed 😃 and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him ✨, for he had trusted in his God.

24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel 😠. He had them thrown into the lions’ den 🦁, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.

25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world 🌍: “Peace and prosperity to you! ✨

26 I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever ♾️. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.

27 He rescues and saves his people 🙌; he performs miraculous signs and wonders ✨ in the heavens and on earth 🌎. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions 🦁.”

📕 Introduction to Daniel in the lion's den

Children, my name is King Darius from Media.  Long, long ago, I reigned as king over the Kingdom of Persia (modern day Iran). When I became king, there were 120 countries in the kingdom, and a lot of people too. 

Some of those people were Jews and they served the true and living God. They were the only people serving the true and living God. All the other nations served and worshiped false gods.

I learned about the true and living God from Daniel, a man from Judah in Israel. Through his example, I saw the great power of God and commanded my people to serve Him too.

Let me tell you the story. 

📕 The Story of Daniel (Daniel 6)

I appointed 120 rulers to govern my empire, and three high officials to oversee them. Daniel was one of these. He was faithful, honest, and wise. I wanted to set him over the whole kingdom, sort of like the President, but his colleagues grew jealous. They searched for fault in his work, but found none.

They knew Daniel prayed three times a day, facing Jerusalem. So they tricked me into signing a law. According to the law, no one could pray to any god except for me, the king. In my country Persia, once a law was sealed with my signet, it could not be changed.

Daniel did not stop praying. He knelt in the  upper room of his house with the windows open toward Jerusalem. This is what he did every day. He refused to stop praying to God.

His enemies spied on him, caught him and brought him before me. My heart was troubled. I tried all day to save him, but the law bound me.

I sadly ordered my servants to throw Daniel into the den of lions

That evening, I ordered Daniel to be cast into the den of lions. I said, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you.” A stone was placed over the mouth of the den and sealed with my ring.
All night I fasted. I could not sleep. At dawn, I hurried to the den and cried, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God been able to rescue you?”

From the darkness came his voice: “My God sent His angel, and He shut the lions’ mouths. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him and before you.”

I rejoiced! Daniel was lifted out, unharmed. His accusers were thrown into the den, and the lions overpowered them. Then I issued a decree: 

“The God of Daniel is the living God. His kingdom will never be destroyed. He rescues and performs wonders.”

📕 Daniel in the lion's den FAQ

Why did Daniel pray toward Jerusalem? Because the temple of God in Jerusalem was the center of worship for his people, even in exile.

Why couldn’t the king change the law? In Persian custom, a royal decree sealed with the king’s signet could not be overturned.

What was the lion’s den?

It was a pit with wild lions kept inside.

What lesson can we learn from the story of Daniel in the lion's den? 

Faith in God gives courage, even when laws or people oppose us. We see also that God delivers His people who serve Him faithfully.

📕 Conclusion

Children, remember this: Daniel trusted God, and God saved him. In times of trouble, we too can trust the living God. He is faithful, and His kingdom will never end.

📕 Call to Action

Share this story with your family, watch the videos together, and talk about how you can be faithful like Daniel in your everyday life.

📕 REFERENCES

Bible Hub. (n.d.). Topical Bible: The Den of Lions. Retrieved from https://biblehub.com 

Brohm, W. (n.d.). Daniel 6 Chapter Study: Lions and the Living God.

Whole-Bible Commentary. Retrieved from https://www.workingpreacher.org

Midvash Bible. (n.d.). Daniel 6. Retrieved from https://midvash.com.

The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Biblica.