the lions

August 27, 2017

The decree about the living God of Daniel (Dan 6:26-6:27)

“I make a decree.

In all my royal dominion,

People should tremble,

People should fear,

Before the God of Daniel!

He is the living God!

He endures forever!

His kingdom

Shall never be destroyed!

His dominion

Has no end!

He delivers!

He rescues!

He works signs

In heaven!

He works wonders

On earth!

He has saved Daniel

From the power

Of the lions.”

King Darius made a decree for his royal kingdom. People were to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel, because he was a living God. He would endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, since it has no end. He delivers people. He rescues people. He works signs and does wonders, both in heaven and on earth. Most of all, he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. This is a universal declaration that all people in the whole world should realize what the God of Daniel has done for him. What a wonderful description of the role of God in human lives. Interesting enough, this great proclamation comes from this questionable Darius the Mede, and not an Israelite leader or prophet.

August 26, 2017

Daniel is released from the den (Dan 6:23-6:23)

“Then the king

Was exceedingly glad.

He commanded

That Daniel be taken up

Out of the den.

Thus,

Daniel was taken up

Out of the den.

No kind of hurt

Was found on him,

Because he had trusted

In his God.”

The king was very happy. Thus, he commanded that Daniel be removed from the lion’s den. When Daniel was taken out of the den, it was clear that he did not have any kind of harm on him. He had trusted in his God, who saved him from the lions. Trust in God was a key theme of this work.

August 26, 2017

The king goes to the lions’ den the next morning (Dan 6:19-6:20)

“Then at daybreak,

The king got up.

He hurried

To the den of lions.

When he came near

The den,

Where Daniel was,

He cried out anxiously

To Daniel.

‘O Daniel!

Servant of the living God!

Has your God,

Whom you faithfully serve,

Been able

To deliver you

From the lions?’”

The next morning, the king got up at the crack of dawn. He hurried to the to the lions’ den, where Daniel was. He then cried out to Daniel, as he called him the servant of the living God. He wanted to know if his God, whom he faithfully served, had saved him from the lions overnight. This story of Daniel in the lions’ den was probably based on a classic Babylonian folk-tale. However, the overlay of the God of Daniel was unique.

August 25, 2017

The king is troubled about Daniel (Dan 6:14-6:14)

“When the king,

Heard the charge,

He was very much distressed.

He was determined

To save Daniel.

Until the sun went down,

He made every effort

To rescue him.”

The king, on the other hand, was not too worried about his decree. When he heard the charges against Daniel, he was a little upset and concerned about him. He was determined to save Daniel from the lions. He tried everything to figure out how to rescue Daniel. Finally, the sun set. With that, so did Daniel’s chances of help dim.

 

October 22, 2016

The destroying animals (Jer 5:6-5:6)

“Therefore a lion from the forest

Shall kill them.

A wolf from the desert

Shall destroy them.

A leopard is watching

Against their cities.

Everyone who goes out of them

Shall be torn to pieces.

Because their transgressions are many.

Their apostasies are great.”

Due to their transgressions and the renunciation of their religious practices, the people of Jerusalem were in danger from wild animals. The lions from the forest would kill them. A wolf from the desert would destroy them. A leopard was watching them outside their cities. All of them would be torn to pieces because of their many sins and failure to worship Yahweh.

September 14, 2015

How long would David have to wait for revenge? (Ps 35:17-35:18)

“How long?

Yahweh!

Will you look on?

Rescue me from their ravages!

Rescue my life from the lions!

Then I will thank you in the great congregation.

In the mighty throng

I will praise you.”

David wanted to know how long this malicious activity towards him was going to continue. He wanted Yahweh to see what was going on. He wanted to be rescued from the ravages of these wild beasts, like the lions. David was again very descriptive as the enemies were like wild animals or lions. If Yahweh would help him, David would thank him before the whole congregation, in the mighty throng of people. There he would praise Yahweh.